# Can you use a mini lathe inside your home??



## refueler1 (Feb 14, 2008)

I know you can use a lathe where ever you have electricity but I want to use my Jet mini up stairs in my hobby/office room because the garage is just to cold. I bought a Kersone convection heater but I think I am going to return it, have read to many hazards associated with kerosene. I'm not worried about making a mess in my room, thats what shop vacs are for, but would there be a problem with dust from the various woods circulating throughout the house? I don't plan on making to big a mess, the only thing I plan on making are pens.

Thanks.


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## alphageek (Feb 14, 2008)

> _Originally posted by negid_
> 
> Yeah, the Jet mini runs off a standard electrical line.


LOL... Thats the one part he said he knew.

I think the only way I would remotely consider running a lathe in the house is if you some or most of the following:

- Close up the room
- Seal off air returns during/after turning
- Have a DC collection and/or air cleaner (not just a shop vac)

Dirt isn't the big issue - its that dust.. bad stuff no matter what, but even worse with some of the exotics.


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## negid (Feb 14, 2008)

Whoops. Read that first line wrong. My Bad.[:I][:I]


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## greenmtnguy (Feb 14, 2008)

I have two in a spare room upstairs that is heated with indirect heat. Not worried about the mess as the room is in an off area of the house. Better than the unheated barn. Works fine for me.


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## stevers (Feb 14, 2008)

Have you cleared this with the wife yet. That would be the toughest thing for me.


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## refueler1 (Feb 14, 2008)

> _Originally posted by stevers_
> 
> Have you cleared this with the wife yet. That would be the toughest thing for me.


Don't need too. She knows it's "my" room . Just trying to figure out how to use my lathe and still stay warm???...besides 10 layers of clothes.


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## stevers (Feb 14, 2008)

I hear ya. Hard to turn with winter gloves on and your hands shaking.


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## jwoodwright (Feb 14, 2008)

"Can you use a mini lathe inside your home??" 

No! [:0] 
Not in her house...

Seriously, it's the really fine sanding dust that gets you.  I moved some stuff in the garage and found a pile of that soft, silky fine dust.  This is the stuff that gets in and doesn't want to leave...  You must control this...


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## Randy_ (Feb 15, 2008)

> _Originally posted by refueler1_
> 
> .....I want to use my Jet mini up stairs in my hobby/office room .....I don't plan on making to big a mess.....



What is it they say about the "best laid plans?"  

I don't know what you have in your "OFFICE"; but the dust generated by your pen turning is going to wreck havoc on computers, printers copy machines and etc.  Unless you have a very good dust collector, you are going to have the stuff everywhere and they are extremely noisy.

I guess anything is possible with proper preparation; but I think it will be much easier to figure out a way to stay warm in the garage.  If you are concerned about the kerosene heaters, maybe a couple of the infrared heaters would work??


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## mwenman (Feb 15, 2008)

As everybody else has pointed out, you can turn just about anywhere, but it is a matter of controlling the dust.  I do not remember if it was here that I read about it or someplace else, but I recall that someone has their mini lathe setup in a closet in their spare bedroom and turns pens and other small projects in there.

not sure about the Kerosene heaters.  Has been colder than __________ in my garage as well, but one thing I did was to purchase a dual burner Mr Heater that sits atop my BBQ propane tank.   That heats up my 22' x 22' rather nicely.


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## JohnU (Feb 15, 2008)

> I don't plan on making to big a mess, the only thing I plan on making are pens.


This is the part that got me.  I used to think that until I started making ONLY PENS.  Not only do you have to worry about the wood chips, dust and alternative material fragments, or the occasional blowout, but if you apply laquer sanding sealers, CA glues, friction polish, BLO or what ever finish you go with, there will be splatter, drips, funes and possibly spills! Not that it cant be done in the house, just thought you should look past the turning too.  Good Luck!


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## JohnU (Feb 15, 2008)

Also,  you might want to invest in a shop coat or over sized shirt that you can take off at the spot.  Whatever you turn is going to stick to you and your clothing and it will be real easy to track it all over the house.  I turn in my basement and have to brush myself off everything I come upstairs.  Also the occasional, "no shoes beyond the basement doors! Theyre covered in sawdust!" from my understanding, pen loving wife.


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## RonInSpringTX (Feb 15, 2008)

Howdy Jack, you may consider an alternative. I've got the same problem as you, except it's the heat in the summer I'm in Houston (Spring actually) TX. I thought about borrowing off the duct-work of the existing a/c to the house, (my shop is my 2 car garage, but I refer to it as "shop" LOL), but I didn't, because the duct system already seemed mis-applied from when the house was built. (I met my now wife 4 yrs after she had this house built) This would just take the air from other rooms, not to mention the return-air system. (I worked in the HVAC wholesale biz for about 25 years, I know what I'm talking about!!) The more return-air the better, but NOT with lathe, wood, finishing products, dust, fumes, etc!!! Plus, unless you want a divorce, don't do it!!  
This is what I did, dunno if it'll work for you. I have a standard 2 car garage SHOP!! Home Depot has some insulation boards, I think they're designed for your attic, but they are 4'x8' kinda like ductboard,1" thick, but it's more like styrofoam material, it's a vinyl sheet on one side and a foil finish on the other side. On the garage door, on the inside panels, I just sized 'em and cut them with a razor knife, (2 per panel) foil side facing out & the inner foil side facing in!!! Then I taped each panel, where the steel meets the insulation with the foil tape (pain in the butt, but oh, well) anyway, squeegie it tight. Don't know if you have exposed studs like me, (I've used the exposed studs to add shelves!!) well, I hope this helps you!!!

good luck, 
Ronnie


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## R2 (Feb 15, 2008)

Can I use amini lathe inside my home?

I can but I may not.


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## aurrida (Feb 15, 2008)

i turn in a recess in the hall! in a flat!! 

not ideal, but don't have a choice. constantly have to clean up to control the situation. i would anyway in a workshop, sorry studio, ha.

its possible, just take the advice on how to control the dust and fumes


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## RonInSpringTX (Feb 15, 2008)

sorry for such a long response!!


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## workinforwood (Feb 15, 2008)

My wife is a redhead.  I wouldn't have the Bollucks to even ask!


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## jeffj13 (Feb 15, 2008)

> _Originally posted by refueler1_
> 
> I don't plan on making to big a mess, the only thing I plan on making are pens.



My experience is that these go hand in hand.  Of course you can turn in your home.  There are issues, but they can be overcome.  Dust can be controlled with a couple of furnace filters and a box fan place behind the lathe.  If you have hardwood floors, a broom takes care of the shavings.  If you have a rug, I'd put down a sheet or tarp.

jeff


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## DozerMite (Feb 15, 2008)

> _Originally posted by mwenman_
> 
> 
> not sure about the Kerosene heaters.  Has been colder than __________ in my garage as well, but one thing I did was to purchase a dual burner Mr Heater that sits atop my BBQ propane tank.   That heats up my 22' x 22' rather nicely.




There is no reason to not to use kerosene. It doesn't explode(low flash point)the only negative to it is the smell. I use a forced air heater when it's necessary for me to be out in the shop and when I come back in, my better half, lets me know about the smell.

Now if you want to be concerned, DON'T use propane that is in the shop with you.It would be safe if it was contained outside the shop and had a line run into the shop.There was just a guy around here earlier this week that had one of those propane tanks with the heater element on top. It ignited and leveled his house and he is in critical condition.

Just my $.02


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## refueler1 (Feb 15, 2008)

Hello Ronnie, I thought the dust would be the main problem with putting a lathe in my house. I guess I will try out my new Kerosene heater and see how it goes. We purchased our new home a year ago so I haven't gottin around to insulating the garage exterior walls or the doors yet but I will do that this spring when it warms up. Before winter set in this year I had planned on getting sheet insulation for the garage doors but just didn't make time for it. Oh well, guess I will try my hand at chip carving in the house since there is no dust from that, and start making pens as it starts to warm up a little. 

PS. I was stationed at Dyess AFB in Abilene TX in the late 90's. Retired from the Air Force Nov 2006.


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## Rick_G (Feb 15, 2008)

Mines in my basement shop.  I got a hepa filter for my shop vac and when sanding the hose sits about an inch from the work sucks up virtually everything.


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## alamocdc (Feb 15, 2008)

I catch enough hell for the dust that finds its way in from the garage. I'd hate to have to hear the result of turning in the house.[:0]


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## Jarheaded (Feb 15, 2008)

I used to turn in my apartment. All I did was build a small frame and sheetrock it. I then stuck a commercial heavy duty fan in the window and sucked out all the dust. It made my heating bill go through the roof, but I had fun. I also didn't plan on  making a big mess, I just found that I had to. I would go for it, but I have also been divorced twice already and have gotten used to it. Also, my neighbors had some complaints about the noise that I made because I like to turn in the middle of the night when I can't sleep, they moved a lot in that building.[}][}] It would be better to do it in the garage with a kerosene or a salamander heater. I bought a propane salamander that allows the garage to get warm enough for me to turn in my boxers. I will be putting a shower stall in the shop entrance this spring so I don't have to hear about the dust or the smell that I can't even blame on the dogs.[}]


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## jtate (Feb 15, 2008)

Oh, I worry about you guys with kerosene or propane heaters.  It's not the fuel that worries me it;s the flame.  Flames and fine airborne dust are not a happy mixture.  We just had a horrible industrial accidnet in a sugar factory when the tiny airborne dust particles ignited and exploded.

Maybe it's just me but I'd think a ceramic heater would be better.  Plain old electricity - no flames at all.

What is it with Boys and Fire?


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## jtate (Feb 15, 2008)

Are there children in the house?  
If so, please don't do this.  The minute airborne dust particles that will get lodged in their lungs will be with them for the rest of their lives - long after your lovely pen has been discarded.  It's not worth it.


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## RonInSpringTX (Feb 15, 2008)

hey Jack, you may look into getting that small dust collector that Sears makes. It's portable & has a tube bracket with a hood on it that matches fairly well with the height of my lathe. (mini Jet on their stand) You can find it on sale sometimes for about $150.


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## Snazzypens (Feb 15, 2008)

I have with no difficulties. But remember I am the house cleaner so I get away with it
Toni


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## refueler1 (Feb 15, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I think I am going to return my kerosene heater and find some type of electric oil heater for my garage and see how that goes. I would rather make a mess out in the garage just need to find me a way to stay warm. 

Thanks again, Jack


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## BrentK (Feb 16, 2008)

I have a propane heater that we use in the neighborhood when we are in a garage drinking beer or what have you. I have had this little heater for a while and if I close the garage door it heats up my garage very nice. It is a patio heater is what they call it but works for me and my drinking neighbors very well.


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## Randy_ (Feb 17, 2008)

If you look at the instructions that came with your heater, I strongly suspect you will find a warning against using it indoors.  Using a propane heater in an enclosed and unventilated space could result in very unfortunate consequences.


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