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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Darwin, Northern Territory
    Age
    47
    Posts
    315

    Default GMC Lathe - good/bad?

    Has anyone heard anything about the GMC lathes that you can buy in Bunnings? Are they any good or should I get something else? Any help would be great.
    "Last year I said I'd fix the squeak in the cupbaord door hinge... Right now I have nearly finished remodelling the whole damn kitchen!"

    [email protected]

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Camden
    Age
    59
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    247

    Default

    Kris,
    I looked at the GMC lathes and read allot here as others have talked about these lathes and i ended up buying a MC900 from Gasweld for $379.00. Some of the of the others have got a deal from Carbatech for the same price and an extra 20 will get you a chuck. I ende up buying the VM120 as my chuck.
    Mate have a look at one of these.

    Roger

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Sunshine Coast Queensland
    Age
    53
    Posts
    1,400

    Default

    Hei Chris,
    Do a search here and you will find lots on the GMC lathe - and only good comments are in the boating section under anchors.

    The GMC lathe is poorly made - the steel tube bed flexes, the head and tail stock & tool rest are flimsy (the one I saw at Bunnies had a broken tool rest already) it is only 4 speeds and those speeds are hard to change.

    The best beginner lathe you can get is the MC900, sold in various colours by Carbatec, Timbecon and others.
    This lathe has a cast iron bed, #2 morse taper for the head and tail stock, (which means most accessories will fit, and the GMC does not have morse tapers which means you are very limited to what will fit) the head is rotatable (the size of the work you can turn is dictated by the space between the output shaft and the lathe bed, a rotatable head means that you can turn the head to hang larger pieces off the side of the lathe) and it has a 3/4 hp motor as opposed to the 1/2hp on the GMC. The other great feature is that the speed control on the MC900 is by way of a variable pulley operated from a lever on the front - I really notice this when I'm at my wood turning group and spend half my time changing V belts.

    Also, the GMC does not come with a stand which means you have make a bench for it before you can play. The MC900 comes with a stand which while only being pressed steel is more than adequate to start - my MC900 is on the stock legs and I have turned 200mm square by 100mm thick lumps of jarrah with no hassles.

    Carbatec Perth are doing a deal on the MC900 - $459 for the lathe complete with a scroll chuck (a chinese copy but works well) and a set of chisels.
    Obviously it's a bit big for the post but see what deal they do on freight.

    When I first got the idea of a wood lathe I looked at the GMC but thankfully the people here talked me out of it, I have had the MC900 for about 3 months and I am wrapted with it. Even though it's chinese the quality is good, what impressed me when I opened the box was the packing quality - masses of foam & padding and all bare surfaces were wrapped in grease paper.

    Whether it's the Carbatec version or someone else, go for the MC900 - you may baulk at the money (like I did) but you won't regret it once you start playing.
    Sorry if I sound like an MC900 salesman - I'm just a very happy owner.
    Cheers
    Smidsy
    Last edited by smidsy; 4th August 2004 at 06:10 PM.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Taree
    Age
    70
    Posts
    289

    Default Take it from an owner

    Kris
    I have a GMC lathe - bought it before talking to any experienced turners.
    It did last me a month or so of dangerous learning to turn - now the proud owner of a Nova DVR.
    All I can say is - start with something cast iron! I agree - the MC900 in it's various badges is about the best low budget way to start.
    A word of advice from another newbie - spend your money on good chisels & a way to get/keep them sharp. Join a club or do a course - better to learn from other's experience!
    BTW - know anyone who wants a clapped out, dust covered GMC lathe!!
    Happy turning
    Peter
    Happyinsydney

  6. #5
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Sunshine Coast Queensland
    Age
    53
    Posts
    1,400

    Default

    Hei Peter,
    Apparently the GMC's make a good sander - ditch the tail end and mount a sanding disk on the head.

    As for chisels, there are pro & cons for cheap and dear.
    The 6 piece HSS set that Carbatec and Timbecon sell are a good set for starters. They're a decent range of chisels, once sharpened they work pretty well and they are relativelly cheap which is good because an integral part of this game is learning to sharpen chisels - those chisels are good enough to turn with but cheap enough to learn sharpening on so you know what you're doing when you buy good chisels.
    I have the 6 piece set which works well, and so far I have added a 12mm skew chisel (hamlett) and a 10mm scraper which I made myself from a tool steel blank.
    Cheers
    Smidsy

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Taree
    Age
    70
    Posts
    289

    Default

    Smidsy
    Yep - just waiting for the time (& space) to convert/setup the GMC to a sander.
    Agree withyou re tools - don't have to get "the best" at first - but still stay away from horribly soft "Bunnies" turning tools.
    Also suggest new turners get into the habit of face / lung protection from the beginning - my Triton dust mask/filter & Carba-Tec dust extractor have become invaluable.
    Peter
    Happyinsydney

  8. #7
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Sunshine Coast Queensland
    Age
    53
    Posts
    1,400

    Default

    Hei Peter,
    Good point on the face & lung protection - I was quite suprised to see that I was the only person wearing safety specs when I joined the local turning group.

    My lathe is set up temporarily in the garage because we'll be moving in the next 6 months, but when we move I plan on getting a dust extractor.
    Cheers
    Smidsy

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Mid North Coast
    Age
    71
    Posts
    525

    Default

    Speaking of face protection, what types do you people prefer. I wear a full face visor but the problem is that it's difficult to keep them clean without the dust scratching the visor. What is visability like in the Triton model? Is it reasonably scratch resistant?

  10. #9
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Sunshine Coast Queensland
    Age
    53
    Posts
    1,400

    Default

    Hei Adrian,
    I find that the face masks tend to fog up so I just use safety glasses and I don't bother with a duct mask although I suppose I should for sanding at least.

    Cheers
    Smidsy

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Melbourne, Aus.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    12,746

    Default

    Adrian .. Good idea to wear one - it's only a matter of time before .... *!$$

    To clean, wash the thing with a mild detergent solution; don't rinse it too thoroughly - a bit of residue reduces fogging and the electrostatic charge.

    You could also try the overlays made for the Trend Airshield (see www.mik.com.au)

    And smidsy, sorry mate, but it's only a matter of time before your lungs say no - an ounce of prevention etc etc

  12. #11
    Join Date
    May 1999
    Location
    Tooradin,Victoria,Australia
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,918

    Default

    Gooday. The best way I have found to keep glasses and shields clean without static build up is to blow them off with a compressor (or the air line from one)

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Taree
    Age
    70
    Posts
    289

    Thumbs up Triton Dust Mask

    Adrian
    I have a Triton - no probs with fogging - as long as the battery pack is charged!
    The hard hat, although a little cumbersome, has saved a scratch or 2 on my bald head!
    I have been wearing specs almost all my life, so I guess I am used to looking through dirty glass!
    I am reassured every time I clean tehe pre filter (which resides on my back) & see how much dust it has collected - thinking it could have been irritating my airways!!
    Glad I went mad at the Sydney Wood Show & bought it!

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Mid North Coast
    Age
    71
    Posts
    525

    Default

    Smidsy.
    Judging by the amount of dust that settles on the inside and outside of my full face visor there is a very real problem with dust. I have heard it said that long term exposure to any type of dust (wood, flour, cement, etc) will have similar effects to asbestos. The majority of the people who worked with that stuff didn't suffer any illeffects but I wouldn't want to be one of the unlucky ones who did.
    I have installed two 90mm pipes from my dust extractor to my lathe bench. One is at the back of the headstock and gets most of the dust when I'm sanding. When I'm turning I cap that one and open the one that's positioned slightly above my face. I've seen enough people suffer long term lung disease to want to make sure it doesn't happen to me.

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Melbourne, Aus.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    12,746

    Default

    Everything helps.

    But a dust extractor so-called is more like a chip extractor. For fine air-borne particles, some of which are too small to see, you need a filtered mask and/or an air filter.

    I use both, along with a low-pressure high volume extractor fan with a flexible duct next to the work piece; I'm paranoid, but when the bastards really are after you.... ;-}

    rsser, aka Ern

  16. #15
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Sunshine Coast Queensland
    Age
    53
    Posts
    1,400

    Default

    Hei Adrian,
    I'm aware that dust is an issue, when we move in the next few months I plan on getting a dust extractor system - I'm thinking a wide mouth inlet mounted directly under the bed near the head where most of the work is done.
    Unfortunately because we are moving in the next 6 months my current set up is somewhat temporary.
    Cheers
    Smidsy

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