Bungee Lathe Part 1

I’m becoming a bit of a pole lathe nut lately as this style of lathe is just so much fun to use. I find it challenging coming from my traditional powered lathe experience but I think that it what makes it so fun. After building the Underhill/Hulot design for my workshop I wanted to experiment with a bungee powered lathe as well as set up something in my backyard. There is something very cool about woodworking outside. (I don’t mean that literally as the humidity climbs with the temperature) This bungee lathe gives me an excuse to warm my pasty skin under something other than fluorescent lighting while woodworking.

In this part I build the body of the lathe from home center lumber using 2×6 and 4×4 Douglas Fir, some threaded rod, and 8″ carriage bolts. The bungee is a length of “luggage rack bungee” also from The Depot. What is really cool about this design is that from start to turning, the build took about 5 hours.

Next time I’ll build the poppets, tool rest, and treadle. Then its time to start turning.