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Homemade top shelf for 3520B

Ellis Emery

Ellis Emery

Joined
Jun 24, 2014
Messages
9
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Location
Schuylkill Haven, PA
I'm new to the forum and in fact this is my first post. I was lucky enough to find a slightly used 3520b recently and grabbed it! Anyway I saw somewhere, someone added a larger shelf to the headstock and I have been looking high and low and just can't seem to find the post. I'm not sure if it was here or elsewhere but I thought this would definitely be the place to ask. Any feedback would be helpful. I had a smaller Grizzly machine in the past onto which I added a larger shelf and now I miss it (the shelf that is.....)
 
In the interest of safety, it is recommended that you do not store things on the headstock. The reason that it is a safety hazard is that vibrations from an out of balance load can cause items to fall into the spinning wood and then be thrown at high velocity in just about any direction.
 
Bill,
Is that your personal opinion because they have a tip in the latest journal about doing just that. Not that it couldn't happen but I have used that rubber mat on the headstock of my 3520b for 8 years and nothing has ever vibrated off.
Bill
 
I have things I need kept on the lathe, and my basic rule is to secure everything so they will withstand a blast of air without becoming dislodged. If one were to keep this rule in mind, keeping things on the headstock would be ok. Also be aware that dust and chips will cover these areas around your lathe constantly.

ooc
 
Bill Blasic said:
Bill, Is that your personal opinion because they have a tip in the latest journal about doing just that. Not that it couldn't happen but I have used that rubber mat on the headstock of my 3520b for 8 years and nothing has ever vibrated off. Bill
Click to expand...

Bill,
We often balance convenience and safety.
When I use a Powermatic I often put things on the headstock.


Look at the nationwide inconveniences instituted to prevent deaths by lightning strikes..
Lightning used to kill about 82 people a year. Now it kills around 33 a year.
All that effort and inconvenience just to save 49 lives a year. In the worst years 200 million people were not killed by lightning
I've been out in thunderstorms never got hurt but I avoid being out if I can.

Al
 
Bill Blasic said:
Bill,
Is that your personal opinion because they have a tip in the latest journal about doing just that. Not that it couldn't happen but I have used that rubber mat on the headstock of my 3520b for 8 years and nothing has ever vibrated off.
Bill
Click to expand...

No, it wasn't originally until I read it in the journal and/or heard it from much more experienced turners. I also believe that the subject received a lot of discussion on this forum many years ago.

My first lathe, a Delta 1440, had a flat top on the headstock with a rubber pad so I used it to store things like spur centers, live centers, and chuck keys. Since there were a few times that things fell off, it sounded like wise advice to not place things where they might become projectiles. I figured that I was fortunate in not yet being a statistic, so I adopted the advice as being more than merely an opinion.

My current lathe is a Robust AB that has a tool caddy that securely holds tools. It is in a convenient location at the headstock end of the bed and a few inches below bed level.
 
Thanks for all the comments. Of course safety is always my top concern. I had a "shelf" with sides on my old lathe and seemed like a good idea for the 3520b. Like I mentioned it has sides so parts/tools cannot roll off which is a big plus. I really look forward to being a member of the forum going forward and learning from all the years of wisdom here.
 
I also use a magnetic dish. I make sure that only ferrous items are stored in it. I believe tools belong on a tray.

Have fun. Stay safe,
Larry
 
Well, as some one who always uses the sliding headstock option for turning bowls, I would never store stuff on top of the headstock. It would make moving it a pain. A shelf that was above, but not in contact with it could work.

robo hippy
 
I put a shelf on top of my 3520 over 10yrs ago and love it…other than the fact that like any horizontal surface entropy take over :)

BTW - I slide the headstock all the time and have never had a problem with things falling off, blowing sandpaper off with compressed air is another matter…
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Ron Solfest said:
I put a shelf on top of my 3520 over 10yrs ago and love it…other than the fact that like any horizontal surface entropy take over :)

BTW - I slide the headstock all the time and have never had a problem with things falling off, blowing sandpaper off with compressed air is another matter…
Click to expand...
How did you connect it to headstock
 
Years back I set a couple of old speaker magnets on the top of my 3520. Works great for chuck keys that need to be handy. Other accessories I store elsewhere.
 
I like having whatever I need handy - and there just wasn't enough space on the tiny flat area on the headstock. I added a small table to my Robust AB that uses the bolt holes for a bed extension at the headstock end. I know the overall picture looks a little confusing, so used it as an excuse to clean up a bit and took it down to basics. This works well for my purposes. I added the two tool racks as needed...a rack for morse taper stuff, small tool rests and a mag bar for everything else. Hangars below for facemask, depth gauges and whatever else I like to keep close. Best of all, it doesn't interfere with sliding the headstock - I do that a lot.
E5536C8C-25A2-47F1-A1AA-18308C8996B6.jpegD5E67302-C1FE-4142-8A5B-ECFBD2B9BBD1.jpegC1CC44DD-E4DB-4F3B-80FC-6E78C9C95EEF.jpegC2DD2B51-3477-43A2-8B10-2BD046FFF620.jpeg
 
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I took a slightly different approach and added a shelf at the left end of the bed, using the existing holes for the extension.

After using it for a month or so, it has worked out well, but I still put other stuff on top of the headstock.
 

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When standing at lathe, bandsaw behind me, and small plastic chest found with trash takeout(chest needed in van now)20220909_152420.jpg20220906_113043.jpg
 
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