Thread: I need help setting up my shed-Lathe

G'day Sainter.

The only speed issue I have with the MC1100 is not the top speed but the lower speed. Slowest speed is 500 RPM which is not slow enough if you have a big ugly out of balance lump of stock in it. Lathes which go up to 3000 RPM are better for small spindle work like pens etc but 2000 RPM can still do the job no problems.

Cheers
Shorty

Gooday Sainter

I have the mc900 and so far its been very good I've turned a few pens and some very out of balance lumps into bowls with no problems.

I hope you have the same luck with your's. if you decide its the 1 for you.

Cheers Terry

First of all welcome to the forums Sainter ...and it's a good thing you've come into cash lately, 'cause with woodturning you need buckets of it to sustain the addictive habit !!!

G'day Sainter and welcome to our world, good to have you here.

The lathe speed top end is not really a problem, as others have said. Bottom end speed is for reasons already explained.

Make sure you buy quality tools too. If you Buy unhandled tools you can then get practice by turning your own handles. Obviously you will have to buy at least one handled tool and I would suggest a Sorrenson Spindle Tool.

Thanks for the reply's guys its been a great help.

Remember, the lathe is only the FIRST think you have to buy.

Then there is the chuck so you can make bowls.

Then you need different jaws for the chuck.

Then you get sick of changing the jaws, so you need a second chuck.

Of course, you need chisels.

And then you realise you need DIFFERENT chisels.

Oh, and a white wheel grinder to sharpen them. And a gig so you don't sharpen them wrong (what the hell, just buy cheap chisels and eyeball it)

Then you need a jacobs chuck so you can drill holes.

Do you already have a drill press? Maybe that instead.

And of course, a bandsaw. Hmmm, a chainsaw helps with the getting of the timber too...

You probably have most of these things already.

hi and welcome!
i agree with what's been said about good chisels. Poor quality chisels don't hold an edge well and just cause frustration. It's supposed to be a fun hobby after all, and the last thing you want to be doing is sharpening things every couple of minutes. I myself use sorby and have used hamlet. Both good sets. Some people may tell you that sorby chisels don't hold an edge as well as some others. I haven't found it to be a problem. Of course if you want a really tough set, can't go past asp 2060

Hi Sainter and welcome to the forum. I hope Eliza didn't scare you too much.
Yes you'll need everything Eliza suggested but not all at once take your time
and buy good quality tools.
Cheers Tony.

I have had a MC1100 for 5 years.

Firstly price is a bit rich. Mine cost around $450, I think I saw the electronic variable speed model for a little more than you mentioned, not sure if you are looking at same.

Been really good lathe, but had to have motor rewound and wrecked belt once.

The speed is a little bit of an problem but I try to round the blanks before I put them on.

GC

I would like to thank everyone who responed to my intital question. The bug has bitten badly and I've researched quite a bit over the last couple of weeks before I make my purchase and having read many threads about lots of machinery no doubt the consensus is you get what you pay for so I have upped my expectations and budget on a Lathe and narrowed it down to two the Jet 1642 vs the Nova DVR XP

Any thoughts on which may be the best of the two?

Thanks
Sainter

Originally Posted by Sainter696

I would like to thank everyone who responed to my intital question. The bug has bitten badly and I've researched quite a bit over the last couple of weeks before I make my purchase and having read many threads about lots of machinery no doubt the consensus is you get what you pay for so I have upped my expectations and budget on a Lathe and narrowed it down to two the Jet 1642 vs the Nova DVR XP

Any thoughts on which may be the best of the two?

Thanks
Sainter

Hi Sainter,

Well, well, now we're talking...! if you can afford it and that is a big jump from your initial budget, get the DVR XP, is not even a questions of comparation for me, and I believe, for most of the guys & garls here. You get one of those and you can enjoy really turning anything you put on it. You power consumption also with one of them will be about 80% less then any other lathe.
Basically, one of those, a reasonable set of gouges (about $130 for the main 6 tools needed), a G3 Nova chuck with a spare 25mm jaws, an average bench grinder with at least one white stone, an electric chainsaw, some eye and dust protection gear (visor + paper(ish) dust masks) a good light, and is not a lot that you can't turn...!

Starting turning with a DVR is like having a Porsh as a first vehicle...!oh yeah

I hope that your coming into a bit of money can stretch that far, cause if it does, there is your chance...!

Good luck!

Cheers
RBTCO

I've got the DVR XP and I like it. The only problem is that I don't get enough time with it. And oh yeah I need to raise it about 1 1/2" I think.

You should get a SuperNova 2 chuck thrown in when buying the lathe, I did

If you want to look at Aussie lathes the Vicmarc seem to be very well made

Nova DVR XP or even look at a Woodfast.
When I was looking at lathes a while back, I was tossing up between those two. I also looked at the Jet but ruled it out (cant remember why now).

cheers

edit: Link to the woodfast lathe http://www.cws.au.com/cgi/index.cgi/..._id=1107452488