Short bed lathe - Myford Mystro

[Moonsafari69]

I'm contemplating having my Myford Mystro cut down to make it into a short bed version. I never make anything as long as a spindle and the extra floor space this would give me could be a real benefit.

Has anyone done something similar, and if so are there pitfalls I should be aware of?

 

[graduate_owner]

Seems a shame to cut down such a nice machine. If you do, you can almost guarantee your next project will need the full size bed. Solution - enlarge the workshop. Easy!!!


K

 

[Moonsafari69]

Seems a shame to cut down such a nice machine. If you do, you can almost guarantee your next project will need the full size bed. Solution - enlarge the workshop. Easy!!!


K

Yep, that's part of the dilemma. If only enlarging the workshop was an option Not going to rush into it, but I'm trying to make space for a P/T to fit in too. If I do go ahead I'll post some pics of the process anyway.

 

[sunnybob]

Surely a bigger lathe is worth more than a smaller lathe? Sell yours to someone who wants one, and buy a smaller one.

 

[Moonsafari69]

Surely a bigger lathe is worth more than a smaller lathe? Sell yours to someone who wants one, and buy a smaller one.

You're likely right about the value sunnybob but the lathe itself is in A1 condition. It's close to 30 years old and I'm the 2nd owner. It's been so well looked after I wouldn't want to change it for a new one. Due to the manufacturing, changing the bed length should be quite doable. I've just got to convince myself that using some of the created space for a P/T is worth the sacrifice.

 

[sunnybob]

I just bought a bench top thicknesser, purely because I dont have room / couldnt afford a Planer thicknesser. Great tool to have, but I still dont like the idea of shortening a perfectly good lathe.

 

[Moonsafari69]

I just bought a bench top thicknesser, purely because I dont have room / couldnt afford a Planer thicknesser. Great tool to have, but I still dont like the idea of shortening a perfectly good lathe.

I agree with you to be fair. I have a small thicknesser too which works great, at the minute every time I need any jointing it's a trip to the local Woodward which is £'s and inconvenient. I'm not 100% convinced either way yet but it helps to talk it through so cheers for that.