Lathe stand for laguna 12/16

[Mike Novak]

Hi

I have had a laguna 12/16 for a few months now. It’s a nice machine, but I kinda wish I had gone bigger.

I did not get the stand because I’m very tall and it did not adjust as high as I need. It’s mounted on a heavily reinforced harbor freight workbench with about 150 lbs of concrete on the lower shelf. Under 500 rpm it’s rock solid even with an unbalanced blank. At about 600 rpm I get a lot of shake if the blank is even slightly unbalanced. Sometimes I can speed up past the vibration at around 700 rpm. I’m mostly turning 10-12” bowls.

So I am considering a new stand. Either the Laguna one or building the one Alan Lacer showed in popular woodworking.

Ultimate Lathe Stand | Popular Woodworking

A good lathe stand is just as important as a good lathe. Build a professional-quality lathe stand that’s stable, strong and heavy.

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The way plywood prices are today there is not much difference in price. The Laguna stand would be much easier, but I’m wondering if it would be as sturdy. To make up the height difference I need and add weight I would bolt on 6” concrete blocks as feet.

So does anyone have either of these options? How does it work for you? Do you think either one would help with the shaking at 600rpm?

Thanks

 

[bbergst]

the higher the weight the more steady the lathe. Look at the big lathes. There is a lot of weight in the ways for reason. It wold be easier to tilt a lathe with weight near the feet of the lathe. With weight at the ways at least it will only walk. If a lathe is on it side on the floor, which would be easier to set it on its feet. 100 lbs at the ways, or 100lbs at the feet?

 

[JeffSmith]

Mike - If I find an unbalanced blank begins to vibrate at 600 rpm, I'm a happy camper. Some (read most) unbalanced pieces I turn start out well below 600 until the corners are knocked down. Once the balance starts getting established the rpms come up.
Green wood starting between centers and initially trimmed with the chainsaw often starts closer to 300 in my shop.

 

[Mike Novak]

Mike - If I find an unbalanced blank begins to vibrate at 600 rpm, I'm a happy camper. Some (read most) unbalanced pieces I turn start out well below 600 until the corners are knocked down. Once the balance starts getting established the rpms come up.
Green wood starting between centers and initially trimmed with the chainsaw often starts closer to 300 in my shop.

Jeff

Maybe I should clarify. The 600 is after I knock off the corners and start shaping the outside. I run much slower before that. I had one bowl that had a turned rim and a knot in the side. After the outside was completely finished, the whole lathe and stand would walk across the floor at about 625. It’s like there is a resonance, but adding weight below did not seem to make a difference.

the higher the weight the more steady the lathe. Look at the big lathes. There is a lot of weight in the ways for reason. It wold be easier to tilt a lathe with weight near the feet of the lathe. With weight at the ways at least it will only walk. If a lathe is on it side on the floor, which would be easier to set it on its feet. 100 lbs at the ways, or 100lbs at the feet?

I wonder if I should pour a 3” concrete slab over the existing table top? Would stiffen it and move the weight up. Much cheaper than a new stand.

I’m still curious if anyone has used either the Laguna or Lacer stands, and how they like it.

 

[bbergst]

bowl turners in the 70’s and 80’s would build a box frame base with spayed legs. Then fill the box with sand. To move the lathe they could vacuum out the sand, move the lathe and pour the sand back in. Some made the entire base from poured concrete.

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

I had the Laguna 12|16 lathe and stand and it was ok. It was pretty light weight. So if you put a large chunk of unbalanced wood on the lathe, the stand would walk a little. I should also note that is is very short. When I donated it to my local club, they decided to use it for the shorter people who could not use a full size lathe easily. What I did like about it was the tool storage underneath. The construction is mostly steel, no cast iron. If you want to use the stand, you will probably need to put on riser blocks as you had said. If I had the lathe, I would probably build a custom stand and reinforce it. Side note, on my Powermatic lathe I used to turn on vibration got so bad I had to put a rock bag on the headstock, just to finish my piece! Hope this helps.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

I have had a laguna 12/16 for a few months now. It’s a nice machine, but I kinda wish I had gone bigger.

Is acting on that "wish" a consideration?

 

[Mike Novak]

Is acting on that "wish" a consideration?

I need a much longer interval before I approach the boss. Maybe in a year or two.

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

HI Mike, I have the laguna stand and I feel it's a little short for me (I'm 6'2"). I have a couple of bags of rocks thrown into the base. The legs are triangular shaped and hallow at the bottom. I don't remember if the casters come with it or not, but if it doesn't you should get them unless you're going to use a different wheeling system. I hate how the right side of the casters stabilize. I'll try to post a picture of it. I feel like they didn't spend much time designing it.
I mostly turn small items, from pens up to 8" bowl blanks. I'm impress you can fit 12 inch bowl blanks on it, I haven't been able to fit them on it and I haven't tried turning outboard on it yet. With smaller items I have very little shake. The wide legs help to stabilize it. The 12-16 isn't really made for larger blanks. The motor bogs down and you'll also get some shaking.