A few years ago, a buddy of mine gave me this tiny wood lathe. It was for making pens (writing type). The motor was burned out (a little 1/8 hp dc thingy with all kinda 'lectronic stuff) so it sat rusting in the shed for the last 5 years. My success wuth the bandsaw mod prompted me to dig it out, and with my mad scientist cackle ringing through the yard, Frankenlathe was born...

The lathe



The motor (yes, that's a 1/2 HP dryer motor!)



I made a bracker to hold the motor, drilled (carefully!) into the steel core laminations, tapped for 1/4 20, bolted it up! I cut a hole in the overhang on the countertop to run a v belt through. Next was wiring. I ran power down to a box for a dimmer switch (so I could control the speed) and soldered the connections. I need to fab a sheetmetal guard for it, but it was getting dark and I was eager to try it out. I'd say it works!