Hi Kudzu,
Seeing the picture changes the approach I would take. For me your lathe
is a wonderful piece of machinery to enjoy and restore to what it was.
Please don't take this as a put down, I would love to own it. I don't
know what a J line is, but unless the pic is very misleading it was
designed for light & balanced turning, perhaps for a special purpose.
Maybe it is wooden bed spindle lathe with tailstock missing. Maybe it is
a disc or platter lathe. Maybe I'm lost out in left field.

For general bowl turning in the 14- 16 in, size the spindle and tool
post 'appear' undersized. The toolrest 'appears to have little or no
vertical adjustment. The head casting doesn't 'appear' to be very robust
and the bed 'appears' short even for a bowl lathe. Maybe like so many
'heavy duty' 1/4 hp split phase home workshop power tools of yesteryear,
it never really was HD, but it sure is a fascinating lathe.

I have no training in mechanics or in machine design, but there must a
limit to what a heavy and well engineered stand, slow speed and
increased hp can do, else we would all construct massive stands, put 50
lb lathes with jack shafts and 3 hp motors on them and turn big heavy
bowl blanks.

Can you tell us more about your interesting J line lathe. I may have the
specs and what should be done entirely wrong and my take may be a waste
of bandwidth. (not the first time) Whatever you decide to do, have fun
and tell us about it.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



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