Greetings -
While I have a good deal of experience in other areas of woodworking, I am a complete novice in turning. I'm looking forward to learning more about this unique skill.
Before I retired a few years ago, I was a hands-on mechanical engineer, and later an engineering manager, for a number of different industries. Product design, manufacturing processes, and building plant equipment were my major areas of activity. I worked as a millwright both for income and experience when I was in school.
I live in Alpharetta, Georgia with my best friend, my wife. I have two adult children and four grandsons, all living in the local area.
I've recently been attending meetings of the Atlanta Woodturners Guild, which has been helpful.
My grandfather left me an early model Rockwell/Delta 46-111 lathe from the early 1960s and some Rockwell turning tools. I've just finished a rebuild and modernization to improve performance and operator safety. I'm expecting to get the basics learned with this equipment, and I'm pleased to renew his old favorite machine.
I removed the old open frame fixed speed motor (with bad bearings) and (dangerous) light switch control. I added a 3/4 hp totally enclosed, fan cooled (TEFC) motor and a variable frequency drive (VFD) in a dustproof Nema 4 enclosure to provide four ranges of variable speed. I also added an emergency stop and power-on indicator light. All wiring is in liquid-tite conduit except the power cord of course.
I replaced the original bearings in the headstock and used a file to true up the alloy step pulleys. I raised the lathe up to a comfortable height as I'm tall.
The stop bar for the indexing feature is very difficult to move, so I still have a bit of work to do there, but she's up and running.
Photos are attached, and my favorite ice cream flavor is coffee....
While I have a good deal of experience in other areas of woodworking, I am a complete novice in turning. I'm looking forward to learning more about this unique skill.
Before I retired a few years ago, I was a hands-on mechanical engineer, and later an engineering manager, for a number of different industries. Product design, manufacturing processes, and building plant equipment were my major areas of activity. I worked as a millwright both for income and experience when I was in school.
I live in Alpharetta, Georgia with my best friend, my wife. I have two adult children and four grandsons, all living in the local area.
I've recently been attending meetings of the Atlanta Woodturners Guild, which has been helpful.
My grandfather left me an early model Rockwell/Delta 46-111 lathe from the early 1960s and some Rockwell turning tools. I've just finished a rebuild and modernization to improve performance and operator safety. I'm expecting to get the basics learned with this equipment, and I'm pleased to renew his old favorite machine.
I removed the old open frame fixed speed motor (with bad bearings) and (dangerous) light switch control. I added a 3/4 hp totally enclosed, fan cooled (TEFC) motor and a variable frequency drive (VFD) in a dustproof Nema 4 enclosure to provide four ranges of variable speed. I also added an emergency stop and power-on indicator light. All wiring is in liquid-tite conduit except the power cord of course.
I replaced the original bearings in the headstock and used a file to true up the alloy step pulleys. I raised the lathe up to a comfortable height as I'm tall.
The stop bar for the indexing feature is very difficult to move, so I still have a bit of work to do there, but she's up and running.
Photos are attached, and my favorite ice cream flavor is coffee....
