Thread: Gifted Lathe - Worth Keeping?

Hi Reback. keep consuming your fine BEERS as just one glass of this fantastic drink, is worth more in value than this type of so called lathe. Yes I was given one 15 or so years ago now its used as a land fill some where it belongs or may be, crushed for scrap metal.

The unit is a fairly cheap generic lathe that lacks rigidity. As a lathe they are not great, but they are better than nothing. A few people on the forums have opted to discard the bed assembly, mount the faceplate and set it up as a disc sander. Others have tried to offer them free on the forum with few takers.
Unfortunately a classic case of cheap Chinese product that vaguely looks the part, intended to part the unwary and their cash.

Ah, yes i wasn't impressed with the rigidity or general quality. Turning it into a disc sander however has a quite a lot of merit, thanks for that idea!.

Ok, well i am really keen now to do some turning, because it got my interest up.
Just have to research now what is a good mid price lathe....

thanks for the feeback guys.

Hi Malb, Yes I agree with your comments, i forgot to mention that we also had one at our club that has been turned in to a polisher.

Originally Posted by Redback

...Ok, well i am really keen now to do some turning, because it got my interest up.
Just have to research now what is a good mid price lathe.....

This lathe may not be the best as you have found out that accessories are a little bit harder to source. As suggested turn this into a disk sander.

As your interest has been sparked it might be worth while to look at joining a wood turning club or visiting someone that has a lathe. They could give you a rundown on their lathe and weather you really want to take up this part of the hobby. This is almost the path that I took before I started wood turning and I certainly don't want to discourage you in following this through.

Also make a great polishing lathe does not matter how c&%p you spray all over it

Yep, it's a lathe. Yep the build quality is minimal and Yep, you are better off modifying it.

It's the same design that I started with, some 13-14 years ago. It maybe a 3/4" spindle. To confirm, obtain some nuts or dies of known sizes or use verniers. To stiffen the ways, slide a fitting length of 3/4 ply under the base. This style lathe can get you interested enough to learn more about better lathes and give time for the Turning bug to bite.

Join a club or ask on this forum, if there is a member local to you that can drop over and provide some guidance.

Beware of the Turning Bug's bite, it doesn't bite you, it devours your wallet

Originally Posted by Pat

....
Beware of the Turning Bug's bite, it doesn't bite you, it devours your wallet

The only known cure is the other half finding out how much you spent.

Sorry wrong smiley it's should have been this one.

At the mens shed we have been given about a dozen lathes including the same lathe as the one in the OP one.
We simply could not cope with this many lathes so we have sold some.
I think yours was sold for ~$40 which I was a bt embarrassed about as I said we should have given it away..

Originally Posted by Christos

The only known cure is the other half finding out how much you spent.

Sorry wrong smiley it's should have been this one.

my mrs still talks about lathe dollars

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

my mrs still talks about lathe dollars

That's because you keep spending.

Originally Posted by Christos

That's because you keep spending.

Don't we all?

Originally Posted by Redback

Ah, yes i wasn't impressed with the rigidity or general quality. Turning it into a disc sander however has a quite a lot of merit, thanks for that idea!.

Ok, well i am really keen now to do some turning, because it got my interest up.
Just have to research now what is a good mid price lathe....

thanks for the feedback guys.

https://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/mer...EARCH&q=lathes

Check these out, I don't think you can go any less expensive for any better. I have the TurnCrafter Pro, with the extension that gives me 42", in length.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/TCLC10XB.html

That old lathe of yours looks like a 3/4" Harbor Freight deal and they are NOT very sturdy.

The 10" lathes will let you turn, of course, a ten inch bowl, pens, pencils, and gewgaws, so if you want to turn larger bowls, you'll have to fork over 2 or 3 thousand for a "big" one.

'Ave a good day, mate.

BTW, you'll need https://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCGRINDSYS.html and https://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCHSS8.html for starters. If you get in deeper, you'll pick up more and more accessories.

I was gifted one of these some years ago. Cheap & nasty BUT - it got me started working on lathes. I am now ready to upgrade to my 3rd lathe.
So if it gets you started, well and good. Also, I am devastated I did not think of turning it into a disc sander. Bugger!