calblacksmith

It is worth more as a metal lathe both to you and in the open market. You are kind of asking, can I use my farm tractor to transport my product across country, like a Semi tractor trailer can after all, both can pull a huge load. They are different machines. Yes I know that you have chosen to look for a wood lathe, that is the wisest choice.

They work OK but are not near as good. For accurate work in the aircraft factory where I work, away from big shop tools, we use a drill block and interchangeable bushings. The block gets c clamped to the project, the proper size bushings are installed in the block and the bushing guides the drill to keep it normal to the project. Holes are drilled in steps for 1/4 and less two steps and bigger there are 3 or more steps. The attachment will help a lot more than drilling by eye though. Shop around, craigslist etc, used drillpresses can often be bought pretty inexpensively.

yes, pretty much two different tools. Your work really will guide you but like others, I use my TS much more than any other tool in my woodworking shop.

The low speed grinder at Woodcraft is pretty good (see avatar) I have the oneway setup and it is very easy to adjust. I also have a Veratas replacement tool rest and it is great for straight edges such as chisels and plane blades as the blade clamps into the holding fixture and it rides in a slot in the rest so the blade stays aligned all the time.. A very similar system to the Oneway setup is sold by Captn Eddie (big guy productions) and it costs a whole lot less. It is not as pretty but his " INTERNATIONAL BLACKHAWK" system should work just as well. http://eddiecastelin.com/combos_and_other_items He also has carbide inserts and bars at a good price. I have found them online at even better prices but it takes a lot of internet time to find them He sells for much less than in the woodworkers stores. I am not pushing his products but I have talked to him to get some advice (he says to call him on every video so I did) he was friendly, interested in what I was doing and gave me help exactly for what I was doing. YMMV.

Yep ya done good! 3 phase in a home shop is not a big deal if you have 220v. I know the subject has been discussed to death but if one has some basic understanding of electric power and some wiring skills, it is easy to make a 3 phase generator and industrial equipment on 3 phase sells for a lot less than the exact same tool in single phase as most people include changing the motor in the purchase price.

I can't say anything for the Jet, METAL lathes have adjustment in the tail stock for alignment as it is common to offset the tailstock front and back, for turning a taper when between centers. Do check the MT holes for being clean. I suspect that the headstock is held on by bolts from under or inside the head stock. That is the way that my el cheepo HF lathe and my Powermatic lathe are put together. If there is no vertical adjustment in the tailstock, and it is higher than the headstock it is easy to shim the headstock up for alignment. I would also try to place as long as possible of a rod into the headstock spindle. If you can get it aligned squarely into the spindle, you can then check to see if the spindle is square to the ways or if it is running at an angle but it may be close enough just by aligning the centers to each other.

There should be some good bowls in there. If you can't keep boards flat from it, no harm done, it is GREAT for smoking meat!

Great deal, I think the BEST deal was getting it all moved for $15!

Turning the lights on, turns the stereo on too. In addition without fail I use the floor (best place I have found to walk on yet) most everything else is on an as needed basis.

I tend to go to nearly every yard sale I see, you never know what is going to cross your path. In this case, I found a commercial doweling machine. It uses air pressure to clamp the board and to feed the drill. All the air lines need to be replaced and the machine needs a good cleanup but I thought that even if I never used it, what the heck, I only paid $35 The table is in OK shape, it is useable but not on the machine and it came with a reel of tubing to replace the air lines with.

Well, a voice from the other side here. As others mentioned, 3 phase is easy to make from 220 2phase (home power) for around a hundred dollars or so, you can make a converter to power up to 5 hp and more if you wish motors. I made my first 3 phase converter over 29 years ago and have refined it a couple of times since then. As someone else said, it depends on where you buy your gear. Home Depot, no you will not need it. I tend to shop Craigs list and auctions. More than half of my equipment is 3 phase. Used commercial 3 phase equipment goes CHEEP because everyone adds in the cost of a new single phase motor to run it in their home. If you can make the 3 phase, that works to your favor. My latest tool is a PM66. It has a 3 hp motor 3 phase on it. Not a thing wrong with the saw that a coat of paint would not fix, I paid $200 for it, with the full size extension to the right and a Besermyer (sp) fence. When looked at that way, the slight cost of making a converter (you can buy one pre made but they tend to get expensive quick for the better rotary ones) is much more than paid for with the purchase of one machine alone then it is gravy after that!

Too cool! Great job on the box, pic and the girl Savor EVERY SECOND with her, time passes way too fast. 30 years ago I was where you are now but with a boy. My son is still the same treasure to me now as then, more so now! Time passes WAYYYYYYY too fast, it seems like it was only a few months ago.....

You can not make anything flat with only 2 surfaces if you do not have a reference flat surface to start with. You can mate a bowling ball to a flat plate, they will fit together perfectly but neither will be flat. It takes 3 surfaces, all working one into the next to eventually wind up with a flat surface so just using one stone against another will not give you 2 flat stones, you will have 2 stones that mate to each other.

I have been playing with them for a little while now and I must say, I love them! I went to the Lee Valley sight and made a discovery that many here probably knew anyway, that is that both of them use the same size irons. The Jack comes with the 25 deg iron and the LA smoother comes with the 38 deg iron. I just ordered the 50 deg iron and the toothed iron so now I can use any "factory angle" in either plane! Man you gotta love it when a plan (even an accidental one) comes together!

I use the Veritas jig. I do not like the back angle and I prefer to put the micro bevel on the angled bevel of the iron or any single bevel blade. It is easy to grind all the angles from the bevel side of the blade and if there is a micro bevel on the flat side, you need to remove a lot more steel to clean up the edge, in my humble opinion. I put the micro bevel on with the click on the roller. I go to 6000 on the main bevel then move the click one stop and take a couple of strokes only at 600 for the micro bevel. This true for all my single bevel edges. If one wishes to put it on the back, go ahead, I prefer to only kiss it to polish flat. YMMV!