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View Full Version : If I knew then what I know now...



ElizaLeahy
21st February 2009, 03:24 PM
Speaking from my massive month and a half of experience...

I'd buy a lathe that had variable speeds. I've never changed the speed on mine because it's too much hassle fooling around the the cable - and I'm not sure which direction it should go anyway!

I'd also think seriously about either getting a longer bed or a head that turns out. Need more swing room for bowls, and again, taking the tail stock in and out is a bother.

Other then that I like my mini Jet :)

SawDustSniffer
21st February 2009, 03:32 PM
i had a1/2 horse , 40mm tube frame lath first up (what a peace of crap )
my variable DVR is great , extention beds to 2.1m , out rigger , and still make pens on it:doh:

robutacion
21st February 2009, 03:49 PM
Speaking from my massive month and a half of experience...

I'd buy a lathe that had variable speeds. I've never changed the speed on mine because it's too much hassle fooling around the the cable - and I'm not sure which direction it should go anyway!

I'd also think seriously about either getting a longer bed or a head that turns out. Need more swing room for bowls, and again, taking the tail stock in and out is a bother.

Other then that I like my mini Jet :)

Yeah, was obvious that you would come to that conclusion sooner or later, from the way you are going...! in the mean time don't worry, bigger lathes will always be there, available to you, there are "literally" mountains of things that you can do with you mini jet, you haven't exhausted all its capabilities, nor even close...! Think about the things you learn you can do with a lathe since you started!, now multiply that by 1,000 (just to be generous), and I'm talking about things that you haven't tried yet, and not the number of items that you made on the lathe. Ideas for things to turn...? well madam, you got a get a semi-trailer full of wood first!

Addictive bloody stuff isn't it?:doh::D

Cheers:2tsup:
RBTCO

robyn2839
21st February 2009, 04:16 PM
look in ebay i have a hafco lathe for sale with 3 hours left it has variable speed 1mtr bed ,chuck etc..bob

ElizaLeahy
21st February 2009, 04:18 PM
Why weren't you selling it 2 months ago!!!!

drat it all. :(

watsrags
21st February 2009, 05:27 PM
look in ebay i have a hafco lathe for sale with 3 hours left it has variable speed 1mtr bed ,chuck etc..bob

I look at it and thought the freight bill to country SA was a bit high for me

Ad de Crom
21st February 2009, 09:43 PM
Eliza, I know what you mean. Having the headstock turned 90 degrees so you can do your turnings in front of the headstock works so well. With your lathe is this impossible.
Had in 2001 also such a lathe, it was a very simple three speed lathe made of metalsheet. A lot of vibrations, so in the shortest time I got enough of this lathe, and decided to make a wooden lathe, for spindle turning as well as for bowlturning.
For bowlturning I simply turn the headstock 90 degrees, mount two sqaire tubes and are ready for bowl turning. Also I build a frequency controled unit for the electromotor with the help of my son-in-law.
I use my own build lathe since 2005, and never regret it that I build this lathe.You can see this lathe on my website http://members.lycos.nl/adecrom
Well you can buy a lathe, if I decide to buy a lathe it will be a record power lathe, a hell of a machine also with the possibillity to turn the headstock. My woodturning club has a record power lathe, and I love it to do some turnings on that lathe.
But I had the possibility to build one for myself, so I did.

Ed Reiss
22nd February 2009, 12:14 AM
...see, you should have bought the most expensive one back when you had permission:C

Skew ChiDAMN!!
22nd February 2009, 12:38 AM
If you do a lot of small stuff, then it's nice to have a mini lathe as well the big 'un. Especially one you can sit at. :wink:

And I reckon it's better to buy a small lathe and decide you want to upgrade than to buy a big one and discover that turning isn't your thing...

Mobil Man
22nd February 2009, 02:15 AM
Ad de Crom--went to you're web..What can I say of you're work but WOW.

artme
22nd February 2009, 08:13 AM
Well Eliza you will end up like a goodly number of us - you will have 2 lathes!:D:D:D

ElizaLeahy
22nd February 2009, 08:28 AM
Ad de Crom, your lathe is amazing! and I love your woodwork. It's an interesting page.

Those lamps are beautiful - I love how you got the timber so thin to make it translucent.

My son is getting married half way through this year, I've been wondering what to make him. Now I'm wondering if I could make a lamp. Not as good as yours though!

ElizaLeahy
22nd February 2009, 09:31 AM
Well Eliza you will end up like a goodly number of us - you will have 2 lathes!:D:D:D


Love to! Unfortunately I really don't have room for even one lathe. It's right outside my backdoor, in a corner!

Sawdust all through the house...

new_guy90
22nd February 2009, 12:56 PM
lol i think we all find we need that extra thing out of our lathes that i doesnt have. start saving and get a VL175 :U such a beautiful lathe that i want, just the price is over $3,000! i have a different problem i got a big second hand lathe that is longer than the average lathe, could do some nice bowls and long spindles but :( i like doing the small stuff and i would like one where the centers line up better and variable speed (i want the VL100 these are Vicmarc machines by the way).......ah the problems we all have them but you have to remember what it can do oh and you can extend you bed on the jet so don't think its all that limited jets are good machines

have fun

Patrick