Here’s how I extended the bed capacity of my lathe. First I bolted the tailstock to a support post in my shop. To make sure the tailstock was level with and in line with the headstock, I ran a chalkline and a line level between the two. To keep the lathe in position, I used a hydraulic cylinder to force the lathe’s base against the wall a spare Lally column would work nearly as well. A piece of scrapwood protects the lathe where it presses against the wall.
For slightly shorter stock, you could shim the lathe out farther from the wall, or dispense with the jack by bolting the lathe to the floor where you need it. I did half the turning and then flipped the workpiece to finish, so I could use my regular tool rest. If you have a freestanding tool rest, you can do the work all in one shot.
D. Mayerson, Berkeley, Calif.
Fine Woodworking Magazine, February 1984 No. 50
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Shop Fox W1826
The thick, felted bag on this Shop Fox is a plus and a minus. On one hand, it makes the unit much less expensive than collectors with canister filters, and also lighter and easier to hang on the wall. Without a separate plastic bag to catch chips, however, they stay in the felt bag, and the shortish zipper on the bottom makes it tough to shake them out. Otherwise, the W1826 is an excellent value.
This is the saw I want in my shop. For one, it’s easy to use. All of the controls are easy to reach and manipulate, and the glide mechanism is both robust and smooth. The handle works well for righties and lefties. Then there are added bonuses that no other saw has. For instance, its hold-down is superb, as it can move to different locations, hinges for a greater range of coverage, and actually holds down the work. In addition, the saw has two points of dust collection, letting it firmly beat the rest of the field. The one downside was the saw’s laser, which was so faint we had to turn off the shop lights to see it. Still, all these pluses in a package that fits tight to the wall? That’s a winner for me.
One of many extremely accurate Incra miter gauges, this model offers 180-degree adjustment to 1/10 of a degree, and a long, straight fence with a telescoping stop system.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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