Metal Tooling Slide for Wood Turning Lathe

These plans are for making a tooling conversion for your wood lathe to allow metal turning.

Any good wood-turning lathe may be used for metal turning, boring, milling and facing with the addition of this compound tool slide. It is easily made from cold-rolled steel with a few common tools.

Means of attaching the lower cross slide to the lathe bed from be worked out to suit the individual lathe. Mounting methods for common lathes are suggested in the plans. In any case, the mounting consists of a hold-down screw or sud, a key for alignment and a spacer block.

The block should be 1/2 inch thick for lathes having an 8 inch swing, 1 inch for a 9 inch swing, and proportionately larger for larger sizes.

Convert Your Wood Lathe to Turn Metal