treadle power

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

A subject close to my heart!

I have just looked at a picture of your DB8 on Chester's website and I think that you will really struggle to convert your existing lathe.

The problem is design; your Chester will need an access for the belt to the headstock and this will require a countershaft in the position where the electric motor is. Unless you get your gearing right you will stuggle to get speeds of any use.

Why not keep that as it is and get an existing treadle lathe for when the power gets turned off?

I have several Drummond lathes and I have three 3 1/2" flatbeds that are complete with treadles; a 1907, a 1914 B type and a 1927 longbed M type. Treadling is HARD work, especially if you are screwcutting, as you are driving so much resistance through the changewheel gearing. It can be done though, and was, by everybody who used small lathes (up to 6 inch centre height) throughout the 19th century and into the 20th, who had no lineshafting (my great grandfather who owned my 1914 B type which he got in 1916). Just look at how many lathes were sold with treadles.

One of the tricks though is to have an apprentice…there were the ones who treadled while the master did the work! Have you got grandchildren? Everyone these days complains about kids not getting enough exercise.

Incidentally, the 1907 flywheel weighs half that of the B and M types, and being a lighter lathe, may have been so designed to reduce the amount of hard that the operator may be tempted to try. The later B and M type beds weighed twice as much and the M headstock can take a phenominal cut for such a small lathe. I mainly use a motorised 1948 M that came from the de Havilland works (still has the works plates on) and, just for a one off experiment, cut 1/4" of cast iron in lowest backgear with a carbide tip on a facing cut. I don't know if any of you would dare try that on a modern lathe of the same size?

There is a booklet, produced by Drummond in the early 20s, that demonstrates the work done by amateur craftsmen and has a 9 cylinder radial engine entirely produced on a treadle Roundbed, with some of the setups used. If they could do it, why can't we?

My point is: get another lathe, one that was designed to be used with a treadle, rather than try to convert a modern shape lathe.

Just another point; pitmans. I have both types, slotted and round. Both have merits. the 1907 has a round pitman with a bush, the 1914 has a slotted one and the 1927 goes back to a round one but with a ball bearing. I suppose that it comes down to the price of ball bearings, that the cost of manufacture was reduced significantly during the First World War.

It is not my intention to inflame the ready (pointless) debate about the merits of this or that machine tool, I am just pointing out the old chestnut "horses for courses". Anyone can use whatever they want or can afford and I don't care; I am happy with what I have got.

All the best,

Andy

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Thanks for all the interest. My wife does not sew nor treadle, she earns money to buy me beer and tools. Ady, I'm reading up on the inertial torque converter, very clever man but I think I should stick to simple things, life's to short. My grandson is 23 yrs. old rugby player but only comes up about once a year and I have lots of things lined up for him to do. Andy I take your point and you are correct about the power needed, but can't afford another lathe. I have now got my proposed workshop, it's a back of a small furniture van, about 7 ft x 16 ft with a luton. all alloy just needs some second hand foam sheet and a few railway sleepers. My thinking is to sheet in the luton and use as a power house, with counter shaft and long flat belt drive. Also can house my old diesel petter and generater. Getting it home was fun, early sunday morning ,back roads on a borrowed car trailer. This is still no more than a thinking exercise.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Raymond, I Googled Treadleit .com, and there it was. It's based in Arazona USA. Ian S C

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Really, I think I would be looking at getting power on to this new workshop. Even a long extension cord will do the job if it is suitably heavy duty, such as those designed for small generators to be set up suitable distance from camp etc.

What are you going to do for light? Holding a candle in one hand while treadling sounds pretty awkward. As does pumping up the old Tilly lamp every time it gets low.

If you really cant get power on, a small four-stroke lawmower engine will give you your 1hp or more for the lathe, and many have a basic speed governer for varying loads.

Have you thought about solar power and batteries and DC motor?

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Thanks to all for ideas. Hopper- I have gennies, oil lamps etc., we live in an isolated spot, thinking about the future. Solar panels and a small wind turbine will give enough for telly, LEDs etc. but will be pushed for lathe drive, biggest problem and expense will be batteries. Treadling will help with battery charging & LED's are good with low consumption.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

What spec wood fuelled steam plant would be suitable for running a small lathe like a round bed Drummond? I've got the treadle but getting put off fitting it. Would direct drive be best or running something smaller to charge an accumulator to run a DC motor? Like the wartime Stuart sets.

After the apocalypse should whale oil be used for lamps as in 19th century or reserved for running a generator?

How many acres of rapeseed will I need to grow (harvested and crushed by hand) for the oil for say 8 hours of workshop time per week?

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

I think a Horse Gin might be the answer to much of this problem.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

With a rugby-player son, I see no problem. He just needs enough beer to keep the first XV happy and working in shifts.

Neil

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