Harbor Freight Lathe

You would be much better off to buy an extension bed for your Jet Mini.

I saw the ads, $90 for a lathe?! Check out how many amps the motors are; probably less than your mini.

HI,

There are two HF lathes to consider. The first is #45276, it's ok and will do what you want but it's construction is a aluminum sheet metal and a bit too flexible. The second is #34706 this is the one with a reversible headstock. This is the one you want. It uses all the standard sized accessories such as chuck threading (1x8) and uses a MT2 in the tail stock. This is a beefy cast frame and housing. Others sell this same unit for twice the price. So I would definately go with this one. Just to let you know I have the first one and do spindle work from x-mas ornament to candle stick to baseball bats and pens. And do chuck work such as bowls and lidded boxes. All get done, but with some frustrations to get it set up each time such as changing speeds and vibration control. My buddy has the 2nd lathe and he does the same but without the frustration.. If I had to do it over again I would buy the #34706 I hope this helps. Dan

hello,

the first (cheap one) is in my opinion too flexible and vibrates too much,

the 2nd one ("expensive":$200 on sale) is great for the price and a good deal if you want to get into larger turning without the high cost of entry...

regards, cyrille

Why not just put the bed extension on the Jet?

Neil, there are good reasons an extension on the Jet would not be as good as the HF 34706, of which I have had three. Basically though it all comes down to weight. There are things you will like turning better on the Jet and others better on the HF.

The best reason to go for the HF 34706 is that it gets you into another aspect of turning (and uses a common size chuck and tailstock) cheaply. If you like that area of turning you will upgrade in about two or three years to a heavier lathe. But in the meantime, you will hone your skills and have a lot of fun doing it.

My last HF (still in the box from a warranty exchange on #2) went to a friend of mine, who is now doing something he had always wanted to do but just could not see spending over $700 to do it. It has been replaced with a Jet 1442, which may be finding a new home in a year or so, as I again upgrade.

Deb

What you say is true, but applies equally well to buying used equipment. He can probably buy a better used lathe for the same equipment.

Check out ebay and the newspapers. I just picked up a new (cosmetically challenged) Craftsman 15" variable speed for $100 on ebay. They also had a used Jet 12" variable speed that went for $205. While not a good a bargain as the one I got, it is probably a great deal better than the HF.

I purchased the HF 34706 last year as my first lathe and I've been very happy with it. It is well made and almost an exact clone of the Jet 1236. I've not heard good things about the other HF lathe, however. The HF 34706 I bought is weighed down with 250# of sand and is very solid. It has a reeves variable speed drive and an adequate motor, although the motor will stall when putting a lot of pressure on a large bowl. The head and tailstock align very accurately. The banjo lock is OK but not great, but I resolved that by removing it and scoring the surfaces that touch the ways, so now it grips fine. I can turn a 12" bowl blank between centers and the lathe can handle it. It is also set up to do outboard turning by rotating the headstock and it has an outboard tool rest that allows the banjo (with an included extension) to be used on either side of the bowl. I got it on sale for $170 with coupons, and for the money it can't be beat. Now that I've gotten better I am considering upgrading to a larger lathe, but the HF is a very good lathe for the money.

Chuck

"woodman" wrote: (clip) It is also set up to do outboard turning by rotating the headstock and it has an outboard tool rest that allows the banjo (with an included extension) to be used on either side of the bowl. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Beware of that outboard extension toolrest. It is no9t strong enough for the task, unless you provide it with extra support. When it breaks, you can get hurt. (The extra support would consist of somne kind of prop that reaches the floor.)

"Leo Lichtman" wrote in news:qGHai.70543$ snipped-for-privacy@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:

By the way, the same warning applies to the Jet equivalent. Not just the HF copy.

Outboard turning is just a little bit more exciting...

Patriarch

The 14" sounds good until you take a close look at its lightweight square tube bed. Take a pass.

I have the 12" lathe and it has served me well for bowls, spindles and pens, etc.

It could use a lower speed for larger diameter work, but, even so, it is worth the money.

You are not buying a first class lathe. But it will spin wood around and around and around.

Bill

I actually found a Local Harbor Freight store, about 20 miles from my house. It was on sale (Father's Day) for 199.99 and I saved shipping, so, It is now in the midle of my shop.It was a BIT*H to build by my self, tho my wife showed up and was able to support one end (I had the head stock, banjo and tailstock all at my end). Turned my first bowl out of some glued up old maple, real old and dry. It is kind of pretty as long as I only let people see one side of it. Now I gotta learn how to do bowls.

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm curious about this. I haven't used the outboard tool rest (really an extension of the ways on the opposite side of the headstock) on my HF lathe yet, but I'm wondering why you feel that it might break.

Chuck

"woodman" wrote: (clip)but I'm wondering why you feel that it might break. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Two reasons:

1.) The extension that holds the toolrest for outboard turning has to reach around the headstock--it is a "cantilever," (like a diving board.) A diving board is flexible--it can bend without breaking. The toolrest cantilever is cast iron, which is good in compression, and very weak in tension. If you get a moderate catch, the downward forces on the cantilever will break it. 2.) Numerous users have reported that it's happened to them.

The solution, for most people, is not to use it. If you do need to use it for outboard turning, cut a 2x4 or a piece of pipe to fit between the bottom of the toolrest and the floor. Or make or buy a free-standing toolrest. You can even use the 2x4 AS THE TOOLREST. Don't laugh--I've seen it done. Our club periodically has a demo by some turners from a small Mexican town, using a lathe built out of heavy timber. Very primitive, but they do beautiful work.

I took out the only book our library had on turning; it was about 40 years old. It said that wood lathes were much better than metal lathes because lathes need some flexibility. I didn't even try to follow his reasoning, nor did I bother reading the book.

Leo & Chuck,

My specialty is to confuse things further.

A friend gave me a H.F. outboard bed extension. If this is the from the same model lathe that's in question, the regular tool rest and banjo would probably be transferred to the short outboard extension and not cantilevered around the headstock. If so any added stress would be due to the tool post being extended slightly higher above the banjo for more swing. I'd think any added stress there would be minimal.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

"Toller" wrote: (clip) It said that wood lathes were much better than metal lathes because lathes need some flexibility. I didn't even try to follow his reasoning, nor did I bother reading the book. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Good for you. You think that's bad? Try reading the numerous threads on flexibility in the bicycling newsgroups. NO WONDER there is a placebo effect--people are so suggestible.

"Arch" wrote: (clip) A friend gave me a H.F. outboard bed extension. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Arch, are we talking about the same thing? The Jet 1236 and its HF clone both have a head that rotates around a vertical axis. By swinging the head CCW, you can do outboard turning, but you have moved away from the banjo/toolrest, and that's where the cantilevered cast iron banjo extension comes into play. There would be no use for an outboard bed extension. There is no provision on the handwheel side of the spindle to attach a faceplate or chuck. There is only a bastard LH 1/2" thread.

I'm sure the bed extension you got must be for a different lathe. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Leo, I own the HF lathe under consideration here: Consider yourself corrected. ;-)

While I do NOT see the advantage of the LH extension since it's mounted at the same height as the regular ways, it's there.

Now ... if HF wants to drop those mounting holes a few inches ...

Bill