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Mini lathe cart project

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99gst_racer

Moderator
11,976
1,542
Apr 5, 2003
Coloma, Michigan
Ever since I've had my lathe, it's been sitting on top of my toolbox and making an absolute mess of the surrounding area and floor. So, I finally did something about it.

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I picked up a 2 shelf, 1 drawer rolling cart off eBay for $100 shipped. I started by welding up a perimeter base using .500" square tubing. I welded on tabs and riveted it to the top of the cart.

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I then welded on some 2x3" retangle tubing for a base for the lathe. I chose 3" mosty because I wanted to elevate the lathe to a better working height.

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Next, I welded some angle stock together to make for a sturdy mount for the lathe. I used the rubber feet that came with the lathe and I used them as isolators between the lathe and mount so that it would be less prone to transfer vibration.

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I then welded the angle stock to the 2x3 retangle. After that, I framed up a wall around the lathe using more .500" square tubing. I also removed the lower panel and the back panel from the lathe itself. They were there to catch chips, but the problem was that they were so close that it kept the chips too close to the cutter and the chuck and they would constantly get tangled up during operation.

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Finally, I cut some panels using .070" plastic sheet and I riveted them on. They're perfetly placed to catch 99% of the chips and there's plently of space all around the lathe to hold chips between uses and clean ups. Mission accomplished. :)

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And the drawer is the perfect place for my lathe accessories.

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I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. The only modification I'm considering is some sort of folding shelf attached to the side. I need something to set my beer and dial calipers on. :D
 
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I really like it (wanna make one for me?) LOL j/k i made one but it's a foot too low and i need the chip shields/collectoir built in to be as nice as yours
'

It's amazing how much more enjoyable machining can become with little things like a nice stand and a chip collecting tray and shields..there's so many times i don't want to machine just because of the cleanup afterwards, and your cart solves a lot of those issues...great job :thumb:
 
The only modification I'm considering is some sort of folding shelf attached to the side. I need something to set my beer and dial calipers on. :D

for the beer

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for the claipers

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+
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LOL

Sorry it is late, I am tired, and my humor flew out the window a while ago. :p

Seriously it looks good. I need to make something like it for my old shoptask 3in1. But I think I would rather entertain the idea of getting a pan for it and making a flood coolant setup. Only thing that really worries me is where the motor sits for the laith... barley off the table top, a little to close to the coolant tray for my liking.
 
for the beer

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for the claipers

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+
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LOL

Sorry it is late, I am tired, and my humor flew out the window a while ago. :p

you forgot the final label in your timeline/tree All the above = *pic below*
 

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Damn looking good. Does the lathe sit there and support it's own weight or is it bolted down?

I have been thinking about a lathe or a long long time now, but no idea how to use one and it wll probably just be more time with me staring at it trying to figure out what to make. I do that enough with the welder, just look at it until something pops up in my head.
 
A shop vac can't reach everywhere, and add the oil/coolant and the shavings stick to everything. I'm just OCD and would flip my lid if I couldn't get to the shavings behind the lathe
 
Thanks guys! :)

It's amazing how much more enjoyable machining can become with little things like a nice stand and a chip collecting tray and shields..there's so many times i don't want to machine just because of the cleanup afterwards, and your cart solves a lot of those issues...great job :thumb:
Very true. The cleanup afterward doesn't bother me as much as finding little chips stuck in my skin, clothes, hair, and boots. Because not only is it irritating, but I also track it into the house. I'm hoping I'll have less of that going on from now on. :)

Damn looking good. Does the lathe sit there and support it's own weight or is it bolted down?

I have been thinking about a lathe or a long long time now, but no idea how to use one and it wll probably just be more time with me staring at it trying to figure out what to make. I do that enough with the welder, just look at it until something pops up in my head.
It's bolted down to the angle iron. The bolts travel through those rubber feet.

Learning a lathe is pretty easy. I'd bet there's YT videos that would be enough to get you started. I learned how to run a machinist lathe back in high school when I took a machine tool class at a vocational school. It's like riding a bike - I never forgot any of it. :) I seem to use my lathe on a weekly basis these days, so I don't think I'll ever be without one if I can help it.

A shop vac can't reach everywhere, and add the oil/coolant and the shavings stick to everything. I'm just OCD and would flip my lid if I couldn't get to the shavings behind the lathe

90% of the chips will be long and large enough to pick up in handfuls. The other 10% will probably just sit in there for years and eventually be scooped out with something. Either way, it will be easy to cleanup but I definitely don't plan to ever keep it spotless. I'm just not that ambitious. LOL
 
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That the harbor freight one? What do you make with it? I watched some videos, seems the only downside I saw and remember I know nothing is that the auto feed goes in by itself but doesn't stop and go out.
 
Racer!! Slick build up!! Makes me want to get one! Like I need another pice of equipment!

Ohhh the last 10% of the clean up can be done with compressed air..


ED... You are more than welcome to come clean around my machines!! OCD is welcome here!
 
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That the harbor freight one? What do you make with it? I watched some videos, seems the only downside I saw and remember I know nothing is that the auto feed goes in by itself but doesn't stop and go out.
Yup, the 7x10 HF one. I like it alot. I bought it for turning little bushings and standoffs. I mostly do aluminum with it. It's a bit underpowered but it gets the job done. I'd eventually like to upgrade to something like a nice 12x36, but I'll have to wait until I have more room for it. The portability and space savings of this one is great for me.

I've never used the auto feed or threading options yet, so I can't comment. I'd like to add a digital read out kit to it sometime down the road if I can find everything for cheap enough.

I mostly use mine for turning aluminum bushings, standoffs, and heim spacers for various things. I also recently used it for turning the steel mounting points for the jig for the front k-member. I seem to find different uses for it every month. ;)

I did the end pieces for my subframe in this lathe.

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ED... You are more than welcome to come clean around my machines!! OCD is welcome here!
ROFL
 
Damn you, P. Now I'm looking into CNC converting a lathe again.

:D CNC would be a huge time saver for me. But I'd be happy enough with a DRO kit. They all had DRO's back when I learned in high school, and it sucks going without it now. I'd just have a hard time sinking a bunch of money into a small lathe, knowing that I already would like something larger sometime in the near future.
 
I have looked at that HF lathe time and time again, but always passed on it saying Ill just save some more and geet a JET lathe.

I may reconcider now, I can think of a ton of things I can do with it around the shop.
 
Snow.. come buy my shop building, that way I can get a bigger shop, I am cramped in about 2500 sq/ft Then YOU will have plenty of space! And I can move into a 6000 sq/ft shop.... Then buy more equipment, then need an even bigger shop.... damn... it is a vicous cycle.
 
10k sq/ft??? Be room for both an Engine dyno room and a chassis dyno.

Matter of fact, I have been looking at this old steel fab shop, about 12k sq/foot out in the middle of nowhere.......
 
The nice thing is I "THINK" you can use a 20% off coupon on the lathe.

So say you want to make a whole lot of bushings or something, can you set it up to be exact and make a lot of do you do it all my hand and having top and measure a lot?
Also say you wanted an offset hole can you do that on the lathe? Do you move the tailstock ?
 
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