The Home Machinist!

I lift my machines with a pinch bar and blocks until I can get my toe-lift jack under it.

Put the machine on blocks tall enough the legs of the hoist will clear.

Make the extension considerably oversized and the need for accurate alignment goes away. Definitely use a V groove.

There are a number of designs for retracting tool holders you can find on the web. I have been wanting to scale up George H Thomas' design to use on a larger lathe. I believe it was in the 60s Snap Tap made a retracting threading holder that used a trip rod to release the tool. One end of the rod wa...

The hoe cutters should do well provided you can pilot them on the existing bore. As NP317 sail rigid support is essential.

South Bend had a series of booklets with lathe projects and application of the lathe in various industries A lot of those are available on line. Of course How to Run a Lathe is the essential resource. American practice at the time was to use a lantern toolpost. The toolholders for the lantern toolpo...

The bracket on the overarm probably held the pipe for coolant or cutting oil.

My biggest problem turning plastics is chip control. The softer plastics machine best with high positive rake. That pretty much guarantees one continuous chip for the entire cut. I had one job boring PVC pipe fittings. I set it up on the lathe with a high positive rake boring bar. I had the shop vac...

I have done it. It works well. Not great on thick greasy crud. Scrape it off first.

Sometimes I just press the work against the chuck jaws. The UHMW is probably too slick for that to work. Some people face off a blank, then cut some circular grooves in the face and then attach the work to the blank with super glue. The grooves provide space for excess glue. After machining the work...

Band saw the blanks and finish in the lathe. Pressure turning is the easiest. Put a 4" steel bar in the lathe. Face it off. Glue a piece of coarse sandpaper to it, press the blank against the sandpaper using the tailstock. Take light cuts to finish the OD.

Maybe this will help figure out what parts you need to make.
http://www.hemingwaykits.com/acatalog/i ... 311%2ehtml