Lathe
5So I keep watching wood turning videos but have never used a lathe. I don’t know anything but am considering getting one and learning just to learn. Maybe make a bunch of neat wood christmas ornaments. Anyway I am looking for info. Ie what to look for in a beginner lathe. Random advice ect.
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Lathe that to the professionals.
No (helpful) advice, but go you! Sounds like a fun impromptu hobby.
Jump right in with both feet - http://www.shopsmith.com/markvsite/
The mark 7 starts at $4,279.13 plus shipping.
Or you could start out with one of these . . .
https://www.amazon.com/SHOP-W1704-3-Horsepower-Benchtop-Lathe/dp/B001R23SWW/
That lathe plus $100 in decent beginner tools will get you started for around $250 and you’ll have fun.
Remember to never wear loose fitting clothing in the shop. In fact, you might consider woodworking while nude - @oldcatlady will be right over if you do.
@Pavlov but for God’s sake, remember to watch out for Mr. Winkie if you do work nekid…
@Pavlov Very important: tie your hair back (if you have long hair) some ladies have lost their lives with getting hair stuck between the tool and the workpiece. NOT a good way to go!
@Pavlov I certainly would want to make sure everything was safe. I tried to find a ‘safety’ giphy but all I got was an education. Apparently the primary definition of ‘safe’ isn’t what it used to be. Wow.
@gsrivast
Not as extreme…
@OldCatLady safety first…
This is the extent of my expertise
look for an old shopsmith it does everything kinda good. Take wood working at your local community college, they’ll have equipment that won’t kill you. In any event don’t go cheap unless you intend to work reasonably small like 3/4" by 2 or 3". Cheap stuff just does not have the power or beefy enough bearings to do anything much bigger without slapping you in the face eventually
@cranky1950 Picturing that last line just resulted in an evil laugh that I couldn’t contain.
My only advice: don’t do what I always do with power equipment like lathes. My stupidity runs a little like this:
tl;dr – Do your research and buy a decent lathe from a reputable manufacturer.
@rv617 Drill press lathe. You mean like this?
The important thing is wanting a lathe and naming a thread Lathe. You’re doing really great.
@snapster It’s obviously a subliminal hint to your buyers.
You can get one of these cheap, buy used because the resale value is about what you’re paying for it. They work but are annoying after you know what you’re doing because you have to tear the machine down and reset it for every step, so you have to plan your work around the shopsmith. they are pretty solid though.
Shopsmif
See if you can talk another human into spinning a piece of wood really quickly, while you attempt to whittle it down with a butterknife. There is no possible way this could ever backfire or end in a maiming.
(This will most certainly end in a maiming.)
A combination of craigslist and patience can get you some great deals. I got my lathe and mill that way. Research; have a few manufacturers and models in mind; then check craigslist obsessively.
St Roy set you on the noble path http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/TreadleLathe.pdf
@freepisacat That guy is an authentic weirdo, and I love it! I cobbled together a treadle lathe many moons ago, it was fun, I made a mallet handle, the end.
I never really had a need for turned pieces, but I could see myself setting that thing up in the middle of the woods and churning out some peace.
I’m a wood-turning fanatic. Not rooting my horn, but I’ve turned everything from baseball bats and spindles to bowls and and wine goblets, and I taught myself, and before there was YouTube mind you.
If you want to turn wider or open-ended items (bowls, cups , candlesticks) get a lathe with a ‘chuck plate’ and variable speeds. Even a cheapo from Menards or Harbor Freight will be more than sufficient for starting out on, and the same goes for spoons/tools.
It’s a great pastime if you are creative but to shaky or impatient for pottery!
I thought of this.
/youtube rWz88VY-FkA
@sligett
You read that thought outta my mind long before I bothered to think it.
Wicked.
@sligett You call that a song about lathing? That’s not a song about lathing. This is a song about lathing.
@sligett
Shouldn’t Lathe Lady be lathing on a big wooden bed, not a brass one?
Someone’s been slacking.
@f00l There are lathes for metal, too.
@sligett
O
@f00l yes.
/youtube W4ga_M5Zdn4
But that’s not what he said! He distinctly said ‘to blathe’ and as we all know ‘to blathe’ means to bluff!
Couldn’t help myself
It could be fun if meh started getting some maker/fab type tools. Laser engravers, 3d printers, CNC, lathes, whatever. Of course my wallet may not appreciate that.
/giphy no money
My local hackerspace has a lathe and people who are happy to teach how to use it. You should look into similar organizations in your area. Learn, try, and if you really like it, you can invest in your own tools.
@MrGlass This.
I think the community college class someone mentioned is a good idea. With that said, I would suggest you not pay retail for anything!
We have a family friend who’s into woodworking and he swears by Craigslist. If you are patient you can get some amazing deals on equipment worth thousands for short money. For example I bought a $1000 generator for $150 that was practically new (2 hours on the engine) and all it needed was to have the oil level sensor reset to clear the error and it worked perfectly!
I’ve heard lots of good things about Shopsmiths (I think that’s what friend has but too late to call to confirm) and while they do have some annoying quirks they are great for starting out.
@jbartus Also if you have votech colleges, or older high schools that actually had vocational programs like shop and metalworking… I’ve seen occasional deals from district sales that included wood lathes, drill presses, even metal lathes and mills. They might need refurbishing but generally they were the old quality brands and parts are available.
I haven’t had that level of luck with Craigslist here, but I think thats endemic to the area… everything costs more.
A Shopsmith is a good compromise, but it’s exactly that. Like any x-in-1 device, in order to accommodate multiple functions there are little sacrifices involved. Mostly in the fact that you have to reconfigure the tool for the job at hand. But they don’t take up as much space as all the individual tools, so it’s a pretty decent tradeoff for home use.
But if you’re only interested in a lathe, it’s cheaper to go the harbor freight route and get a single purpose machine.
My dad has a Mark V that he’s had ever since I was a wee lad. It’s still rock solid and one day will probably be in my shop.
Our local Woodcraft shop offers classes using their in-house eqmt (which might be better quality than that of local community college).
As long as this thread is here and there are some lathe-i-ly experienced types here, what about the Rockler Mini Lathe? It is currently $300 but has frequently been on sale for something in the $200-$225 range.
It has a bed extension which is also on sale occasionally.
Note: I have no real need for such a device. However on quite a few occasions over the years, having one would have made life easier or allowed me to make something that I ended up having to buy.
@baqui63 I’m a fan of Rockler, but Craigslist in my local area has listings for a couple Shopsmiths for less, and a couple vintage Craftsman (need motor setup) for even less than that. I guess it depends what size working stock is desired (or how much room is available).