Woodworking Talk banner

Lathe Recommendation

1K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Shop_Rat 
#1 ·
I am ready to purchase my first lathe, planer, band saw and possibly joiner. My budget isn't great, so my focus is on the lathe. What brands and models do you recommend for each?

For the lathe I am thinking a max of $700-800.

Or, what are thoughts on used ones? How old is tool old to buy off Craigs List?
 
#2 ·
Used tools are a great option if the budget is tight. Brands likely not as important as features. Now there will be some guys on here that are going to swear that anything newer than an 1956 USA made unisaw will be garbage, but it's mostly bs. Almost any big name brand will make very good tools that will work fine in a home shop.

A few questions to narrow down models....

1. Where are you located (we love pointing out good Craigslist deals)

2. What do you intend to build?

3. Rough total budget for all of them??
 
#3 ·
Oh and to answer your question, I currently use a 1956 dewalt radial arm saw that I wouldn't give up for 10 times what I paid for it.... And have owned tools as old as the 1930's, and as new as 2015....

It just depends on the tool as to what age your comfortable with. I myself don't want to deal with anything that doesn't have modern bearings....others prefer old school..
 
#4 · (Edited)
Lathe and others

Thanks Ryan. That's why I posted. Reading reviews online typically provides the same strong opinions you refer to. I just want something good for the price. I am in Raleigh, NC. There is one particular Craigs List posting for Dunn. It's an estate workshop for $7000. I offered for some of those pieces but he wants to sell it all together.

Budget:
Lathe 700-800
All Others probably a couple hundred for each unless there was a steal (like a $1500 Jet Lathe for 500).

Starting lathe work...would be turned bowls and pens probably. Working up to other things after i get initiated.

This one catches my eye. Reversible and variable speeds...the two things I was told were the important things.

http://www.performancetoolcenter.co...-midi-lathe/?gclid=CKm-vYn89cwCFcQjgQodiyQCWA
 
#6 ·
Budget:
Lathe 700-800
All Others probably a couple hundred for each unless there was a steal (like a $1500 Jet Lathe for 500).

Starting lathe work...would be turned bowls and pens probably. Working up to other things after i get initiated.
I have done some turning but not a wood turner per se. IMHO a lathe that is large enough to turn bowls would be too large to turn pens comfortably. On the other hand a smaller lathe that would be well suited to pen turning would be too small to handle bowl blanks. Since you probably can only afford to purchase one lathe at this time buy the biggest, heaviest used lathe you can find to turn bowls and use it to turn pens until you can afford a midi lathe to turn pens. And don't buy cheap turning tools. You can either spend your time turning or spend your time sharpening crappy tools.:wink2:

You might also want to start becoming friendly with local tree cutters who will often gladly give away logs instead of paying to dump them at a landfill.
 
#7 ·
I would opt for a longer bed machine. 20 " may seem like a lot now, and you will indeed have plenty of room for a bowl or pen, but if you ever get a wild hair to turn a lamp or madonna, you will be disappointed. 20 " just won't do it well (you don't really get all 20 " of length).

I cannot speak to brands. I have a 1952 model Walker Turner cast iron behemoth with a 48" bed (it could be 60"- I forget)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top