Mounting a Moffat Light

[Mike Minto]

I'm wondering if it will hurt my lathe to drill two holes in a leg or the side of the bedways to mount a Moffat lamp - any opinions? Think the lamp will handle the slight, but still there, shaking of the lathe if I do?

[David DeCristoforo]

Of course it will hurt. Lathes have feelings too ya know... But outside of that, it should not cause any problems. Your bed is cast iron (i presume) so you should be able to easily drill and tap a couple of holes to mount your lamp. I punch holes in my machines whenever needed for mounting jigs, feeders, etc.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Mike: My lathe would cry all night if I drilled her legs.

I use two of the moffats, but found with out of round bowl blanks that the vibration killed incandescent bulbs. I tried rough service bulbs, with the same result. Fluorescents work, but I didn't like the light they put out. Finally, I mounted the lights from the ceiling, and went back to incandescents.

[Tim Rinehart]

Hey Mike,
P4140177.jpg
I think you could get away with judicious drilling/tapping into many areas of the lathe...but I would suggest considering other options first.

Here's one thought on how I did it to create a pseudo-Sanders Light stand. These are all parts from electrical conduit area at hardware store. The connection to the lathe uses the same little pull pin to hold the rig from rotating. I used a short solid bar of 3/4" (if memory serves) which is the same as the tenon piece on the safety bar. That slipped into the conduit easily and allowed me to hold it in place with through bolt.

More than one way to get this done...mine isn't most elegant...but works nicely enough I've not been eager to modify it. And, I really like having the outlets near when I start sanding.

[Mike Minto]

you guys are just too funny . thanks for the advice.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Mike,

Epoxy a block of wood to the leg. Mount into the wood. Much easier to drill and screw into wood than cast iron. More weight, use bigger piece of wood so there is more adhesive holding power.

I use the magnet of my Moffet light. Most of the time that serves my needs.

Frank

[Thomas Canfield]

Mike,

I added some wood blocks to the tailstock housing and to the "spindle duplicator" bracket near the headstock to allow for using the quick connect bases to have a lamp near the headstock for general work and at the tailstock for hollow forms. The vibration has not been a problem when using the rough service lamps, and there has been plenty of vibration with some of the odd shapes turned recently. One saving factor is that the vibrations are generally at slower speeds and not too extreme since I back speed down to avoid the major shake.

[Neil Strong]

I find the best place to mount lamps is on top of the headstock. That way the lamp swings with the headstock when switching between in and outboard. No issue with drilling there.

.....

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Mike,
You know there is a magnetic base offered as an accessory for that light.
fmr

[Edward Bartimmo]

Mike,

About a month ago I posted pictures of the new moffat lights I mounted onto my Powermatic. I had two mounting brackets made at the local machine shop, which screwed into the existing holes on the back of the head stock and tail stock where the safety cage and replicator arms attach. I was able to use the mounting studs that came with the light kit and threaded them into the plates. Works great...more stable than a magnet and completely out of the way.

If you can't find the post let me know and when I get home I will upload the pictures again.

Edward

[Edward Bartimmo]

Mike

Found some photos in my sent box. On each bracket there are two holes that line up with the pre-existing holes drilled in back of headstock and tailstock. I had the brackets machined and tapped to accept the mounting stud that came with the light...in fact I had the machinist tap a hole on the top and one on the side. Don't bother with the mount on the side since with the quick disconnect the light freely pivots in cirlce and gravity will just rotate the light afdound until the lamp is twisted toward the ground.

[Edward Bartimmo]

Due to file size I am going to post one at a time...sorry

[Edward Bartimmo]

Mike,

The files of the brackets mounted to the lathe are not uploading...I can only guess that the file size exceeds the page's limit. Sorry...when it comes to technology or mechanical...I am a driver, not a mechanic. If it is using Excel or wood then I can hold my own.

If you're interested send me your email and I will send them attached that way.