# Opinion - using a metal lathe for wood turning?



## mathguy1981 (Aug 30, 2018)

I'm in no hurry but I'm looking for a good, used lathe. I'm interested in turning both wood, and occasionally metal. There are far, far more metal lathes (tool room lathes) out there on CL then wood lathes. I've watched a fair bit of youTube channels on metal working, and obviously on wood turning. Except for the cost, at 2-3x what a wood lathe would go for, and a different spindle size/chuck, I don't see why you couldn't turn wood AND sometimes metal on a metal lathe?


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## BHZ (Sep 21, 2015)

Dad did with his, I still amazed at how he was able to control the in-out, left-right hand wheels to form smooth curves.









I just welded this tool rest to use.


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## mathguy1981 (Aug 30, 2018)

Yes, exactly, you'd just need to add a standard wook workers tool rest. That's what I'm thinking….Looking for someone to explain why it's a really bad idea, because the ability to do both is intriguing….


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

The biggest downside is getting wood dust in the all the nooks and crannies. Bearings probably aren't sealed, lots of gears in the headstock and carriage apron that are oiled and exposed. Oil+sawdust=sticky film.

The biggest problem is that metal-working lathes don't spin fast enough. For instance, my South Bend metal lathe has a high speed of 1200 rpm. My Delta woodworking lathe has a high speed of 4000 rpm.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Sure you can do it… as long as you can get the lathe to run at the speeds needed. Metal lathes use super slow speeds compared to wood lathes, and usually won't turn fast enough unless modified to do so… for example, my South Bend 9" lathe has a top spindle speed of 630 RPM.

Also… oil, sawdust, swarf and wood chips don't mix well.

As sort of a side-observation - just about everyone I know who has a wood/metal band saw uses it for a single material (ie: wood or metal), and rarely switch between the two. Those that do so frequently have two saws… one dedicated to each 

Cheers,
Brad


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

And, just to add on to what Brad and I said about the speed, it's not just a matter of putting a faster motor or changing the drive pulley to speed it up. The bearings on a metal lathe most likely aren't going to be up to handling those kinds of speeds.


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## GrantA (Jul 19, 2014)

^ditto what Brad & Kenny said 
I have used my metal lathe to center drill a piece of wood because it's accurate for that sort of thing but actual wood turning, no way. It's a precision machine with lots of exposed oily parts to collect sawdust


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## mathguy1981 (Aug 30, 2018)

Okay, that makes sense. I hadn't considered the spindle speed differences.
Thanks guys! Guess I'll have to pick my poison and get one or the other.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I don't know what you had in mind as far as turning metal but, you can turn soft metals like brass and aluminum using wood turning tools on a wood turning lathe. Of course you don't have the precision of a metal turning lathe but just food for thought.


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## GrantA (Jul 19, 2014)

Also, a bit of advice. Be prepared to invest at least a couple if not several hundred in tooling for a metal lathe, that's assuming you get some sort of tool post with it. If you want to turn wood primarily pickup a wood lathe and have fun - the investment in money and time will be much lower. Then decide if you want to devote the space and money to a metal lathe. 
With that said my metal lathe isn't going anywhere, and I plan to upgrade to a better wood lathe than the old HF one I have now but it does work just fine


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

As was said earlier, expect a problem of wood dust working its way into the sliding/rotating parts of the machine. This can reach a point where the sliding/rotating parts become jammed and won't move! I can testify to this as I had to partially dismantle a metal lathe to clean it out. The carriage was locked up tight! Metal lathes have very close fitting parts with an oil film on them that adhere the wood dust and jam the workings.


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## mathguy1981 (Aug 30, 2018)

Thanks everyone, you certainly gave me the points I was looking for to look before I leaped. I need a bigger shop, I've decided, LOL.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

> Thanks everyone, you certainly gave me the points I was looking for to look before I leaped. *I need a bigger shop*, I ve decided, LOL.
> 
> - mathguy1981


Hey, whaddaya know, me too!


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Could spend lot of time on CL looking for a wood lathe that is any good. Not sure what you want to turn but Harbor Freight's 12" x 33" wood lathe not that expensive. Can see reviews at their site & on this one.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I'll recommend their midi lathe for a beginning lathe as well if you're interested in smaller stuff like pens and tool handles and smaller bowls.


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

We have found that our local woodturning club often announces (by email) lathes that are being sold by members. If that fails they may resort to CL.


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## doubleG469 (Mar 8, 2017)

> I ll recommend their midi lathe for a beginning lathe as well if you re interested in smaller stuff like pens and tool handles and smaller bowls.
> 
> - HokieKen


Sent you a message on the Nova Comet II I have for sale. Great lathe to start your addiction on.


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## Randy86314 (Jul 7, 2019)

My Jet 1340 GHB is about 25 years old. Even before I took my first woodturning class eight years ago, I was trying to figure how to "adapt' it to woodturning. I like to make bowls, and I don't do much spindle work, except for homemade tool handles. I bought a 5MT arbor blanks which I installed in the spindle and threaded 1-1/4-8 tpi to hold my Nova chuck. The toolrest puzzled me. How could I make a banjo style tool rest fit on the ways of the metal lathe? I finally decided to make a special holder to fit on the carriage, replacing the standard tool post. 
I worry about dust in the bearings, but not too much. The top spindle speed is 2000 rpm, faster than I need for turning 12 inch bowls. It would be nice to have a variable speed dial, but I don't have space in my studio/shop/garage for two lathes. The major obstacle to bowl turning is that the tool handle hits the chip pan on the back side of the lathe; I now have a short handled bowl gouge for initial cuts from the top of the bowl. I suppose I could turn in reverse and work from the near side. Yes, I know. It's dusty.
I attached a few pics.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Metal dust build-up is just as much of a problem as wood dust is; it may be worse. Metal is much more abrasive than wood dust. I see no reason for not using a metal lathe for wood as long as you clean it up well afterwards. You can put some cardboard down on the ways to help keep them clean. The usual procedure for turning on a metal lathe is to first wipe clean any oil and grease before turning and re-lubing after done turning. It sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but if you want a lathe to provide long service, it needs to be done. Aside from a metal lathe not having a high enough speed, I find that really hard woods turn well; not so on soft woods. Using razor sharp HSS tool bits can cut wood as well as the wood turning chisel.


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