Have been woodworking for years, most seriously for the last 2. Am about to jump into turning ... and have discovered that my (30 year old) kids and some friend are also interested ( and will be using my gear ... which I am happy to share.)
Am considering starting with a VicMarc VL100 MINI LATHE. Want something quality and substantial that will offer years of service and expansion potential.
Will be starting with smallish spindles, handles, small bowls and pencil pots.
One bit of information you did not include is very important, "How much do you want to spend?"
A Jet 1446 from Southern Tool (free shipping) is a good bet. When you move up to the quality of the Vicmarc you are upping the ante quite a bit.
One bit of advice. But a full size lathe first. Oh, you will wind up buying a mini, but buy the full size first. After you have it awhile you will understand why.
The Vic Mark is a nice capable lathe, here's another one and it is build right here in Canada, there's none better period.
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If you would ever want to sell it, they do get nearly new prices for them, people do really want them. However there's the other end and not that bad for quality, The Jet mini or Delta midi or Ricon mini, they are basically the same except for color and door openings, switch placement.
And you could buy a few for the price of one top of the quality ladder lathe, everyone turn at the same time together.
You will need more tools, chucks etc. though if you go this way, but who's counting ;--)))).
General has a new "Maxi-lathe", a midi with a swiveling head. Haven't seen one yet other than in ads, but it looks good. I don't know the price, but it'll be more than the Jet/Delta/Rikon.
When my wife and I were in Australia this last September, we visited the Vicmarc factory and paid for the Vicmarc VL-100 evs machine we had ordered earlier in the year. We carried it around Australia with us and used it at the Down Under Turn Around on Phillip Island, near Melbourne. It is a great machine and performs very well. It finally arrived home after a long circuit first to Craft Supplies USA and then to our home. It is a 220 volt machine, and performs very well. As long and you are willing to settle for things under 10 inches in diameter and about 12 or 14 inches in length, this lathe will do all you'll want and it is one quality made machine.
I am willing to spend the money (SWMBO says OK and am saving allowance) ... if I get the quality and flexibility.
How much would I "lose" by going to a JET - JWL-1642EVS: 16'' x 42''??? Powermatic 3520B - 20"???
I am also concerned about "ease of use" as I (grampa) will be training several rookies on it's use. I understand the tradeoff between flexibility and ease of use ... would err on side of ease if pushed.
If you like to compare, than going from a mini to a 16" or 20" lathe you are really in another ballpark so to speak, and the prices and abilities are also way out of comparison with a mini.
But yes the electronic VS Jet is to all I have heard of, a good lathe for the money, the powermatic on the other hand has been plagued with a continuing number of problems, both have movable headstocks, something I would say invites problems like non alignment and vibration, MO, but some turners think the world of them apparently.
As for initial outfitting, well it depends of course of what you intend to pursue of course, is is going to be initially spindle turning, like pens, candle sticks, mushrooms etc., than a drive center live tail stock center and a few tools like rouging gouge and spindle gouge, skew and cutoff tool would be about all you need to get started.
For bowls platters and vases, you'd need a faceplate, live center and bowl gouge, scraper and a 4 jaw lathe chuck would be handy to have, for bigger and deeper bowls/vases a steady rest would also be nice to have, than power sanding tools most likely, and maybe polishing items also.
If you would like to make some hollow forms I would recommend a captured hollowing system, at least if the items are going to be larger than ornaments.
You will need a sharpening setup, like a 8" grinder with a wolverine grinding jig or similar.
However the most important item would be a membership to a wood turners club and or lessons from a good turner.
Don't know. I've got the old Nova Comet midi-lathe with a gap bed and it was/is certainly solid. But the motor mount was so poor I made my own and the headstock pulley has recently developed a habit of coming loose. I think I fixed that with a little Loctite - time will tell. I'm still pretty happy with the lathe, though a swiveling head would be nice.
Larry i do not have that lathe but I assume the pulley is held in place with a set screw. If the screw is loostening due to vibration, a common problem, tighten it down firmly and then use another set screw on top of it. This works like a nut holding another nut secure.
I am leaning toward the Oneway 1224 ... with associated Oneway stuff. Sounds like I will be spending some money ... BUT will only be spending it once (which makes it cheaper in the long run.)
The wood turners club input is a good catch ... was becoming clear that I would not be able to get everything out of books (as is my custom) and OJT.
I am currently heading toward the Oneway 1224 ... it seems to have many large-lathe features with a smaller footprint. And it has the bed-extension capability.
FWIW, the Jet has an extension available too. I have just the lathe, and a full sized one (different mfgr) and am most pleased with the Jet mini. I use it a lot more than the full sized one. Its an excellent piece of machinery! John
Thanks, Darrell. So far, the Loctite is holding, but if it fails I'll try the double setscrew. One of the quirks is that the holes for the indexing pin are in the back of the pulley set, so its position on the shaft is pretty critical. The double setscrew would let me adjust that a little easier than the Loctite.
180* ? Usually if there are 2 set screws they are 90* apart. It allows a lock with two different directions of pressure. I am not sure ofthe benefit but this is just observation on my part anyhow.
I have been known to have a foulty whatzit too :-) No sweat as to where the set screws are, at least not enough to go out in the cold. It is about -10C here and my daughter in Edmonton tells me I am warm. What is 30 below C if not cold, cold, cold?
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