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Dan Bevilacqua

D

Dan Bevilacqua

Joined
Nov 8, 2017
Messages
149
Likes
37
Location
Idaho
Hello all. I have been following this forum for a long time; but, I have hesitated to join due to having to place my full real name as my forum name. I am somewhat of a private person; but, here is some of the information I would like to share. First of all, thanks you for having me.

I have been woodworking since high school, "majoring" in all the shop classes. :D I did work as an apprentice in a machine shop while I was in high school, both after school and full time in the summer.

I got back into woodworking in around 1992 or so and did quite a bit for a couple of years as a hobby. Not too much in the way of woodturning during that couple of years, although I did some on my Shopsmith MK V. I then stopped doing it reguarly; except a couple of projects here and there.

I recently retired, and have enjoyed woodworking regularly. I started turning on a regular basis, almost daily, since around March of this year. I started on a Harbor Freight lathe that I no longer have; but, it worked pretty nicely. I then tried a couple of mini/midi lathes, and then acquired another Shopsmith, a 10ER (heavy cast iron beast) that I dedicated as a lathe. It turns rather well. I also have a Nova Comet that I also like. Actually, since acquiring the Nova recently, I have not turned on my Shopsmith, mainly due to trying out my new toy and partialy because of being to lazy to change out the spindle adapter on the chuck.

I like to turn small bowls, boxes, goblets, and spinning tops. I am addicted to turning. :) I hope to learn plenty on this forum, and hopefully one day have enough knowledge and experience to contribute meaningfully. I strive for a Powermatic 2020 but the main deterrent is the cost which for me would include having to add 220v to my garage shop.

My shop is half a of a 2 car garage. I have a table saw, work bench, the two lathes described above, a Shopsmith 10ER dedicated drill press, jointer, Shopsmith MK V (with Band Saw and Strip sander with SS Power Station, and an older Craftsman Bandsaw. Kind of tight in there; but, I finally, after moving stuff around a few times found a configuartion that works well. I only do woodworking as a hobby.

Regards,
Dan
 
Welcome Dan. I started with a shopsmith 510. My dad had the newer model. My grandfather had the 10-ER. I now have a 2 1/2 car garage totally full of tools. I did the same woodworking 30 years ago in a 10x12 area with the shopsmith. I do it all a lot faster and with less sneaking up on the cuts now but if I absolutely had to I would buy another shopsmith. Except for the lathe. that in my opinion is the weakest point of the shopsmith. I had one of the early Nova Comets and it is far superior to the Shopsmith.
 
Thanks, John. I forgot to mention that my Shopsmith 10ER does have a speed changer allowing me to got down to around 425 rpm, and as such, I find it to be a pretty competent lathe. On the other hand, I've never turned on a large wood lathe (except in high school), so I don't know what I am missing. I would love to go to Craft Supplies USA in Utah for a 3 or 5 day class and try one of their Powermatics to see what I may be missing, and of course to learn turning.
 
The biggest difference between a solid lathe, even a mini and the shopsmith is vibration. For years every time I went to my parents house my dad would have a project for me to turn on his shopsmith. Even though I had 20 years of turning I still could not turn on that thing without chatter. The problems are 1 the bearings are too small in the headstock, 2 the tailstock is aluminum and the morse taper is only 1" long, the tool rest is cantilevered. All of those things add up to vibration. I had vibration problems on my Deltal 46-700 lathe that I bought after the shopsmith. It was better than the shopsmith and I thought the problems were me or tools not being sharp. Then I purchased the Nova Comet and all those problems went away. I sold everything else and that's when my journey toward stand alone tools took over.
 
John, I fully understand the aluminum tailstock thing to which you refer. However, the tailstock on the 10ER is solid cast iron. I do have vibration with the 10ER; maybe that's why I am not so good a turner :D. I do like my Nova Comet. :).

I would really like to turn on a full size lathe to see what I am missing.
 
I had one of the very old 10-ER models, like this one:
ea172ff2f8af87abd8ada757d55e10a3--shop-smith-milling-machine.jpg


Unlike John Lucas, I've never had the chance to turn on one, since I stopped using it, and subsequently sold it. I can't make a comparison, after my learning experience had progressed.......but, I do remember that my turnings on the new (heavier, and more stable) Northwood lathe were much improved. At that time, I probably didn't realize all the reasons why my turnings improved, but the realization that there was a difference was definitely there. :D
 
Thanks, Odie. That's the same model lathe as mine in the photo you posted, with the speed changer. Some had 1/2 hp motors and some 3/4 hp. Mine is the 3/4 hp at around 9 amps with significant power for somewhat aggressive roughing cuts.
 
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