Harold Hall

Workshop Projects

First Page

Having removed the headstock centre and the spacer, mount the body onto the faceplate and clamp in place. Do this, ensuring that the line on the end is exactly at right angles to the faceplate's surface, also, that the line that marks the position of the bore passes through the lathe's centre. Use a centre in the lathe's tailstock and positioned against the mark on the body to verify this. Accuracy for this setting is not though that vital.

The next stage is to fit a third fence, precisely 11mm from the end of the body to correspond with the 11mm dimension on the drawing for the body. Photograph 3 shows that I removed the faceplate from the lathe to add the third fence though this was not of course necessary. The 11mm dimension is important and a rule measurement is unlikely to be satisfactory. In my case, it can be seen I used my favourite distance gauges for setting this dimension. This photograph also clearly shows the marking out in the three positions mentioned above.

The assembly will be far from balanced and additional weights will be required to achieve this. Doing this on a balancing fixture will produce a far superior balance than if carried out on the lathe. With that done, and the faceplate back on the lathe, the bore for the cutter holder can be made, Photograph 4, making it a close fit on the prepared material for this. You should not need telling that this is a very accident prone set-up. Do therefore check carefully by rotating the faceplate manually that it will turn without fouling any part of the machine, also taking note that you will be feeding the saddle closer as the bore deepens. Of even more importance, do keep yourself well away from the assembly whilst it is rotating as the potential for very serious injury should not be underestimated, it makes me shudder even to think about it.

With the bore now complete, move the body forward so that its end contacts the third fence, ensuring that the line scribed on the end is still at right angles to the faceplate. Place the piece of material prepared for the cutter holder in the bore, centre drilled end out, and fasten using grub screws in the two M4 holes. The cutter holder, having flat ends, will project a little at either end and is the reason why the two fences had to stop just past the centre of the faceplate (Sk. 2). As a result of the changes the assembly will need balancing again.

Check that the body and cutter holder are firmly fixed and centre drill and drill 6mm diameter. Do not force the drill too hard as this will make it more likely to wander. This especially as the drill will be drilling down the join of two pieces of metal.