CNC'ing a Jet 1642

[Jkountz]

Hey gang I have a Jet 1642 EVS wood lathe and I was wondering about the feasibility of modding it with a CNC controlled duplicator. I would only need a Y and Z axis. Anyone here done this either with a Jet or similar wood lathe? I think it would be awesome to turn out multiple IDENTICAL items quickly using CNC.

Thanks in advance!!

[woodman08]

I am in progress doing a rockwell lathe

[MadeInTheShed]

Would be interested in seeing the results. I have been designing a system that will work as an "accessory" to my elcheapo wood lathe, built entirely of hardware shop materials and alumnium square tube. This design slips over the bed of the lathe, with an x of 200mm (dia 400) and Z of 700mm, and is easily removable for storage and so that the lathe can still be used manually.

[woodman08]

I have finished my retrofit and all is working fine .
I went to a chain drive finally
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-AbyzF-kvQ"]YouTube- rapeberry wrap rapeberry wrap

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YYLsw9arik"]YouTube- wrapping a large file large file

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aYu35bCe6I"]YouTube- chain drive chain setup

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ee0qc7pK-U"]YouTube- rough4x4 cedar cedar roughing with the chain setup

[jjackson]

Just curious why you went to chain from pulleys.

I have acquired a CNC wood lathe (36" X 6" capacity) where the rotational axis is non computer controlled (2 axis). I want to convert the rotational axis to a stepper motor, and was going to try a timing belt.

Thanks,

John Jackson

[woodman08]

The problem i had was the lathe head the outboard shaft(where the stepper has to power it )sticks out 1 inch and is 1 inch (hollow) 8pt thread and left hand so when i looked at pulleys by the time i had the centre machines out there was not much meat left.My test runs with a 6in cast iron pulley and a 2 in aluminum one on the stepper was fine but the set screw was slipping on the thread of the shaft.
Thus it was easier to get a sprocket threaded to fi and use the old rockwell handle to lock it in place.I do not see any back lash and its very positive (back and forth)
Also there was not a lot of help using my lathe as an indexer.
I would do it again as i said before by the time you price out the components (head,tail,bed) its cheaper to use a lathe "so long as it fits" under the gantry.
I had advertised my lathe but instead sold the duplicator and kept the lathe ,still have the rockwell cabinet or lathe stand

[jjackson]

In my case the main spindle uses 3/4 inch keyed pulley. See attached pictures.

[oreos40]

If you want to do regular turnings a simple duplicator works very well unless you are talking about hundreds of parts. or decorative router work.