How to Build a Lathe for $20

You might decide it's not worth buying one new, but if you knew how to build a lathe you ought to consider building one.
The plans are right here.

Any aspiring woodworker who has unhappily eyed the monotonously round or square legs on his or her
home-built furniture has at one time or another wanted to own a wood-turning tool. The trouble is, a
lathe hardly rates first priority on the purchasing list for a growing shop . . . since the cost of such a device
simply isn't justified by its versatility.
Consequently, MOTHER EARTH NEWS' fabricators figured that the assembly of a wood turner from
scrounged materials would be a perfect project for the discerning but frugal wood fashioner. Our
researchers dug deep into their heaps of scraps and spare parts, found most of the necessary pieces,
and figured out how to build a lathe from what they pulled out of the pile . . . with the exception of a ball
bearing mandrel and two spurs purchased from Sears, Roebuck and Company.
The finished lathe which will accommodate wood chunks up to three feet long and over a foot in
diameter turns out handsomely carved legs and rungs ... while costing just a few cents over $20 to
build. (Of course, unless your scrap pile has achieved the proportions of MOTHER EARTH NEWS', you're
likely to spend a few dollars more for new materials . . . but this tool would be a bargain at five times our
price.)

The Bed
Common angle iron, U-channel, and a piece of pine shelving make up the base upon which the
tool's working parts ride. You'll find the components specified in the Materials List. The legs for
the stand are bent to square up to the U-channel base . . . a task that's much easier if the bend
points are first heated with an oxyacetylene torch. In addition, the angle iron used for the
braces which span between each leg and the base should be bent and ground so no sharp
edges protrude.
In order to avoid banging your shins on the 1 x 12 wooden support shelf, round the board on its
"working side" and set its far edge against the opposite legs before drilling and bolting the
shelf in place.
Furthermore, since washing machine motors have different mounting configurations, be sure to
design the braces for the "power plant" (they're welded to the left rear leg) specifically to fit the
bolt pattern on your unit. It's also a good idea to provide for a sliding mount . . . so belt tension
can be adjusted.

The Ways
In order to clamp different lengths of wood into the lathe's spindles, the tailstock assembly slides
on a pair of tubular steel tracks. The runners which slip along the lathe's ways are made of
larger tubing, which provides a .005" fit . . . and the tool rest slides on a foot of exactly the same
specifications. (Note: When centering the two tubes which form the ways, be extremely careful
to ensure that the "pipes" are parallel and that no parts become distorted by the welding heat. In
addition, file off any welding spatter which might interfere with the smooth sliding of the parts.)

The Power Train

Any 1/2-HP washing machine motor can be coupled by way of a pair of three-step pulleys
and a V-belt to the ball bearing mandrel in order to provide power to the lathe. If your motor is
a single-speed unit (and there are some two-speed examples available which can be
incorporated into our lathe design), the spindle will turn at either 950, 1,725, or 3,125 RPM . . .
depending on the belt's position on the pulleys.

Lathe Spindles
Most mandrels have a 3 1/4" x 5 1/4" bolt pattern and an overall shaft length of approximately
10 inches. Such a unit will fit neatly atop the 4" x 6" plate on the headstock box.
On the other hand, the construction of the tailstock spindle is more involved. A hint: When
welding nuts to the various parts, install the bolts before tacking, so that the threads of the nut
won't be distorted by the heat. (Note, too, that the 5/8" coupler nut must be driven into the two
3/4" coupler nuts before it's welded in place.)

Head- and Tailstocks

The working portions of the lathe are set atop steel box sections ... with access holes cut for the
clamping bolt on the tailstock and the switch and wires on the headstock. The spindles on the
headstock and tailstock must be perfectly aligned to prevent wobble. One way to accomplish
this is to weld the headstock into position first, and then align the tailstock to it. Slip one of the
pulleys onto the spur end of the mandrel and slide the tailstock spindle shaft into the other end
of the pulley. Then weld the tailstock box to its runner.

Electrical Details
The lathe's switch is a common wall box set inside the headstock and wired to interrupt the flow
of power to the motor. And, since the brushes of the power unit could conceivably become
fouled with the shavings from the woodwork, the motor and the belt drive are enclosed in a
sheet metal box with an access door.

Carving Wood
Once you've applied a coat of paint to the lathe, you'll be ready to try some wood turning. There
are a number of different ways that this tool can be used to turn out finish-quality work, and if
you're not already familiar with basic lathe operating procedures you'll get the most use from
the tool by doing a little outside study.
Who knows? You might end up becoming involved enough to build a faceplate for your lathe to
turn out bowls . . . or your interest might turn to any number of other possibilities which your new
tool with a few "homegrown" modifications is capable of.

Materials List
54"
10"
18'
9'
36"
16"
24"
14"
42"
12"
5"
3 1/2"
56"
12"
1
12"
6"
36"
2
1
1
1
1
9
12
1
1
4
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
2
1

4" x 1 1/2" U-channel

3" x 1 1/2" U-channel
1 1/2" angle iron
1 1/2" O.D. 11-gauge round, seamless, cold finished, carbon-steel mechanical tubing
1 3/4" O.D. 11-gauge round, seamless, cold-finished, carbon-steel mechanical tubing
1/4" x 1" bar stock
3/8" x 1" bar stock
3/8" x 4" steel plate
1/4" x 7" steel plate
1/2" steel rod
1/2" Schedule 40 pipe
1/4" Schedule 40 pipe
1 x 12 shelving
2" angle iron
3 1/2" chain ring
5/8" rod
3/8" rod
1/8" x 36" sheet steel
3-step pulleys (such as Sears Craftsman 9HT27882)
headstock spur (Sears Craftsman 9HT21052)
tailstock spur (Sears Craftsman 9HT21022)
5/8" arbor ball bearing mandrel
salvagaged 1/2 HP washing machine motor
3/8 " x 11/2 " bolts
3/8" nuts
3/8" washer
3/8" wing nut
3/8" x 1 1/2" carriage bolts
5/16" x 4" bolt
5/16" nuts
1/2" x 4" bolts
1/2" nuts
1/2" x 6" bolt
5/8" coupling nut
5/8" Washer
3/4" coupling nuts
110-volt wall switch and wires