Thread: Can anyone suggest a great mini lathe to purchase please?

The size and specs of the $399 Carbatec minilathe is probably more than adequate for your needs but you'll need plenty of accessories and lathe tools too.

Drive centre, dead or live centres, perhaps a chuck or collet, and chisels of course.

The website doesn't seem to mention the morse taper of the headstock or tailstock just the thread size. Does it have a morse taper?

I personally would not buy any lathe without morse taper capabilities in both headstock and tailstock.

Vaughan

It depends what you and others mean by "great".
I'd say for $400 you will get a lathe "adequate" for what you want to do.

However, the lathe is only just the start - then you will need tools, PPE and dust extraction.
And did you know that wood turning (especially by newbies) is one of the dustiest wood working activities around exposing woodturners to levels on average about 40X greater than old recommended health and safety standards. Hence the need for some form of decent dust extraction.

I see a couple of options

buy a lathe and then the associated tools - chisels, grinder to sharpen chisels, dust extraction, probably a chuck, maybe a centre or two.

get someone else to turn the smallish blocks - you might get quite a few for the $400 - but not the enjoyment of turning your own

or you could join the local men's shed and use their equipment ...

Or you could join Sydney wood turners or Marrickville maker space.

but if it were me I'd take Nick up on his generous offer to do them for you

Thanks so much for replying Sawdust Maker I have made contact with Men's Sheds in the past, but my understanding is that women are not allowed to join, as it's thought having women around may impact on men sharing their emotions with each other. It's a good point, and I respect that, but perhaps each shed has it's own rules and it's not so locked down these days. I've made contact with a local shed to get an idea of a price for the job, but I'm a maker through and through. I'd MUCH rather make my own
Appreciate your suggestions. Thanks.

Thanks so much for your reply BobL. I know $400 is only entry level, but hopefully its enough of a budget to get me a lathe to do the job. I have all the other things you suggest for other forms of woodworking I do, but I appreciate your concern.

Thats so helpful, thanks Vaughan. I'll look into all the 'add-on's', do some homework and then the math!! Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Pac man

Or you could join Sydney wood turners or Marrickville maker space.

but if it were me I'd take Nick up on his generous offer to do them for you

Hahaha - did I miss something here Pac man?!! Maybe I'll look into Sydney Wood Turners. My understanding is that you have to be a reg member to use MakerSpace. Thanks anyway.

Clare, you could look at second hand as they often come with various accessories, sets of gouges etc

I think I might just do that Hughie- thanks so much.

Originally Posted by clare

Thanks so much for your reply BobL. I know $400 is only entry level, but hopefully its enough of a budget to get me a lathe to do the job. I have all the other things you suggest for other forms of woodworking I do, but I appreciate your concern.

Yes it should do what you want.
Do you already have the lathe turning tools?

I have carving tools and can access some turning tools Bob

Hi Clare

Turning tools are a whole lot of expense compared to other woodworking tools.

At a guess, a beginner set would include
roughing gouge
parting tool
finger gouge
skew chisel -- possibly in two or three sizes
scraper -- again possibly in two sizes.

all in High Speed Steel (HSS) and a bench grinder to keep them sharp.

All up the cost of the tooling will likely exceed the cost of a $400 lathe.

Originally Posted by BobL

It depends what you and others mean by "great".
I'd say for $400 you will get a lathe "adequate" for what you want to do.

However, the lathe is only just the start - then you will need tools, PPE and dust extraction.
And did you know that wood turning (especially by newbies) is one of the dustiest wood working activities around exposing woodturners to levels on average about 40X greater than old recommended health and safety standards. Hence the need for some form of decent dust extraction.

BobL, don't take this the wrong way but why do you hijack EVERY question about new lathes and starting out with dust extraction systems more expensive than the tool people are asking about. We get it, it's a dusty profession/hobby. Did you work for work cover or are you the forums WHS officer. I have had a $39.95 Vacuum stuck behind my lathe with the nozzle pointed at the job and have never had any issues.

sorry but every time someone asks the question that Clare asks, there you are giving more information about the severity of dust etc instead of what they are looking for.