Lathe Bench



Lathe Bench


Back to Lathe Page	Delta Ironbed	Jet 1440	Power Matic

05/30/15: Add pics of lathe in use and new chip collector.
07/30/11: Page Origin.

I started out with a Jet Mini Lathe but soon realized that I wanted something larger with a headstock that rotated (outboard turning) so I could more easily turn bowls etc. so I bought the Delta 14". The Jet was small enough I could just pick it up and put it on an existant workbench when I needed it, but the Delta was a different matter altogether. The Delta's bed was about 5' long and it weighed over 230lbs. so I needed a good sized, sturdy bench to support it. I had also accumulated several chucks, faceplates, measuring tools, and an assortment of gouges (another 50 or 60lbs.) all of which need a place to stay. An additional problem was with dust control, especially when the headstock was rotated out. In some of my research, I noticed pics of woodturners with older lathes that had a narrow space under the lathe bed to place gouges being used on the current job. As a solution to all these issues I came up with the bench pictured here.

The bench is 48" wide, 18" deep and 34 1/2" high, with 2" risers for the lathe, which makes the lathe bed 41" high. All construction uses loose tenon (#20 biscuits), top is laminated 2x6 pine. The lathe is raised on 2" blocks at either end to provide a handy area on the table top, under the lathe to set gouges while working. Since lathe an bench weigh well over 300 LBS. I used the really good 3" double lock casters from Woodcraft. This is the first tool bench I built and subsequently is a little different from my other benches. The bench has 4 tee tracks, two on front to allow moving the vacuum pickup, and two on the top rear for the dust hood and the arm lamp. The bench had 4 double locking casters rated at 300Lbs ea., when you lock two of them, with a 250Lb lathe on board, the lathe does not move.

NOTE:
I replaced the lathe in 2014, some of the pics here show the new Jet lathe, the rest show the old Delta.

Delta IronBed

Front view of finished lathe bench with front vacuum (on tee tracks) connected. This is the old lathe. Notice on the end frame, the plywood panel is flush with the outside of the frame, I changed this on subsequent benches to allow a place to grab when moving the bench around, and make a better place to mount slides on deeper benches. Note the 2" blocks supporting the lathe, raises the lathe bed high enough so I temporarily place gouges inder the lathe.

Close up of vacuum support pivoted out. Notice the adjustment knob for horizontal positioning along the bench front, pivot adjustment, vertical position of suction, and angle of suction.

The vacuum support folded against the bench.

With the headstock rotated. Note I'm turning a piece of PVC to fit a blast gate. You can also see the dust hood behind the bed, it is mounted on a tee track so it can be moved anywhere along the bed.

Front showing all the drawers and front tee tracks. Notice the gouge laying in the storage area on the table top and under the lathe bed. You can also see the tee tracks with the front dust support moved to the side.

This is where I use the lathe, note the DC power remote in the red circle at the top center of the pic.

Dust support moved to the side to allow drawers to open.

The top drawer open showing tools.

Middle drawer open showing chucks and faceplates.

The gouge storage space under the bed. Notice the drawers don't have pulls, they just have finger holes, pulls would obstruct the traversal of the front dust support.