hartleymartin
30th March 2020, 12:02 AM
After years with my generic Chinese-made lathe (I think at one point these were marketed through Bunnings under Ryobi) I am looking to get something better.
I decided I wanted something which takes a Morse Taper 2, so I can have a variety of spindles in the future, and something that can take a few sizes of face plates and possibly a 3-jaw chuck or scroll chuck, these look handy for bowl turning.
It has been a while since I used the generic cheap lathe I got some 20 years ago. I realised that I didn't do much spindle turning, and I only ever seemed to use about the first 12 inches of the bed. I am looking at one of the Mini-Lathes mentioned in the title. Either the one from Carbatec or the one branded "Hafco Woodmaster" sold by Hare & Forbes.
I am generally leaning towards the Carbatec. I have two stores which will supply (Sydney Tools and Total Tools in Smithfield) and it is a bit cheaper than the Hafco - I'd have a bit of a drive out to Windsor to get it, but is that necessarily a bad thing?
I want to be able to get bed extensions in the future, which appear to be available for both. I would usually turn decorative bowls, but tool handles and other such items. Perhaps candle-sticks, but I do want to eventually have a go at making flutes.
Ideas, advice? It seems like Carbatec have it covered for most things. Is there another brand I should think about?
I decided I wanted something which takes a Morse Taper 2, so I can have a variety of spindles in the future, and something that can take a few sizes of face plates and possibly a 3-jaw chuck or scroll chuck, these look handy for bowl turning.
It has been a while since I used the generic cheap lathe I got some 20 years ago. I realised that I didn't do much spindle turning, and I only ever seemed to use about the first 12 inches of the bed. I am looking at one of the Mini-Lathes mentioned in the title. Either the one from Carbatec or the one branded "Hafco Woodmaster" sold by Hare & Forbes.
I am generally leaning towards the Carbatec. I have two stores which will supply (Sydney Tools and Total Tools in Smithfield) and it is a bit cheaper than the Hafco - I'd have a bit of a drive out to Windsor to get it, but is that necessarily a bad thing?
I want to be able to get bed extensions in the future, which appear to be available for both. I would usually turn decorative bowls, but tool handles and other such items. Perhaps candle-sticks, but I do want to eventually have a go at making flutes.
Ideas, advice? It seems like Carbatec have it covered for most things. Is there another brand I should think about?