Making plans to build a concrete bowl lathe - opinions welcome.

[Mark Norman]

The build is not dead but my camera is...well the memory card took a dump so I need ta get a new one to transfer pics.

So ya all will just have to trust me when I tell ya I'm making some progress on it.

Life gets in the way sometimes. springtime brings with it many chores around the house that need getting done and I was voted the only one capable to do em.

The build is not as simple as it appears on the surface but I have been able to overcome the hurdles as they come. I'm about ready to close up the form for the last time with the re bar installed. I need a few two by fours I'll pick up in the morning..

I am hesitant to move forward without pics to document the progress.

[Richard Madison]

Mark,
Please do not continue without pictures, as it will leave an 18 minute (or longer) gap in your epic story.

Do you reformat your memory card? Have been told by a pro photographer that this should be done every so often to prevent the card from cratering. He said that whenever he fills a card and uploads it to the computer, he reformats the card. Just what I was told. Maybe others here know something about this.

Hope we get to see some concrete soon. And folks, it ain't see-ment. It's concrete, one minor constituent of which is cement. Just a pet peeve.

[Matt Ranum]

In reference to an earlier post about painting it, look at "Hammered Finish" by Rust-Oleum. Big variety of colors and looks awesome on machinery. It hides all those deep scratches, dings, grinder marks very well. I used it when restoring my old 10ER Shopsmith.

[Mark Norman]

I was ready to mix some concrete today...ran into some minor glitches. Real minor and maybe I'm being anal about it but I'm striving for perfection here so it has to be right,,,,exactly right....

There is a lot to be considered here before the casting is done.

Thanks for the suggestion on the hammered finish Matt, I have used the stuff with great success several times but I don't plan on painting it.

I'll be getting a new memory card soon Richard, I cant continue the thread without pics...I'm getting a few using the internal memory on the camera but I cant find the patch cable so I need the sandisc to transfer the pics to my pc for uploading.

I don't mean to be secretive but I don't want to give out all of the details on how its going together either. Some of it will just have to be left to yer imagination for the time bein...I need to get a patent started on this machine..

[John Fricke]

This is a great project. I have no knowledge of the patent process, but I have a question. For a patent to be beneficial doesn't there have to be marketing potential in the product. It seems to me that the heft of this machine would make cost of shipping prohibitive. I may be way off base but it was just a thought that popped into my often empty head.

[alex carey]

I don't know a lot about it but here is my guess. Make the entire thing without filling it with concrete yet. Move it to wherever it needs to go(it can't be that heavy). Then mix and fill it with concrete. I don't know how difficult mixing concrete is but I am assuming that just filling a box would be relatively simple and something anyone could do.

So basically sell it without the concrete.

[Mark Norman]

Bingo Alex!

Sell a kit form. It would weigh a LOT less than most lathes in its class and mixing concrete is easy.

[Steve Frederick]

I sell a Teardrop Trailer in kit form, Custom-Built units, as well as a plans package/builders manual.
In 5-years, I've sold a few kits, 6-custom rigs, but hundreds of plans/manuals.
I've found that shipping costs put an otherwise inexpensive DIY project over budget quickly.
Most folks like yourself, like the DIY mode..Think plans/parts list..IMHO..
If you offer it, they will buy, since you will have made/fixed the mistakes!

[Dave Schell]

At the risk of discouraging Mark from posting any further details in this fascinating thread, on the question of patentability though, if that is your intent, you should be cautious about openly discussing this in a public forum.

I've authored a few dozen patents and hundreds of technical disclosure bulletings through the high -tech company I work for. Our Patent Attorneys are always very cautious of where, when, and and to whom we have discussed our designs, because of the fears of placing them in the "public domain."

Publishing the details of an invention before applying for a patent will generally place an invention in the public domain and (in theory) prevent its subsequent patenting by anyone. In the US, you do have 1 year to actually file the patent from the date of it's first public disclosure though, so you do have a bit of time. Hope that helps.

[Ray Pena]

This is a great project. I have no knowledge of the patent process, but I have a question. For a patent to be beneficial doesn't there have to be marketing potential in the product. It seems to me that the heft of this machine would make cost of shipping prohibitive. I may be way off base but it was just a thought that popped into my often empty head.

I think that by sharing the design and construction, and documenting it so well, that Mark is no longer eligible to pursue a patent. I may be wrong but i think Mark let the cat out of the bag when he started sharing. The good news is that you can dominate the market place with excellence instead of protection under the law.

[Steve Frederick]

I think that by sharing the design and construction, and documenting it so well, that Mark is no longer eligible to pursue a patent. I may be wrong but i think Mark let the cat out of the bag when he started sharing. The good news is that you can dominate the market place with excellence instead of protection under the law.

This is how I decided to market plans/Support for my products.
You can get a copyright for the project documents.

[Dave Schell]

Mark, if you don't mind sharing, just curious how the costs for this project are running? I'm sure the motor and drive were some of the the most expensive parts - but what other surprise costs have you seen? From building my Vicmarc, I know sometimes it's all the little stuff that adds up.

Also, I'm still very fuzzy how how the bed looks and attaches to the concrete form of the headstock? I guess I don't understand the whole uni-strut idea.

And for the banjo - are you thinking an aftermarket one? Tailstock? Same thing?

[Mark Norman]

Thanks for the info Dave, I'll be shooting you a pm.

Although I did not have any intentions of marketing it in any form when I started the build the thought of doing so is intriguing. I have no idea of how to go about getting a patent but I guess it would be worth looking into.
I don't think I'll have more than $1,500 in it when all is said and done. But yeah the little unexpected costs tend to add up quick like. Its real easy to spend a hundred bucks on hardware for the odds and ends not originally accounted for in the budget but that's what R&D is all about. I have a bunch of odds and ends in the shop to utilize for mocking stuff up and that helps ome.
As for more details on the build you will just have to wait and see.
Do you (or anyone) have a lead on where I might get a banjo or tail stock in the aftermarket world? I havent been able to locate much on the net. I prety much figgured I would have them fabricated, having a master metal fabricator at my disposal.

Back to the shop to putter with it and refine a few odds and ends.
Stay tuned for the next installment...
Mark

[alex carey]

I am pretty sure Oneway and Powermatic sell their banjo's separately. Just go to their site and give them a call or email.

[Mark Norman]

I am pretty sure Oneway and Powermatic sell their banjo's separately. Just go to their site and give them a call or email.

I bet they do but I haven't been able to find em on their website. I'm thinking since I have the resource to have them fabricated that will be the avenue I pursue first. Add another hundred bucks in "hardware" lol.

a few pics uploading....