[thedude]

put this together last night... bout 30$ worth of parts from McMaster-Carr. 2 stabilized bearing assemblies, 2 more shaft bearings and a couple shaft clamps. The mandrel is 1/4" chrome plated steel shaft (24"). The pillar opposite the motor comes off with 2 nuts and thats how you put the cork rings on the mandrel. I use a weecheer power-carver hooked to my drill press for the motor.




here's how it hooks to the press:

[daffy_duck]

simple, good idea, it works. that is all.
respect.

[LedHed]

$30!!! - Great idea and a great deal.

[thedude]

Thanks guys - here is the parts list if anyone is interested:
from www.mcmaster.com

1 5947K35 CHROME PLATED STEEL SHAFT, 1/4" OD, 24" LENGTH 1 EA1010.38 EA10.38

2 9414T6 BLACK-OXIDE STEEL SET SCREW SHAFT COLLAR, 1/4" BORE, 1/2" OUTSIDE DIAMETER, 9/32" WIDTH 8EA 80 0.55 EA4.40

3 5912K41 ALUMINUM MOUNTED BRONZE SLEEVE BEARING, FLANGE MOUNTED, FOR 1/4" SHAFT DIA,1-5/8"L BASE 2 EA207.63 EA15.26

4 6655K13 STEEL BALL THRUST BEARING, CARBON STEEL, FOR 1/4" SHAFT DIAMETER, 9/16" OD 2
EA201.95 EA3.90

You only need 2 of the shaft collars, but i bought a bunch extra so i could use them as clamps to hold cork in place on the lathe. To put it all together - mount the sleeve bearings dead center on 2 identical boards. On the shaft - put a collar about 3-4" from one end and then add a thrust bearing on top of that. Run the shaft through the first sleeve bearing and then on the other side add another thrust bearing and finally the 2nd collar and make sure its tight.
So the shaft at the motor (fixed) end should have
--------[collar][thrust bearing][sleeve bearing][thrust bearing][collar]----

the 2 collars should sandwich the 2 thrust bearings up tight against the mounted sleeve bearing.
Thats it!