Woodworking Lathes-A Fun Power Tool
Written by admin on October 27, 2008 – 10:00 am -
Of all power tools, the lathe will probably give you the greatest opportunity and satisfaction in developing creative skill in woodworking. The lathe will enable you to make delicately turned spindles, legs, vases, spirals, beautiful lamp bases, and just about anything you can imagine.
The wood-turning lathe or speed lathe essentially consists of a bed, a headstock, a tailstock and a tool rest. Its size is determined by the diameter of the work that can be turned over the bed and the length of stock that can be turned between the centers.
Power on modern lathes is delivered to the headstock by an electric motor. Variable speeds are obtained by turning a dial or by changing the belt position on a step-cone bulley system located on the headstock. Work to be turned is held between centers on a faceplate, or with a chuck.
Turning tools consist of different widths of gouges and chisels that are longer and thicker than similar bench tools. As they are not driven into the wood, they are made without a shoulder.
Tools used.
The Gouge is a round nose hollow chisel that has a bevel on the outside for a lenght of about twice the thickness of the tool.
The skew is a flat chisel that is double ground or single ground at a 60 degree angle with on edge. The double ground is for cuting and smoothing. The single ground is for scraping and is ground either right or left.
The diamond point or spear is a scraping tool and is a combination of both the left and right skew chisels. Its two bevels on the bottom side of the tool meet at a point in the center.
The square nose and the round nose are also scraping tools and are similar to ordinary chisels except that the cutting edge of the latter is round. The square is used on straight surfaces and the roundon concave surfaces.
The parting tool, like the diamond point, has two bevels, but these are ground on the edges. The center is made thicker so that the tool will not bind when cutting off the work or when making straight or sizing cuts.
Dividers, inside and outside calipers, a rule, a pencil and a sharpening stone are some other tools that are essential for wood turning as you will learn for yourself.
The lathe is not considered a dangerous power tool but accidents may happen. Some safety precautions may happen. Some safety precautions to guard against this are as follows.
Make sure that the stock is fastened securely between the center, to the face plate, or to the chuck.
Use only sound stock, without checks, splits or knots.
Test all glued joints. Do not increase the lathe speed on this kind of work without first standing to one side. Always check the clearance by turning the stock by hand before turning on power. Use only sharp tools and wear clothing that cannot be caught in the revolving stock. Roll up your sleeves.
Most accidents are caused by the operator forgetting to pay attention to what they are doing:by talking to someone in the shop, by reaching across the machine to pick up something, or simply by daydreaming. Pay attention to what you are doing or turn the machine off. Power tools are your best friends in the shop but can become your worst enemy if you miss treat them.
Take a look at these new and lightly used Woodworking Lathes
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