I am getting ready to buy a new lathe and am thinking about making the stand that is in shopnotes issue 10. My only problem is that I have a one car garage and have to do most of my work outside. I need a stand that is portable.

Does anyone have any suggestions. I figure that I will need to use some sandbags for weight for the stability.

Thanks
Ted

In message , Ted
writes
I am getting ready to buy a new lathe and am thinking about making the
stand that is in shopnotes issue 10. My only problem is that I have a
one car garage and have to do most of my work outside. I need a stand
that is portable.

Does anyone have any suggestions. I figure that I will need to use some
sandbags for weight for the stability.

Thanks
Ted

Not seen the shopnotes you mention but..

My lathe is on wheels 4 at each end providing a platform ( Think
skateboard). The wheels are all revolving rather than fixed, and of
Nylon NOT Rubber which compresses under standing weight. On the shelf I
have 2 bench grinders and between the wheels on another shelf is more
equipment that is heavy. The whole thing moves with little effort, and
as each wheel has its own locking brake that also stops rotation its
going nowhere and I usually only lock 1 wheel each end.

Disadvantage or advantage depending on your height. These wheels add 3
inches to height and the shelf they are attached to another inch so you
get 4 inches of height. In my case I have an additional 3 inches of
support to get the lathe at the height comfortable for me. By using
Steel U channel idea, with wheels attached to brackets attached to the
top edge of the U , you can effectively lower the height of your
assembly to near ground level
--
John

In article ,
"Ted" wrote:

I am getting ready to buy a new lathe and am thinking about making the stand
that is in shopnotes issue 10. My only problem is that I have a one car
garage and have to do most of my work outside. I need a stand that is
portable.

haven't got shopnotes handy, but any of the usual methods work, so long
as you use wheels that will take the load. Best to use one of the
variants that has the load off the wheels when working.

Depending what you have, and how heavy:

Set up so it can be moved by a pallet jack - of course, you have to get
a pallet jack, but you can set other things up for moving with the same
pallet jack, and a pallet jack will pick up a ton or two.

Wheels at one end that are off the ground (just) when set level. Handles
(might be removable) on opposite end so you can "wheelbarrow" it -
limited weight you can pick up is a factor.

Flip-under casters - each end has a jacking point and a set of casters
mounted on a hinged board - flipped under the wheels are on the ground.
Flipped out the legs set on the ground and the wheels point to the sky.
Jack has to be able to get in without getting in the way of the wheel
board.

One I have not seen that should work - casters on levers (short side) -
long side long enough that you can set the casters down and raise the
leg up; with a method to pin the lever up while moving.

Arrangements with hinges, casters and screws to jack the casters down to
the ground - many ways to work - can use a ratchet rather than having to
provide a handle.

Fancier methods involving cams - buy rather than build for most of us.

Be very wary of heavy lathe+stand and sloping driveway - when a heavy
load on wheels decides to go downhill, it's going to go downhill... at
least until it falls over and breaks.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by