Thread: gmc lathe

One thing that pens require is accuracy. To make a good, true pen you need a lathe capable of doing just that -ie. turning accurately.

Sorry but GMC lathes aren't up to the required standard for pen turning.

They are OK, to a point, for larger spindle work and small faceplate work.

Originally Posted by thompy

hi pen guys,
From memory the lathe was bought around the mid 1980's.

I didn't think that GMC lathes were around in the mid - 80's, so it might be something else.
Don't despair though, as with a bit of work and some mucking about it could be used for many other turning projects....and pen turning is not the "be all - end all"

Thank you both for the input, i've since done some more looking around and i'm thinking its not a gmc (by jove i think Watson has it..! there's no yellow on the lathe at all and probably more right because of its age) but an old dynalink maybe, blue perhaps green hammertone finish, with and end door to the pulleys, thats all i can pull from my memory.

I guess for me i'm treating it as a starting point to rekindling an old hobby, and i'd like to try pen turning to see if i like it (without spending a ton of cash). i find myself more often than not watching video's and being slackjawed at some finished shots of the pen works.

Edit: i'm mostly hoping for it to have a morse taper in it to have a go, worst case is i'll buy a pen jig and have it shelved and oiled for a later lathe, and be content in what i can do with the lathe itself in the mean time.. PPP, practice practice practice.

Best post some pics when you have the lathe and I am sure it will be identified. It does need to be accurate for pen turning, but lets wait and see. Pen jigs are cheap so nothing lost if this lathe isn't up to it. There are some very good small lathes suitable for pens that aren't that expensive if that's where you want to go. Check out your local woodies clubs. Many of our club members got into pen turning using the clubs lathes to learn/try out on.

I have a similar lathe by the sounds of it. So far I have had no problems making pens with it, though I am about to upgrade. It is a bit of a pain setting up the mandrel precisly but mine seems to work ok, though the tail stock is starting to wear. I just attach the mandral to the chuck and mandral to the tail stock. It works to try your hand at anyway.

I started on a second hand GMC with no morse taper to speak of. It came with a 4 jaw chuck (each jaw moved independantly so it took a lot of patience to get it mounted straight) and I got a few decent pens out of it. After about 6 months I realised I had the disease and upgraded to a better lathe (although it's only an MC900).

Which is sort of what I was on about.
What happens if you buy a really crash hot lathe, and you find that you're a really cruddy turner.??? Pens or anything.
Better to learn on what you have, and then progress.

Not too sure about that, with a crummy lathe, you can always blame the tool. When you step up a gear, you no longer have that excuse. Maybe I'm just a cruddy turner

True stuff........I worked out really early that I'm a cruddy turner.....can't blame anything.

i had not considered using a clubs lathe, i shall look into that.top idea. i didnt realise turners had localised clubs let alone equipment or premesis for use.
As for the can turn / can't turn thing, i believe i can.
Its been a very long time since i made the bowl (sorry for the poor photo), and i had all the school equipment at my disposal, i guess i'll wait and see where on the scale my ability is currently and try out the equipment i have coming, see where both lie on the scale of things.