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View Full Version : Advice? Mc1018 vs mc1100?



eli_gotwood
7th December 2017, 10:29 AM
Hey all, new to this forum and also completely new to wood turning! I am currently weighing up between two second hand machines. The Carbatec Mc1018 for $315 or the Sherwood mc1100 for $600. I obviously want to start out with pens, small spindles, keepsake boxes, peppermills etc and would rather be limited only by my experience haha (and not the machine). The mc1100 just seems to have so many things going for it. Would the 1018 be capable of turning bowls, peppermills etc? I'd also then have to buy the extension bed (should I want to turn longer pieces in future...) any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Benny_
7th December 2017, 11:18 AM
Welcome! You'll have tons of fun with turning as you probably already know. I only started in august so I'm quite new too. I've got the Carbatec mc900 which is the same as the carbatec mc1100, just a bit smaller and it's pretty good. Can get a bit hot but if you let it rest for a bit it's fine. I haven't got much knowledge on the 1st lathe you posted but I found the sherwood one you were looking at, it looks pretty good and it looks exactly like the one I've got but a big bigger and it's brown. It comes with a fair amount of stuff which is also a plus. I'd get the mc1100 but it's completely your choice.
I don't think the 1018 would be capable of turning bigger bowls but it'd certainly be fine for smaller bowls. Eventually you might want to make bigger/longer stuff and then you might need to find a bigger lathe, so I'd suggest buying the bigger one first as you can do more with that than the 1018. Is $600 in your budget?
Obviously, my advice may not be correct. I'm sure others will help :)

Regards,
Ben.

Benny_
7th December 2017, 11:23 AM
This is something Hughie posted a week or 2 ago, so I don't think the heat is much of a problem.
I had a MC 1100 for several years it always ran hot.

eli_gotwood
7th December 2017, 05:48 PM
Cheers for the reply, Benny! I'm going to look at mc1100 and hopeepsy for it this week! Pretty keen to get started! Did you buy 2 or 3 single chisels or did u buy a set to start with?

Benny_
7th December 2017, 05:54 PM
Ive only bought a spindle gouge as someone let me borrow a full set not including a spindle gouge. Dont have much advice for the chisel side of things :/

orraloon
8th December 2017, 01:24 PM
As to chisels I would start with a modest set (around $150 for set). Carbatec, Timbecon, Gasweld and other tool stores all sell a similar set. They are HSS and do a reasonable job. Reason I say this is to start with you will have to learn to sharpen them. Going to loose a bit of steel in the learning curve so no point in grinding away too many dollars. When you get a bit of confidence at turning and sharpening then start getting good quality tools.
Regards
John

Optimark
8th December 2017, 02:26 PM
The Carbatec unit is $399 brand new, so you are paying 80% of the new price, for that money, it should be in good condition.

The Sherwood 1100 replacement cost of a like model from Timbecon is around $1100, so you are paying 55% of the new price. If it is in good condition, then that does represent better value for money.

There are some distinct differences between the drive systems.

The Carbatec one uses belt changes for each speed, which is slightly fiddly, but should last the life of the machine; these are quite robust units that from what I have seen, run day and night without issues; mostly.

The 1100 unit uses a moving belt to get the variable speed, it is a good system and a cheap way of getting variable speeds without going to electronics. The belt does wear, does need replacing, but it is not an onerous job.

Go to this page and scroll down to the moving illustration on the right of the page that graphically shows how these drive systems work. On the lathe there is a lever, moving the lever moves the mechanism similar to this illustration.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuously_variable_transmission
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuously_variable_transmission)
More expensive wood lathes have mostly moved to variable electronic speed control, but this currently adds a fair whack to the purchase price.

I would be probably heading more towards the small Carbatec unit for the lesser price. Learn on this unit then decide if you wish to go on turning. With this minimal outlay you have less to lose and more to use on chisels and sharpening equipment that you may or may not have.

If you did go the smaller unit, then Im reasonably sure you would keep that lathe if and when you decide on a bigger and maybe better unit. Having a smaller lathe to move around and use is a handy thing to have. Plus, you will learn on the smaller unit, what you would like/need in a more powerful and more specified lathe.

Whichever way you go, either lathe will serve you until you have a better idea of what direction your turning leads to.

Mick.

eli_gotwood
8th December 2017, 02:48 PM
Cheers mick! Very valid points and all very useful info. Still have not made up my mind but am also thinking for the meantime the carbatec is probably the way to go. That will give me more to spend on tooling etc.

eli_gotwood
8th December 2017, 02:49 PM
Cheers John!

Sturdee
8th December 2017, 04:41 PM
Still have not made up my mind but am also thinking for the meantime the carbatec is probably the way to go. That will give me more to spend on tooling etc.

IMHO that would be a bad choice. Sure it will give you more money for tools but the small lathe is not very good if you really get into turning.

I have the Pop's shed (with electronic variable speed) equivalent of the Carbatec one and the H & F equivalent of the Sherwood one you are looking at.

Whilst both are good lathes in itself I found that the small lathe is rather limiting in what you can do. For bowl turning you are limited to 260 mm in diam and for spindle turning you are limited in the length you can do. In most cases you have to remove the tailstock unless you get the bed extension.

I use it mainly as a second lathe to finish of lids of the small boxes I turn without having to remove the rest of the box from the H & F lathe.

It is I suppose good for turning pens but not much more.

Others might have a different view depending on their turning needs, but this is my experience.

Peter.

eli_gotwood
9th December 2017, 01:52 PM
Okay, can anyone offer any insight on this https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/port-macquarie/power-tools/wood-lathe-5-speed-nice-condition-chisels/1167687587... Would/should this be the same quality as the hafco, carbatec etc? I live in qld but will actually be not too far a drive from here... This lathe would be untold amount better than the Mc1018 IMO - but what would I know!?
I've also found an teknatool nova comet for sale literally in the next suburb from where I live - from what I have read, the comet ii seems like a good value machine. They are selling the comet with pen mandrel, bowl chuck, assorted chisels and a few pen kits for $450, is this a reasonable price? I'm not being rude, just have no idea really haha.

eli_gotwood
9th December 2017, 02:21 PM
Thanks John for the feedback! This seems like the way to go.

Optimark
9th December 2017, 02:41 PM
I would suggest if you could get that Gumtree lathe for anything close to $300, then I would already be driving down to get it. Looks like you may also be able to source some turning tools if they are getting out of turning, maybe.

It is not a brilliant lathe, it is what it is, a full(ish) size beginners lathe. For that price, you really cannot go wrong and this would be a quite cheap way to get into doing most things one would like to turn. A large lathe can do small things, like pens, this lathe could do 300mm diameter sized bowls or platters, something a smaller lathe cannot do. It is pretty much what my brother bought second hand years ago and got him into wood turning on the cheap. Interestingly, he moved that on and bought a Comet II lathe, effectively downsizing, but it is where he is at.

The Nova Comet II is a midi sized lathe, meaning it is bigger than the Carbatec unit, but quite smaller than the larger units you have been looking at, including this one.

A chuck will cost you somewhere around $170 - $240 new, depending on where you buy and whether it is manufactured in Australia (Vicmarc) or overseas. Also, a chuck will require an adapter to the specific thread size of your lathe spindle, these are usually around $25 - $40 per chuck, you would normally source the adapter when purchasing the chuck.

Mick.

Optimark
9th December 2017, 02:47 PM
This chuck would fit the gumtree lathe you are contemplating, there is a thread about these chucks on the forum, seems like they are reasonable.

AYAO 1” X 10TPI Chucks with a face plate | Ayao Woodworking Supplies (http://www.ayaowoodworking.com.au/product/ayao-1-x-10tpi-chucks-with-4-standard-jaws/)

Mick.

Sturdee
9th December 2017, 02:53 PM
Okay, can anyone offer any insight on this https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/port-macquarie/power-tools/wood-lathe-5-speed-nice-condition-chisels/1167687587... Would/should this be the same quality as the hafco, carbatec etc?

That one is similar to both the Carbatec and Hafco. Probably out of the same factory but branded under a different name.

It is similar to my main lathe and is actually a 10 speed Reeves drive system. You alter the speed by turning the handle whilst the late is running, not when the motor is stopped.

I've had mine for about 6 years and is my main goto lathe. Very little maintenance problems. I regularly blow the dust out and oil the Reeves mechanism. I had to replace the drive belt once and this is only a 5 minute job if you do it correctly. When you need to do it look up my post about it.

The only provisos are that the stand is not very solid (I've bolted it onto my bench) and I don't do outside turning on it.

I think it's a good buy for first lathe and I can't comment on the other one you mention as I have no experience with it.

Peter.

Sturdee
9th December 2017, 03:02 PM
Seeing that you live on the Gold Coast I would suggest you join Gold Coast Woodturners club (http://www.woodturnersgoldcoast.com.au/) and before buying any chucks and tools go and see Gary Pye (http://www.garypye.com/). I've bought their chucks and other tools and am happy with the quality and prices.

Peter.