Is this a good lathe?

[Cub]

I just happend to stumble upon this website with a Lathe on it just wanted to know if it is any good?

http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/wood-lathe-bell-carroll/

Any help would be appreciated :)

[Harry72]

It will work, but by the looks its a very flimsy lathe

[Big Shed]

GMC used to sell the identical lathe for $99 in Bunnings.

Most have been converted to disk sanders, which will tell you what they are like as a wood lathe:rolleyes:

[robyn2839]

I just happend to stumble upon this website with a Lathe on it just wanted to know if it is any good?

http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/wood-lathe-bell-carroll/

Any help would be appreciated :)
i would say no..bob

[orraloon]

They are the same as the GMC model The most basic lathe out there. Better than no lathe at all.If you can wait and save a bit more money then get into something like a MC900 clone. Check out ebay and trading post for 2nd hand lathes. Some good stuff comes along every now and then.
Having said that there have been some people on this site done some very nice work on those lathes.

[artme]

G'day Cub. I suggest you steer clear of Cheap lathes because that's what they are -Cheap.

The people who sell this sort of stuphph know nothing and care even less, Take up Orraloon's suggestion and look for a 2nd hand lathe.

[Paul39]

Cub,

If you have no experience turning, join a club or find a turner who will let you do a bit of turning.

If you get the addiction, you will know what kind or kinds of turning you will do and be guided to buy the best for the money you have to spend.

From day one, if you buy a lathe you must have a grinder and a few chisels. Then for convenience if you do bowls a chuck is nice. And it goes downhill from there.

[Cub]

i probabaly should have added would it be good for hobby stuff like making a table lamp
:U

[lubbing5cherubs]

would it be good for hobby stuff like making a table lamp
:U


Mate I would not risk it. I had one of those nearly cured me of ever woodturning. First piece of wood I ever put it in the tail stock broke. Spinning wood towards your face is no fun. It really scared me. So I took it back and they told me it must of been faulty they have never heard of it. So they replaced it with another lathe. This time the tool rest broke. Mate be careful with those lathe, my advice would be save up the extra dollars to get a mini lathe to start off with or look around for a decent second hand one. Your safety I personally would not risk it again and my lathe I dumped it. DId not want to put another person at risk. So the choice is yours it is up to you.
that my opinion take it or leave it
bye Toni

[artme]

Persistent little cub aren't we? If you were a lion cub papa would have well and truly boxed you ears, muffs or not, for that second question.:D:D:rolleyes:

What happens when you want o turn better than alamp or a rolling pin. Think of the future not the here and now.:cool::cool:

[Jim Carroll]

would it be good for hobby stuff like making a table lamp
:U


What part of NO dont you understand.:doh:

Cheap is what it is and where it will stay.

Save your pennies and get a decent lathe to start with.

[mjmjm]

I have to say I enjoy Cub's posts.

Michael

[DJ’s Timber]

Have heard that they make good anchors for tinnies

[mjmjm]

Those lathes from Deals Direct are out of stock by the way.

Michael

[RETIRED]

Cub, I would suggest you read this.

http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=91317

[Cub]

Thankyou all for the help you have told me, i now have some serious thinking to do
:)

[terry arnold]

In a word NO they are the same as the GMC ones only with much less support (if that is possible). My son bought 1 from Mitre 10 a few years ago used it twice and Threw in the shed and its still there.
Save your money until you can afford something better.

Cheers Terry

[China]

Cub if you can't afford a decent lathe at this time, find out if you have a local turning club you may be able to use one of their lathes and be coached in propper technique, it can also be a good source of second hand equipment.

[Cub]

Think i might just steer cleer of this lathe it dosn't look that great of quality.
Thankyou all for your help.
Many thanks Cub :D

[44Ronin]

Cub,

Gasweld in Leichhardt are closing down by the 9th.

Good place to grab a bargain

[Cub]

Thanks Ronin i found a good sturdy lathe on their website, actually a few all very well priced.
Many thanks Cub:thewave:

[Cub]

Persistent little cub aren't we? If you were a lion cub papa would have well and truly boxed you ears, muffs or not, for that second question.:D:D:rolleyes:

What happens when you want o turn better than alamp or a rolling pin. Think of the future not the here and now.:cool::cool:

You know i'm only 13, still learning the ropes

[mjmjm]

Ah, that explains it.

Welcome Cub, I'm sure you'll continue to enjoy your time here and learn a lot.

Michael

[eisbaer]

I think it's fantastic that we have such a young starter who is looking for information and has actively sought advice from people on this site. Good on you Cub! :) It's a good idea to listen to the experienced turners on here. You simply can't get such valuable information from a book sometimes. Happy turning and welcome to the forums.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

It's a good idea to listen to the experienced turners on here. You simply can't get such valuable information from a book sometimes.

The most valuable information can come, not from what's being said but from what's being shown. When a turning thread has "WHOOPS" in the title, read it and tell yourself "I will try not to do this..."

(But you will, anyway. Once, at least. :D)

[petersemple]

Thanks Ronin i found a good sturdy lathe on their website, actually a few all very well priced.
Many thanks Cub:thewave:

If this is the one you were talking about https://ishop.gasweld.com.au/ishop/stock/item/531592 then a lot of people started with this lathe - it is available under different brands and colours from different places. I still have mine. It is a good value beginners lathe. The stand could do with a bit of extra strengthening and a bit of extra weight. One day I'll get to that. (Don't hold your breath though, I've had it a good many years now.) The ones on that website that were cheaper than this all look variations of the one at the start of this thread - GMC clones. The one I linked to is available a bit cheaper elsewhere, but if there is a local place - or even a closing down special to be had then it may be cheaper overall.

Good luck

Peter

[Cub]

hmmm i was thinking more this https://ishop.gasweld.com.au/ishop/stock/item/533286
or https://ishop.gasweld.com.au/ishop/stock/item/533019
:U

[artme]

You know i'm only 13, still learning the ropes

Figured you were only a "pup". Didn't mean to sound rough on you mate. I think the lathe shown on the Gasweld site will be fine for you. It is inexpensive without being cheap. It can be modified by the look of things and will handle your needs for some time.

Good on you for joining up and seeking advice. I hope you do well and we all look forward to your continued participation.:):):)

BTW love your avatar.

[Jim Carroll]

This lathe is still a dangerous lathe for a beginner.

The low speed is too high for a starter for bowl work it has no hollow head or tailstock.

As I indicated spend your money on a better value lathe that will be more user freindly, the Woodfast M305 is great for that and can be expanded on as your ability improves.

Have a look here http://cws.au.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=1107146613&product_id=1107452489 (http://cws.au.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=1107146613&product_id=1107452489)

Dont waste money on this and then 6 months down the track look at improving because you have outgrown this cheap one. You wont get your money back on this as there is no resale value.

We sell a lot of these lathes to young guys like yourself and they love them and produce some really good work, the only thing we have to do is slow them down a bit because of their enthusiasm but this is great.

Buy once and be very happy.

[RETIRED]

:iagree: Listen to the old pharts Cub. The lathes Peter and Jim have indicated are what you should be starting with.

The lathe you have shown is nothing but grief, frustration, anger and will probably stunt your growth as a turner.

If you can't afford a reasonable lathe yet do as some one else has said and join a club and use their equipment to get the hang of it.

You might strike it lucky where there will be a member upgrading and will sell you their old lathe and allow you to pay it off.

For the last time the lathes you have been looking at are crap. Comprendez?

[44Ronin]

Cub,

The Gasweld store at Leichhardt is clearing out all stock, which means you can get this lathe much cheaper

https://ishop.gasweld.com.au/ishop/stock/item/531592

I am going there tommorrow to get one myself, will report back with how much I got them to haggle down.

I am thinking somewhere in the vicinity of $300-350 or so.......we will see.

[Cub]

Thanks Ronin

[artme]

I was referring to the Lathe Peter listed, but committed the big mistake of neglecting to thoroughly check the specs. Low speed is too high.

Take Jim Carroll's suggestion about the Woodfast to heart. They are a good lathe and Woodfast has a good reputation.

[bowl-basher]

Cub
Gas weld also sell a version of the MC90 I think this is a much better choice
Mine is 3 years old and I have not killed it yet
Regards
Bowl-basher

[Calm]

There seems to be some odd comments in this thread.

Jim - a knowledgeable renowned woodworker (yes he is also a retailer), has recommended a Woodfast - which is a very good brand and is actually cheaper than the one that someone is suggesting in a sale/clearance situation.

What is better buying off someone who will help setup, provide advice (ongoing) or beat down someone who is going out of business - hopefully to get to the price Jim has offered in the frst place for a better lathe?

The other option is - if you dont want to buy off Jim try another woodfast dealer to check out what price they are offering teh better lathe for.

Just seems like an obvious choice to me - buy a better lathe cheaper or argue to get an inferior lathe down to its price.

Hope that helps

Cheers

[Tim the Timber Turner]

For the last time the lathes you have been looking at are crap. Comprendez?

Jees Robo.

You getting soft as you get older? :D

Why don't you say what you realy think?:oo:

No I guess not.:no: Your supposed to maintain the standards.:2tsup:

Cheers Tim

[44Ronin]

Okay, I went down to gasweld leichardt this morning, and I got a little disappointed to be honest.

They only had an MC1100 left.

They were asking $560 reduced from $695. Apparently this was "cost price". Store clerk would not budge, so I bought some other nicknacks instead of buying a lathe.

I reflect on this as slight "reverse" tyrekicking. I called on friday and the clerk told me they had plenty of lathes on hand.When I got there there was only one....well they could of sold heaps of lathes on saturday.....but I'm a tad skeptical.

it didn't faze me from haggling for what was there, though.

$560 just isn't *that* good a deal to beleive it was the "stock price" as the clerk suggested/insisted, especially when Hare and Forbes are selling them for $599....It doesn't seem likely that their markup would only be $135 for something so large and taking up much floor space.

I did not buy it because it's 1100mm.......fairly large for what I want to do and the limitations of my workspace. I wanted the 900mm....I did not need the imposing stand for either lathe. I needed compulsion to buy the 1100mm that would offset the reasons that I would not want to purchase it.

So instead I bought some other knicknacks.

Still on the hunt for a lathe

I might just give in and buy a woodfast

[eisbaer]

i've heard good things about the woodfast. For the money if i was buying a lathe now it's the one i'd get. Well made and well priced.

[Cub]

I was wondering can you buy extension beds for the Carbatec mini range or are there other places that sell extension bed lathes that are universal.
Thanks in advance cub

[44Ronin]

Cub,

The ledacraft variant of the MC1018 has an extension bed

http://ledamachinery.com.au/catalogue/images/MC-1018%20&%20MC-1018E.jpg

The carbatec mini (MC1018) should be the exact same thing

http://www.carbatec.com.au/images/hires/MC1018.jpg

[Cub]

i have got quite the choice should i go with A the ledacraft extension bed and the mini carbatec
B the gaswled 1000mm lathe for $210
or C The ledacraft with extension bed

[mick61]

G`day buy the woodfast you can`t go wrong i have had mine for six or seven years.

(Woodfast 280s short bed)

Mick:D

[Taffsmania]

Hi.
I have the Woodfast M305 and one of the main reasons I chose it over others is the ease of speed change, switch off - flip the cover open - loosen the tension then move the belt for the required speed re tension close the cover good to go in 30 seconds or less. :2tsup:

Keith

[BobL]

Hi.
I have the Woodfast M305 and one of the main reasons I chose it over others is the ease of speed change, switch off - flip the cover open - loosen the tension then move the belt for the required speed re tension close the cover good to go in 30 seconds or less. :2tsup:


I have the woodfast with an extension bed. I don't even bother to loosen and retension the belt when I change speeds.

I have had a few problems with it mainly from being too hamfisted. I broke the locking cam on the tailstock in the first 3 days and so I made a stronger replacement, and the indexer locking pin sheared after about 3 months but that could be because I kept locking it in place and restarting it without unlocking it.

Despite these problems it is a great little lathe and perfect for what I need, mainly tool handles and the occasional small bowl.

[Oddjob1]

Hi guys,

when looking at wood lathes, price is of secondary importance, the main thing to look for is if it is built like a brick shythouse or not, if it is,as in your pic indicates so light that if you put a sail on it it would fly, then give it a miss my Friend! My lathe I built myself out of a couple of bits of tram line, heavy headstock,heavy tailstock, all sitting on very heavy Yellow box supports being 800mm in Dia each! All this adds up to no vibration, so if you cant build your own then go for something that is cast iron and difficult for you to lift, then bolt it to a heavy timber bench. This combination turns out sweet stuff no stress.

[Cub]

Thanks for the help guys. just wondering while i'm here i know i use the dog puch live centres for small stuff but what would i use a scroll chuck for?
Thanks in advance........cub

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Anything you can't use the tailstock with. Bowls, goblets, platters, etc.

Well... you can also use tailstock for these things, but it's much, much easier to use a chuck instead.

[Cub]

Thanks for that. sorry to be a burdon but what do you do with face plates. would it be used a bit like a live centre.

[artme]

G'day Cub. The scroll chuck is used to hold larger pieces of work at the headstock end. Most people use it to hold the bottom of a bowl so that the inside can be turned

The bottom can be held in expansion mode, and for this you need a recess: or it can be held in contraction mode. For contraction mode you need a turned foot or a spigot.

There are other uses for a scroll chuck but the above is the main use.

Why don't you Google the subject? Remember - Google is your friend.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

The faceplate is used for basically the same jobs as a scroll chuck. Except it leaves screw-holes in the wood, whereas a chuck doesn't.

Mind you, you can screw a block of wood onto a faceplate and hollow it out, so that a bowl blank - or other odd shapes - can be snugly "wedged" inside it, avoiding the problem with holes altogether. This is what we mean when we talk about a jam-chuck.

I've long said that a beginning turner doesn't need a scroll chuck... it's more of a convenience than a necessity. But, oh boy... what a convenience! :D

[Cub]

Got ya, thanks all for the help.

[Cub]

Do you reckon Bunnings will bring in a new lathe?

[DavidG]

No :no:

[Cub]

What a bummer

[ss_11000]

When you have enough money, you should get either the ledacraft (with extension if you need it) or the woodfast.

If you buy a scroll chuck, try to keep away from the cheap chinese crappy ones and buy a vicmarc or tecknatool.

also, remember you need to buy tools and timber as well :)
cheers:2tsup:

[Cub]

While your still here what do you think about the gasweld lathe it 1000mm long and is about $230 with a disc sander on the back.
Many thanks in advance

[ss_11000]

dunno, i couldnt get the link to work :(

i couldnt even access the lathes part of the website - "connection refused"

[Cub]

Yea i got that just try again in about an hour or two it's happened to me before don't know why though.

[hughie]

Do you reckon Bunnings will bring in a new lathe?

They could but it wont be anything to write home about. They cater to the weekend DIY guy, bang a few screws in and put up a shelf etc

Check out ebay theres quite a few going there at the moment

[ss_11000]

there is a jet mini on ebay atm
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/JET-MINI-LATHE-WOOD-WORKING_W0QQitemZ230335832314QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_BnI_Woodworking_Metalworking?hash=item230335832314&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[Cub]

Hey all i was just loking at gasweld website (not reliable as it breaks down a lot)
I saw a set of 8PC lathe chisels for $39, just wanted to know if the quality is anygood?

[ss_11000]

honestly. i would stick away from them unless you cant afford the more expensive ones.

they will be a low quality CS (carbon steel) and will not hold an edge for very long and the profiles will be a bit dodgy.

Check out carbatec or hare and forbes websites. for around a hundred bucks you can get a 6 set of HSS (high speed steel) chisels that will do you for a while. these will be good to practise sharpening on too because they are relatively cheap and decent quality.
when you have more money (and a continued interest) and require a better tool then you can go looking at hamlets and p&n etc which can cost you up to $200 for A chisel.

hope this helps.

if you do need to buy a cheap set of tools, look at ebay. you will find the same quality ones as gasweld only cheaper (depending on postage)

[ss_11000]

http://www.carbatec.com.au/woodturning-tools/woodturning-tools-chisels-accessories/woodturning-tools-chisel-sets/carba-tec-6-piece-turning-chisel-set
theres a link to the Carbatec chisels. $159 - Massive price increase since i last looked :oo:

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Products?stockCode=W301

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Products?stockCode=W302

hare and forbes - slightly better priced:rolleyes:

Just looked at gary pyes website and found these:
http://gpwoodturning.sitesuitestores.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=1107146793&product_id=1107445171
they look like a great set for a begineer to start out with

[Cub]

Thanks mate think my best bet is one from Hare and forbes (hafco woodmaster) for $120
Seems of better quality too.
Thanks for the advice
Happy birthday and happy easter

[ss_11000]

check out the last link i just posted (editted into my second post)

:)

[Cub]

What do you think about cheap scroll chucks off ebay? http://cgi.ebay.com.au/4-100MM-4-JAWS-SELF-CENTRING-WOOD-LATHE-SCROLL-CHUCK_W0QQitemZ270368587227QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_BnI_Woodworking_Metalworking?hash=item270368587227&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A1318

To me the lack of info means they are hiding the quality or lack of quality more likely. what is your opinion?

[ss_11000]

5 reasons why i wouldnt buy it.

it doesnt say that the thread is via an insert so its only compatible on 1'x10tpi lathes
it doesnt have a t-bar (which is better because you can use the chuck with one hand). it has a two handed operating system (blonde moment - cant remember what its called)
its a 'unknown' brand wuth no extra jaws available and wouldnt be compatible with other brands.
it doesnt say there is a woodscrew
it doesnt have indexing

check out this one if you dont understand what i am talking about.
http://gpwoodturning.sitesuitestores.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=1107136782&product_id=1107445143

the thing on the left is an insert, then you have the allen key, the t-bar and finally the wood screw (and obviously the chcuk as well).

[Cub]

I guess this backs up the theory "you get what you pay for"
Thanks SS_11000 :thanx2:
And :birthday:

[ss_11000]

no worries mate.

glad to help.

i was once asking all the same questions you are :)