Rebuilding old Sears Wood lathe.

[Clarence Martin]

For those that have restored old woodworking machinery, if you had a Sears Wood lathe that needed a new headstock and motor, but Sears doesn't stock that part and the company that made that tool doesn't carry that part or machine anymore; what are the options for substituting a replacement headstock and motor ? I know a 1 1/2 to 2 HP motor with either a step pulley system or some sort of variable speed drive would be a fairly straight forward install, the BIG QUESTION !!! is the Headstock.


What are the options for the Headstock. ?

[david brum]

Parts for lathes are very common on ebay. Does your lathe have a cast iron bed or a tubular bed? You should be able to find a replacement headstock under $100, although you have to be careful to match the model to yours. Another alternative is to buy a used complete lathe with compatible parts and harvest what you need. Depending on where you live, wood lathes are readily available on craigslist.

[Dave Cullen]

Ebay is your best bet. Another option, if you're clever enough, is to find a spindle with propper threads and Morse taper and make your own headstock using pillow block or flange bearings. That's how I salvaged an old Oliver cast iron lathe. And 1 hp is more than enough power for a small lathe.