Thread: I want, nay NEED a lathe!

Try to scrape some more money together to buy a cast iron lathe of some type.
The pressed metal ones flex too much.

A good option is a second hand lathe.
For example here in Holland we have www.marktplaats.nl where you can buy for a reasonable price a lot of stuff, furniture, cabinets, bikes, household stuff, machinery under which lathes and a lot more. Maybe the same excist in your country.
Or an other option is to build your own lathe, just what I did. This lathe cost me euro 250, and I can turn on that lathe everything I want. Take a look to my website.
http://members.lycos.nl/adecrom

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Hi Ficfac,

While you can do somethings with the gmc, I would strongly recommend you try for something like the Woodfast midi...it is $395 or there abouts and is a much better machine. If you all ready know that you are hooked and will want to continue this pastime(obsession) long term, get a better one. I like you am short of cash but I have saved up and bought the woodfast (guided by recommendations on this forum) I have just unpacked it today and can't wait to start using it.... in the meantime I have been using a lathe at work.

With the woodfast, it is a real lathe... you can get a chuck for it that is interchangeable with full size lathes... it has indexing, can turn bowls up to 300mm and if you want to do longer stuff, you can buy an extension bed for it later on as funds become available. Also remember if funds are short, you are likely only going to be able to afford to do smaller things anyway.

http://www.woodfast.com.au/index.php?p=1_5
https://www.woodworkforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=72117


Also have a look at what BOBL says about his and some of the things he has done with it.

www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=67474

By all means seek plenty of advice, but if you do a search on these forums, you will find lots of information.

Regards,

Chipman (addicted to turning!)

I started with the GMC. It served me well but I was just testing the waters. My woodfast has let me do lots of better work. As the other have said save up and don't just get one because its cheap. With my woodfast I turned a small bowl 1.5 mm thick that is thin I have 2 small items I've turned including the thin bowl with light shining thru it
Whatever you do enjoy
Regards Michael

Thanks for all the quick replies folks. I don't know what I'll do just yet but you've stopped me rushing in headlong! Cheers!

If your really stuck with the money then go for the GMC.

BUT I would not recommend it. But If you can consider the following .

http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/WoodLathes2

http://www.carbatec.com.au/machinery...es-accessories

The lathe will turn out to be the smallest expense in the whole operation. If you buy the GMC in the end you may throw it away. Because second hand they arent worth much.
If howver you spend a little more ie $199. Then you will most likley keep the lathe for small stuff as it will be far better made and perhaps cast iron at that.

Then as previously mentioned theres the second hand market

If you're well and truly addicted this fast, the weak sisters will be a disappointment right quick. At the other extreme, I've seen recommendations to "buy your last lathe first." That's always seemed like tool snobbery to me though, suitable only for the wealthy. Quite a few folks cut their teeth on the MC900 or such, and my Harbor Freight 34706 (about US$200 new on sale) is a near clone that's my only functioning lathe as yet. When/if I do a Gil Jones (Mustard Monster), I still might keep it.

Whatever floats your boat. Similar to what hughie said (smallest expense), all boats leak.

[Sorry; couldn't resist the temptation.]
Joe

how about this: there's the carba-tec economy model, or there's a Hare and Forbes one, both under four hundred, and both look better than the GMC. The carba-tec one has a 360 degree rotating head too.

I had a GMC, first time I used it the tool rest broke. They replaced it no queries. Used it for the third time and the tail stock broke making it the wood fly out. Nearly scared me that much I did think about giving up. So they are not made real strong If I was you talk to Jim Carrol he let me pay mine off perhaps you could do something the same with him then you know that you are getting a quality lathe. Like I never got it immediately but at least I knew when she did arrive she would be great and it has been.
hope that helps
Toni

2nd hand is good. I would stay away from the GMC.
The H&F and Ct would probably be OK but you will most likely do better for the same money.
Good luck.

I started out with the GMC and a $29 set of tools, but it was only because I hadn't tried turning in 30 years and wasn't sure if I'd want to stick with it. GMC taught me everything about why cheap tools are money wasted, and almost turned me off completely (pun intended).

If you already know you want a lathe, do as the others say and save up for something a bit better. If all you want to do is small stuff (pens, maybe tool handles, small bowls) maybe one of the mini lathes will do. Even if you outgrow it you may still find it useful as a 2nd lathe, or you could sell it.

Because I'm loathe to throw anything out, my GMC lathe (actually, it's my 3rd, wore two out within warranty period) is now doing time as a very poor disk sander.

Which means it's infinitely better as a sander than it ever was as a lathe...

ficfac,
I too am interested in this end of town, and here's what I've gleamed so far. Both the Carbatec and the H&F lathes are the same thing with a different badge - it's from china, and I think it's model is MC900. I am using one in the mens shed I go to, and they seem very good to me (having little experience at all).

I too am avoiding the GMC - searching for GMC Lathe on this forum returns some scathing replies, and a few people who have used one to begin with (all who seem to have upgraded). Although everyone agrees on the lifespan of the GMC - real short.

Check to see if there is a mens shed close to you - and go check it out. Not only will they have a lathe (and a better one than the GMC) - but they will have chisels, a bench grinder, a bandsaw and someone who knows what they are doing!! All of these things are very usefull to start out with. (you can they perhaps get the chisels first, and use them at your shed?) This way, if it's only a shortlived obcession then you havn't shelled out a bunch of cash (at least $500) to start with.

Also you can check out eBay, but so far there are a lot of lathes with pressed metal beds, and the only decent one I saw went for $800. Lots in the $200 range, but mostly not worth it considering the $400 lathe is much better.

Good luck anyhow.
Andy

Visit your local woodturning group, you may pick up a good used lathe there for a reasonable cost. You will at least get some great help.

thanks again all. will definitely save a bit and get a better one. might even sell off a couple of my spare surfboards. while we're at it, any thoughts on those northwood chisels?