Lathe Banjo sizes - Looking for a replacement (Laguna? Powermatic?)

[Brian Gustin]

I'm looking to get a replacement banjo to fit my Harbor Freight lathe - Wanted to find one that might work even if I'd have to modify it.. Looking for someone who has a PowerMatic or Laguna Revo style lathe to get some dimensions..

My ways have a 1-1/2 inch gap, 5/8" thick .. My HF Banjo is about 1-1/2" high over the bed, tool rest post area is just another inch higher - which leaves me with about 3 1/2 inches to drive center (So it uses very short tool rest posts) While looking at options (OneWay?) I noted they seem to be quite a bit taller on the tool rest post - so they would not work for me.. I went looking for images and found similar to what I am looking for in Powermatic and Laguna Revo lathes - The tool rest post hole is offset from the locking rod so length of post would not be such a big issue since I can modify (drilling, etc) - Ive attached a photo of the HF Banjo so you can see the problem (I have several reasons wanting to replace it - most notably is, it is a royal PITA and a struggle to get it to either lock down firmly, or getting it to loosen.. frequent adjustments are needed any time I want to move it)

I want to find a banjo with a 1 inch tool rest post and that is offset to the side from the locking rod (which on the HF banjo means I can't use a longer tool rest post.. they have to be cut down) any advice or suggestions would be appreciated..

 

[Odie]

From your description, I'm assuming your HF lathe has a swing of 12".....is that correct?

Would you be interested in my old Woodfast banjo? It's offset, 1" post. The ways on the Woodfast has a 2 1/2" gap, I believe, so a new plate would need to be made. The height of the tool rest post may have to be shortened, as the Woodfast has a swing of 16".

I replaced this banjo with a Robust banjo several years ago......

I'd take $25 plus shipping, if you can use it.

-----odie-----

 

[Brian Gustin]

Looks just about perfect, but how tall is the post? (As in, if tool rest bottoms out in the hole, how far above lathe bed is the shoulder of the tool rest post?) - But looks like if I had to, I might be able to cut it down some, and re-drill a set screw hole.. (using the old HF locking screws ) If I can cut it down so the top of post shoulder on the banjo is around 2 or 2-1/2 inches above lathe ways, I'll take it.. (Oh , and yeah it is a 12 inch swing - 12 x 36.. One of these days I want to get a 14 incher, or if I hit the lottery, a robust sweet sixteen or a Harvey T40)

 

[Odie]

Brian.....

Check back here later on this evening, and I'll get some dimensions for you......and some current pics. Let's make sure this banjo is going to work for you. The cast iron isn't very hard, so the tool rest housing could be shortened with a simple hack saw......but, if you have access to a powered metal cutting bandsaw, that would be the way to go.......

-----odie-----

 

[Brian Gustin]

OK sounds good to me.. I measured my ways and lathe bed and comparing to the HF Banjo so if it even SEEMS workable, it's well worth the $25 to me to give it a shot.. I was almost tempted to try and build one out of wood, but I don't think it could stand up to the stresses of bowl turning..

 

[Odie]

OK sounds good to me.. I measured my ways and lathe bed and comparing to the HF Banjo so if it even SEEMS workable, it's well worth the $25 to me to give it a shot.. I was almost tempted to try and build one out of wood, but I don't think it could stand up to the stresses of bowl turning..

Yep, I think you'd be disappointed if you tried to build a banjo out of wood!

Here's some pics and dimensions. If it looks good to you, I'll PM with some information.

Tool rest housing height 5 1/16"
Tool rest securing bolt height 4 1/4"
Casting width 2 7/8" not to include the dogleg.
Casting length 12 1/2"

Entire banjo appears to be rust free.

-----odie-----

 

[Brian Gustin]

Yup! Looks good, I'll take it.. Banjo casting (excluding dogleg) appears to be low enough I can pare down the post housing enough to be usable especially with different tool rests from the HF Cast iron one, which I realized due to its shape and heft, is actually a bit bigger than a typical steel straight-across tool rest (in the dimension that concerns me, anyhow) so between the two, I should be able to make this fit .. even the color matches! LOL... I'll look for your P.M

 

[R Henrickson]

Yep, I think you'd be disappointed if you tried to build a banjo out of wood!

I actually did make a perfectly serviceable banjo out of scrap oak, initially for use with a two-post tool rest. It worked well, and I've used it since as part of a spindle steady. I haven't tried using it for heavy duty turning, and can't test it for that now since it was built for a 16" swing lathe and my current lathe is 25". It does very well as the base for a spindle steady on the 25". A well-built wooden banjo is quite usable for light to moderate duty.

 

[Dean Hedstrom]

If you are still in a bind I have a Laguna 12-16 banjo. I was not happy with the retention, early model. Laguna sent me a replacement. Yours for the cost of shipping. --DKH

 

[Odie]

If you are still in a bind I have a Laguna 12-16 banjo. I was not happy with the retention, early model. Laguna sent me a replacement. Yours for the cost of shipping. --DKHView attachment 38260View attachment 38261

Dean.....Is this Laguna banjo for a 12" swing?

===============================================

Hi Brian........This might be a better choice for you, might not need modification, and cheaper, too!

It's OK if you change your mind. I really don't care if I get rid of my old Woodfast banjo, or not. I was more or less just doing this to do a fellow turner a favor, that's all.

That HF lathe will probably only be temporary, anyway. That is, if your interest grows, and you keep on turning.

-----odie-----

 

[Brian Gustin]

The laguna looks a lot closer, I agree with Odie, may not need any modification .. I'll send out a PM and we'll work something out.. Gotta run to town and pick up some scrips at the moment, will contact y'all when I get back later today.. the HF lathe, may be around a while yet.. I gotta save up for a T40 or a Robust sweet 16 (Probably the T40 if I catch it on sale.. whichever I can find the best price on when I have the spare cash) May be a couple years before I can get an upgrade, unless my turnings & flatwork improve enough the sales pay for it... this spring and summer may tell the tale for me, town-wide yard sale season is kicking in gear next month or so... not many craft shows to go to around here other than a farmer's market... and it's kinda tough to run a booth solo...

 

[Dean Center]

Brian, you're going to a hell of a lot of work. I suggest you get a Jet 1221 or similar--it will come with a real nice banjo, at no extra charge!

 

[Brian Gustin]

Brian, you're going to a hell of a lot of work. I suggest you get a Jet 1221 or similar--it will come with a real nice banjo, at no extra charge!

Yeah.. if I had the extra thousand dollars or so.. or could find a used one close enough to me that pickup/delivery wouldn't make it cost more than a new one.. (The only lathe for sale I can find in classifieds within a reasonable drive is a broken down shopsmith that needs a new motor.. bear in mind, I am living on social security alone, plus live in the boondocks of the boondocks.. whole township is population 1300, and the third largest town in the county... 4th or 5th smallest county by population in the state.. nearest sizable city pretty much either Erie, PA (3 hours) or WIlliamsport, PA (another 3 hours) or State College, PA (also 3 hours) Buffalo, NY being closer at 2 1/2 hours... all being one-way, not round trip... So I don't have a lot of funds to work with, nor a readily available used equipment market.. for now, $50 - $75 bucks is about my spending limit per month for tooling/repairs... so... I make do with what I can get..

 

[Doug Freeman]

I used to have that lathe. If you have a drill press or one available its pretty easy to drill the tool post hole to 1 inch. It removes ~0.008” wall thickness. I used various tool rests and shortened the post on those that needed it. Posts are usually mild steel, easy to cut and grind.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Update: Wanted to shout out a big THANK YOU to Rick Anderson (who sold me the one way tool rests) and Dean Hedstrom for the Laguna Banjo.. Between the two items, my HF Lathe works so much better - I'm surprised by just how much, although I expected it would make a sizable difference.. I am finally able to make some smooth steady cuts without the tool hanging up on a slight ding or dip in the rest, or the banjo shifting on me.. The tool rests will need to be trimmed a bit still, for post length, as they do drop down a bit too far if I need to move the banjo over the ways ... But.. The Laguna rest fit perfectly, all I needed to do was fabricate a bigger hold down bushing to fit the ways on my HF lathe (first pic) and trim a bit off the top of the post clamp - as it sat, I could get the one way tool rests to the same minimum height as my HF tool rest would go, BUT it was still just a tad too high (quarter inch) to use some of my tools (thicker bodied) .. (second pic) and the end result being I was able to get one of the smoothest cuts with my skew that I've ever managed - Far less vibration allowed me to re-true a slightly out of round spindle with no catches - my old tool rest never managed to let me do that (it wobbled and shook and let the chisels bounce) so I'm calling it a 100% improvement ..

Thanks again for the advice and suggestions from everyone.. I'm pretty happy now with things..I can't wait til I can give it a good day's workout - I have a pile of small apple & cherry green blanks I need to rough out so those will probably get done this week, if not tomorrow (depending on if I am able to finish a couple flatwork projects) Hopefully these lathe improvements will tide me over for a couple years until I can scrape up the dough to get a decent upgrade...