Best way to store a LATHE?

Plans for this project available at www.almfab.com...
I've wanted to add a lathe to my shop for YEARS, but I kept thinking there's no way I have space for one. When I started designing my new miter station I realized there was a perfect spot for a mini lathe inside. This flip-top design is a relatively simple build, however, it took quite a bit of trial and error to get a working version.
Thanks to Rockler for sponsoring my channel. Rockler products used in this video include:
Excelsior Lathe www.rockler.co...
Rockler Sure-Foot® Aluminum Bar Clamps www.rockler.co...
Rockler Precision Brass Setup Bars www.rockler.co...
Rockler Marking and Measuring Tool Pouch www.rockler.co...
Rockler One-Handed Bar Clamp www.rockler.co...
Rockler Universal T-Track www.rockler.co...
Rockler Mini Ergonomic Carbide Turning Tools www.rockler.co...
Festool Kapex KS 120 Miter amzn.to/3kRuesf
Festool TS55 track saw amzn.to/3hTyPIU
Sawstop 36" 3 HP Table Saw amzn.to/3Jo4oEb
Freud Dado Blade Set amzn.to/3WGx5Bj
Japanese Pull Saw amzn.to/3NKdwnm
Kreg Pocket Hole Jig amzn.to/3AqwdYy
Milwaukee M12 Drill and Driver amzn.to/3Ic7sDd
Milwaukee M18 Drill and Driver amzn.to/3IkoWO6
Air Hose Reel amzn.to/3jekoAc
Titebond 3 Wood Glue amzn.to/3AVBgSn
Johnson 6' Level amzn.to/3HFTk6e
Ryobi Jig Saw amzn.to/3JjYFBz
Harvey ALPHA HW615 bandsaw www.harveywood...
Milwaukee M18 Palm Router amzn.to/3Y45nzB
Crown staple gun amzn.to/3Iki1UC
Bostich 18ga nail gun amzn.to/3RbJ8EI
Wixey Digital Angle Gauge amzn.to/3AqSW7P
GVS Half Mask Respirator amzn.to/3Ems9KO
ISOtunes PRO 2.0 Noise Cancelling Head Phones bit.ly/almfabiso
Thread checker amzn.to/3xyqVJi
Countersink bit amzn.to/40WIj8p
Gasket Tape amzn.to/3I6E0P8
Bumblechutes All Natural Wood Finish www.bumblechut...
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17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Sony E - almfab.com/tam...
77mm NXT Plus UV Filter - almfab.com/uv-...
577 Rapid Connect Adapter with Sliding Mounting Plate - almfab.com/rap...
MT055XPRO3 Aluminum Tripod - almfab.com/tripod
Orion Jr DVC50 4' Compact Camera Crane / Jib - almfab.com/cam...
Aluminum Travel Tripod - almfab.com/tra...
MC RGBWW LED Light - almfab.com/mc-...
PavoTube II 6C RGB LED Tube Light (10") - almfab.com/pav...
Heavy-Duty Portable Tripod Dolly - almfab.com/tri...
360° Pan Lockable Bearing Mount to 3/8" Tripod Legs - almfab.com/bea...
Tilt Brake for Orion DVC200, DVC210, and DVC250 Camera Cranes - almfab.com/til...
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[@alexa8186]

Hey there. I'm sure that you're going to get a lot more of these as more people watch this: but some tips for woodturning. The highest speeds are for turning pieces that are either small or well balanced. Heavy material removal is for lower to medium speeds as it avoids overheating the motor. Sanding makes for clouds of dust that you don't want to breath in. Have a respirator on hand. And sanding on lower speeds keeps the sandpaper cool enough to handle. When you are working with unprocessed logs you attach it according to the center of _gravity_ over everything else so the workpiece doesn't shake free. For safety reasons: you want to have your tool rest low enough so that the handle of your tool is pointing down to the floor. A sharp tool is a safe tool. There are two kinds of face shields out there and one is made for chemical splashes; that kind is too flimsy to protect your face from any kind of flying wood. Get a good face shield. Your face will thank you for this protection against your risky decisions.

[@smashyrashy]

Nice of you to advise him

[@randomizer1355]

i am a hobbywoodworker myself and those are i think one of the most important „rules“ of woodturning!

[@glencrandall7051]

I must disagree. You have it backwards. Your turning tools work best at the higher speeds. This is especially noticeable when the workpiece has flat areas. You slow the lathe down for sanding. This prevents the sandpaper from clogging up so much. It also keeps the paper cooler. Dust collection will not help much when turning. However it will help tremendously when sanding. Wear a dust mask. Sanding lathe workpieces produces clouds of dust.🙂🙂

[@violettownmicroenterprises1528]

hey thanks Alex!! Im planning a mini lathe in my workshop and these are questions I have often pondered !👍😀

[@alexa8186]

@@glencrandall7051 Changed it.

[@jprz3837]

20:27 Seeing you give the project piece a nice pat and a quick clap is the universal language of accomplishment amongst craftsman. Love to see it when it all comes together.

[@jaymzx0]

It's very similar to 'activating' food tongs by clacking them together, or saying, "That's not going anywhere" after strapping something down to your car or trailer. It's just what you do!

[@jewdd1989]

I’ve watched about every mitre saw station built on YT, I’m picky, hesitant, etc. for myself but I’m in awe of that flip top lathe, the quality of workmanship and just all the special features packed in. I hope you continue to build onto your shop and especially storage because it helpful to us watching. Anyways, fabulous job as always and thank you so much for sharing!

[@MichaelAlm]

That's high praise! Thank you 🙌 And don't worry there are plenty more shop projects to come 😉

[@uneartheros]

Personally I like watching/listening to the troubleshooting process. I learn a lot from people that make a mistake and figure out a solution. But I totally understand cutting out what most would consider boring. Great work as always Michael.

[@mrvvoo]

20:08 Omg, most satisfying feeling EVER! Congrats!

[@RoseKindred]

I've thought about doing this for a few years. The only real thing holding me back is a necessity. I am going to save this video because it is much better than anything I could currently design, so I will have it when I will need it. The mallet turned (ha, puns) out great.

[@geraldbrannon9529]

Adding dust collection would make this the best video yet!

[@steveblair1969]

Outstanding idea

[@josh_watson]

Seems like everyone always posts a great error-free build video. It’s refreshing seeing a builder I look up to so much actually make mistakes and we get to see it. Problem solving skills are important. Love the build. Cheers!

[@melissabates7705]

Pattern plywood turning projects? Yes, please!

[@nickanderson8305]

I just finished mine today. 40" lathe in a 60" cabinet. Wasn't sure if it would work. Had no plan, but happy to say it all worked out

[@rlight7198]

This entire project was awesome, dust collection would make this setup one of the best I’ve seen.

[@davem163]

I love this!!!

[@michaelday7850]

Hey boss I really enjoyed your your video on the hidden lathe I think that makes a lot of sense when I see these guys hide their miter boxes it makes no sense to me and miter box station should be one of your main stations that should not be heading but I really like you design and everything else but just a word take-it-or-leave-it fwiw. Lathe chisels are harder to sharpen than other chisels in fact I have mine professionally done . Might want to knock those shirt Corners off of square things before you decide to put it on your lathe I've been using a lathe since I was about 12 years old and I'm 52 now I inherited my lathe form my grandfather and can go up to I think 42 in. I'd like to get a smaller lethe like yours but just haven't wanted to put out the money so far there's other tools I wanted first but good video good job

[@eddiewalker7252]

.....mallet was a low key self congratulatory trophy to yourself! Congrats🎉

[@paulplager9498]

Beautiful work Mike. A piece worthy of the new shop.

[@JustTony72]

Woodturning is woodworking speedrun. Very satisfying for people without patience. Like myself. Once round you can run it faster for better cutting and surface finish.

[@fictionstupidgoogle1027]

Can I suggest coming up with some kind of vacuuming system for both the lathe as well as the miter saw. That way it its easier to clean up when your done with lots of new projects!

[@bluepeakwoodworks]

Michael, this is one of best space saving ideas I've seen for a small shop. I had not seen this idea before although I now see that Izzy Swan did something very similar a number of years ago. I know I'll have to customize my build to match my lathe and workbench but I bought your plans just to say thanks for the idea and putting together a great video on the build.

[@leighmosher2182]

That is such a cool design! 👍 On my small lathe like that, I removed the knobs from the belt cover doors, remounted them like cabinet pulls (small screw from the back) and glued a magnet to each top corner. Much quicker to remove than unscrewing it each time and the belts remain covered, keeping the safety patrol happy 👮‍♂️

[@Master_Yort]

Was just scrolling when I came upon this channel. Watched this, and it's clear to see why you have 500k subs. Great content. Keep up the good work!

[@chrisflavelle1200]

My father had a lathe in his shop for years I did a couple of projects for art class on it, made a salad set for my grandmother, turned a set of pegs for a cribbage table I built in high school. They do make a mess, but dad put the mess to use when doing his turning. He used the shavings to burnish some projects for finishing and after finishing. He also put a frame around the area he stood and filled it up with the chips and sawdust to make a mat to stand on while turning. He said it was more comfortable to stand on than any antifatigue map that he had tried. I even had a couple of pieces of waffled rubber used on a velodrome track and he said that the sawdust mat was even more comfortable than that for long periods of standing while turning. Nice mallet for a first time! Looking forward to seeing what happens with the pattern plywood turnings.

[@EvanDunville]

I bought the same kind of thread checker super handy. I used it to find the size of bolt to use on the back of a shop TV. That one was M4

[@167curly]

Ammazing multiple use of space to include your new lathe, Michael. Your first mallet project is a real work of art. Congratulations.

[@kamelsr]

Hey Michael Stumpy Nubs just put out a great tip video on making great dados without a dado stack.

[@marcg2233]

you might want to look at getting a Transfer Punches Set, saw one at a machinists friends shop and they're great for wood work as well. drill bits work but the harbour freight set is like 10 bucks so it's handy and i don't have to hit my bits. :)

[@mattmays9063]

Brother, this could not have come at a better time. I'm creating a maker space in an old 20x20ft two-story barn.

[@klevesmith]

New subscriber. Retired after 35 years in Construction Administration, and setting up my garage shop. I like the flip top lathe but in my case, my first though is to put a benchtop jointer. In my shop layout plan the miter saw deck would be the part of the outfeed. Any thoughts? Anyone? Love the channel, will be looking at your older videos shortly. I worked my way through college, mostly night school as a pipefitter and pipe welder, while starting a family. i have allways been a maker of sorts for extra cash. Welding, Restoring muscle cars, even making several pieces of furniture over the years, but never truly had a complete and well planned shop. I don't plan on it becoming a business as that would take away the fun of being retired. But, if someone wants to pay me for a piece, I won't turn it down.

[@SouthernStyleDIY]

Fantastic project and execution! It was interesting seeing the iteration and evolution of the project as you went from plan, issue, adjustment, and. resolution.

[@mikebrant192]

I also bought and used an Excelsior lathe from Rockler and used mostly small carbide tools. I used it for all kinds of things: wheels for toys, pen kits (gun-shaped pens sell well), "magic" wands, you name it. It is addictive and very Zen. It broke my heart to leave it behind when we moved into our motorhome, but we just haven't the space or weight capacity for it. I never bothered to change the default speed setting, and never had a problem. I suggest using the gouge to rough out and not the flat blade, as the flat blade can catch pretty easily. Next purchase ought to be a lathe chuck. Envious!

[@jim7smith]

Love the mallet.... should mount it on a frame and hang it up to save your very first turning for posterity! :)

[@zifnabalias5062]

lathe work. you want to practice, practice, practice. If you can get decent on cheap 2X4s you can then turn most other woods (Pine has a tendency to tear out). a Skew chisel is the most versatile tool you can use, it just take time to figure it out. Alan Lacer has a great set of videos that talk about it, can't recommend them enough.

[@DavidR8]

Very nice! You will find a lot of uses for a lathe in your shop. Tool handles are the first thing I turned.

[@Pluap]

The lock was definitely a good call, I don't know if you get a lot of force acting on the tool rest but you don't want a hunk of fast turning wood collapsing towards you and a sharp tool.

[@rpower1401]

I've been making a lot of London style chisel handles on mine, highly recommend it.

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

Nice work on the lathe cabinet and on the mallet turning Michael! Thanks for sharing the video with us!💖👍😎JP

[@tesrobinson]

The surprise at your following is endearing, but the fact is that it’s well deserved (and in my opinion deserves to be even higher!). Keep up the amazing work - always inspiring

[@chrisgenovese8188]

dude, this turned out awesome! love how that mallet turned out too! your workshop really is admirable. congrats on 500K. you were one of the first creators i found when i started woodworking, and i was immediately drawn to your style and aesthetic.

[@GamerJules_]

I see that sneaky second mallet on the shelf below the lathe! It looks *gorgeous* and I cannot wait to see how you accomplished it with the inset wood and patterned plywood!

[@linkinprk1981]

love it! The only thing that might come up is you will (at some point) want to take off the tailstock, and I don't think there's room to do so

[@acrocha1222]

You Dear Sir are Loved. Watching your vids is the highlight of my week. Congratulations 🎉

[@jayrudeart7696]

you have great video production!! you do a great job in getting me interested in wood working!

[@BjornCanute]

Awesome work! It looks beautiful. One small thing about using the lathe though.... you should never, ever wear a long sleeve shirt while using it. If its too cold to go without long sleeves, its too cold to use the lathe.

[@grantcooper5943]

you should put a T on the shop vac hose for the miter saw and have a second hose that comes out by the lathe. or run the second hose to a cutout in the toe kick so you can just brush the counter off and sweep it into the hose

[@flatlander523]

A lathe is the one tool I do not have but you have sparked my interest. I used it in high school 58 years ago and I still have the project I made from mahogany for my Mom. You are one of my top 3 craftsmans to watch and I thoroughly enjoy your videos. Thank you.🙂

[@DaveEdwardDiaz]

bro, I swear your beauty shots have leveled up.

[@coreydurbin811]

Awesome build. I have had this same lathe for along time and still haven’t figured out how to store it out of the way when not in use. Guess I’ll be buying the plans.😂

[@jrtx]

Awesome build! All those "mistakes" (I call them design evolution), made it just that much more beautiful, practical and sturdy. Keep up with the great work :)

[@hookedonwood5830]

For an easy dado look up Stumpy Nobs latest on how to skip the dado stack.. Really neat trick.

[@KNRBClan]

Nice job adding the lathe to the cabinet! General rule of thumb when turning (especially when learning) is to always hold the tool level and not angle it down. Carbide tools work best when level and some twisting left/right will aid in changing profiles. HSS tooling allows for many more options and changing of approach angles is handy after you get some experience in. The skew chisel is your friend.

[@glencrandall7051]

A very good solution. I would have put the locking knob at the other end of the lathe and with the knob fixed in the cabinet side. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@bbarney6139]

I was just at Ace hardware the other day walking in and out of the store with different nuts till I got the correct one for this welded bolt under the hood of my truck. I'm so thankful for the link to the thread checker. I will get a lot of use out of that! Great job with the cabinet. I was thinking about designing my own crochet hooks and how I could fit a lathe in my campervan under my Murphy bed 😅. Ideas are flowing, lol

[@JTWoodworks]

This works so well and it looks so clean!! Can't wait to see turned pattern plywood

[@MichaelAlm]

Thanks dude!!

[@The_Geezus]

This reminds me a lot of my Mom's vintage Singer Sewing Machine table. Nice work!

[@Shop_Simplicity]

AWSOME!!!! I really enjoy watching makers in my home state.

[@MakeForOthers]

I don't know if I'll ever own a lathe or need to figure out how to fit it into a mitre station...but this was still delightful. Fun to watch and see you talk through your process. Nice job and enjoy the station upgrade!

[@niftygriffty]

Handles recesses into cabinet top was oddly satisfying!

[@coincidentalrvadventures2081]

I wish my first wood turning project. Came out that good.

[@bbg-designs8364]

I know a very precise way to make dadoes with just a single blade. I'm from Europe, and dado stacks are illegal in Europe because they are too dangerous (I kinda agree). If you set the distance for the dado, place a block at the other side of the fence, then slide the fence out of the way and put a piece of your stock that will go into the dado between your stop block and your fence. Then after you made the first cut, take a 1/8" drill bit and place it between the fence and your stop, this makes a perfect fit, with enough room for some glue if needed. This works for a half-lap joint as well.

[@lisaalbrecht7900]

Brilliant build! Thanks for taking us on the journey with you. 🙂

[@Giveitasquirt]

Great job Michael, loved the part when you giggled to yourself on how well it worked. Genuine pleasure at your own achievements keep up the good work!!!

[@royhoriuchi5026]

Hi Michael, love the miter and flip lathe station! Looking forward to seeing how you tackle dust collection for both sides. At least for the miter saw.

[@greene87ag]

Well done! Definitely going to build this

[@OrganizeCreateDecorate]

Wow! I think I've come up with a new phrase to use when someone blows me away with their talent. *I'm in 'alm' of your talent.*

[@Freespirit5371]

Clever use of space! I've been considering purchasing a small lathe but didn't know where I would put it and this idea may be exactly what I need. If I decide to purchase the lathe and use your idea I will get your plan as a way of saying thank you. Thanks for your idea!

[@MichaelAlm]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@renar11d11]

Next? Built in Shop vac? Beautiful work.

[@RangeWoodworking]

Great seeing the final part of the mitre station. It was so interesting seeing your trial and error process, something a lot of us can relate to I'm sure. Thanks for sharing!

[@bradcoffel2698]

I'm not saying anything bad, you are just learning. When turning, the blade of the tool should be at about the center of your work piece. You will get better control from there and it is safer. Basicaly, you need to lower your tool rest. Have Fun!

[@TheRich4187]

Great work all around! I love the build and the mallet was also nice for a first turn. Never done it myself, but I think it was well done for a beginner. Shop is looking better all the time.

[@rodneysimpson5076]

that is a awesome build, I like how you built all of it..

[@felixschelhasse]

nice project! love your workshop! :)

[@johnhallock2713]

Man 137k on veiws and only 6.7k on likes... i must admit i used too be horrible but ive finally gotten into habit of giving a like with most anything i watch seems how you all take the time out of your schedule too help teach us all something its very least we can do... thanks for the awesome videos sir... have blessed day

[@maximilians4264]

Had to stop at 4:40. I love the way the pressure gun is stored.

[@terryt8566]

Your videos and talents are amazing. Thank you for the content.

[@knotbynature454]

Very nice. Looking forward to some patterned plywood turnings.

[@ajdapozzo8457]

Brilliant work, Mr. Alm. I really enjoy these videos focused around building and improving shop furniture and jigs.

[@flamedphoenix84]

thank you for the great video and a future work shop if I ever get one will have to have something like this in it.

[@matonmacs]

Cool! I have a some dead space right next to my miter saw, too. Thanks for the idea!

[@nickanderson8305]

8 months after this video was posted (as a subscriber) im laying in bed thinking about how i wanna put my lathe in my bench and the next day before i search anything, KZbin shows me this video Crqzy

[@Monosscema2012]

Good evening Mike! I got an idea for ya!! As a continuation and as a tweak to your design, it looks like your gonna need to add a dust extractor to the underside to the lathe and possibly a Retractable Acrylic Screen? I can see how that could work, but I can only msg you. Use a dust bin t catch the bits initially, but also the screen to guide the bits down into it. Like a C-clip wrapping the rear of the lathe and its radius measured from the pivot point dowels! You'd have to slot the screen into 2 grooves 1 on each side, plus just in front of the handles locking mech.... I hope you catch my drift? Its quite a simple mod, but will also have to lose a shelf for the bin! Try at least to visualize the mod in a few sketches. Well done btw, its a lovely customised workstation youve designed too. Oh! dont forget to treat the wood lol Im a designer too, so thats what draws me to watch your channel. Plus my comment is an observation and a idea i think you may appreciate! Tc 🤓🥸🧐👍

[@MathijsHeideveld86]

looks great!, this is a flip top solution that I wanna try myself now, I had not found one that had me convinced, but this one does. As for celebrating? why not do a pattern plywood celebration? have everyone that wants to make and send in pictures of a project they made with pattern ply and showcase the ones you like the most, maybe do some interviews about design processes these other makers use to apply things they took from your videos and see how some of your work has spread.

[@MichaelAlm]

Thanks! I like that idea a lot!!

[@moonpie21012]

Did I hear you say gription like grip and friction combined? Cause I love that as a word, genius😂

[@daveman2148]

I certainly enjoyed the whole build of your multi use station, but what a great first turning!

[@PawPawsClan]

Very nice! I'm about to remodel my own station and I'll definately be using your ideas to store my lathe. Thank you

[@Aprendiz-de-Marceneiro]

What an awesome idea. Your videos are inspiring. Thank you! 👏👏👏

[@arayawoodworks]

Wow! That’s amazing! I need to build a miter saw for my shop, so I may or may not steal some of this ideas but instead of a lather, adding the pocket hole machine would be cool

[@daifeichu]

Good job on the lathe cabinet. Turned out well.

[@donaldgilbert6599]

What an awesome design and timing couldn’t have been better as I am reworking my shop ,I will be purchasing the plans

[@MichaelAlm]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@papparocket]

Holy Crap, now I have room in my shop for a lathe too! Awesome! Thanks Dude.

[@roguecthulhu6002]

good luck. lathes vibrate, a lot!

[@adamholder]

Great design. Superb video.

[@scotter_dotter]

Mallet looks great🎉

[@SeraphimKnight]

If you wanna turn a round thing from square stock it's usually much faster to start by cutting the corners on the table saw! You waste a lot of time cutting the corners on the lathe 😁

[@kevinboas6607]

Sometimes when I cut dadoes I find that I cut it perfectly but my shelf has a shape to it. That bow over 3 ft adds up. If it’s really tight I’ll clamp a straight edge to the panel and it will slide right in

[@TheGrainMill]

Welcome to the wonderful world of wood turning! excited to see what projects you turn. I've got the harbor freight version of that lathe and it has treated me very well for almost 4 years. Upgrading next week (!) but you really can't go wrong getting start on that thing. Good luck and congrats on half a million!

[@MichaelAlm]

Thank you!! Congrats on the upgrade!

[@emmettvangorp6761]

This may be my favorite project of yours. Nice work!

[@rizwanallahi7765]

You deserve even 500.000 more. Your videos are amazing and a pleasure to watch. Keep up the great work

[@copperdolphin5291]

Just became a subscriber, I have watched several of your vids.... Keep up the good work !!!

[@eddyerkelens]

Nice. Congrats got the nice integration. One tip: dont ever put your hand below the spinning workpiece (when you oil the wood): your hand Will pulled between the wood and machine, ripping your arm off, pulling your head unto the spinning work. Keep on top: when grabbed, yor hand is pushed towards you and away from The lathe.

[@CondredgeDole]

This is awesome! I'd love to have a little lathe, but same problem - don't want to dedicate space for it. Brilliant. Also, your shop aesthetic is SICK! Making me want to invest in improving my own shop's ambiance