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floody_85
31st January 2011, 09:05 PM
Hey guys. I picked up my first lathe on the weekend. A used Sherline wtl1024 off ebay for $100 with a set of chisels.
Ive had a bit of a play on the weekend. I started with some mahogany which didnt turn well at all. Then i turned a bit of blackwood and made a wand...an average wand lol.

My main goal is to turn bowls and goblets.
The lathe came with a faceplate wit a camphor bowl blank already mounted but no chucks or anything.

Ive tried searching around for what to buy but there is so many different things, I dont know what im looking at!

Im just after a bit of advice on chucks...Ive looked at carbatec and a few other websites but I really dont feel like spending hundreds lol. At least not to start with.

Im prob going to buy a jacobs chuck from carbatec and also a live center and prob a new dead center as mine is a bit old. What should I be looking for in terms of scroll chucks?? I saw a few cheapies on ebay for around 50 to 80?? I wouldnt expect great quality but would these be ok to start with and to get a better feel for turning?

Sorry for the long post but Im really keen to get going lol.

Thanks guys

Skew ChiDAMN!!
31st January 2011, 09:40 PM
The Sherline is along the same lines as the Dynalink lathes, isn't it? [shudder] It's not the... best of lathes, but it's far better than nothing, eh?

When it comes to chucks, there are really only 2 brands that are worth spending your money on: Vicmarcs and Teknatools. (And there are those who'd say a certain one of those brands has gone downhill lately... :;)

Whichever, your Sherline'd only handle one of their small chucks; the Vicmarc VM90 or the Teknatool G3 perhaps.

Either one of those chucks will cost more than your lathe has already cost ... but are well worth the investment in terms of quality and the qty of different jaws & accessories that can be fitted to them.

They also use inserts/adapters which allow them to be fitted to almost any type of thread on the headstock. Which means that if/when you decide to upgrade your lathe (And you probably will) then you can simply buy the correct adapter for the new lathe and keep on using your chuck.

So my advice is don't buy one of those cheap chaiwanese chucks... not even to fit it to a cheap lathe. They're usually false economy. Although there are odd exceptions, but you really need to know what you're looking for to find a keeper.

here's hoping that you get to make many happy curlies on your new toy! :2tsup:

rsser
1st February 2011, 12:44 PM
Re chucks, I agree with Skew that Vicmarc is a quality item.

Teknatools are a bit variable in terms of quality.

Vermec make (or made) an excellent chuck.

But a number of us use GPW chucks, either the Gen 3 100 or Gen 3 110 and have been getting a good run out of them. Their jaws are a bit rough but you can fit VM jaws (with a minor mod) or Teknatool jaws to them. More info (http://gpwoodturning.sitesuitestores.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_by_category?category_id=1107136782)

floody_85
1st February 2011, 04:42 PM
Thanks for the advice guys. Ill stay away from the cheapies then.
I cant seem to find the v90 anywhere though. I see that carbatec and a few other places have the g3 for 170..might have to wait awhile for that i guess. I dont really understand what all the attachments are so I guess ill read up on them til i can afford one.

Whats a must have book for beginners?

rsser
1st February 2011, 05:12 PM
Sorry, the GPW Gen 3's are good value to say again.

Not at all like early cheapies.

My GPW Gen 3 110 gets heavy use and hasn't missed a beat.

Nalmo had a prob with his which was rectified quickly by Gary Pye.

Rowley's book on turning is a good starter. Woodturning: a foundation course

floody_85
1st February 2011, 05:48 PM
Sorry, the GPW Gen 3's are good value to say again.

Not at all like early cheapies.

My GPW Gen 3 110 gets heavy use and hasn't missed a beat.

Nalmo had a prob with his which was rectified quickly by Gary Pye.

Rowley's book on turning is a good starter. Woodturning: a foundation course

Ive had a look on his site. Looks like quality stuff at a good price.
Would the gpw100 be best for my lathe? His turning tools look pretty good too!

Ill have a look for that book too

rsser
1st February 2011, 06:12 PM
Size depends on intended application floody.

Not that there's much between those two chucks.

Can I suggest that you call GPW, and talk about your needs?

I've not had a bad call from that crowd.

Nor from Jim Carroll who stocks some of the same stuff. Click (http://www.cws.au.com/page/contact_us.html)

floody_85
1st February 2011, 06:52 PM
Yea thatd prob be the way to go. Cheers for the help mate

floody_85
13th February 2011, 02:46 PM
Just after a bit of advice fellas. Im looking to buy a jacobs chuck within the next few days and prob a scroll chuck in a few weeks. Im a bit stumped though. Im not sure if my lathe is a bit weird or wat lol.
I was looking at these from carbatec.
Drill Chucks w/ Morse Tapers : CARBA-TEC (http://www.carbatec.com.au/drill-chucks-w-morse-tapers_c14380)
The prob is when i take the center off my tailstock it looks like this
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt331/king_petrucci/DSCF6378.jpg http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt331/king_petrucci/DSCF6379.jpg

Is this an abnormal tailstock? I cant see how that chuck will go on with the arbour??

Im not sure if it would work on the headstock end either
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt331/king_petrucci/DSCF6385.jpg http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt331/king_petrucci/DSCF6383.jpg

Is this a normal headstock? It all seems alot diff to what ive seen in videos where ppl have the chuck on the arbour and insert it into a hole??

Any advice would be a big help.

Thanks guys and pardon my ignorance lol:2tsup:

sturina
13th February 2011, 04:13 PM
My lathe is pretty similar to yours. I bought a GPW chuck which has been great. It screws to the headstock (when you remove the spur drive-pic 2 of yours). You need to get the correct size insert.

The tail stock is pretty poor and am looking at changing it to something that I can fit differnt centres into.

The chuck I bought was the GPW Gen3 and found it good, if you buy the delux kit you get a few different jaws which has been handy as a beginner.

CWS Store - GEN 3 Deluxe 100 Chuck Kit | Carroll's Woodcraft Supplies (http://www.cws.au.com/shop/item/gen-3-deluxe-100-chuck-kit)

floody_85
13th February 2011, 04:34 PM
My lathe is pretty similar to yours. I bought a GPW chuck which has been great. It screws to the headstock (when you remove the spur drive-pic 2 of yours). You need to get the correct size insert.

The tail stock is pretty poor and am looking at changing it to something that I can fit differnt centres into.

The chuck I bought was the GPW Gen3 and found it good, if you buy the delux kit you get a few different jaws which has been handy as a beginner.

CWS Store - GEN 3 Deluxe 100 Chuck Kit | Carroll's Woodcraft Supplies (http://www.cws.au.com/shop/item/gen-3-deluxe-100-chuck-kit)

Thats the chuck ive got my eye on. At least i know thatll work lol.
So the tailstock is no good and wont suit any other centres??

RETIRED
13th February 2011, 05:29 PM
At a guess I would say that you have left the Morse taper in the tail stock quill. Another guess is that you used a too thin knock out bar or rod. Get a piece of steel rod that will just fit down the hole to knock it out and all should be right.

If the tail stock centre is self ejecting i.e. no hole through the quill then you have a bit of work ahead of you.

sturina
13th February 2011, 05:32 PM
I havent found anything for that type of tail stock yet but others may know. I use it when spindle turning and shaping the outside of bowls with a faceplate on the headstock end. I have found it ok with chuck and a mandral to do pens but know that this is not the best way to do it. I will eventually upgrade my lathe but have to start somewhere.

floody_85
13th February 2011, 05:54 PM
At a guess I would say that you have left the Morse taper in the tail stock quill. Another guess is that you used a too thin knock out bar or rod. Get a piece of steel rod that will just fit down the hole to knock it out and all should be right.

If the tail stock centre is self ejecting i.e. no hole through the quill then you have a bit of work ahead of you.

Yea there is no hole through it. I just had to turn the handle counter clockwise til the center popped out. And wats left is whats in the pic. Is that just the way its made or is the rest meant to come out? I really cant see anyway of getting it out.

RETIRED
13th February 2011, 06:27 PM
I am not familiar with the Sherline but it looks as if the morse taper is still lodged in the quill.

I will wait for others to comment. Jim Carroll is probably the best bet.

floody_85
13th February 2011, 06:33 PM
Ok thanks . Hopefully someone can help. Ive only turned 3 or 4 things for practice so far but I can safely say im addicted lol

indigo.frog
14th February 2011, 12:06 PM
What are you doing wasting such beautiful wood on practice?? Go to your local hardware store and ask for some dunnage to practice on.

According to Mike Darlow, once you master spindle turning, the bowls are a breeze. I just use a teknatool midi chuck, which has been great for all my bowl turning, although I haven't tried to turn any large bowls on it yet. You really don't need a lot of accessories to get started, over time you will work out what you really want, instead of buying stuff you think you need and never make much use of.

floody_85
14th February 2011, 06:44 PM
Im only using scrap pine to practice on for now.

Any more ideas from anyone on what the problem is with my tailstock?

Manuka Jock
14th February 2011, 07:43 PM
Floody ,
check out the other two blokes on this page (http://www.woodworkforums.com/search.php?searchid=6868400). They had the same lathe back then as you do now.
Maybe they also had the same problem .

munruben
14th February 2011, 08:28 PM
Floody ,
check out the other two blokes on this page (http://www.woodworkforums.com/search.php?searchid=6868400). They had the same lathe back then as you do now.
Maybe they also had the same problem .Link not working for me.:(

Big Shed
14th February 2011, 08:34 PM
Nor me.

floody_85
14th February 2011, 08:39 PM
Nor me lol.

Manuka Jock
14th February 2011, 08:47 PM
Working ok here , tried it on another computer, ok there too .

Go up to the top of the page and Search ' Sherline wtl1024 '
It turned up three threads on here . This one and two others

Big Shed
14th February 2011, 09:18 PM
Yep, that explains it, you posted a link to a page of Search results, it'll work for but nobody else.

Better to post a link to the individual thread(s).

Manuka Jock
14th February 2011, 09:21 PM
Yep, that explains it, you posted a link to a page of Search results, it'll work for but nobody else.

Better to post a link to the individual thread(s).
Is that it ? ok cheers .
no matter , now they can just do the search themselves :D

floody_85
14th February 2011, 09:28 PM
Id looked at those the other day. Unrelated unfortunately. Its really got me stumped!! Im not sure if its just a case of the morse taper being stuck in the quill or not. Has anyone experienced that?

thefixer
16th February 2011, 08:35 PM
Hi Floody

That lathe was also sold in Oz as the GMC. The tailstock has no morse taper or quill as such. It just a bit of threaded rod with a yellow wheel handle at one end and machined at the other end to accept a bearing for a very nasty live centre. I started with one of these lathes and very quickly up graded after the bug bit me. The old GMC was then recommissioned as a linisher. You will also find that as you tighten the tailstock the tube bed will bend and your centres will be way of alignment.

Hope this helps

floody_85
17th February 2011, 09:04 PM
Hi Floody

That lathe was also sold in Oz as the GMC. The tailstock has no morse taper or quill as such. It just a bit of threaded rod with a yellow wheel handle at one end and machined at the other end to accept a bearing for a very nasty live centre. I started with one of these lathes and very quickly up graded after the bug bit me. The old GMC was then recommissioned as a linisher. You will also find that as you tighten the tailstock the tube bed will bend and your centres will be way of alignment.

Hope this helps

Thanks mate. I realised that the other day unfortunately.
Can a jacobs chuck screw onto the headstock like a normal chuck?
I wanna try stick with this one for a while as money is tight and i cant afford to upgrade yet

thefixer
18th February 2011, 08:06 PM
G'day again Floody

If finances restrict you to persist with this lathe, and I can certainly sympathise with that, then my advice would be to stick to face plate and spindle turning. Learn from the forum about making "jam chucks" and donut chucks" to attach to your face plate. Be inventive and make do with what you have and then you will appreciate the more rudimentary aspects of turning. When you can afford to upgrade to a better lathe these skills will be invaluable to you. This lathe has its limitations and you will soon learn what they are. Have fun with it and once you get the bug you will upgrade, I gaurentee it.

floody_85
19th February 2011, 08:18 AM
Ill have a look into jam chucks and donut chucks. Thanks for the advice mate.
Ill prob grab a gpw chuck soon too. The bug is already biting me just from basic spindle turning!! I find its really calming and relaxing.

RETIRED
19th February 2011, 11:29 AM
I find its really calming and relaxing.You ain't trying hard enough then.:wink::D

Manuka Jock
19th February 2011, 11:42 AM
When I finish roughing down a really big out of balance bowl blank that has heaps of cracks , splits and inclusions ,
and take off me face shield and hard hat and heavy leather gloves , and sit down with a cuppa ,
I feel extremely relaxed :p

floody_85
19th February 2011, 05:00 PM
You ain't trying hard enough then.:wink::D
I find all forms of woodworking relaxing even when it is strenuous and hard lol.