Can I do this on a drill press?

[pgrbff]

I have never done any turning. Apart from anything else, I have never liked sharpening.
I'd like to make some small handles, like those in the image. It is probably a couple of inches long.
Drilling out the centre will probably be difficult too I imagine.
How might I achieve that without a lathe?
Buying even a used old lathe in Italy would cost far too much.

 

[clogs]

using a standard drill press is asking for trouble...
Prob poss on an old Meddings and others but unless it's a modern industrial qual machine u could may just get away with it.....
u could always get a small lathe for say £50 for a cheapy, Clarke / Machine Mart style/qual to do the job and u just may get to like it.....most times they will come with a few lathe tools....
which may well lead on to bigger better things.....
OR find someone local with a lathe to make em for u, again u may just get interested.....
OR just for fun it wouldn't be that hard to make a small home made lathe.....
there u go.....

 

[pgrbff]

using a standard drill press is asking for trouble...
Prob poss on an old Meddings and others but unless it's a modern industrial qual machine u could may just get away with it.....
u could always get a small lathe for say £50 for a cheapy, Clarke / Machine Mart style/qual to do the job and u just may get to like it.....most times they will come with a few lathe tools....
which may well lead on to bigger better things.....
OR find someone local with a lathe to make em for u, again u may just get interested.....
OR just for fun it wouldn't be that hard to make a small home made lathe.....
there u go.....

You might find a cheap new or used in Greece but no way in Italy.
Took a look at the small Proxxon

 

[pgrbff]

Having spent some time looking the one I favour at the mo is the Record DML305-M33. The best price I have seen is around 400 euro, a lot more than the UK.
Having looked at the spec it isn't clear to me what "holders" it comes with. If I want to turn a handle 10-15mm diameter, 40-60mm long, and drill a hole in one end, what else will I have to buy?

 

[Paul Hannaby]

The simplest way of doing it would be to drill the hole with a drill press and make a wooden mandrel (which you could attach to a faceplate) to slide the drilled handle onto so you could turn and finish it. Apart from the faceplate, you wouldn't need to buy anything else apart from the turning tools (maybe a spindle gouge and a parting tool would be all you would need for that project)

 

[medwoodworx]

You might find a cheap new or used in Greece but no way in Italy.
Took a look at the small Proxxon

The proxxon woodlathe was the first lathe i used and it was quite capable for small tasks like penturning. (Priced at ~180 its not that cheap maybe in italy its cheaper). Have a look at rexord power, there is a sale going on, cheers.

 

[pgrbff]

The proxxon woodlathe was the first lathe i used and it was quite capable for small tasks like penturning. (Priced at ~180 its not that cheap maybe in italy its cheaper). Have a look at rexord power, there is a sale going on, cheers.

I am looking at the DML305-M33, trying to find European dealers.

 

[scooby]

Before I got a lathe, I turned a couple of pens on my pillar drill So its definitely possible.

i should say that I made the setup (tool rest, work holding, etc) as sound/safe as possible but it still felt a bit sketchy and very awkward.

 

[niall Y]

The late, Alexander G Weygers in his book " The Modern Blacksmith " has a brief "snippet" with accompanying illustration, about using the drill press as a wood lathe - particularly for turning tool handles.

 

[okeydokey]

Or for now just buy a few wooden handles .... job done.

 

[eribaMotters]

You could look at the Holzmann 460 or Scheppach 450 lathes that are available on mainland Europe.

Colin

 

[Ttrees]

I've got a few old 4" angle grinders wot let the magic smoke out of,
seems possibly a good application to use to shaft from...
I was thinking they might be worth holding onto for a spindle sander before.

Would need check if some possible nut adapter might be the ticket...
I believe a common thread on these, so one might look into what they could do
like tacking on some spurs or centre onto a nut, that is.....
provided it doesn't unscrew itself?
In that case, one might see if feesable to grind the shaft to suit instead.

 

[medwoodworx]

I am looking at the DML305-M33, trying to find European dealers.

One of the best

 

[pgrbff]

One of the best

It might be easier to find the 250, is there much difference? I doubt I’ll be turning bowls.

 

[medwoodworx]

It might be easier to find the 250, is there much difference? I doubt I’ll be turning bowls.

Try to find a local dealer, in greece its sold less than 300
https://www.e-unicut.com/site/product/Ξυλότορνος-RECORD-POWER-DML250?prdId=26-15002&extLang=

 

[pgrbff]

Try to find a local dealer, in greece its sold less than 300
https://www.e-unicut.com/site/product/Ξυλότορνος-RECORD-POWER-DML250?prdId=26-15002&extLang=

It's 331.00 in Italy with shipping at the moment. But I don't know if there are any significant differences between the 305 and 250.

 

[medwoodworx]

It's 331.00 in Italy with shipping at the moment. But I don't know if there are any significant differences between the 305 and 250.

Besides a bigger distance between centres the 305 has a bigger motor. Both lathes can be fitted with an extention. I would try to buy the 305 in your position; sooner or later a small engine is something that will get in your way.

 

[pgrbff]

Besides a bigger distance between centres the 305 has a bigger motor. Both lathes can be fitted with an extention. I would try to buy the 305 in your position; sooner or later a small engine is something that will get in your way.

I couldn't understand why the 250 had longer bed but smaller motor. How important might the spindle lock be?