I have been struggling with what to do about a DC port at my lathe.  I've come up with an idea.  I am re-purposing the tubular part and the cast iron tool post mounts from an old Craftsman Tube Lathe.  The Head stock is a dual; wheel  variable speed 10" tool post grinder.  I hated that lathe the moment I set it up almost 15 or so years ago.  Bought it used. Hated it right away.  Anyways I've had these components  collecting dust since I took it apart.

The tube I hung  horizontally behind the lathe from studs in the wall.  The cast iron tool post mounts will free slide along it and support a DC chute I'll make from ply.  The RL 160 appears to have sufficient draw at the 5" hose end that it'll accommodate a rather large  "chute so I'll build a 17" long three sided box with a flip out of the way hinged lid  from poly-carbonate.  The hose I'll mount from beneath. 

The thesis is that the "chute" will shuttle ( manually) back and forth along the old tube the length of my lathe bed giving me plenty of coverage

At least that's the idea.

So far all I have accomplished is mounting the tube.

 

 

 

That sounds like it will do the trick. My first lathe was a Bridgewood but I think the Craftsman and it came from the same Taiwanese factory.

 

Careful of your back- don't over do it.

That should prove to be a good solution to the lathe.  How about some photos along the way?

Well I liked it and liked it  right up to the point where I  was building the box.  Then I hated the daylights out of it.  I'm still going to use that tube with the horizontal key but I'm rethinking the Chute completely. 

 

I think I'll re-purpose an old Blue IGLOO brand  2.5 gallon fuel container. Saw it at an angle to make a chute and  plumb it from a bottom corner not flat on the  bottom of the container. Then build a  Gizmo with nuts to tighten it up with arms to move the blue chute into place.

Here is mine .... an evolution of 10 years.

4 minutes ago, lew said:

That wouldn't fit.

It's work for a lathe in the middle of a shop but mine is against a wall

 

56 minutes ago, Cliff said:

It's work for a lathe in the middle of a shop but mine is against a wall

Maybe move the vacuum port to one of the sides?

15 hours ago, lew said:

 

15 hours ago, Cliff said:

That wouldn't fit.

It's work for a lathe in the middle of a shop but mine is against a wall

 

I use this "funnel" on my lathe without any problems and it is against the wall. I took their bracket off, attached it to 2 pieces of wood 3/4" x1 1/2" x 12" (if I remember right) then with a rare earth magnet on the ends of the wood, I attach the funnel to the lathe bed.