On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:57:33 -0700, charlieb wrote:

Being able to turn a knob and dial in a higher or lower speed
rather than moving a belt and changing pulleys has become
almost a necessity - for me. Being able to dial down the rpms
for a very delicate cut or to clean up a narrow deep V now
seems crazy at higher rpms. I'm still playing in the lowest
rpm range on the JET mini/midi .

My Jet mini is not vs, but my Jet 1442 is... being lazy, I don't use the mini
much.. lol
My next lathe, hopefully in my life time, will be digital speed and reversing...

Being able to turn the lathe on and off without having to
pull the tool away to get to the on/off switch has become
a necessity - for me. There are delicate cuts that must
end with the cutting edge at a specific point, and tool
orientation which I formerly blew often pulling the tool
away.

I like remote switches... I use plastic outlet boxes on my lathes with a "push
to stop" button... I epoxy a good size rare earth magnet and large washer to the
bottom of the box, so I can stick it on the lathe near my elbow, knee, hip,
whatever... very handy and saves wear and tear on the tools own switch..

A long goose neck lamp that puts light right where I
need it, yet shields my eyes from the bulb has become
a necessity - for me (and will no doubt require a higher
watt bulb as my vision goes).

I'll turn under artificial light, but try only to finish turn and sand under
natural light...
When I turn at night, I use a 500 watt work light, reflecting off the ceiling...
just seems to give me the most comfortable amount of light without a lot of
glare.. It helps to have 10' ceilings painted white for good reflection..

An MT jacobs chuck for the tail stock makes drilling,
either with a forstner bit or brad point bit, beats
TRYING to drill a hole in the end of a turned piece
on a drill press - and therefore has become a necessity
- for me.

Yep... inexpensive item that pays for itself in a hurry....
If I need a really accurate hole in a thin pen blank, I'll use the lathe to
drill it..
Beware of the Morse taper working loose, though... pretty nasty when you're
backing a 2" forstner bit out of the hole and the chuck decides to part company
with the tail stock... DAMHIKT

Turning a tenon on the end of a finial that must fit
a hole in the lid of a turned box - when you can't
fit the tenon to the hole while the finial is on the
lathe - necessitates a dial caliper - a digital dial
caliper.

I have one, but usually use a shop made diameter gauge... Mine's just a piece of
3/8" oak that I drilled several size holes in and then cut in half...
No numbers to read, easy to use and if you're really careful, can be used with
the lathe running.. (Don't try this at home, kids)

Having a decent scroll chuck - and several sets of
jaws has become a necessity - for me. The possibilities
it/they opened up changed not only what I can do,
but how I can do it. Definitely THE lathe accessory.

Yep.. My first Talon changed my turning... wish I'd bought one 10 or 12 years
earlier!
A few years ago, I used an extended visit from the kids as an excuse to buy
another Talon.. It's really nice to have normal jaws on one and spigot jaws on
the other and just pick up the one you need..

Have you got an "accessory" you didn't know you had to have until you had it and used it? Why?

The vacuum chuck system that Bill Noble helped my set up...

I thought it would be nice to use for a bowl bottom once in a while, but
constantly find more uses for it...
I've been "re-turning" stuff that I thought was really well done a few years
ago... I guess we've all been there, but usually there isn't a lot you can do
but just not look at it..lol
I've been taking thick walled, chunky stuff that my wife had stained and poly
coated, (we thought it was really nice at the time), and turning them again,
inside and out...


mac

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