A 1-1/4 in. square is laid out on the upper end of each standard, with its center exactly over the center for the shaft, and the wood is cut out to make a square hole, which should be slightly tapering one way or the other toward the center of the standard, to hold the babbitt metal used for the bearing. A 3/8-in. hole is bored, vertically down from the upper end of each standard and in the center, to meet the square hole. This is used as a gate for pouring the melted metal in and later to make an oil hole. Prepare 8 pieces of cardboard to hold the melted metal in the square holes while it cools, by cutting them about 2 in. square and making a hole in the center of each, 3/4 in. in diameter. Two of these pieces are held between the two standards while the shaft is run through them and the square holes. Paint the parts of the shaft used in the bearing with thick white lead, or wrap it with one thickness of writing paper, then line it up perfectly parallel with the ways in both directions and tack the cardboard pieces to the standards. Place the remaining two cardboard disks on the ends of the shaft and tack them to the standards also. Place putty over all the edges and pour melted babbitt metal into the hole at the top. When the metal is cool, remove the cardboard disks and turn the shaft, first in one direction and then in the other, until it can be taken from the bearings. A 1/8-in. hole is then drilled through the metal in the top for an oil hole. The ends of the shaft should be threaded by a machinist, and nuts fitted to it and faced up true. The threads should be cut just long enough to allow the back of each nut to turn freely against a washer placed on the shaft against the standard. A split or solid pulley may be used, as desired, on the shaft between the standards. If a solid pulley is used, it must be slipped on the shaft as the latter is run into the bearings.
Detail of the Plain Lathe, Showing the Construction of the Clamp Devices for the Tailstock and Rest Slide, and the Manner of Attaching a Vise Jaw on the End of the Lathe Bed
The pulley is fastened to the shaft with a pin run through a hole drilled in them. If a small flywheel is attached to the outer end of the spindle it will aid in keeping a steady motion.
The same procedure is carried out in the construction of the tailstock bearings. The standards for this part are about 8 in. long and are bolted at right angles to and between two pieces that rest on top of the ways. The shaft is threaded full length, which should be done in a lathe by a machinist to get a true thread, and the melted metal run on it to make an internal thread in the bearing. A nut is run on the threads of the shaft between the standards, and provided with a small handle for use in locking the shaft when it is set on work between centers. A small handwheel is attached to the back end of the shaft, into the rim of which a handle is set to make the turning easy.
The faceplate consists of a disk of metal, 6 in. in diameter and 1/4 in. thick, attached with 3/16-in. machine screws to a 3/4-in. nut. The disk is drilled in various places to receive ordinary wood screws. The faceplate should be made by a machinist so that the surface of the face can be turned true. The spur center is made of a 3/4-in. nut, drilled in opposite corners for 1/4-in. pins, 1-1/4 in. long.
Detail of the Various Attachments for Use in Connection with the Lathe for Sawing, Planing and Sanding, and the Shape of the Tools Used in Turning, Together with the Faceplate and Spur Construction
The drive wheel for this lathe was taken from an old discarded washing machine. Such a wheel is a very common part of various kinds of machinery and usually one that will answer the purpose can be found in a junk pile. One from 20 to 24 in. in diameter will be about right. A 1/2-in. bolt is used for the shaft, which is run through the standard at the headstock end of the lathe from the outside, the threads being previously cut long enough to introduce a nut between the wheel and the standard for clamping the bolt in place. The extending threaded end of the bolt is then supplied with two nuts, one on each side of the wheel hub, and a short piece of pipe is slipped on, to make a bearing over the threads. One of the spokes is drilled and a pin inserted and fastened to receive the upper end of the pitman from the treadle. The wheel is adjusted on the shaft with the nuts on each side of the hub so that its face runs true with the pulley on the headstock. The wheels are connected with a 1-in. leather belt.
The treadle consists of a frame built up of boards and swung in the centers at both ends on 3/8-in. steel rods, for bearing pins, the bearings being made of wood standards with 3/8-in. holes bored in them to receive the pins. The pitman is made of wood, its length being determined by measurement of the distance between the crank pin and the treadle-arm end when both are at their lowest point.