New project...
I saw a homemade lathe made out of wood at the Ren-faire in Balboa Park last weekend... it was a bit weathered and not in fully working condition, but the basic design was really cool.
...So I said to myself, "Self, you gotta build one of those!"
I put together the 18" flywheel (it will be foot-pedal powered) Monday night... I would have built the frame yesterday, but I had to work really late. I cut two 18" discs from laminated pine to sandwich an 8-piece roughly-circular "hub" out of 2x4 Redwood. I'll take pictures tonight to post (it was dark when I finished the flywheel and already getting dark when I got home last night)
I will be using 1 1/2" rope as a drive belt, braiding the ends together to make a single continuous loop, and I have some metal bolts to use as an axle for the flywheel, but the majority of it will be made out of wood. I also purchased some cast-iron hinges to assemble a single foot-pedal to pump the flywheel.
I don't have any actual plans drawn... I'm just creating the components as I go with a basic design in mind roughly based on what I saw briefly at the Ren-faire. If it turns out well, and I start actually setting up a booth at future SCA and/or ren-faire events, I'll be able to turn some pieces at the fair without needing power tools ;)
...So I said to myself, "Self, you gotta build one of those!"
I put together the 18" flywheel (it will be foot-pedal powered) Monday night... I would have built the frame yesterday, but I had to work really late. I cut two 18" discs from laminated pine to sandwich an 8-piece roughly-circular "hub" out of 2x4 Redwood. I'll take pictures tonight to post (it was dark when I finished the flywheel and already getting dark when I got home last night)
I will be using 1 1/2" rope as a drive belt, braiding the ends together to make a single continuous loop, and I have some metal bolts to use as an axle for the flywheel, but the majority of it will be made out of wood. I also purchased some cast-iron hinges to assemble a single foot-pedal to pump the flywheel.
I don't have any actual plans drawn... I'm just creating the components as I go with a basic design in mind roughly based on what I saw briefly at the Ren-faire. If it turns out well, and I start actually setting up a booth at future SCA and/or ren-faire events, I'll be able to turn some pieces at the fair without needing power tools ;)