Newbie Buying a Lathe

Large used iron is the best, I would think, but it has to be complete, because odd parts will be expensive. You'll want to evaluate the bearings for end play, noise and runout before you do much work.

Lots of 12" swing, 36" between centers old iron still available at good prices. Best part of shopping old is that you can generally pick up the tools and add-ons at a bargain. Buying a new lathe is only the beginning, you have to reserve part of your budget for the things like tools and holding devices, sanding and grinding equipment if you don't have it, and so on.

I bought a used lathe to begin with. Knowing very little about motors and nothing about lathes or the tools we use I ended up with a Banjo that didn't fit tightly and cheap tools. The gouge caught, the metal broke and I had a near miss.

For what it is worth I would say save a few more bucks, buy a new 3/4 or 1 hp lathe, some good tools and learn safely.

"George" wrote in news:4324214f$1 snipped-for-privacy@newspeer2.tds.net:

George is right, but a new small lathe can be a lot easier to find.

A Jet VS mini, at around $350-$400, is about a third of what you need to spend to get started.

Tools, a chuck, face plates, a mask, a decent grinder setup, some books and/or tapes/dvds, a class or two, the trip the AAW conference, a new digital camera, photo lights...

A chainsaw, a bandsaw, a pickup truck, a large vat of soapy water or DNA, a new shed for drying...

Aren't there cheaper addictions? ;-)

Patriarch

Naw, they only appear that way. :-)

Our (AWA - Alabama Woodturners Assn) club met yesterday and had Dave Hout doing the program. One thing he said was that almost everything you want to do you can do on a mini-lathe. Since several have a 12" swing, that is true.

As for the rest of the stuff, that can be picked up as you go along. All in all, a great hobby. There is something about taking something rather non-descript and making something beautiful out of it. It was what I enjoyed about lapidary. As one who has done both, this is actually cheaper.

Deb

Buy yourself a Jet mini lathe. You can shell out another hundred for variable speed if you want, but I wouldn't bother. This is probably the cheapest way to "try out" turning as a hobby. (I'm betting you will be hooked after a couple of pens). With a Jet mini, you can do an awful lot of turning. Granted, it won't do 16" bowls, but it will do 30"+ spindles with a bed extension. You can turn pens, boxes, paperweights, winestoppers, small bowls up to about 9" in diameter. The Jet mini is a very high quality small lathe. Its smooth, quiet and has adequate power. Its not a Oneway

1224, but it doesn't cost almost $2K either.

You will also need a slow speed grinder with white wheels and a sharpening jig like the Wolverine by Oneway. As for tools, be conservative. A 3/8" spindle gouge with fingernail grind, a 3/4 skew and a 1/8" parting tool with get you started. Add a 3/8" bowl gouge next. Buy other tools as the need arises. Just because you have a mini lathe, don't buy mini tools. Buy good quality standard-sized tools. They are easier to sharpen and control. And they will be perfectly adequate when you trade up to a larger lathe.

Buy a couple of good books by Mike Darlow or Richard Raffan. Get some hands-on help with a class or at your closest woodturning club, before you develop bad habits.

Barry

Plan to spend as much for the lathe as for the additional piece needed for turning.

ie d> the more i see turned art,bowls, pens, etc the more i want to try it.

See if you can find a local Woodturners club. (AAW has a club list). Ask if anyone has a used lathe and tools that they want to sell. Belonging to a club has been my biggest learning experience. There are monthly demos, and you can ask questions. You may get several different answers, but it does give you ideas to go home and experiment on. robo hippy

I'm new to woodturning also and I bought a Jet Mini back in July. It is fine for a beginner. I've only made a few pens, some bottle stoppers, and a pair of candle holders. I got hooked on it watching shows on DIY and by seeing turners at wood shows. I enjoy woodworking as a hobby already, and had a basement full of tools before purchasing a lathe.

Since this isn't a cheap hobby, you shouldn't spend a lot of money on your lathe - you will be spending the majority of it elsewhere. Wood, sandpaper, CA glue, CA debonder ( a must buy, trust me :) ) pen kits, friction polish, wood sealer, chucking system, bench grinder, sharpening jig, carnuba wax, turning tools ( almost left that one off )... The list goes on. I'm not saying to buy a cheap lathe, but you can do a lot on a mini, and the prices are reasonable for a tool that will be used for a hobby.

When my wife gasped at how much all this stuff was going to cost, I reminded her that a set of golf clubs would cost me around $400 - $500, and then you have green fees and such. A round of golf keeps you away from the family for 6 hours. The only thing you have to show for it is some beer breath and a scorecard. That same amount of time on your lathe (at home) results in some nice candle holders for your wife, maybe a pen or pencil for your kids....

Brad Curfman

Start with a Jet or Delta with speed control. Both are quality machines that will last a lifetime. Most of the add ons will fit a larger lathe later. The low hp will force you to develop skill to do your turning instead of trying to muscle through. Go to AAW site and find a local club!!! With few exceptions cheap means poor quality. If turning turns out not to be your thing you can sell the minis and not loose much.

Unless it is really new, the Delta Midi does not have a speed control.

Accessories with a Morse taper will usually transfer easily from one lathe to the next since most are #2 Morse taper. Other goodies that screw on the end of the shaft are another matter. I'm finding that some of or the things that fit on my 1"-8 Delta Midi will not fit on the Nova

3000 DVR that is on order.

Harry

I bought an insert for one of my chucks when I got my 3000. One chuck came with, and I'm thinking of getting another insert so I can use another that currently sports a 1" 8 L/R thread. Haven't been using Blue as much as I thought I might, the Nova has been so good.

You do know about adapters from

and other places? Might be worth a try.

Hi gsl?

Don't know were you are, but I would suggest that you find a local wood turners club, not only can they help you with learning turning wood, but very often they have someone with a lathe for sale, also a turner who after having upgraded and then kept the old lathe, might be willing to sell to a new turner the old lathe for a reasonable price, which normally would just sit there and not get advertised for sale, just ask around, also you would get a better idea of what size/kind of lathe you might want, just my way of looking at it.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

gsl wrote:

Yeah, and she doesn't have to worry about your getting struck by lightning out on the golf course. :-)

Barry

I bought a new 3/4 hp 12" x 33" lathe. Mistake. Not a big one, but a mistake nonetheless.

3/4 hp is just barely enough to learn on. I'd recommend holding out for a beefier motor. One thing else I wish I had known is that 500 rpm is definitely pucker time when a workpiece is seriously out of balance. If you are going to turn 'bark on' pieces, get a slower lathe.