First Mod To The DVR

[Dick Parr]

So far the only thing I have not liked about the new Nova DVR lathe has been the locking handles on the tool rest base and tail stock.

With my arthritis it has been very difficult to tighten and loosen these handles, being they are so small.

Well I fixed that today. I Made larger handles additions to the tail stock and tool rest base locking handles. I added knobs to the knock out bar and quil locking handle and changed out the locking bar for the tool rest itself. Since this picture I have taken off one of the locking bars from the outrigger (the bottom one in the before picture) and switched with the black bar in the after picture. Much More Better!

Thanks for looking

[Jim Ketron]

Looks Like it would be more comfy!
nice fix Dick

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Dick,

You need to stop cleaning the lathe before taking pics, a clean lathe just isn't natural

I'm glad that you are enjoying the new lathe. How many other tools can be use to make improvements to themselves???? The bigger knobs look great. Very good ideas Dick.

Thanks for sharing,

[Michael Stafford]

Great modifications to the lathe. I also have a Nova and I agree with you: a wonderful machine but some less than adequate handles...

Charles, I am going to visit Dick in a few days and I will report on his hospital clean shop...Dick's scrap barrel probably is neater than my shop right now....

[Carole Valentine]

Dick, you should send pics to Nova folks. Maybe they will get a clue. Many turners are...um... lets just say no longer spring chickens, and many of us would appreciate handles that are a little easier on arthritic hands. How do you like that outboard rig? Is the tool rest solid and vibration free? Is the post interchangeable with the main rest? I see you already have started chipping the paint off your main toolrest. I often wondered why they paint those things when you have to take a file to them so often!

[Carole Valentine]

Is your bench bolted to the floor or do you have a lot of ballast in it at the opposite end from the headstock? Don't know how much that headstock weighs, but I wonder if the Bench could get a little tippy with a heavy blank on the outboard. Also how much does the tailstock weigh on the Nova? I am looking at new lathes and one of my concerns with the PM is the weight of the tailstock...I don't know if I could remove it and get it back on by myself.

[Dick Parr]

Thanks everyone for the comments. It sure is easier on the hands now.

Carole,

The lathe is not bolted to the floor as I have read many places where the vibration has to go somewhere and if you bolt it down to the floor, the vibration will go to bearings in the headstock.

As far as weight, I modified the old work bench under the lathe by adding about 175 lbs of extra melamine to the bottom of it when I made it a solid 4" thick. And as you can see I have added 4-50 lb bags of sand to the shelf (the shelf is re-enforced with a 2"x12"x5' under it). Between the outrigger and lathe there is about another 225 lbs and the attachments, tools and jaw sets on the ends add about another 45 lbs so this comes up to about 700 lbs +. So far I have felt no vibration and did turn a 13" wet cedar blank outboard with no problems. I know that's not big, but it was the biggest blank I had on hand.

The tail-stock is maybe 20-25 lbs and is not as bad as I thought it would be. I did leave an area at the end of the bench to lay it on so I don't have to move it far.

Hope this helps ya.

[Charlie Plesums]

Is the {outboard} tool rest solid and vibration free? Is the post interchangeable with the main rest?
(snip)
how much does the tailstock weigh on the Nova? I am looking at new lathes and one of my concerns with the PM is the weight of the tailstock...I don't know if I could remove it and get it back on by myself.

Carole, I swivel the head 22.5 or 45 degrees for virtually all my bowl turning, and use the toolrests interchangeably... sometimes I leave the straight rest in the outboard rig, and the curved bowl tool rest on the main bed... and go back and forth by swinging the arms, rather than by swapping the tool rests (they are interchangeable).

I agree that a heavy bench is nice. But I got a commission that involved turning some 5 foot long ipe spindles before I had time to build a new lathe bench. My Nova is temporarily on a sheet metal bench, so I put a long board under the lathe and temporarily added two bed extensions. Never had to remove the tailstock... just slid it down and back. The weight of the lathe and extensions was enough to collapse the casters (so at least the lathe was down to a better turning height). With the lousy table and the heavy spindles, I was able to get up to about 800-1000 rpm. That DVR is sweet, even without a decent table.

I probably will wait for a better table before I mount that 45 pound cherry bowl blank that is waiting!

[Kenneth George]

Im glad it worked out for you Dick.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Good show Dick.

Ernie

[John Miliunas]

Dick, I think your mods are super-slick, look great and yes, very user friendly! Hmmm...You've got me thinking about a couple in my shop, as well! And, me thinks that lathe will remain stable regardless the size of the blank! Rock solid. Well done, my friend!

[Steve Inniss]

Those look great. What is the source for the toolrest handle(replacement for the plastic ball ended handle.) Or did you machine it yourself.
Thanks, -Steve

[Dick Parr]

Thanks everyone, the new handles are a big help now.

Steve,

That handle came off an old Jet tool rest (banjo) base assembly. It was about 2" longer the existing handle from Nova, but since the picture I have switched that black handle with one of the Nova handles off the outrigger that is the same length. It has been a lot of years since (just out of high school) I did metal turning.