> That sounds awesome, can you post some pics online?
>
> Why not use a mill instead of a lathe? With a mill you can work on 1/2 of a large part, and flip it over to work on the other 1/2. With a lathe the whole thing has to spin, so generally you can't do as large a part.
I went to the local counter top cutters in town and had the basic shape cut out with a water jet. Then put it on the mill kissed the hole (mine has a 12" dia hole) called that zero then walked off the bolt pattern and put in the dowel holes.
For making a keyway in a motor shaft? use a keyway cutter in the mill, but if you are talking about the keyway you need in the adapter, I bought a broach kit, you just push them through with a press adding shims until the depth is what you want.
I was, at the time of my design, thinking of making lots of adapters. The bell required a lathe, I used a clausing 10x45 engine lathe.The concept was to have plates waterjet and thrown on a mill and finished eventually making a jig and using a CNC at a local shop. The bells would change in only 1 dimension and the adapters all went to SBC. The idea here was to turn around an order in under a week. Once I got it all quoted, i didn't think people would be willing to pay enough for them and I got interested in dual motors, so I kinda dropped the concept.
> Are you planning to just make one more adapter for yourself, or hoping to go into business making a bunch?
>
> I have a $600 Harbor Freight Lathe/Mill/Drill combo, plus a Harbor Freight rotary table. It has been working OK, but my friend's larger machine certainly cuts faster with less vibration.
>
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