..... like, for example, an Oliver patternmaker's lathe, or similar vintage
monster. I'm curious to hear how well you have adapted it (if at all) to
modern accessories and techniques such as scroll chucks, bowl savers,
aftermarket toolrests, speed control, etc.

--
Jon Endres, PE
Reply To: wmengineer (at) adelphia (dot) net

.... like, for example, an Oliver patternmaker's lathe, or similar vintage
monster. I'm curious to hear how well you have adapted it (if at all) to
modern accessories and techniques such as scroll chucks, bowl savers,
aftermarket toolrests, speed control, etc.

A while ago, I saw the web site of a guy that does architectural columns,
and built a lathe large enough to do columns that were several feet in
diameter, and something like 15 or 20 feet long. To rough out the columns,
he used something like a 3- or 5-horse motor attached to an 18" circular
blade, mounted on rails to slide back and forth. I wish I could find the
link now! Maybe someone else has it...

steve

Steve Wolfe wrote:

A while ago, I saw the web site of a guy that does architectural columns,
and built a lathe large enough to do columns that were several feet in
diameter, and something like 15 or 20 feet long. To rough out the columns,
he used something like a 3- or 5-horse motor attached to an 18" circular
blade, mounted on rails to slide back and forth. I wish I could find the
link now! Maybe someone else has it...

steve

It sounds like Tom Plamann's lathe:

Finished project -
http://www.plamann.com/sys-tmpl/lath...athe&UID=10021

The whole story -
http://www.plamann.com/sys-tmpl/lathe/index.nhtml

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
(Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

It sounds like Tom Plamann's lathe:

Finished project -
http://www.plamann.com/sys-tmpl/lath...athe&UID=10021

The whole story -
http://www.plamann.com/sys-tmpl/lathe/index.nhtml

That's the one! It sounds like my memory was slightly exagerated, but
that's still one big lathe. : )

steve

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 17:15:22 -0400, "Jon Endres, PE" t wrote:

.... like, for example, an Oliver patternmaker's lathe, or similar vintage
monster. I'm curious to hear how well you have adapted it (if at all) to
modern accessories and techniques such as scroll chucks, bowl savers,
aftermarket toolrests, speed control, etc.

I have a Faye & Scott (Dexter, ME) pattern makers lathe from the early 1900s. I bought it from a fellow turner who had the spindle
threaded to 1 1/4 x 8 (RH in board and LH outboard). Replaced the flat belts sheeves with a v-belt sheeve. A 2hp motor went thru a
jackshaft assembly to give a wide variety of speeds. Once I got it, I replaced the jackshaft with a 2HP VFD. I have 8ft between
centers with a 16" swing. Outboard, I have a 38" swing (which is what I use 99% of the time). The rest of the bed is home to one
of my Jet 1236 lathes. I can remove it with 4 bolts quite easily when I have a long spindle job to do on the big lathe. I use a
Nova banjo/toolrest between centers and it has a homemade banjo with MANY homemade toolsrests for the outboard side.

Peter Teubel
Milford, MA
http://www.revolutionary-turners.com

i also run a big old lathe - no makers name on it though - it has a
9ft bed with a headstock and tailstock - i can turn approx 26 inch
dianeter over the bed. the headstock has a 2.5inch shaft which was
originally hollow but i have plugged it and rethreaded it to fit the
faceplates and chucks that i have for my other lathe. it runs on two
split brass bearings which are continuously oiled to provide a
sjurface for the shaft to float on. i hva e chaged the motor to a 3
phase 3 hp which is strong enough to turn anything with good torque. i
run the motor of an inverter which now means i have infinite speed
control and forward reverse aswell as many other features -

i am now in the process of putting together a larger bowl turning
lathe - i ma going to make it from two block bearings anmd a thrust
bearing maounted on a heavy duty angle iron frame- the shaft i will
have to get engineered with the appropriate shoulders etc but will
thread it to suit the sturdiest chuck i can find - i will match
faceplated etc with this. i am interesetd in anyone else has built
such a thing and comments would be appreciated.

(geoff tulip) wrote:

the shaft i will
have to get engineered with the appropriate shoulders etc but will
thread it to suit the sturdiest chuck i can find - i will match
faceplated etc with this.

Rather than threading it at all, consider one of the metalworking
cam-lock systems, since you're scratch-building. Nice beefy chucks
available (you will need to make your own woodturning-specific jaw-tops)
and no pesky unscrewing when you reverse the lathe.

--
Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by

"Jon Endres, PE" t wrote in message ...
.... like, for example, an Oliver patternmaker's lathe, or similar 'snip'

My memory has slipped a little but I read of a turner who modified his
homemade machine to turn flagpoles for a uni or college in either Aus
or the USA. Something about trees being felled to makeway for a new
building and using native wood ... the plot has been lost in the
mists of time. I do remember he employed two guys just to clear the
shavings (by the skip/dumpster load) photos were supplied but I cannot
remember if it was a website or a magazine that ran the story ... the
more I think about it the more I belive it was in Aus.

Tim GC

I turn on an old Oliver 20-C Patternmaker's Lathe and wouldn't trade
it for any other on the market. I can turn 24" in diameter and almost
8' long inboard and from spindle to floor/ceiling outboard. It has a
4 step flat belt pully drive system run by a 5HP motor with 4 speed
gear box. The spindle is threaded 1-7/8" x 6 tpi with #4 Morse Tapers
in head and tailstocks.

You can buy MT adaptors inexpensively from Enco, MSC or on Ebay. For
~$100 I had an adaptor turned by a machinist to allow use of my 1-1/4"
x 8 tpi faceplates and chucks.

The only changes I'd like to make to the old machine is a VFD for the
existing 5HP motor and some sort of breaking system (poss. built into
the VFD).

Are you thinking of buying one?

Turner

Turner wrote:
I turn on an old Oliver 20-C Patternmaker's Lathe and wouldn't trade
it for any other on the market. I can turn 24" in diameter and almost
8' long inboard and from spindle to floor/ceiling outboard. It has a
4 step flat belt pully drive system run by a 5HP motor with 4 speed
gear box. The spindle is threaded 1-7/8" x 6 tpi with #4 Morse Tapers
in head and tailstocks.

I worked on one of these Olivers at a former job and wished it had VFD
but the boss was too cheap.
The motor was a humongous 5 hp, 750 rpm old chunk of metal and copper. I
hated those flat belts, never could get a decent splice. It didn't have
a gearbox, so probably not the exact model--the lowest speed was about
200 rpm which is why I wished for VFD since we were turning up to 20"
dia. hardwood log chunks into African-style drumshells. I also turned a
couple eccentric posts for the front porch of our house.

There's a simple way to brake any induction motor (single or three
phase) by injection of DC current into one of the windings. With some
type of current control, you can use a car battery as long as it's not
more than twice the rated AC current of the motor. I don't have the
specifics nearby, the info I have is in a book by Tubal Caine--part of
the Workshop Practice Series published in the UK. I'll look it up if asked.

I'd like to find plans for a cheap DIY VFD to run a 1.5 hp 3 phase motor
I have lying around. Guess I should head over to rec.crafts.metalworking
and post a query.

Ken Grunke
http://www.token.crwoodturner.com/



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Do you mean a build-it-yourself vfd? Buy the parts and wire it up? These things are all
software driven and the code is pretty sophisticated. Also some of the parts are, I think,
pretty exotic because of the large amounts of current they are dealing with.

Or isn't that what you mean?

Bill

In article , says...
Turner wrote:
I turn on an old Oliver 20-C Patternmaker's Lathe and wouldn't trade
it for any other on the market. I can turn 24" in diameter and almost
8' long inboard and from spindle to floor/ceiling outboard. It has a
4 step flat belt pully drive system run by a 5HP motor with 4 speed
gear box. The spindle is threaded 1-7/8" x 6 tpi with #4 Morse Tapers
in head and tailstocks.

I worked on one of these Olivers at a former job and wished it had VFD
but the boss was too cheap.
The motor was a humongous 5 hp, 750 rpm old chunk of metal and copper. I
hated those flat belts, never could get a decent splice. It didn't have
a gearbox, so probably not the exact model--the lowest speed was about
200 rpm which is why I wished for VFD since we were turning up to 20"
dia. hardwood log chunks into African-style drumshells. I also turned a
couple eccentric posts for the front porch of our house.

There's a simple way to brake any induction motor (single or three
phase) by injection of DC current into one of the windings. With some
type of current control, you can use a car battery as long as it's not
more than twice the rated AC current of the motor. I don't have the
specifics nearby, the info I have is in a book by Tubal Caine--part of
the Workshop Practice Series published in the UK. I'll look it up if asked.

I'd like to find plans for a cheap DIY VFD to run a 1.5 hp 3 phase motor
I have lying around. Guess I should head over to rec.crafts.metalworking
and post a query.

Ken Grunke
http://www.token.crwoodturner.com/



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Bill Rubenstein wrote:
Do you mean a build-it-yourself vfd? Buy the parts and wire it up? These things are all
software driven and the code is pretty sophisticated. Also some of the parts are, I think,
pretty exotic because of the large amounts of current they are dealing with.

Or isn't that what you mean?

Yup, that's what I meant. I spent a couple hours googling the newsgroups
on the subject and came up with enough info to partly discourage me from
looking any further and settle for a variable DC drive using a treadmill
motor. Probably more practical for my situation, although I DO have a 3
ph. motor, and a working rotary convertor, but not much extra moola.

I'm not necessarily hoping to find a design for a continuously variable
frequency convertor, a stepped adjustment in 3 or 4 ranges controlled by
a rotary switch would suffice (15, 30, 45, and 60 hertz for example). A
circuit made with scavanged 60's or 70's vintage parts would be ideal
for my frugal style of living. A high power, very low frequency radio
transmitter?

Ken Grunke



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On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 23:14:11 -0500, "Ken G." wrote:

although I DO have a 3
ph. motor, and a working rotary convertor, but not much extra moola.

If you have 3ph available, you're half way there. Check out eBay. VFDs that take 3ph input are alot cheaper than those that can
take in 1ph.

Peter Teubel
Milford, MA
http://www.revolutionary-turners.com

Well, I'm not a double-e but I play one on television...

I've been heavily into diy electronics for decades and know quite a bit about vfd-s and
designing, bbuilding and programming microcomputer circuits from scratch (one of mine is
running a dry kiln -- written in assembler language on a microchip cpu) and wouldn't even
think of tackling a vfd. Too much current, too much smoke before I got it running and too
many fried 3-phase motors. Also, no idea where to start on this one.

Bill

In article , says...
Bill Rubenstein wrote:
Do you mean a build-it-yourself vfd? Buy the parts and wire it up? These things are all
software driven and the code is pretty sophisticated. Also some of the parts are, I think,
pretty exotic because of the large amounts of current they are dealing with.

Or isn't that what you mean?

Yup, that's what I meant. I spent a couple hours googling the newsgroups
on the subject and came up with enough info to partly discourage me from
looking any further and settle for a variable DC drive using a treadmill
motor. Probably more practical for my situation, although I DO have a 3
ph. motor, and a working rotary convertor, but not much extra moola.

I'm not necessarily hoping to find a design for a continuously variable
frequency convertor, a stepped adjustment in 3 or 4 ranges controlled by
a rotary switch would suffice (15, 30, 45, and 60 hertz for example). A
circuit made with scavanged 60's or 70's vintage parts would be ideal
for my frugal style of living. A high power, very low frequency radio
transmitter?

Ken Grunke



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Hi Tim,
I remember seeing that on the web and am pretty sure it was in Australia,
but I don't recall enough info to do a search to find it. I think you the
general idea on the details also.
Martin

"Wobblybootie" wrote in message
om...
"Jon Endres, PE" t wrote
in message ...
.... like, for example, an Oliver patternmaker's lathe, or similar
'snip'

My memory has slipped a little but I read of a turner who modified his
homemade machine to turn flagpoles for a uni or college in either Aus
or the USA. Something about trees being felled to makeway for a new
building and using native wood ... the plot has been lost in the
mists of time. I do remember he employed two guys just to clear the
shavings (by the skip/dumpster load) photos were supplied but I cannot
remember if it was a website or a magazine that ran the story ... the
more I think about it the more I belive it was in Aus.

Tim GC

Are you thinking of buying one?

well, if i can get my hands on one at the right price, maybe at auction
somewhere, yes. i look at the oneways and stubbys etc. and think that maybe
the old iron would suit me better. it'll go well with the rest of the
vintage machines in my shop.

jon e


Turner

Turn on a Oneway or a Stubby, than say that...

Bill


In article ,
says...

Are you thinking of buying one?

well, if i can get my hands on one at the right price, maybe at auction
somewhere, yes. i look at the oneways and stubbys etc. and think that maybe
the old iron would suit me better. it'll go well with the rest of the
vintage machines in my shop.

jon e


Turner

Bill Rubenstein wrote in message .net...

Turn on a Oneway or a Stubby, than say that...

Bill


Sorry Bill,

I've turn on Oneways (all models) extensively and a Stubby once. They
are both great machines, but I wouldn't replace my Oliver with one of
them. I just like the stability of the Old Giant (The Oliver 20-C
weighs just over 4000 pounds). With the addition of a VFD I'll have
the best of both worlds.

SAFETY NOTE: This is one reason I really want a VFD... I finished one
relatively small turning last Saturday morning and mounted a big snag
on Sunday afternoon. I NEGLECTED TO CHANGE TO LOW GEAR and when I hit
the run switch the out-of-balance snag (~100 pounds) quickly came to
speed (5HP motor) and rocked the whole 4000 pound lathe! I'm sure
glad I wired an emergency kill switch at the other end of the machine!
ALWAYS REDUCE YOUR SPEED WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED WITH A TURNING
SESSION! While a VFD won't automatically prevent this from happening,
they can be programmed for a soft start.

Take it for what it's worth to you!

Turner

While a VFD won't automatically prevent this from happening,
they can be programmed for a soft start.

Soft starts are great. And, your VFD probably COULD be programmed to shut
off if the load was out of balance. You could rig some sort of pendulum that
touched a microswitch when the lathe began shaking. Said microswitch could
be wired and programmed as the emergency stop.

Got me thinking...

Many years ago I worked for a computer manufacturer. We made a printer (1403 for those old
enough to remember it) which, when it needed paper, would open its cover to let you know.
The engineers thought it would save time, assure that the operator noticed the need, etc.

The problem...

The top of the printer was almost exactly the right height to put your coffee cup on and was
used regularly for that purpose. So, my idea...

The coffee cup goes on the lathe. When it spills because of vibration, it shorts the contact
on a liquid sensing switch...

BTW, there was always a brown stain on the floor under every 1403 printer.

Bill

In article L3H4d.96006$MQ5.1354@attbi_s52, says...
While a VFD won't automatically prevent this from happening,
they can be programmed for a soft start.

Soft starts are great. And, your VFD probably COULD be programmed to shut
off if the load was out of balance. You could rig some sort of pendulum that
touched a microswitch when the lathe began shaking. Said microswitch could
be wired and programmed as the emergency stop.

"Bill Rubenstein" wrote: (clip) The coffee cup goes on the lathe. When it
spills because of vibration, it shorts the contact on a liquid sensing
switch...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
How about a pendulum with a coffee cup in the path of its arc? The cup is
on one end of a teeter-totter, with a ball balanced on the other end. When
the ball comes off, it rolls onto a chute...

In article
,
"Leo Lichtman" wrote:

How about a pendulum with a coffee cup in the path of its arc? The cup is
on one end of a teeter-totter, with a ball balanced on the other end. When
the ball comes off, it rolls onto a chute...

Rube, zat you?

You'd be surprised at how unsophisticated some things are. I always took it
for granted that the shake switch in the washing machine was something
exotic until I saw ours. Nylon "finger" depressing a length of wire. Any
shake, slides off and trips the microswitch.

Also slides off and won't spin if the wife lets the lid slam ....

"Owen Lowe" wrote in message
news
In article
,
"Leo Lichtman" wrote:

How about a pendulum with a coffee cup in the path of its arc? The cup
is
on one end of a teeter-totter, with a ball balanced on the other end.
When
the ball comes off, it rolls onto a chute...

Rube, zat you?