Is there any safety reason for the standard height rule of "elbow height"
when setting up a lathe on a bench or stand. Is there a some safety issues
involve. I will be doing some light spindle work a couple times a month for
only an hour or so and I have a nice workbench for the lathe. The lathe on
the bench will result in the lathe spindle being about 4-5 inches higher
than elbow height.... Any real problem here?? Is the lathe more dangerous
at this level than at elbow level.
-Thanks

On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 22:00:15 -0700, "buck"
wrote:

Is there any safety reason for the standard height rule of "elbow height"
when setting up a lathe on a bench or stand. Is there a some safety issues
involve. I will be doing some light spindle work a couple times a month for
only an hour or so and I have a nice workbench for the lathe. The lathe on
the bench will result in the lathe spindle being about 4-5 inches higher
than elbow height.... Any real problem here?? Is the lathe more dangerous
at this level than at elbow level.
-Thanks

my guess, based on limited and self taught experience (I think that's
a disclaimer) is that the height is more for comfort and efficiency
than safety.. it's pretty hard to predict which direction something is
going to fly in unless you know where and how you're going to hit it..
*g*+

"buck" wrote: (clip) Is the lathe more dangerous at this level than at elbow
level. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^
I don't think it is a matter of safety--mostly comfort and ease of
manipulating the tools. If the lathe is too low, you will get a tired back
from bending over. If it is too high, you will not be able to steady the
tool handles easily against the side of your body, under your arm. If you
find that your lathe is too high, just build yourself a platform to stand
on--easier than building a whole new bench.

Thank you Mac and thank you Leo..... Just wanted to touch base with people
in the know. I didn't think you could predict with any certainty the
direction of the accident. I couldn't really think of any safety issues but
thought I would get a second opinion.... in this case.... two opinions is
enough for me.

-thanks again.



"buck" wrote in message
ervers.com...
Is there any safety reason for the standard height rule of "elbow height"
when setting up a lathe on a bench or stand. Is there a some safety
issues
involve. I will be doing some light spindle work a couple times a month
for
only an hour or so and I have a nice workbench for the lathe. The lathe
on
the bench will result in the lathe spindle being about 4-5 inches higher
than elbow height.... Any real problem here?? Is the lathe more dangerous
at this level than at elbow level.
-Thanks

If the work decides to part company with the lathe it could go in any
direction. Some would say that by having your head closer to the
lathe means it's more dangerous because you would be hit harder, but
lets face it 4 or 5 inches isn't going to make much difference to the
velocity of the projectile.

As others have said, I think lathe height comes down to comfort and
they have based it on the height of the average man.
Cheers
Paul



On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 22:00:15 -0700, "buck"
wrote:

Is there any safety reason for the standard height rule of "elbow height"
when setting up a lathe on a bench or stand. Is there a some safety issues
involve. I will be doing some light spindle work a couple times a month for
only an hour or so and I have a nice workbench for the lathe. The lathe on
the bench will result in the lathe spindle being about 4-5 inches higher
than elbow height.... Any real problem here?? Is the lathe more dangerous
at this level than at elbow level.
-Thanks




Unless otherwise stated all references to location refer to Western Australia

I really didn't have any choice on how high my lathe (jet Mini) would be; it
sits on my workbench. So, I built a sturdy and wide stand to raise me up to
the 'comfortable' height.

fwiw Tom

--
Remove the 'p' from 'shaw' to e-mail me.
"Paulco" wrote in message
...
If the work decides to part company with the lathe it could go in any
direction. Some would say that by having your head closer to the
lathe means it's more dangerous because you would be hit harder, but
lets face it 4 or 5 inches isn't going to make much difference to the
velocity of the projectile.

As others have said, I think lathe height comes down to comfort and
they have based it on the height of the average man.
Cheers
Paul



On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 22:00:15 -0700, "buck"
wrote:

Is there any safety reason for the standard height rule of "elbow height"
when setting up a lathe on a bench or stand. Is there a some safety
issues
involve. I will be doing some light spindle work a couple times a month
for
only an hour or so and I have a nice workbench for the lathe. The lathe
on
the bench will result in the lathe spindle being about 4-5 inches higher
than elbow height.... Any real problem here?? Is the lathe more
dangerous
at this level than at elbow level.
-Thanks




Unless otherwise stated all references to location refer to Western
Australia

Thanks to All for taking time.....



"buck" wrote in message
ervers.com...
Is there any safety reason for the standard height rule of "elbow height"
when setting up a lathe on a bench or stand. Is there a some safety
issues
involve. I will be doing some light spindle work a couple times a month
for
only an hour or so and I have a nice workbench for the lathe. The lathe
on
the bench will result in the lathe spindle being about 4-5 inches higher
than elbow height.... Any real problem here?? Is the lathe more dangerous
at this level than at elbow level.
-Thanks

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 07:50:05 GMT, "Tom Storey"
wrote:

I really didn't have any choice on how high my lathe (jet Mini) would be; it
sits on my workbench. So, I built a sturdy and wide stand to raise me up to
the 'comfortable' height.

fwiw Tom

that beats the hell out of being too tall and having to dig a hole in
the shop floor.. *g*

I tried that, but hit concrete, raising the lathe was cheaper then
getting a jackhammer. ;-)

James
www.cryscom.nb.ca

mac davis wrote:
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 07:50:05 GMT, "Tom Storey"
wrote:


I really didn't have any choice on how high my lathe (jet Mini) would be; it
sits on my workbench. So, I built a sturdy and wide stand to raise me up to
the 'comfortable' height.

fwiw Tom


that beats the hell out of being too tall and having to dig a hole in
the shop floor.. *g*

On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 22:00:15 -0700, "buck"
wrote:

Is there any safety reason for the standard height rule of "elbow height"
when setting up a lathe on a bench or stand. Is there a some safety issues
involve. I will be doing some light spindle work a couple times a month for
only an hour or so and I have a nice workbench for the lathe. The lathe on
the bench will result in the lathe spindle being about 4-5 inches higher
than elbow height.... Any real problem here?? Is the lathe more dangerous
at this level than at elbow level.
-Thanks

I think others have already answered this, but you might be interested
in a picture I've just posted in alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking

Can't recall where I got the picture from, but it's apparently
somewhere in England, I think pre-1930, possibly even pre-WW1.

Posted it because:

(a) the operating height seems very high compared to what we're used
to these days (or he may be sitting, the easier to use the treadle),
and

(b) The turner seems to be using what we sometimes assume is a modern
development - a bowl saver.

John

The photo is a (fairly) famous photo from The Wellington Journal &
Shrewsbury News, published 8.5.1937.

The following description of the photo is from "The Reading Lathe" by P.H.
Dixon:
"Robert ("Jack") Jordan, the Wellington, Sallop, turner exhibiting a nest of
bowls on a lathe...Note that, for photographic purposes, he is holding his
turning tool well above its correct place on the toolrest (the end of which
may be seen on top of the tailstock), when the tool would not have been
visible."

This was a common way to photograph, and earlier draw, turners at work...
and is by no means indicative of the way they actually worked.

The lathe is also clearly a common pole lathe, not a treadle lathe. The
leather belt passes three times around the bowl mandrel, which is spiked
into what will be the hollow of the nest of bowls and is supported by the
massive tailstock, seen in front of Mr. Jordan's chest.

The English turners called these "bowl saver" tools "hook tools" and
actually had small hooks forged on the ends in order to shear-cut the core
from the bowl, unlike most modern coring systems which scrape to make this
cut. Shearing takes much less energy than does scraping, very important on
a foot-powered lathe.

Michael Latcha - at home in Redford, MI


I think others have already answered this, but you might be interested
in a picture I've just posted in alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking

Can't recall where I got the picture from, but it's apparently
somewhere in England, I think pre-1930, possibly even pre-WW1.

Posted it because:

(a) the operating height seems very high compared to what we're used
to these days (or he may be sitting, the easier to use the treadle),
and

(b) The turner seems to be using what we sometimes assume is a modern
development - a bowl saver.

John

Guess I was just born lucky .

--
Remove the 'p' from 'shaw' to e-mail me.
"James" wrote in message
...
I tried that, but hit concrete, raising the lathe was cheaper then
getting a jackhammer. ;-)

James
www.cryscom.nb.ca

mac davis wrote:
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 07:50:05 GMT, "Tom Storey"
wrote:


I really didn't have any choice on how high my lathe (jet Mini) would
be; it
sits on my workbench. So, I built a sturdy and wide stand to raise me up
to
the 'comfortable' height.

fwiw Tom


that beats the hell out of being too tall and having to dig a hole in
the shop floor.. *g*

On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 22:00:15 -0700, "buck"
wrote:

Is there any safety reason for the standard height rule of "elbow height"
when setting up a lathe on a bench or stand. Is there a some safety issues
involve. I will be doing some light spindle work a couple times a month for
only an hour or so and I have a nice workbench for the lathe. The lathe on
the bench will result in the lathe spindle being about 4-5 inches higher
than elbow height.... Any real problem here?? Is the lathe more dangerous
at this level than at elbow level.
-Thanks


I don't see a problem especially with spindles. You may feel some
fatigue or sensation in the shoulder--if so, you may need to stand on
a platform. A face shield is very inexpensive insurance.

As Leo said. But, another thing to think about...

Imagine this...

Hold a tool comfortably and imagine the spindle in front of you. As the spindle gets higher
(or you get lower which is easier to picture) you need to lower the tool rest to keep a
reasonable cutting angle. Typically, tool rests will not go very far below the center of the
spindle and this is especially true for the mini machines. So, you are going to be turning
in some pretty awkward positions.

That said, many prefer the spindle an inch or two above the elbow.

Bill


In article ,
says...

"buck" wrote: (clip) Is the lathe more dangerous at this level than at elbow
level. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^
I don't think it is a matter of safety--mostly comfort and ease of
manipulating the tools. If the lathe is too low, you will get a tired back
from bending over. If it is too high, you will not be able to steady the
tool handles easily against the side of your body, under your arm. If you
find that your lathe is too high, just build yourself a platform to stand
on--easier than building a whole new bench.

On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 01:45:43 GMT, "Michael Latcha"
wrote:

The photo is a (fairly) famous photo from The Wellington Journal &
Shrewsbury News, published 8.5.1937.

The following description of the photo is from "The Reading Lathe" by P.H.
Dixon:
"Robert ("Jack") Jordan, the Wellington, Sallop, turner exhibiting a nest of
bowls on a lathe...Note that, for photographic purposes, he is holding his
turning tool well above its correct place on the toolrest (the end of which
may be seen on top of the tailstock), when the tool would not have been
visible."

This was a common way to photograph, and earlier draw, turners at work...
and is by no means indicative of the way they actually worked.

The lathe is also clearly a common pole lathe, not a treadle lathe. The
leather belt passes three times around the bowl mandrel, which is spiked
into what will be the hollow of the nest of bowls and is supported by the
massive tailstock, seen in front of Mr. Jordan's chest.

The English turners called these "bowl saver" tools "hook tools" and
actually had small hooks forged on the ends in order to shear-cut the core
from the bowl, unlike most modern coring systems which scrape to make this
cut. Shearing takes much less energy than does scraping, very important on
a foot-powered lathe.

Michael Latcha - at home in Redford, MI

Thanks Michael. That's made a rather nice photograph a bit more
special.

John