wood lathes with toolpost for sqaure cutters

[loosvelt]

Guys I am looking to get a wood lathe, but this Nova accessory really caught my eye. http://www.teknatool.com/products/Speci ... mental.htm

I can't afford a Nova or the Jet 1642, any other lathes available have something like this? Seems to bridge the gap between a wood lathe and metal lathe, at least when it comes to pipemaking use.

-Nate

[Sasquatch]

It takes me approximately 10 minutes to cut and fit a tenon by hand. I can't imagine having a use for that thing.

It looks like it can do some cool stuff, but I don't see it as being the centre of a pipe making rig.

[T3pipes]

At $500 for the main part, then another $150 for the tool post accessory, I don't see this as a money saver if you want it for turning tenons. A mini metal lathe costs less.

This does bring up a question (in my mind) that I've been wanting to ask. Is a wood lathe needed to turn stummels, or can it be done on a metal lathe such as This?

[TRS]

It takes me approximately 10 minutes to cut and fit a tenon by hand.

This is why I hate you. Not really, that's mostly the Scotch Ale talking. I'm going to go practice. Maybe I should wait....

[RadDavis]

At $500 for the main part, then another $150 for the tool post accessory, I don't see this as a money saver if you want it for turning tenons. A mini metal lathe costs less.

This does bring up a question (in my mind) that I've been wanting to ask. Is a wood lathe needed to turn stummels, or can it be done on a metal lathe such as This?

You can turn stummels on a metal lathe.

Rad

[KurtHuhn]

You do almost anything on a metal lathe that you can on a wood lathe. Just be sure the swing over the bed and carriage is tall enough for the shank length you want to make. What a wood lathe offers, typically, is higher spindle speed and less in the way when it comes to freeform shaping of bowls, platters, spindles, etc.

[RadDavis]

Metal lathes are better.

Rad

[KurtHuhn]

Yes. Yes they are. For a great number of things. Especially things involving metal.

[loosvelt]

Well I'm torn because I am not a woodturner. So I know if I got a metal lathe, I could etch-o-sketch some cool stummels into different round shapes pretty easily, as well as have all the other benefits of a metal lathe (tenons down the line) Where as with a wood I have to really learn how to turn. I guess I really just need to be patient and pratice.

Is it that hard to learn to turn stummels on a wood lathe?

[RadDavis]

Well I'm torn because I am not a woodturner. So I know if I got a metal lathe, I could etch-o-sketch some cool stummels into different round shapes pretty easily, as well as have all the other benefits of a metal lathe (tenons down the line) Where as with a wood I have to really learn how to turn. I guess I really just need to be patient and pratice.

Is it that hard to learn to turn stummels on a wood lathe?

I don't etch-a-sketch when turning wood on the metal lathe. I use one of the cutting tools in the tool post as a tool rest and shape it just like on a wood lathe.

This is one of the big advantages of a metal lathe over a wood lathe in pipe making. You can turn stummels just like on a wood lathe, and you also have the precision needed to cut tenons on stems or on shanks for decorative rings and extensions.

Rad

[Sasquatch]

It takes me approximately 10 minutes to cut and fit a tenon by hand.

This is why I hate you. Not really, that's mostly the Scotch Ale talking. I'm going to go practice. Maybe I should wait....

More Ale, Beatus.

It doesn't take long though - I have a setup that I can literally pop the stem in and out of the lathe in about 5 seconds, so test fits are no trouble. I cut a slight bevel at the tenon tip, and then try to fit it. This leaves a smooth line on the tenon that I can cut to, and I leave it so that it is slightly larger toward the button end. Then you just cut a bit and fit it and cut a bit and fit it.

A metal lathe would do a better job, probably, and without some of the fuss. But we does with what's we gots.

Flippin acrylic still pisses me off, but I've only done a couple.

[Tano]

Sasquatch,
If you are working on something that requires a metal lathe, I'll let you use mine. I presume you live in Calgary.

[TRS]

I presume you live in Calgary.

I presume he lives in Sasquatch-ewan....

[Sasquatch]

Tano, thanks for the offer.

I honestly don't know if a metal lathe would solve my acrylic problems or if I'm just being stupid about how I apply tools to acrylic. In the woodworking world, speed is life on a lathe, and in the acrylic cutting world, that is not the case at all. Speed equals melted slime and lumps and a broken workpiece.

I suspect if I sharpen my tools and slow my lathe down, some or most of my issues will disappear. Like I say, I've only done a couple of acrylic stems - one from rod and one from a stem blank, so I'll keep playing with it, and if I can't get something to work I will take you up on your offer.

At any rate I wanna see yer shop at some point and talk a little. I'm not right in Calgary, but I'm close enough that for something as important as pipes, I will hitch up the mule and wander in.

[Tano]

Sounds Good