Homemade Lathe Headstock EXTERNAL Gearbox

[LMMasterMariner]

That is indeed a very impressive project!!!!

As I was reading through the posts and comments, I have to share that this line in one of your responses really made me laugh...."Recirculating oil pump would be very nice addition to this project, but I wanted to make it simple."

These words specifically, "....but I wanted to make it simple.", really tickled my funny bone!!!! I am not positive but I think you flew past (or perhaps sailed in your case) simple long before you even started collecting all of the gears, and bearings, and racks, and keys, and oil sight glass, and bolts, and etc....

I hope you get my perspective on this!!

Awesome,

John

couple of ideas which I abandoned in order to make it simple:
12 speeds instead of 18 speeds
different selector handles and detents. simply bought three M18 bolts and nuts and made different, much simpler detent mechanism, as I knew that I wouldn't have time to complete it as originally planned.

couple of drawings attached.