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Handwheel? Ain't got no stinkin' handwheel!

Jamie Straw

Jamie Straw

Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
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Bainbridge Island, WA
Hopefully, there are folks out there who get the movie quip.:p My Jet 1236 (old blue model) does not have a handwheel on the headstock. Bought it used (barely, the guy died before using it). Is this something I could/should add? Occasionally, it seems they're used, but don't know how important it is.
 
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Depends on whether you want to use it. :-).

It is a personal preference.

I don't use a handwheel on my lathe. I like having the outboard threads ready to go for hooking up vacuum or using the outboard.

My wife uses a handwheel all the time so she keeps a handwheel mounted in her lathe. And takes it off to use the outboard and puts it back on when finished.


Al
 
I would be lost without a handwheel. I like to stop the lathe to check my turnings. As soon as it stops I have my hand on the handwheel to rotate the piece and check it out. I use it constantly when putting chucks or faceplates on the lathe. I drilled out an opening in my handwheel to accept the bearing from my vacuum chuck. It's also handy when I use my index wheel. You could probably add a wooden one very easily. Turn an opening just a hair smaller than the threads on your spindle backside. Then screw the wooden handwheel on creating small threads in the wood. Screw it back off and add some epoxy and then screw it back on. If you ever want to remove it just heat the spindle up and it will losen the epoxy. That way you can try out the handwheel and see if you like it.
 
Hand Wheel -- Very "Handy"

I am "all in" with John on the convenience of the hand wheel!! I constantly & automatically use it when the lathe is turned off to check my turnings in different light, mount blanks with a screw chuck, look for defects, for incremental
indexing rotations, use it by force of habit to insure the spindle lock is never engaged before starting the lathe, etc., etc. (I also use it as a must for making specialty items, such as bird feeders from discarded wine bottles.
I mount the colored glass wine bottle to be cut in a simple jig between centers and am able to get a perfect score from the carbide glass cutter (lathe is shut off) from one rotation, using the hand wheel.)

I would not be without a hand wheel, but we are all a little different in our habits (and that is a good thing.)

Lee Tourtelotte
Minnesota Woodturners Association
 
More uses than I imagined...

Very good info, thanks! Neither of the 1236's I've owned had a handwheel, so was oblivious as to the uses. Will consider one down the road. Love Lee's tidbit about scoring wine bottles.
 
Drawbar? Adapt another handwheel?

john lucas said:
[snip] You could probably add a wooden one very easily. Turn an opening just a hair smaller than the threads on your spindle backside. Then screw the wooden handwheel on creating small threads in the wood. Screw it back off and add some epoxy and then screw it back on. If you ever want to remove it just heat the spindle up and it will losen the epoxy. That way you can try out the handwheel and see if you like it.
Click to expand...

Two questions:
  1. How does a drawbar work when there's an add-on hand wheel?
  2. Could a table saw hand wheel be adapted? I don't have a mental picture of how the HW fits to turn the spindle.
 
Jamie Straw said:
Two questions: [*]How does a drawbar work when there's an add-on hand wheel? [*]Could a table saw hand wheel be adapted? I don't have a mental picture of how the HW fits to turn the spindle.
Click to expand...

Most hand wheels mount on the outside of the spindle and do not interfere with a draw bar.

On lathes with threaded spindles on the outboard the hand wheels thread onto the spindle.

On lathes without threads the handwheels slide onto the spindle shaft and have a set screw to hold them on this is similar to the way a table saw handwheel mounts. These often have a key keep the shell aligned and to prevent slipping with the set screws.

The main issue with using a table saw handwheel is matching the shaft diameter. And key slot if one exists.


Al
 
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Jamie What lathes do you have. I think I have some handwheels or something similar in my junk box and that's one of the few boxes I can actually find in my storage Pod that has my shop stuff.
 
Jamie I have a handwheel. It is bored for 3/4" or .750 thousands. It has 2 set screws and the wheel is about 6" in diameter (I didn't measure it) Don't know if it will work for you or not but your welcome to it if it will.
 
Thanks!

john lucas said:
Jamie I have a handwheel. It is bored for 3/4" or .750 thousands. It has 2 set screws and the wheel is about 6" in diameter (I didn't measure it) Don't know if it will work for you or not but your welcome to it if it will.
Click to expand...

Thanks, John, let me check things out and see if it'll fit, and I can figure out how to install it. Will PM you when I know.
 
Info on 1236 handwheel

Jamie Straw said:
Thanks, John, let me check things out and see if it'll fit, and I can figure out how to install it. Will PM you when I know.
Click to expand...

John, I just came across this thread (click) during a Google search, makes me wonder if retrofitting is troublesome. I couldn't see the pics because I couldn't log in (page 2). If you have time to read it, LMK what you think. Also, I could call WMH and see if they can give specifics as to the correct threaded bolt. There seems to be a lot of guessing going on in that thread.
 
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