Drill based lathe

[mrtree]

Hi, a friend has a very old drill based lathe & from what he has described to me, there is a "bit" which fits into the drill chuck for holding the work piece.

It has "teeth" like the one in the picture. The picture isn't his lathe, I don't know what his looks like so am guessing. I think what he's describing is the bit closest to the drill with the pointy bits!" .......the thing is.......it's missing

Two questions, what is it called and, where can he/I buy one from.
Thanks

 

[Silverbirch]

That would be the drive centre. Best bet would be to look on Ebay for a used lathe such as in your pic. , which includes the part you need. A more economical solution would be to improvise - anything that will fit in the drill chuck and provide some grip to drive the spindle. Perhaps a small saw toothed forstner bit would do the job.....?

 

[DTR]

Or maybe a spade drill bit with the shank cut down?

 

[DTR]

Incidentally, before I found a real lathe I converted one of these to have its own motor and headstock:

https://gracesilverwood.wordpress.com/d ... tle-lathe/

 

[NickWelford]

I had one of those in the 60s. Put me off turning for 30 years.

 

[MMUK]

Does your friend have an old countersink bit he could grind the cutting edges off? That would do the trick nicely

 

[blackrodd]

Incidentally, before I found a real lathe I converted one of these to have its own motor and headstock:

https://gracesilverwood.wordpress.com/d ... tle-lathe/

An excellent and Interesting link, you know you're way round a lathe!
Rodders

 

[DTR]

An excellent and Interesting link, you know you're way round a lathe!
Rodders

If I knew my way around a lathe I never would have started! :lol:

To be fair to the drill lathe, it handled whatever SWMBO threw at it, right up to its capacity. Mounting it on an oak board probably helped with the all-important rigidity, and made it easy to clamp down to the workbench.

 

[Lons]

My first lathe bought when I was about 13 was one of those but painted blue, a B&D and I did the same as DTR eventually and converted it. I kept the bed and tailstock, bought a couple of plummer blocks and a shaft which I drilled and tapped to take the drive and faceplate and threaded the outside for a small chuck. Mounted the whole thing to a 1/2" steel baseplate which I could barely lift.

The original drive etc weren't fitted into a chuck, you just removed that and screwed then straight into the end of the drill (something like 3/8 unf rings a bell). I'll have a look tomorrow just in case the drive is still there - probably not but you never know.

Bob

 

[Lons]

My first lathe bought when I was about 13 was one of those but painted blue, a B&D and I did the same as DTR eventually and converted it. I kept the bed and tailstock, bought a couple of plummer blocks and a shaft which I drilled and tapped to take the drive and faceplate and threaded the outside for a small chuck. Mounted the whole thing to a 1/2" steel baseplate which I could barely lift.

The original drive etc weren't fitted into a chuck, you just removed that and screwed then straight into the end of the drill (something like 3/8 unf rings a bell). I'll have a look tomorrow just in case the drive is still there - probably not but you never know.

Bob

EDIT: Ask him the make of his drill. If it's a black & decker you might just be in luck. Important as not all drills have the same fitting.
PM me if you like 'cos I'm not on the forum every day!

 

[Lons]

No response from the OP :roll:

I've taken the time to search and he's in luck 'cos I have 2 of the drives he's described but I'm not going to chase him as I've done this twice before with other items and wasted my time.
Maybe there's a good reason but if I posted a "help please" thread, I'd make damn sure I kept an eye on it. (hammer)
:?
Bob

 

[graduate_owner]

I had a B&D lathe attachment and the part needed is indeed a drive centre. I would not recommended bothering to get one though. Mine was seriously awful. The drill is noisy and because you are standing in front of it you get the blast of cooling air in your face. Get a proper lathe instead, a second hand Tyme / Coronet etc might be affordable. I was lucky enough to get a Myford ML 8 so I dumped the attachment pronto. I don't think an attachment will do anything to enhance the turning experience. As has been said, really off putting.

K

 

[Lons]

I had a B&D lathe attachment and the part needed is indeed a drive centre. I would not recommended bothering to get one though. Mine was seriously awful. The drill is noisy and because you are standing in front of it you get the blast of cooling air in your face. Get a proper lathe instead, a second hand Tyme / Coronet etc might be affordable. I was lucky enough to get a Myford ML 8 so I dumped the attachment pronto. I don't think an attachment will do anything to enhance the turning experience. As has been said, really off putting.

K

Maybe he has. Very strange that he hasn't responded to any of the posts or my offer. Hope he's ok and hasn't become ill or worse.

 

[Wildman]

looks like a picador lathe, my father had one in the 1950's, made egg cups and lots of cork fishing floats I seem to remember. I still use some of those floats today.

 

[blackrodd]

The red lathe (above) is rather upmarket to the single bed Picador lathe, which was the poor man's Myford,
My first 'er indoor's grandfather had one! Now THAT was horrible!
Regards Rodders

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=picad ... nqa-EJE%3D

 

[graduate_owner]

Things have moved on so much these days. When I was in my early 20's I really wanted to have a go at wood turning but where to get a lathe? They are easy enough to come by these days but then (early 70's) it was anything but easy - and anything remotely looking like quality was so expensive. I was lucky(?) enough to pick up my B&D lathe attachment for peanuts but, as I said, it was truly awful. The thing is, there's no need to go down that road these days. Some vintage tools are nice to have but the lathe attachment - not so.

K