When I moved it up and set it on the bed itself, it helped a lot more. Weight added to the bottom shelf helped a little. It definitely helped to stabilize the machine, particularly during the roughing stages. But on a couple occasions, when I was turning something that was at the upper limits of the lathe’s capacity, I added some weight. This inherently means there is no universal law about how much additional weight can be added, even as a percentage of overall lathe weight.Īs a general rule, I operate my lathe without any additional weight. All lathes are designed differently and can handle different loads. I believe there is no simple one-size-fits-all answer to the question of whether or not to fortify. Some woodturners believe their lathe is structurally designed to handle a specific load, and that any enhancement that allows the machine to spin additional mass is likely to place stress on the lathe that will accelerate its wear. No Fortification? Slow Down or Turn Something Else Some turners take a more extreme approach and actually bolt their lathe down to the shop floor, delivering maximum stabilization if done properly. Most modern wood lathes provide some accommodation for this, like a location in the frame where a shelf can be placed to position some incremental ballast. Many turners will add mass, such as bags of sand, to the lathe to provide some additional resistance to vibration.
There are varying opinions on how to best remedy this: Add Weight When this happens, it not only raises safety concerns, but it also indicates that the lathe is under a good deal of stress that could potentially accelerate wear.
At one point or another most woodturners will push their lathe a bit, causing the lathe to shimmy and shake. To fortify or not fortify my lathe: that is the question I often ponder.