Treadle Lathe
 

After working on building a treadle lathe for a couple of years (off and on), I finally finished it. It is based on a combination of lathe and treadle lathe plans from the Woodwrights Shop, Colonial Williamsburg, and Popular Woodworking. I had to share it with someone. It is quite a bit of work to use and definitely takes some getting used to. I added some weight to the wheel to counter balance the treadle that should help the next time I use it. It definitely requires sharp tools. The only thing that I have used it for so far is the initial outside turning of a conga drum. I moved the drum to my powered lathe to finish it after making it round. The next drum that I am building will have to be turned entirely on the treadle lathe because of its diameter.

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Thats quite the project! Are you happy with the results, or is there things you'd like changed? I've also never done wood lathe work, only metal. Is it solid enough to get a good round profile?

I have one that looks very simaler only was built about 50 years ago and never used, I had to make some modifications to the one I have before it could be used, one thing it needs still is some cross bracing because over time it starts to wigle, the one I have is also made out of pine with to light of fly wheel it would be better if the whole frame and fly wheel were oak or some other heavy wood.
I also had to make my own flat belt out of a piece of fire hose with a motorcycle inertube inside of it to give it some stretch, of course I was trying to keep it looking old because I only use it for historic style demonstrations.
sharp tools are always key, along with roughing out our shape with a hatchet on a chopping block, or with a shaving horse (easy project if you have a log and a chainsaw), you then use the lathe to finish it up.

Oh, I forgot in my introduction that I do some wood working too and a little bit of wood turning, with two wood lathes, two machenest lathes and a miniature table top lathe in my shop a few miles away at my parents.

My initial turning results were less than perfect. My gouge was a little dull; I hadn't counter balanced the treadle; and my stave glue up shifted as I put it together. Together they made the turning a lot of work. My normal lathe can support up to a 10" diameter object. I turned the drum until it was 10" in diameter and then moved it to my normal lathe. I think things will go a lot better next time. Counter balancing the wheel for the weight of the treadle allows it to run a lot longer without input. The whole thing is pretty solid. The wheel is 2 1/2' thick maple that one of my coworkers gave me. Larger diameter would probably be better but it seems to work. I am very happy that I was able to get the spindles since they support all my current lathe accessories (spur drive, face plates, centers).