Spindle handle for carrying headstock??

[Gary Pennington]

Have a new lathe on order so will need to lug a 3520 up the steps of my basement shop and lug an American Beauty down . Robust recommends putting a faceplate on the spindle as a "handle" to provide something to grip. I'd like something more substantial. Thinking that I could turn a solid chunk of white oak into a comfortable 12" tee handle by drilling and tapping 1 1/4"-10 hole in the center.

Curious if anyone here has done something like this or has a better idea?

Thanks, Gary

[John Keeton]

I would trust a cast iron/steel faceplate with the spindle locked to prevent rotation over a piece of wood. Perhaps the oak might be easier to grasp, and others may have different thoughts, but it seems it would be difficult to get something “more substantial.”

[Tim Elett]

Professional movers ? Just a thought.

[Steve Nix]

Hopefully you’ll disassemble before attempting to move.

[Richard Coers]

The most common method I have read about is a short length of rebar through the shaft and have a man on each end. Menards sells short pieces with no cutting involved. If the wood you used didn't have really straight grain, you take a chance of it snapping with the head up in the air.

[John K Jordan]

… by drilling and tapping 1 1/4"-10 hole in the center.

Before you drill and tap something perhaps double check the spindle thread. I thought it was 1-1/4” x 8 tpi like the PM and others (unless you opt for the metric version).

[John Keeton]

The most common method I have read about is a short length of rebar through the shaft and have a man on each end. Menards sells short pieces with no cutting involved. If the wood you used didn't have really straight grain, you take a chance of it snapping with the head up in the air.

Rebar is really textured and has a coarse surface. I would be concerned about scoring the inside surface of the Morris taper.

[Gary Pennington]

Thanks for your thoughts. I have hired professional movers, just hoping to make their task safer for them and the headstock, the basement entry isn't the easiest to navigate I've ever seen. Both will be disassembled to move. The AB was ordered with the standard 1 1/4-10 spindle, I'll be awfully disappointed if it shows up with a metric spindle.

Thinking further, a good, solid 12" chunk of straight grained 5/4 white oak screwed to a faceplate would be a better solution. Far more grip area than just a faceplate and no doubt more substantial than drilling & tapping.

Thanks again, Gary

[John Keeton]

Greg, as has been pointed out, the spindle is 1.25”, but the thread is 8tpi, not 10.

[Gary Pennington]

Greg, as has been pointed out, the spindle is 1.25”, but the thread is 8tpi, not 10.

Brain fade. I do have the correct tap.

Thanks, Gary

[John Keeton]

Gary, sorry about the name error. Greg Pennington is a well known chair maker and I had a brain fade as well!

[Reed Gray]

No easy way to do it. I do know that if you are going to take the headstock off of an AB, you have to disconnect some wiring. If it is not assembled, then you will have to wire it when it gets down into the basement. I have taken headstocks off of several lathes, and they are all awkward to carry in any position. Not sure if you can pull the motor off before moving it first or not. You may be able to make a short bed that matches the lathe bed and slide and lock the headstock onto that before moving it down into the basement. Have fun...... Part sarcastic...

robo hippy

[Brian Tymchak]

...You may be able to make a short bed that matches the lathe bed and slide and lock the headstock onto that before moving it down into the basement.

My first thought as well. I wouldn't want to put that kind of pressure on the bearings in the headstock. A simple bed could be easily and cheaply constructed from 2x4s that is long enough for 2 people to grap at the ends.

Postnote: didn't pick up on first reading that Robust recommended attaching the face plate. Kind of surprising to me...

[Dwayne Watt]

Per spec sheet on the Robust site, the spindle bearings are 6300-series. Assuming 6306 (30 mm shaft), you could literally pickup the entire lathe on one bearing and not affect it whatsoever. These size bearings have a static load capacity of 3600 lbs (16 kN).
Professional movers will likely just grab onto the piece with a moving strap and carry it downstairs. Use the headstock advice from Robust and let the pros do their thing. I have learned from personal professional moves that the homeowners "help" is seldom appreciated by the folks that do this for a living.

[Brian Tymchak]

Per spec sheet on the Robust site, the spindle bearings are 6300-series. Assuming 6306 (30 mm shaft), you could literally pickup the entire lathe on one bearing and not affect it whatsoever. These size bearings have a static load capacity of 3600 lbs (16 kN).

Thanks for that post Dwayne. I'm surprised to hear those bearings have that kind of load rating. Learned something today.