Big Lathe?

A good large lathe can turn anything from lace-bobbins, pens, or ornaments to 20+ inch bread bowls

The real question is, what is your budget (both space and size)?

I have a powermatic 3520A, with a bed extension. I can turn up to a 20" diameter, and about 5 feet long. I regularly turn small items 9grawer knobs, bowls, etc.

A decent big lathe should be able to so small stuff. A small one won't be able to do big stuff though....

depends on your budget. The 3520B (replaces the 3520A) goes for about $2,500 or so. A similar sized oneway is probably closer to $3,500 or $4,000.....

--JD

I never turned a pen until I bought my 20" General. Works beautifully! billh

Because of the extra mass, weight, stiffness - and just simply having elbow room to move yourself around and get comfortable - it is often easier to turn small things on a big lathe than it is on a small lathe.

In fact, it's easier to turn anything on a big lathe than on a small one.

Then why ever get a small one? Space (duh) and budget limitations, sometimes portability. And because turning on a small lathe is way better than not turning at all.

Michael Latcha - at home in Redford, MI

When my "less than a year old" Jet mini died and went in on warranty for a new motor, I bought a Jet 1442 while I was at the dealers...

I really expected to keep using the mini (when I got it back) for small stuff and the 1442 for bowls over 10" diameter... I've had the 1442 since June 05 and the only thing the mini gets turned on for is when my kid uses it or I throw the buffing system on it... the larger (to me) lathe is more comfortable, has more room to lay chisels and stuff on, and just generally easier to use because of the power and the ability to change speeds without stopping and moving belts..

I was thinking about this last night... I'd just finished a box and lid and was turning a knob for it... about 3/4' diameter... and thought "why am I not using the mini?" The bottom line was that there was no REASON to... they have identical Talon chucks and i'd be using the same tools on either lathe, so why bother changing lathes? YMWV

Mac

I love my PM 3520A. I turn bowls up to 18 inch in diameter, and tops 1 inch in diameter. I have a problem when doing a demo on a smaller lathe, they don't have the balls to turn things at the pace that I am used to. Size does matter depending on what you want to do. The larger lathes are more production models, and intended for use and abuse. One important thing to look for is variable speed. It is much better than the step pulleys, and the Reeves drives. Once you try it, you can't live without it. Do you have 220 power for a bigger lathe. The mid sized lathes are nice also (Jet, Delta, Nova) and most run on 110. Also, if you buy a $1,000 lathe, you will spend twice that on accessories. You may not have to replace some of the basic tools that you have, but you will find that there are a lot more tools that you just can't live without. robo hippy

I have a small Ryobi lathe. My father bought it, never used, and

ended up with it. You all know this part of the story... "out in my sho one day I decided to play... two days later I started getting the shake and really needed to turn something..."

Anyway, there are several things I don't like about this lathe, an am considering buying a new one. I would love to buy a larger one tha would allow me to turn larger items, but I do still like to turn small things (pens, mini-bowls, etc.) So here is my question. Can a full-siz lathe turn the small stuff just as well? Or is the larger lathe "awkward when turning small things?

Thanks for you help!

dw [/color]

My advice is buy as big as possible because what ever size you buy, yo still want to turn a bowl bigger than your lathe can handle. If moneys tight try hinting to the other half that she drives smaller/cheaper car :g Mar

aaah, I don't know about that - I have a Stubby 1000 - don't know if that qualifies as a "big" lathe, though I can turn over 40 inches between centers and several hundred pounds - but I do find it much easier to use my Nova Comet (a mini) for pens - why? well the tool rest on the stubby is longer than the length of a pen so I can't get it close to the blank, and I'd have to move the belt to get the RPM up into the high range - so it's much easier for me, at least, to use the little lathe for pens and tiny things that are done between centers. If not working between centers, then it doesn't much matter and I tend to use the Stubby

Bill

to contact me, do not reply to this message, instead correct this address and use it

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Make a set of tool rests for that stubby, Bill... if anyone can do it, YOU can... (yeah, I bought a 4" and 8" for the 1442, but I'm welding challenged)

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Thank you ALL for your posts. It was exactly as I feared... There are all kind of reasons to "go big." As far as budget and such goes, anything's possible with time. As I said, I'm ABSOLUTLY brand new to this stuff - so far I've turned several very small things (pen, key chain, a couple of small bowls) just to play around with it. But it definitely is something I enjoy.

The next question really is "what book(s) do you recommend for learning the basics, the right way? I guess really the next question is "Does this group have an FAQ that I can read... since it probably includes the answer to the book(s) question..."

Thank you all!

dw

Hey, Bill, how about buying a 6" tool rest for the Stubby? I now have some in stock.

Bill

William B Noble (d> aaah, I don't know about that - I have a Stubby 1000 - don't know if

I personally think that books are the wrong way to go for learning the basics. You will pick up some bad habits and when you finally go to a real teacher, (s)he will wish that you were a virgin with no habits at all.

Find a club. Watch some of the experienced people turn. Pick out the best of them and ask for some shop time with them. Our club has a mentoring program and the instruction is free. You get hands on, one on one training and the price is right.

I do insist, though, that the student pays for a fast-food lunch. When I teach, BTW, they get to turn on my Stubby S750.

Bill

dw wrote:

Another vote to forget the book route and find a club. I was self-taught and after a few years I went to my first club meeting. Couldn't believe how much I learned especially since I thought I knew everything! It is often difficult to really grasp what is being said by looking at static pictures in a book. A video presentation is better but nothing compares to real-life teaching.

billh

I should have mentioned that after you have been taught and have more experience you will get even more out of watching videos, and yes, even the books are more useful then. billh

To be more specific about my thoughts...

Most self-taught students come at the lathe with their arms and elbows moving all over the place. For bowl turning I think that one hand should be locked against your groin, the other at the tool rest and both arms and elbows should be locked against your torso.

I recently saw one photo of a turning class in a high school. The student was holding the tool several inches behind the tool rest (right, no contact with the rest at all except for the tool) with elbows flying. How he could have any control at all is beyond me. To make matters worse, this was a big-bucks, private school and I'm sure his teacher was the shop teacher.

Bill

billh wrote:

two reasons for me not buying a 6 inch rest - first, I actually have one welded from 1 inch bar stock, and second, it is still too long for pen work, so it's actually just easier to use the Comet, and reserve the stubby for big things (like my infamous photo of using the stubby as a painting fixture for the steering wheel for my 36 cad)

oh, is that really *3* reasons?

bill n

by the way, my real point is a big lathe and a little lathe are complementary - don't ditch the baby Bill

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to differ with everyone else (not that such a difference should surprise you), I like Raffan's intoduction, "turning wood with richard raffan" - I found it helpful when starting out, and I personally like "L'art du tuournage sur bois" by Gerard Bidou - it's a great source of ideas once you think you are hot stuff - I haven't seen it in English though, I'd probably get even more out if it in English, but I've never seen anything like this in english language books. The Eyrolles book chain in Paris has 10 or 12 feet of wood turning TEXT BOOKS !!!!! it's just amazing.

Bill

to contact me, do not reply to this message, instead correct this address and use it

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For bowl turning I think that one hand

I tried that once Bill, but people tended to stare so I stopped......:-) Besides I kept losing my train of thought.... :-)

I'd hate to be the one to clean up the tool rest :-)

Bill Rubenstein wrote: e training and the price is right.