Wood Lathe Recommendation

Woodturning is probably the most fun you can have in the workshop on one machine. Don’t forget to include some of the accessories for your lathe in your budget. You should consider purchasing tools of good quality. I am refering to turning tools, chucks, live and dead centers, rests, mandrels, drills,etc. The list goes on forever. You also mentioned pens,s &p mills which sounds like a mini lathe. Also a machine capable of a 36” capacity between centers. I have upgraded my lathe by looking for used. There are many around. It is a buyers’ market for lathes out there. Try to find a pair of heavy legs (cast iron) for your lathe. The heavier the better. The most expensive lathes are usually very heavy.

-- Mike, Massachusetts

I paid as much for my Oneway Talon chuck as I did for my Jet mini lathe, and it was worth it. Price out your accessories.

Thanks for your comments! Although I am new at this challenge, I do have a lathe that was given to me. I am wanting to upgrade to a sturdier, better machine. I also have some tools that I have been using.

Mike … can you show me a direction to look at the used market? Although I generally steer away from that, I would like to consider it.

Thanks!

I have always thought a place like Woodcraft could give you a lathe if you promised to buy all accessories from them. As Mike says, be sure to figure those costs into your decision.

The usual used tool market would be Ebay or Craig’s List, flea markets and yard sales, be sure to ask the owners they may not want to haul a lathe out to the sidewalk. Try to Google in “used wood lathes”. Put a classified ad in your local paper, ask the carpentry instructor at a vocational high school, check the people at your local sawmills.

A friend of mine once found found some fishing equipment advertised at the senior center. This process can itself be a lot of fun. I would also try to make some of your chisels youirself. Some of my favorites were made by me from files, bearing scrapers, old woodworking chisels, etc.

-- Mike, Massachusetts

Ok … for those interested … I caved. I am spending about $2000 on a Laguna lathe. That price is delivered to Louisiana and with their self centering chuck. Unfortuantely they are out of stock until late this month/early next but I put a deposit down on one. Now I am tool shopping!

I will check out eBay and Craig’s List Mike … thanks for the tip.

Tiger, if you are spending that much on a lathe, check out products by Oneway. The professional and wealthy turners I know praise the Oneway lathes. Before you do though, look at the lathes that the authers in magazine articles are using. They are all over the price range. The last one I saw an old Sears lathe that Rigid was still selling a few years ago. He modified the bed from a stock 36” to 44” to turn chair parts. I have one of these and it will do anything most people need. You also said the Lagune was out of stock, that is not suprising, considering the value of the American dollar against other currencies. Last night, I saw a nice Rockwell lathe on the Boston area Craig’s List. Good Luck…

-- Mike, Massachusetts

The 44’” requirement will be the bugaboo…Nova with an extension bed???

Here is the latest if anyone is interested …

I put a deposit down on the Lagna lathe. They offered a chuck to offset the cost. After a month or so my lathe arrived sans chuck. I called and the chuck was “backordered”. My salesman had left the company so I spoke to several people who were attempting to handle my account. After a few months I bought a Oneway chuck thinking the backorder gig was just a ploy. I made a post on Laguna’s site … http://lagunatools.ipbhost.com/index.php?act=post&do=reply_post&f=7&t=1531 ... and what do you know … the next day a Laguna rep called and left a message that my chuck had been sent. You can find the story at the above link.

At this time I am out $300 with a spare chuck. At this time I can’t say that I would recommend Laguna to a single person … that is unless they don’t care how they are treated!

Bill

tiger, a large lathe will do small work as well so it would pay to go for the bigger option. You will need a good set of chisels. I don’t recommend the short handled cheaper options as they are more likely to lead to trouble with safety. The high speed steel chisels are the better material.
You will need a pen mandrel to turn pens, they are not expensive.
There are a wide variety of good chucks on the market, some you can hand modify. The Nova chuck is a great option & has a lot of versality.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

Hi, been reading all of this and want to say I picked up the general maxi 200 with extension and could not be happier. Swivel headstock, machined well and runs great with variable speed. General staff are real good to deal with also. JB

-- Joey B, Maine

dont be too disheveled. backorders do happen and the spare chuck WILL be an asset soon I promise. I had pretty much the same experiance a few years ago but soon realized you can never have too many chucks. I now have 4 and extra jaws to boot. need a few more too! I use them all! That laguna is a nice machine that should last a lifetime and at 2000 is a good deal even without the chuck. I know spending the moolah hurts at first but…..:-]. you started out with a keeper instead of playing the upgrade game so in the long run you are ahead of the game. I am on my fourth lathe in only 5 years! the newest is powermatic 3520B. sure wish I had done this the first time round! I could have had 2 of them with the money spent upgradeing! enjoy the new toy!

fred

-- hey honey! watch this!