Setting up shop

Hi guys,

For those that haven't read my introduction, ive recently acquired a ML4 lathe and tooling, I don't have welding gear and was planning on making a bench from 4x2" and 3" square post, with a 1/2" MDF top. Will that be sturdy enough for this lathe? Also what electrics will I need, like emergency stop buttons ect. Its a single phase 1/2 horsepower motor.

​They'll be more questions to come

​

​

​

​

Jon, the 4x2 will be fine for the frame and the legs as well. The top needs to be thicker, a piece of kitchen worktop is ideal and easy to clean but make sure the ends are well sealed. Try not to use new timber from Wickes or similar, find a good timber yard or look for some nice clean old timber from a reclaimation yard, it will be well seasoned and won't shrink or warp as much.

Have a look **HERE** at my set up, a heavier lathe than yours on a wooden bench, has worked well for years.

John

Edited By Journeyman on 06/05/2017 18:39:37

Hi Jon,

I travelled the same road a couple of years ago, and using timber of similar dimensions to you, made a sturdy bench that has served me well. The 1/2" MDF is in my view a bit weedy, I'd want something better.

You could laminate two sheets of 1/2 MDF if if you already have it to hand; but I used 18mm ply well supported with cross members and never regretted it. Take advantage of the bespoke bench to store tools and instruments in draws.

My 1/2 horse motor is powered from a standard 13 Amp socket with its own earth leakage circuit breaker; the emergency stop plus start / stop switch came from Axminster, from memory about £25.00. If you do weld up a stand, or buy a metal one in, bond it to the lathe and earth. I installed a dedicated earth spike especially for the garden workshop..

Eug

Edited By Eugene on 06/05/2017 19:17:53

Second the vote for kitchen worktop as a surface. Won't soak up oil, easy to wipe clean. Offcuts or slightly damaged lengths are frequently available for not much money at all via Gumtree or Ebay... but make sure you get the thicker 38mm type - some cheap ones are 28mm - and that it has never got damp.

Edited By Bikepete on 06/05/2017 18:54:21

Thanks, ill have a scout for some 38mm worktop, id only need a piece 1.2metre long, its going in the old outhouse, so wont need much of it. I'll have a look for a MCB too.

Jon, If the lathe is going "in the old outhouse", DO safeguard against rust!

Would suggest:

Vents at high and low level, can be quite small, as long as weatherproof.

NO combustion heaters to produce water vapour

If need be, be prepared to run a low power electric heater, (60 watts will keep a shop reasonably dry, although may take a couple of days to take effect. If the outhouse is larger than say 10 feet by 8 feet, (or very high)you may need more than one heater, or a higher powered one.

If you can insulate the walls and ceiling, this will help. The object is to avoid sudden changes of temperature, and to keep the temperature above the dew point.

(In a former workshop, everytime that I went in, the copious oil on the Myford had gone grey to match the paint!)

Enjoy yourself, you have the means of tackling a host of jobs. You'll wonder how you managed before!

Howard

Jon

For the top of my lathe bench (Super 7B) I used two thickness of 3/4" particle board glued and screwed together (from the bottom) laminated with Arborite (or similar laminate) on top and the sides. The particle board is harder, stiffer, and more moisture proof than MDF. It has served well for 40 years. The only time I have had to re-level the lathe was after two moves. I check it occasionally and it doesn't change.

John

Hi Howard, I hadn't considered heating, and the outhouse i refer to has a 130x90 footprint, but is a full night workshop meaning I can't bang my head, it'll be a very tight fit to get the lathe in, and it has a wooden door which has an open lip at the bottom,if its too tight it'll be plan B and a new shed will have to be built to house the lathe and tools. There's going to be a few shelves for the different tools, shelving will be my only real option to get what I need into the space.

John, apologies I've only just seen the link to your workshop, I must say that the conduit clips for the screwdrivers is extremely clever. Its a nicely laid out and neat workshop

Timber legs and frame are so 20th century!. Use proper ply sheets not OSB in the style of a kitchen cabinet This gives you the same cross sectional areas as solid legs but also the bracing to prevent racking. Then the flat sides give you a surface to fix shelf or drawer runners, A thinner sheet across the back also provides the same function. Composites like mdf and chipboard have no place in a workshop with weight on them as they can give way suddenly. Top it with 18mm ply two layers.The weight of a ML4 is all on that middle foot so put a cross brace there.

You can actually make this from a single 8x4 sheet of 18mm ply plus an 8ft length of 4x1 and 8ft of 2x2.

This is what I was going to do for my Drummond if I hadn't happened upon a metal stand instead.
Two sides 3ft x 20 ins not 24 leaves a bit 3ft x 8in for bracing. Then a top full sheet width of 4ft x20 in two layers This leaves 20in x 4ft to go along the back. Use a bit of 4x1 along the front, notched into the ends and the rest of the 8ft length plus the bin bit of ply saved above to cross brace under the lathe foot. The 2x2 runs along front and back between the sides at ground level

For my first lathe, a Myford M3, I made a wooden bench with 4"x4" corner posts and two layers of 1" ply wood top. This supported the lathe and a counter shaft with the motor below on a hinged 1" ply wood board. One thing I did do was to put a front board immediately below the top boards and between the from posts to stiffen everything.The whole structure worked very well and if I had to I would use exactly the same construction again.

Unfortunately I don't think I have an photographs of the set up (before the days of digital cameras).

I kept the electrics as simple as possible, a proper on/off switch (from Axminster Tools, RS etc) and a big red panic button.

JA

When you build the frame, put plenty of 4x2" cross braces across the top to support the MDF or countertop or whatever you finally choose for the top. Otherwise it tends to flex and "drum" under vibration and will eventually sag under the weight of the lathe.

forgot the electrics question.

no volt release switch at about £28

also about £14 without a box.

(tried editing but something funny going on with second link. just search for "no volt release switch"

Edited By Bazyle on 07/05/2017 09:17:30

It might help the OP to track down Tubal Cain's detailed description of his wooden bench building method - my best guess is it appeared in ME.

Large DIY stores ["sheds"] occasionally have worktop offcuts, etc at low prices and it is also worth looking in the bargain section at IKEA.

PS There are photos of the TC shop at the end of his book Simple Workshop Devices [WPS 28]

Edited By ega on 07/05/2017 09:54:00

Edited By ega on 07/05/2017 10:12:41

Thanks all for the replies. Plenty to think on.

JA why did you mount the motor on a hinged base, is that so belt tension could be adjusted? I think ill be sticking with a 4x2 frame, I have also been told to make a cover for the back gears, and change gears as my lathe doesn't have these yet, does anyone have a link to a thread where these covers were made? The change gears could be boxed in with a hinged wooden cover but the back gears will need a more profiled solution. Are these something that are available commercially, (I doubt it for a 60+ year old lathe but thought id ask)

​

​

I mounted both the counter shaft and the motor on hinged bases so that I could control belt tensions. The counter shaft board position was control by wedges either side of the board on a length of studding. The motor was below the counter shaft and its weight tensioned the belt with a length of studding between the two boards to control its tension.

To my surprise I have found a photo of the lathe (please don't laugh at the colour scheme). One of the side wedges can be seen but unfortunately the motor belt adjustment is obscured by the lathe.

JA

I can understand what you mean about the adjuster, now ive seen it on the woodn base. I wont laugh at the colours (because I have another question for you), the guard for the leadscrew, is that a piece of pipe opened out or just thin sheet formed to shape, I think its quite a clever solution to the chips falling down onto the leadscrew, and causing damage.

​

​

The lead screw cover was a thin sheet of aluminium. It seemed like a good idea and on such a lathe cannot do any harm. On an M7 or S7 Myford it would have to be cut back if a gearbox was fitted.

JA