What’s better than a @craftsman lathe? A lathe that has an accessory from @rocklerwoodworking - a dust collection system, especially since dust collection is mandatory in my small shop. Since the Craftsman Midi Lathe is designed for smaller projects, this new accessory of literally the perfect fit for applications on it. The dust collection system mounts to the bed of the lathe, and I only had to make some minor modifications to the system in order to get it to fit properly.
The dust collection system comes out of the box with with a mount for the lathe bed, which, with the loosening of a fastener can be adjusted horizontally along the bed to keep in in-line with the tool rest. A pole coming up from the mount allows for vertical adjustment, so the vacuum accessory can match the height of the project work piece and allow it to ‘hug’ the piece for the best performance in dust collection.
The bottom of the mounting piece has a piece that fits perfectly in the Craftsman lathe bed. However, near the motor mounted under the left side of the bed, the bottom piece did not slide properly. so I adapted the mounting piece with washers and a nut, which allows it to freely slide along the entire lathe bed.
Check out Rockler’s Lathe Dust Collection System here: http://www.rockler.com/dust-right-lathe-dust-collection-system
Check out Craftsman’s Midi Lathe here: http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-1-2-hp-12inch-x-16inch-midi-lathe/p-00921752000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1