Lathe accessories help.

[jeeper]

First let me start off by stating why I’m going this route, if there other ways I’m open to them.

I’ve been making pipes about a year now using a small drill press for drilling stummels. It’s a pain I often have to reset the bit to drill anything over two inches. So I thought I’d get a bigger press but now I’m thinking why not take that money and put it towards a midi lathe. Harbor Freight has a delta on sale for $199 right now that makes the justification to go from press to lathe pretty easy, but my concern is the extra accessories that I will need to get just to use it. The main goal is to drill and shape stummels, I understand the standard 3 jaw chuck will not safely work for this task, I’ve seen the one way’s and talon but not sure which will fit my situation I don’t think a new 4 jaw will be in the budget for a little bit. I would also like to use it as a sander I’ve seen some small 3 inch wheels but they require a dill chuck is this the same chuck that I would need anyway or is this a special one for the (?) spinning side of the lathe. Obviously I’ll need turning tools but what ones do I need to get first?

Thanks, Gabe.

[Nick]

There's a list here somewhere, but I'll be darned if i can remember where. You definately need a two or four jawed chuck to turn stummels. Plus, when you buy your chuck you'll probably have to have a backing plate made. You could cut costs by getting an independent jawed chuck instead of a scroll chuck. You may need to buy jaws too. The taller the better.

The jacob's chuck for the drill bits will work in both the headstock and tailstock, so you're OK there. Just look for one with the right morse taper - #2 I think.

Lathe tools:
1/2 inch skew
3/8 spindle gouge
maybe a roughing gouge.

Make sure to get good high speed steel - HSS - tools.

Another necessary is a book on turning. You'll get alot of knowledge from a good book.

I love my wood lathe. Its great for shaping. Stemwork is harder, but still doable. Sharp tools are essential.

[hazmat]

As Nick said, there's a list.. several, actually. Do a search on "lathe" and you'll end up with more information than you probably want to wade through, but you'll get what you're looking for.

[jeeper]

Thanks Guys, yea I did a search and I havn't come accross the list yet But i'll keep looking. I just watched the "rough shaping" movie and that set up seems to be what I would need to get to but isn't there a product I forget the name that can be chucked into to a 3jaw that has taller jaws? I live in the sticks so I'm going to have get most of this on line there are no shops near by other then lowes to pick wood working stuff up. I've got a list going of places to look for the lathe tools and have seen 4 jaw chuck but they are expensive and replace the whole headstock.

[hazmat]

but isn't there a product I forget the name that can be chucked into to a 3jaw that has taller jaws?

I believe you're thinking about tower jaws. I'm trying to find a thread I started a while ago about outfitting a lathe. I'll post it when I find it.


Here's a link that may help:

viewtopic.php?p=15651&highlight=#15651

[KurtHuhn]

That Delta Midi Lathe is the first lathe that a lot of pipe makers have bought - or it's kissing cousin, the Jet Mini. It's a rock solid tool, and will give you years of service.

That said, in order to make your life easy, you will need a few things:
- 4 jaw chuck with 1"x8 threads
- #2 profiled jaws, or #2 tower jaws
- #2MT jacobs chuck
- turning chisels

I strongly suggest a Oneway chuck. They have a few different models, all of which are going to fit your needs. I have the plain old Oneway and love it. I currently use #2 tower jaws for extra gripping surface, but I used plain old #2 jaws for years with very few problems. It was only on very odd shapes that I found I had problems getting the block gripped correctly.

Your jacobs chuck is the same thing that you'll find on a drill press. The #2MT will fit the head and tail stocks. You need this to drill using the lathe, and to hold sanding discs with 1/4" shafts.

For turning chisels, it's fine to start off with a set of small ones - look for "pen turners chisels" at Woodcraft, Rockler, or woodturnerscatalog.com. Do yourself a BIG favor, and do not cheap out on this. The set of chisels for $10 at Harbor freight will make you want to stab yourself in the eye with a baby seal.

Past that, you'll acquire other stuff as you go along that make your workflow easier and faster.

[kbadkar]

I got a Barracuda 4-jaw scroll chuck kit by PSI woodworking for $120 off Amazon. The kit comes with all the jaws you'll need, including the tower jaws. The chuck is accurate and works well enough and threads straight onto your Delta Midi or Jet Mini headstock.

[jeeper]

OK I’ve taken the parts list and using the Oneway web page have come up with some prices.
4 jaw chuck $180
#1 spigot $37
#2 jaws $37
I couldn’t find a Jacobs chuck on that page but I’ve seen them for around $40

So in order to just use the lathe which is around $200 as a drill press I have to spend another $260. Well that makes justifying it a little tougher that’s for sure.

[jeeper]

I got a Barracuda 4-jaw scroll chuck kit by PSI woodworking for $120 off Amazon. The kit comes with all the jaws you'll need, including the tower jaws. The chuck is accurate and works well enough and threads straight onto your Delta Midi or Jet Mini headstock.

This kit seems to half of the other cost?

[hazmat]

Jeeper.. your math is exactly the reason I've yet to take the plunge and purchase a wood lathe. The lathe itself isn't an issue. I can get one tomorrow if I'd like. It's the tooling that will wear you thin. However, if your'e a patient type fellow, you could get the lathe and slowly but surely add to your arsenal of tooling as funds allow. You don't "have" to drill on it right away if it's limiting from a dollars and cents standpoint. You could continue drilling as you have been and use your lathe with a jacob's chuck for shaping and buffing until you acquire the other parts and pieces. This is going to be my plan if I can get this old Sears and Roebuck lathe I just picked up running. It's certainly not "pipe-making ready" as it currently exists.

[kbadkar]

I got a Barracuda 4-jaw scroll chuck kit by PSI woodworking for $120 off Amazon. The kit comes with all the jaws you'll need, including the tower jaws. The chuck is accurate and works well enough and threads straight onto your Delta Midi or Jet Mini headstock.

This kit seems to half of the other cost?

That's why I bought it and I can now recommend it.

You can get a MT2 Jacobs chuck from Rockler for $20.

[Nick]

The thing that makes a lathe really shin is how you will be able to shape a pipe. Some shapes virtually require a lathe. A bulldog is near impossible without one. And billiards aren't that easy without one either. Of course there are plenty of pipe makers who don't use them. Larry Roush, for one. He seems to do just fine without a lathe. I think he might use one for stemwork, but I'm not totally sure.

[KurtHuhn]

OK I’ve taken the parts list and using the Oneway web page have come up with some prices.
4 jaw chuck $180
#1 spigot $37
#2 jaws $37
I couldn’t find a Jacobs chuck on that page but I’ve seen them for around $40

So in order to just use the lathe which is around $200 as a drill press I have to spend another $260. Well that makes justifying it a little tougher that’s for sure.

Check around. The Oneway, when I bought it, came with a set of #2 jaws as part of the package. You might be able to find a similar deal around. Also, a decent Jacobs chuck should only run you about $20, and I think I only paid $10 for mine.

Yes, the accessories is what will end up being the most cost. Definitely keep that in mind when planning on any big tool purchase.

[kbadkar]

And you should expect to pay around $50 a piece for good wood turning chisels. You can get a decent HSS starter set of 5 or so for $150 - $200.

Yup, the lathe itself is cheap and is just the first step of many into the monetary abyss. You'll need and want all kinds of trinkets as you delve deeper into the joys of the pipe shaping obession. And then there's the materials! Good wood and rod ain't cheap either.

I know some guys work exclusively on a drill press, but I think you should take the lathe leap (looking first, of course). Take your time to accessorize while letting the piggy bank fill up between purchases.

[KurtHuhn]

And you should expect to pay around $50 a piece for good wood turning chisels. You can get a decent HSS starter set of 5 or so for $150 - $200.

Woodcraft has a line (Pinnacle, I believe) of red-handled chisels that are in the $35-$40 range and are very, very good. I can't compare them to most others, but they are as good or better than the short-handled Sorby 1/2" spindle gouge that I picked up a few years ago. I've been fleshing out my tool rack with these as I come up with $40 to spare. So far I have a 3/4" roughing gouge, a 1/2" spindle gouge, a 3/8" fingernail gouge, and a 1" oval skew. I love them. This weekend I happen to have a few spare $$, so I might acquire a round nose or hook nose scraper.

[jeeper]

I can certainly take my time on the turnnig tools my primary urge is to get away from my small drill press which is just killing me. I suppose I can keep doing what I'm doing and save up

[hazmat]

What kinds of problems are you having with your press? There may be some help to be had to keep you going until you come to a decision.

[jeeper]

It's just so small it's only got a two inch throw and for example the air hole is longer then that in most cases so I have to reset the table with the bit already in the wood, it's just hard to be percise

[hazmat]

Do you have many problems with mis-drilling because of this? I know the problem you're talking about. I only have 3 inches on my drill press and I've had to do what you're talking about.

[jeeper]

Yes things don't lin up or sometimes when drill the tobacco chamber it chatters or isn't smooth all the way down because I had to reset everything. I'm to the point where I don't want to waste any more briar.