# Need some advice for a 1340GT stand



## wrmiller (Jul 25, 2018)

Hey guys,

I need you help. I am SO over this original stand that my 1340 came on, and can't afford to buy the cast iron one. I would like to get some ideas from you guys for building one, but there is a catch. I don't have a welder.

So I need some ideas on how to build one that is bolt together. Now there's a challenge for ya. 

The stand needs to be as rigid as possible, with no bolts in the load-bearing plane. I believe 'in shear' is the phrase I am thinking of, but I'm not a mechanical engineer so my vocabulary is lacking in this regard.

I know that some here have built stands for their lathes, but those were all welded IIRC. Can one be built that isn't welded together?

Thanks for your time guys.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Jul 25, 2018)

You could build anything you like with some 2x3" steel tubing and a large box of 1/2" bolts  I built a rolling base for my mill from 2x3" tubing, 1/4" plate and some angle iron. It's _alot _of work though. How about a poured concrete stand instead? Just as strong but alot more straightforward. Not as mobile though..


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## wrmiller (Jul 25, 2018)

Hey matt,

I have zero experience with concrete. I would not want anything I have to attack with a sledge hammer if/when I sell my machines in the future though. 

Not sure how I'd adjust a lathe on a couple of concrete pillars either.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Jul 25, 2018)

me neither, just seen some really good looking stands made with it. Permanence is a bit of an issue for sure, but you could always pour the columns with a 1/4" metal base and cast in some attachment points for wheels or jacks so you could move it later if needed. leveling adjustment would be done between the base and the lathe, just as you would for any other set up.

main reason I suggested it was because it tool me alot of time and effort to put together a simple rolling base for my mill, so much so that I probably could have learned to weld and welded it together in the time it took me to build it. And that's for something a fair bit simpler than a lathe stand.

other options would be wood (you'd lose alot of space) or fixing the things you don't like with your existing stand using extra material (like bracing or a thicker steel top).

here's a pic of the rolling base I made


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## wrmiller (Jul 25, 2018)

I though about wood, but it would have to be sturdy. Probably 4x4s and 2x8s with steel plates on top and steel caps on the bottoms of the 4x4s.

Might be doable.


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## francist (Jul 25, 2018)

Telespar comes immediately to mind. It's pre-perforated with the holes and comes in 8 sizes and a number of different gauges of thickness. Basically a Mechano set on steroids. 

The one drawback might be cost -- up here it's pretty expensive (I only bought a short piece through Metal Supermarkets which tend to be pretty expensive in their pricing anyways) but maybe in your area it might be cheaper and easier to come by. They build some pretty skookum stuff with it.

-frank


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## TerryH (Jul 25, 2018)

Some very sturdy wood benches out there. Very much doable. My main bench weighs nearly 800 lbs. empty. It's mortise and tenon construction from white oak. My reloading bench is made from all construction lumber that I milled and glued up. I just built a wood stand for my mill. 4x4 corners with 2x rails and cross braces. It's also construction lumber from Lowes connected with lots of glue and pocket screws. 3/4" plywood panels glued in groves in the 2x lumber. It's also very sturdy. I'd dare say that any of these would support the lathe quite well. The bench tops are made from multiple layers of mdf or melamine so they are very flat, strong and heavy. The mill top is a solid core door with stainless cover on it. Also very flat and heavy. 

Main bench...





Reloading bench...





Mill stand...


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## wrmiller (Jul 25, 2018)

Wow Terry, very nice looking stuff. And totally beyond my ability to make (and possibly afford). 

This is giving me ideas though, thanks.


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## Nogoingback (Jul 25, 2018)

With a sheet of 1" plywood and some lumber from Home Depot you could build a stand for your lathe that would be plenty strong.  It might not be as nice as the stands these guys built, but it would do the job for you.  Just
overbuild the heck out of it and you'll be fine.


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## TerryH (Jul 25, 2018)

wrmiller said:


> Wow Terry, very nice looking stuff. And totally beyond my ability to make (and possibly afford).
> 
> This is giving me ideas though, thanks.



Thanks. Pocket screw construction is very simple and not expensive at all. Construction lumber will work fine if you choose wisely when you buy it and realize it's properties and limitations. Melamine and/or mdf for tops also quite cost effective. Those tops are just multi layers glued and screwed together.

I use a lot of dovetails on drawers and such that are cool and easy for me because I have the equipment but you can make plenty strong enough drawers with much simpler joinery. Most everything could be done with a circular saw and/or chop saw, drill and pocket screws. Would be nice to have a table saw but there are work arounds for everything. 

Here's the link to my mill resto thread. The stand build begins on page 3

Enco 105-110 restoration thread

Here's the link to the reloading bench album on my Flickr page. You can see how it is constructed from the pics.

Reloading bench album


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## pacifica (Jul 25, 2018)

wrmiller said:


> I though about wood, but it would have to be sturdy. Probably 4x4s and 2x8s with steel plates on top and steel caps on the bottoms of the 4x4s.
> 
> Might be doable.


I built a triple  laminated ,4x6 fir stand for my stubby lathe(lathe weighs 900 lbs)reinforced with 1/4" steel plates. 
I think the sheet metal stand with my 1340gt is a little more ridgid than the wood stand I built.


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## Duker (Jul 25, 2018)

Bill, all good suggestions above... I will throw out another idea using metal. 

Option 1: 

You could have a frame welded up pretty cheaply that could hold a couple of the new 26” Harbor Freight tool chests. There is less than 60 bucks of metal if you buy from the surplus of your local metal supplier. You would have a bench with storage and a good bit of weight with your tooling in the chests. 

Option 2: same thing but use Rivet Nuts to bolt the steel together. A rivet tool and rivets can be had for under 60 bucks.

Option 3: come to Houston, spend some time fishing and I will weld up the base for you! You have to cut the metal though! 


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## TerryH (Jul 25, 2018)

Duker said:


> Bill, all good suggestions above... I will throw out another idea using metal.
> 
> Option 1:
> 
> ...



I vote for #3.


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## wrmiller (Jul 25, 2018)

Haven't been fishing since I was a kid. Thanks for the invite! 

I'm going to start sketching out some ideas. I like the idea of a two-piece design, similar to the sheet metal stands so I can bolt directly to the lathe and then level using the levelers I will put in the bottom of the stands. Again, similar to what I have now. I just need something more sturdy than what I have now.

Maybe 3" square tubing for the main legs? Not sure how thick though.

Thanks again guys.


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## mksj (Jul 25, 2018)

You might think of modifying the current base that you have. I put in four 2x2" square steel cross beams (with 2 shelves) between the cabinets that are bolted with L channels onto each cabinet (i.e. did not require welding).  I bolted on 1/2" plate on the bottom of the front and back of the headstock cabinet so it has 4 feet instead of two and added 1/2" plate on the top of each cabinet, I used a high strength adhesive between the cabinet and plate to fill any voids. It is all pretty solid and beats making a new stand. Because you are taller, I have seen a number of lathe owners bolt heavy wall 2x2 square steel onto the base perpendicular (front to back) to the lathe, two on the headstock one on the tailstock with a wider stance and mounting feet a bit outboard of the current cabinets. Bolt them to the cabinet bases.  If you want to enhance their dampening, put a wood block in one end and then fill the square tubing with cement and add a wood plug to the other end. I have done this on speaker stands and makes them both rigid and significantly reduces vibration.

I do not think wood or sheet metal would be much better than what you have. You could mass load the bases by flipping them upside down and pouring some concrete or sand with resin into each base (although 1/2" steel plate on the bottom also helps). The 1340GT is top heavy and the overall weight is not high enough to provide a high level of dampening. With a heavier chuck, if not well balanced I can get some shimmy at around 625-675 RPM, just represents a vibration node for my particular system. VFD systems can always excite certain vibration nodes because one has continuous speed adjustment, that is why they have programmable skip frequencies.

Picture of a 1440GT owners modification of the base cabinets, and my 1340GT. I was fortunate to have a friend weld some tabs on mine, but probably would have benefited from a wider stance (front to back)


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## wrmiller (Jul 25, 2018)

Thanks Mark. More things to consider.


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## Duker (Jul 25, 2018)

TerryH said:


> I vote for #3.



Anytime Terry, come on down!



wrmiller said:


> Haven't been fishing since I was a kid. Thanks for the invite!



Fishing is our term for drinking....! Do you really think they make those big coolers for fish on a bass boat? 


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## Silverbullet (Jul 26, 2018)

If you use 4x4 lumber and half lap joints with glue and carriage bolts then on top a double piece of 3/4" plywood . You will never shake or move it . Add some 2x4s  bolted and glued in 1/2" notches the width of the 2bys around the base at your desired height 4" 6" 8" what ever the legs will never move or need bracing. Of course glue and screw the plywood you could bolt the first piece and glue and screw the top piece.


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## jbolt (Jul 26, 2018)

My only problem with a wood stand for a lathe this size is wood is always trying to reach equilibrium with the ambient humidity and subject to movement. Not a great combination for keeping the lathe true.


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## pacifica (Jul 26, 2018)

If you do a wood stand: hardwood such as white oak and baltic birch plywood is many times stiffer and ridgid than softwoods. Could cost more than steel.


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## wrmiller (Jul 26, 2018)

jbolt said:


> My only problem with a wood stand for a lathe this size is wood is always trying to reach equilibrium with the ambient humidity and subject to movement. Not a great combination for keeping the lathe true.



This is a very good point sir. Forgot about that, thanks.


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