union graduate on castors?

[bigbigblue]

Hello there,
I have been lurking around here for a couple of years and have gained a lot from the considerable wisdom found on the forum. I only recently decided to register and post, so Hello, It is good to be here.
I have a Union Graduate short bed lathe which I need to set up in my tiny workshop (2.2m x 3.2m) which is already occupied by a bench, Sabre350 bandsaw, a router table a scroll saw and an Axminster AT254PS13 table saw.... The machinery needs to be moved about to be used (in the case of the table saw, outside of the workshop) and so is all on castors. Not at all convenient, but given the space I have and it being a hobby workshop only, just about tolerable.
Anyway my question is whether it is workable to put my Union Graduate on castors? I need to raise the centre just over 4 inches for a comfortable working height, so was looking at a set of 5 heavy duty 100mm castors, all with brakes. They will take the weight OK, allow me to tuck the lathe away when not in use and prevent it from moving when in use. I will not be turning large bowls (by which I mean more than 12 inches in diameter) or any very out of balance items. As the graduate has quite a low centre of gravity I am reasonably happy it is unlikely to tip over when being moved.
Any views / comments very much appreciated.

 

[Oddbod70]

TBH rather you than me on that one! Besides the potential youve been frames moment of being chased out of the shop by an out of control lathe there is the potential vibration to consider. Plan B?

 

[Inspector]

Better is a method of retracting the castors when you want to turn so the lathe sits solidly while still letting you move it around.
Pete

 

[Duncan A]

Footmasters are good but expensive. Good enough for my 350lb lathe
Clones can be bought here: Wheels & Castors

Or build a retracting castor system: Retracting Casters Heavy Duty Wood Lathe Plans

Duncan

 

[Adam Pinson]

Hello there,
I have been lurking around here for a couple of years and have gained a lot from the considerable wisdom found on the forum. I only recently decided to register and post, so Hello, It is good to be here.
I have a Union Graduate short bed lathe which I need to set up in my tiny workshop (2.2m x 3.2m) which is already occupied by a bench, Sabre350 bandsaw, a router table a scroll saw and an Axminster AT254PS13 table saw.... The machinery needs to be moved about to be used (in the case of the table saw, outside of the workshop) and so is all on castors. Not at all convenient, but given the space I have and it being a hobby workshop only, just about tolerable.
Anyway my question is whether it is workable to put my Union Graduate on castors? I need to raise the centre just over 4 inches for a comfortable working height, so was looking at a set of 5 heavy duty 100mm castors, all with brakes. They will take the weight OK, allow me to tuck the lathe away when not in use and prevent it from moving when in use. I will not be turning large bowls (by which I mean more than 12 inches in diameter) or any very out of balance items. As the graduate has quite a low centre of gravity I am reasonably happy it is unlikely to tip over when being moved.
Any views / comments very much appreciated.

I've had my lathe (Nova Comet 2) on small wheels for a couple of years now with no problems.(I don't even have the lathe bolted to the cabinet) I have to be able to move it as i always work outside due to great weather (i'm in Spain) and the fact i don't have a dust collection system..... Saying that i try to avoid excessive vibration by making sure the wood i chuck up or faceplate etc... is mostly round, i do this using either my chainsaw or power carving tools, mine is a midi lathe but anything bigger probably wouldn't work on wheels.

 

[bigbigblue]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I took a look at the footmasters/clones, which look ideal if you need to move a machine infrequently, however having to get on my knees and manually adjust the feet each time I want to move it is a non starter for me. A foot operated set of retractable castors would be the ideal solution. As the Union graduate needs 3 points of support at the head end, I will have to look at how I can do this. If I come up with a solution, I will post it on the forum in case it is if use to anyone else. Thinking cap on....

 

[Cooper]

When I set up workshops in my D&T departments all the graduate lathes were always soundly bolted to the floor. I now have one, which I saved from a skip, it just stands on the floor but it likes to jig about a bit when I turn from a log. I would really worry if it had wheels.
Martin

 

[clogs]

u may not have the room or a solid floor...but I move all my machines on a pallet truck.....
the machine sit on a frame with enough room for the pallet truck to roll under.....all the frames have and adjuster on each corner.....basicall a 20mm bolt with a big washer welded to it.....
Think I use 4"inches for the gap.....
my bridgeport must weigh 1 ton and my metal lathe again has got to be close to 3/4 ton.....My workshop was small
and for the bigger / longer jobs had to move stuff about....
then of course when u lower the machine down it's own weight is back in the right place......
it's feet.....

 

[bigbigblue]

I have a solid floor. I have a pallet truck too, but unfortunately I don't have enough room in my workshop to use it.

 

[bigbigblue]

I have decided to just plonk it on the floor in as convenient position as possible and see how I get on with it. I still think retractable castors would be the best solution, but have yet to work out exactly how I would do it, as I would want it to be foot operated, but the design of the lathe makes that somewhat problematic.

 

[TFrench]

Is your grad the bowl turning one or one with a normal bed and outrigger leg? If its the bowl turner style I would look at the axminster mobile machine bases. They have retractable wheels and work very well - I've got a couple of my wadkin lumps on them.

 

[bigbigblue]

My grad has the 40 inch bed with outrigger leg.

 

[minilathe22]

I would also like the ability to move my Union Graduate around, but do enjoy out of balance bowls and so on which means I really need it secure. One option I considered was to attach it to a secure base, with a large central bolt into the floor, which would allow the bed to be rotated into the middle of the workshop and rotated to a convenient position, and then bolt tightened to secure it. I tried it with chipboard but it was a bit too flexible and wasnt very secure. I imagine a plate steel version would work well. Then when not in use it can be rotated out of the way of other things.

 

[bigbigblue]

At least for now, I have positioned the lathe reasonably conveniently. I will see how it goes and if OK in that position I will look to bolt it down. Rotating the bed would not work for me as I don't have the room for that. I will keep my thinking cap on though, just in case I do come up with a workable solution.

 

[Torx]

Something similar to this, but with the base of the lathe sitting closer to the floor.



I wouldn’t want to change the centre height much but a graduate is just right for me.

 

[cmids]

Hello there,
I have been lurking around here for a couple of years and have gained a lot from the considerable wisdom found on the forum. I only recently decided to register and post, so Hello, It is good to be here.
I have a Union Graduate short bed lathe which I need to set up in my tiny workshop (2.2m x 3.2m) which is already occupied by a bench, Sabre350 bandsaw, a router table a scroll saw and an Axminster AT254PS13 table saw.... The machinery needs to be moved about to be used (in the case of the table saw, outside of the workshop) and so is all on castors. Not at all convenient, but given the space I have and it being a hobby workshop only, just about tolerable.
Anyway my question is whether it is workable to put my Union Graduate on castors? I need to raise the centre just over 4 inches for a comfortable working height, so was looking at a set of 5 heavy duty 100mm castors, all with brakes. They will take the weight OK, allow me to tuck the lathe away when not in use and prevent it from moving when in use. I will not be turning large bowls (by which I mean more than 12 inches in diameter) or any very out of balance items. As the graduate has quite a low centre of gravity I am reasonably happy it is unlikely to tip over when being moved.
Any views / comments very much appreciated.

Hi
I am also new here I have just raised my longbed graduate by 4 inches an put it on castors. Made some blocks from 4 inch oak and attached the castors to them. The lathe sits on the blocks and it is only when the castors are lowered by pressing down on levers that it can be moved, and even then it doesn't move very easily but it is possible. I wouldn't use the lathe with the castors lowered.

 

[bigbigblue]

Do you raise the lathe on all of the castors together with a single pedal, or do you operate each castor individually? One if my concerns was that unless the whole machine is raised in one go, unnecessary stress would be placed on the connection between the lathe head and the bed or the bed and the outrigger leg, potentially leading to the cast iron cracking.

 

[TFrench]

I wouldn't be particularly worried - the graduate bed is held on with some very hefty studs and dowel pins.

 

[cmids]

I raisthem one at a time starting with the headstock end. I think the cast iron is strong enough to take it. It seems ok so far.

 

[minilathe22]

I would be more concerned about the alignment of the centres if its moved around. Maybe worth checking after its been moved.