As I was warned, the building bug has bit and I want to do a bit more. A home made lathe set up seems straightforward for making grips but are the drill and mandrel set ups man enough to do seats?

I've also looked at drill powered commercial lathes as a fairly cost neutral exercise as well but popular opinion on wood turning boards is to go for a good second hand item.

Any advice would be welcomed, I haven't touched a lathe for a long time.

regards

Vince

I use a very old black and decker, one of the old aluminium ones it must be 40 years old. I use this one as it fits an old black and decker drill cradle. The other end is the front end of an old battery drill. This works fine for sanding cork and I even turned up a pine stair spindal once.

I will take a photo tonight when I get home, very simple to make and works well for the odd handle.

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Jeff

Thanks Jeff

I have seen many variations on this theme:

Home made lathe for turning handles

and commercially:

Buy Axminster Drill Powered Woodturning Lathe from Axminster, fast delivery for the UK

and I am confident that I can make something for turning cork but am interested in turning hardwood for the reel seat. Presumably you either go slowly or have a short mandrel.

regards

Vince

Let me tempt you a little bit more then. How about a secondhand minilathe?
mini-lathe.com home page

These small lathes are sold by a number of outlets in the UK (Axminster, Chester UK, Arc Euro Trade, etc.) but regardless of the badge most come from the Sieg factory in China.

Great for turning handles, reel seats, reel seat hardware etc. They don't have the grunt of a large lathe but they're really useful if you enjoy making tackle. As with many things these days there are websites and forums dedicated to getting the best out these lathes. Only danger is that you then get bitten by the lathe bug.

Pete

Thanks Pete

To be honest I stepped back from the brink yesterday with this beast:

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

Lord knows what I would have done with it

regards

Vince

Yes, if I had the room I'd be sorely tempted by some of the machinery that comes up on e-bay.

One advantage of metal lathes is that you can turn a rod handle on the blank as they have a hole through the headstock, something that's not possible on a woodlathe.

Pete

I had one of these for many years Vince.
Tyme Wood Turning Lathe | eBay

Bought it new back in the 80's, a decent bit of kit, never let me down, and paid for itself in no time.
Trouble is, after you get your rod handles made etc, you might just get the bug, and have the urge to start making wooden bowls, and kitchen roll holders, then priests, the list is endless.
Very satisfying things to use, I always fancied a small metal working lathe.
S.

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"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

Steven that's nice, I could easily be tempted. I desperately need to retire, I have more ambitions than time

this guy turns out incredible work from a small Sherline lathe:

Reel Plans | North Branch Reels




Pete

For a self taught machinist that is incredible, especially the bit about involute gears. I've seen them designed and built to reduce noise in helicopter gearboxes. I am nowhere near that ambitious..........yet