Advices for a new lathe/newbie

[EMistral]

Hi all,

After going to the Melbourne wood show, my partner and her mother have decided that woodturning is beautiful and they would like to buy a lathe
they were impressed by the things a lathe can do
I am not new at woodworking but new at woodturning.
How would you choose a lathe? what model would you recommend?
I don't want something cheap but not something too expensive
Something that you can use as a novice but also that can be sufficient to get use to woodturning and eventually change the lathe in 3-4 years (maybe)
Budget wise: probably no more than $650 (I can probably convinced them to spend a bit more if there is nothing suitable around $650 or less)
There are a couple of lathes in that price range in timbecon and Carbatec catalogues.
My initial thoughts were a VIC lathe (can't remember exactly the brand)
I read some articles about one of their lathes and the article mentionned the quality of the lathe
Unfortunately, pricewise it was around $1700

So I am hoping that you woodtuners experts can guide me and recommend me a model
Thanks
Eric

[barnsey]

G'day Eric

Welcome,

My first lathe was a Hare & Forbes MC900 - there are a number of similarly badged lathes out of Taiwan that are marketed here under different badges and colors. I just found H&F to be the most competitive on price.

It is a good entry level lathe & capable of a lot at around the $500 mark.

The VIC you talk about is a wonderful piece of equipment - VICMARK - I would think - but very pricy.

I now own a Teknatool unit and I love it. I'd probably love a newer model or a Vicmark more but I can't justify the expense at this time.

My 2c FWIW

Jamie

[EMistral]

Hi Jamie,

thanks for the reply
Timbecon has a MC-900 which I guess is the same one than the one you mentionned but with different badging and colour
Anyway this lathe is sold for $379 itself or $499 with a scroll chuck and a chisel set
first what is the purpose of a scroll chuck? and second, is it necessary for a beginner to have a scroll chuck?
As for the chisel set, I am guessing that that if for $120 Timbecon adds a scroll chuck and a chisel set, this might not be a good quality
Would it be better to buy the $379 version and invest in a good chisels set and later on a scroll chuck or is this $499 a good buy?
thanks

[Cliff Rogers]

G'day.

I reckon you'd be very happy as a beginner with either a Jet JET*JML-1014 Mini or a Ledacraft MC-1018 Mini lathe & a Teknatool Nova Midi chuck.

Specs of lathes & pictures here...
http://www.gregmach.com/equipment_catalogue/lathes/jet_jml1014.htm
http://au.store.yahoo.com/cws-store/ledmcminlat.html

Details of chuck here.
http://au.store.yahoo.com/cws-store/novprecmidch.html

Get a good quality chuck & some good tools.

[hooppine]

Eric have a look at previous threads on this site re new lathes and you will get lots of good advice. These entry level lathes such as the H & F 900 are quite impressive first up. I have a Timbecon MC900 ($295 special new) and a week ago went from turning a 50cm lazy susan made from t & g flooring (trueing dia and thining edge) to handles for cutlery pieces (pate knives etc.) They are versatile. You will need some money for a chuck (good one $220) and chisels (Hamlet at $59 each X 6). Grinder to sharpen is also $75. The price of the lathe is just a start. I am still only a starter at this so XMAS presnts from the lathe for relies are still a novelty so I can justify some expense and maybe you can too. I, with six grown children all married with children have lots of relies. I will say one thing but and that is bad turning can not be blamed on cheap lathes anymore. My best turning was done on a lathe that GMC have copied and sells for about $90. Having said that please don't buy one. If someone gives you one thats allright.

[Greolt]

I am going to second Cliff's recomendation Eric.

Some will say that you will outgrow it and that is probably right but it is a great place to start.

You won't regret having the small lathe even if you upsize later.

I actually bought this lathe recently as my second machine, and now hardly use the big one.

I know it will depend what you want to turn but the mini is a great lathe to have anyway.

Greolt

[EMistral]

Thanks for these advices.
For what I want to turn, well I don't know
Probably plates, vases, legs, decorative items, etc..
I am just concerned that I might quickly find the limit in terms of size with the mini lathe and be frustrated of not having bought a model that could allow bigger and wider items to be turned

[rsser]

Hi Eric,

Yes, your concern is spot on.

You need to do some reflecting ... what kind of stuff do you really want to turn?

There's no need to rush into a purchase. Join a local club and/or take some lessons ... that will help you clarify what you want to start with and what you'll need to do it.

Work within your budget if you can. If you get hooked, you'll know more and be ready to sell Granny to the knackers to pay to upgrade the lathe.

[EMistral]

I know that I won't turn big items but I am sure that my future mother-in-law will do
She 's the type of person who likes all these round turned legs you can find on these antique tables
So I would not be surprised if this was her first thing she would turn (or ask me to turn)
For $100 more, the bigger ones seem to be a better alternative.
Also is there any tips/hints to check before investing in a lathe?

[soundman]

As I've said befor the jet mini lathe is well worth a look. From the stereotypical indoors type lady point of view , it about the same size a a sewing machine & about 3 times the weight.
Small enough to store under the kitchen sink & a damn fine litle piece of gear.
I'm surprised more ladies don't get into turning, particularly with these nice small machines around.
More than half what we turn is girly stuff anyway.

cheers

[gatiep]

Eric,

I've been turning for over 50 years ans I do teach woodturning in Perth. I have contibuted to a number of the threads on lathes on this forum. By doing a search you'll find more info than you would need. I'll post some thoughts on buying a new lathe at the end of this, however stay with a full size lathe as your future MIL will soon outgrow the mini lathes. I would suggest the MC900 or even better the MC1100 series and if you can get the 900 plus chuck and 6 turning tools for about $500 you have a good deal. A lathe without a chuck is almost as much use as a bicycle without pedals. Chuck makes holding turning blanks so much easier and the lathe more user friendly. We have 8 lathes in the turning centre, 5 x MC1100 , 1 x MC900 ( we use what the shop sells kind of put your money where your mouth is ) and 2 Woodfast lathes. My personal lathe at home is a My first time with my 13 Yo Daughters icmarc 175, but rhe MC range in whatever colour is very good for entry level and there are many turners that will never feel the urge to upgrade. There are slight differences between the various colours, like bearing size, thread and motor, but whoever is closest to you and offers the best deal is who's product you need to go for. The following is a list of specs for consideration:




Supplementary notes: BUYING A LATHE.



New lathe

* What is the period of warranty?

What is the swing of the lathe? I.e. the distance from the bed to the centre point of the spindle.
Does it have a hollow spindle and tailstock with Morse Tapers? Allows for using accessories and long hole boring.
Has it got a solid bed? I prefer a lathe with a cast iron bed. They are very solid and have the weight necessary in a good lathe.
Does it have variable speeds? Electronic, reeves pulleys or manual belt changing. Make sure that changing speeds is easy, because if difficult you may just ignore the speed setting, which can prove dangerous in certain circumstances.
What is the speed range? Typical ranges are 500 to 2500/ 300 to 3000 or somewhere in between. Usually 6 speeds are the norm.
Can all the adjustments on the lathe, i.e. banjo, tool rest, tailstock, speed, be done by hand? Having to use a spanner is cumbersome.
Is the switch situated in a comfortable and sensible position? In case of an emergency can you get to it easily and safely?
Is the thread on the spindle a popular thread? This makes it easy to buy and attach accessories like face plates, chucks etc. The most popular thread in Australia on modern lathes is M30 x 3.5. Other threads are available, but check that accessories are available to fit that thread.
Does the dealer carry all the woodturning accessories that you will require? Some do not carry chucks etc for the lathes that they sell and when you go to buy the accessories elsewhere you find that the threads are not compatible.
Does the lathe come complete with a motor and is it powerful enough?
Does it have indexing? This is not a necessity but can be useful however some chucks come with indexing.
Does the head and tailstock line up?
Does the supplier carry spares for the lathe? Even a simple item like a drive belt can be a major problem if it is not easily available.
Buying your lathe from a reputable Specialist Supplier of woodturning equipment will cover the above.



Enjoy your woodturning!



Used Lathe

All the above are applicable. There are a few extra points to keep in mind.

Check the bearings for wear. There should be no play in the spindle. Remove belt and the spindle should run freely. Place the tip of a screwdriver on the housing near the bearings and listen at the handle for bearing rumble when spinning the spindle.
Does the head and tailstock line up?
Check the spindle and tailstock for Morse tapers. The most popular MT is #2 in the bigger lathes.
Don’t let the inclusion of outdated carbon steel tools and abused chucks etc influence you that it is a bargain. Make sure you know what you are getting.
Construction. Has it got a cast of tubular bed? My preference is a cast bed. The Headstock must be cast. The welded sheet metal headstocks with square tubing bed lathes usually also lack hollow spindles and tailstocks. They are definitely not suitable for serious woodturning.
Before you buy used equipment, check out your Specialist Supplier for quality, availability of accessories and value for money deals.

The sweetness of a ‘bargain’ is long forgotten while hassling with an unsuitable machine lingers with you.



The Woodturning Experience.




Woodturning is made up of three separate sectors that work in combination to give you the total experience.

These are:

The Lathe

The Tools

The Tuition.

The best $5000 lathe will not make you a good woodturner, neither will the best tools nor tuition on their own.


My advice is: Buy the best lathe and the best tools that you can afford and get tuition, then get out there and turn, turn and turn some more! With experience and the right techniques you will gain confidence and the rest will come easily. Each 12 hours block of tuition will give you the ability to turn with confidence that will take you years to acquire by going at it alone.<O:p></O:p>

Eric,




I wish you and your family many happy woodturning years!

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I'll second Cliff's suggestion of the Ledacraft. I have two of 'em and our club has several. In the last two years only one has needed any attention; one of mine needed a new belt. And that was only 'cos I've been teaching a young bloke on it, who has a tendency to "forget" to release the tension before changing pulleys. GRRRRR! :mad:

I have a couple of larger lathes inc. an MC-900, but the Ledacraft's my favourite for any precision work, 'tis better for pens and the ilk by far! I'll even go so far as to say that should you start on a Ledacraft and upgrade to a larger lathe later, you will be disappointed in the new lathes' performance unless you've bought a top-of-the-line unit!

Either way, the odds are that you'd insist on keeping the mini as well... ;)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Anyway this lathe is sold for $379 itself or $499 with a scroll chuck and a chisel set
first what is the purpose of a scroll chuck? and second, is it necessary for a beginner to have a scroll chuck?
As for the chisel set, I am guessing that that if for $120 Timbecon adds a scroll chuck and a chisel set, this might not be a good quality
Would it be better to buy the $379 version and invest in a good chisels set and later on a scroll chuck or is this $499 a good buy?

I noticed this one hasn't exactly been answered...

Do NOT get the scroll chuck that comes with the bundle. The chisel set is nothing spectacular, but you really want a cheap set of chisels to learn sharpening on rather than wasting expensive steel. Carbatec's "$30 chinese special" sets are fine to start with, for example. Wait until you've learnt a bit about sharpening before buying good tools. The only real differences are that better tools hold their edges longer and are less prone to chattering. If you can't turn with cheap tools you can't turn with good ones. ;)

But the bundled scroll chuck really isn't worth it. Put the money aside and save another $100 or so to put towards either a Teknatool (I suggest either the Precision Midi or, for another $100 odd, a Supernova2) or a Vicmarc chuck. They're better built, more accurate and, most importantly, you can easily buy other jaws and fittings to suit them!

[HiString]

This MC-900 may or may not be of interest...............:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Wood-Lathe-Mc900-10-spd_W0QQitemZ8224850709QQcategoryZ84012QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

:cool:

[EMistral]

Hi guys,

thanks for all your advices
I guess it will be:
- either a mini lathe
- or an MC1100 without the scroll chuck

I'll follow your advices of putting extra money aside and buying a good quality chuck
As for the tools set, I am familiar with sharpening but so far I have only sharpened handplane blades and chisels
The technic might be slightly different for some specific woodturning tools

anyway thanks a lot for your help
I know the path to take

[La truciolara]

Hi all,

....
My initial thoughts were a VIC lathe (can't remember exactly the brand)
I read some articles about one of their lathes and the article mentionned the quality of the lathe
Unfortunately, pricewise it was around $1700
EricAs a matter of curiosity, at this price what was the model?
the Vic 100 EVS (that is with variable speed) or the Vic 175?
If it is the latter, I can tell you that it is worth the price. It is a fantastic lathe, smoothe, and great to work on

[EMistral]

I can't remember th model but I can probably find out if you are interested
It is in one of the wood work magasines

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

As for the tools set, I am familiar with sharpening but so far I have only sharpened handplane blades and chisels
The technic might be slightly different for some specific woodturning tools

Yup. Scrapers & skew chisels should be simple for you, spindle gouges can also be sharpened on a basic wheel setup (they need a rolling action, but that's just muscle learning) however for most bowl gouges I'd recommend a jig. I freehand all of mine but I don't want to admit just how much it cost me in tool steel and $$$ to learn... :o

[loz]

Looks like you have sorted things out. Enjoy your turning. For my 10c worth, I started with a tinny budget lathe and then 'inherited a 'tough' lathe, which is probably 40 years old but it is SOLID. Whatever you get, I would suggest that the more solid the construction and the base/table that it is mounted on, the less vibration dramas you will have

enjoy your turning!