Das Lathe Bench 2
Now what about depth - specifically the sled base length?
The depth of the 4x12 header remnant I’m using for the top might work - but a 12” base just seems too short given how top heavy this thing will be in use. Don’t want it tipping over on me, especially when I’ve got a sharp tool in my hand. And I want a gap behind the bench top for debris to be swept into - and down a plastic ramp which will get it to the front of the bench (and into my shoes?) where it can be gotten to easily. I hate cleaning up under things, especially heavy things.
So I've got 12" for the top depth, plus a torsion box rear stretcher - 1/2" ply plus 3/4x1" frame plus 1/2" - gives me 11 1/2" + 1 3/4" = 13 1/4". Add about three inches behind the back of the bench top and I've got around 16". Add another couple of inches out front to a) round over the front top edge of the sled "leg" and leave room for access to the top of the leg levelers (more on that later) and it comes to 18", give or take a little.
So does that take care of the "Tippy" issue? The lathe is pretty heavy and it'll be towards the front of the ench top. The bench top itself is pretty heavy so that'll move the Center of Gravity somewhere beteen the front edge of the bench and the middle of the bench top. So now the C.O.G. is maybe 5 or 6 inches back. The 60 pounds of lead shot in the rear stretcher torsion boxes should move the whole set up's C.O.G. back some more - maybe another 2 or 3 inches. THAT puts the C.O.G. of the whole kit and kaboodle right about the middle of the sled leg! PERFECTO! (or close enough). Lots of weight / mass fore stability / intertia and centered, more or less on the sled leg base. So far so good,
OK - 36ish wide, 18 ish deep and 30ish to the bench top.
WHAT?! Thrity six ish? Eighteen ish? Thirty ish? What kind of dimensions are those?
The "ish" means that if I'm off by maybe a half an inch - or so - either way - it doesn't matter.
NOTE TO NEWBIE(S):
DON'T GET TOO HUNG UP WITH SPECIFIC DIMENSIONS.IN FRACTIONS OF INCHES ( unless you're making something that has to fit a specific space Exactly). If you know ABOUT where you want to go and head off in that general direction, you can make course corrections along the way. That is to say - if you build as you go
a) you only need to make the next parts fit with what you've got so far - and you can measure the length and/or the width of the next parts DIRECTLY from what you have so far,
and
b) you may see options for the next step that weren't apparent when you put together your original "plan".
Read that last sentence again..
But if you need to see THE PLANS click here
And click here for the joinery