best kind of lathe??

[gtrost]

I'm new to the hobby and just wandering in your opinoin what is your favorite lathe?? Thanks for your time, Gary

 

[53Jim]

You must be new...[] If you ask 200 people which lathe is best, you'll get 200 different answers.

Personally, I like the Jet mini, only 'cuz that's what I learned on, and that's what I bought.

Good luck with your search[]

Jim

 

[darbytee]

Hi Gary, I hope you're ready for a lot of different answers. I used a non-VS Jet mini for two years before I recently upgraded to a Powermatic 3520 (insert Tim Allen grunt). I loved my Jet mini, never had a minutes trouble with it, and still use it as a buffing station.

I know there are a lot of people here that use the Jet mini VS and have nothing but good things to say about it. In my opinion it is probably the best combination of value and quality for turning pens. You can get one from Amazon for around $350 with free shipping.

Good luck.

 

[laspringer]

HDC is the only lathe that I have used. It is old but still works fine for me. Replaced the bearings for the shaft and reworked the shaft to get a good fit with the new bearings. HDC can be purchased at any traveling tool truck for about $99.00 Alan

 

[opfoto]

I use the Jet Mini, non-vs. Love it.

 

[melogic]

Jim is right. As it has been said before, Get the best with what you can afford. It is worth your while to spend a little more now on a lathe.

 

[Fred in NC]

For pens and other small turnings, I like my Jet Mini. I bought the non-VS, and later modified it with a DC motor and variable speed controller. Photos in my album.

 

[Fleabit]

And then there are those of us that use the good old SHOPSMITH!![]

 

[wicook]

I agree with Fleabit, ShopSmiths make great lathes...and they're variable speed, too! [}]

 

[rtjw]

Jet variable speed is what I have and it is great.

 

[dubdrvrkev]

I am a Jet mini guy myself. Let me tell you my rationale for buying it. The mini has a 10" swing, and you can get a non-vs for about $200, however to step up to a 12" swing (lets say, Jet 1236) you more than double the money. Too me it wasn't worth it for my starter lathe. I plan to upgrade to a PM 3520, DVR 3000, or Oneway 2436 sometime, but I will keep the little workhorse mini. IMHO the 3 lathes I listed above are some of the best around, some for different reasons than others.

Really it depends if you have 100's or 1000's to spend.

 

[MDWine]

I love my Shopsmith... but then I didn't buy it for the lathe capability!
I've only recently come to my "lathe senses" !!

 

[Darley]

Love my little mini Jet VS very good tool, best $ I expended

Serge

 

[Old Griz]

Boy have you opened a can of worms.... I have a Jet1236, I purchase it last year at a really special sale at Amazon and only paid $379 with shipping.. you are now looking at about $200 higher...
I also have a Jet Mini that my club is using.. again got a sale price I could not afford not to take.. even though I really did not need another lathe..
BUT... I want a bigger lathe eventually... I will probably look at the Jet1640 or a Powermatic... both great electronic VS speed machines...

OK, let's get down to brass tacks... I am going to get slammed for this, but.... I DON'T CARE FOR THE HARBOR FREIGHT, GRIZZLY or CRAFTSMAN LATHES, I have seen and turned on a few of them and they just don't have the quality of my Jet... and if you decide to step up to a better lathe later, they do not have the resale value, unless you find a newbie who really really wants to save money...

Let's look at the variable in buying a lathe:
1. What do you want to turn. If all you are going to work on is pens (YEAH RIGHT, It ain't gonna happen), I would recommend the Jet Mini VS... but the non variable is a great machine also.. If you intend to also do bowl or spindle work, I would not go smaller than the Jet1236 and if you can afford one get the Jet1640.. it is real sweet and if it had been available when I got my 1236 that is what I would be using now...
2. How much room to you have for your lathe.. If you are in very small shop and already have a bunch of tools, the Jet Mini might be your best alternative, because it can be placed on a shelf when not in use...
3. What do your finances look like... This is a biggie.. because in the beginning we all want to get started immediately... DO NOT buy cheap in hopes of buying better later.. you just end up spending twice and not getting what you really need. Also buying cheap and not getting a good machine, may turn you off to turning because you are not getting the most out of your lathe... better (Higher priced) machines work better and last longer.. Also remember you are going to also need lathe tools, a slow speed grinder with white wheels and a sharpening jig to keep those tools at the proper grind... In the end I have spent a lot more on my tools and accessories than I have on my lathe... it is something to consider..
3. You will want a lathe with a real stable platform... this means strong legs and weight.. on my 1236 I put a couple of silo blocks on the bed of the lathe when turning out of round bowl blanks to keep it from vibrating... some people actually screw the lathe to the concrete floor of the shop... weight = stability...
4. I definately recommend getting a lathe with some sort of variable speed system instead of having to change belts.. it just makes life easier.... the Jet reeves drive works fine, but an electronic VS system is real sweet and you can get your speeds down a lot lower if need be..
5. If I have totally confused you by know and you have no idea what to look for.. I would recommend looking here http://www.woodturner.org/community/chapters/members.pl?submit=Chapter+List and finding a club in your area... most clubs have mentoring programs you should be able to work on more than one lathe to get an idea of what you like... or possible take a look at a class at a local woodworking store.. see what is available... turn the machine on, even if you can't turn on it... see if it feels and runs smoothly...
6. I do not recommend a lathe with a motor less than the Jet Mini has.. in fact if I could I would mount a 1-1.5HP on my 1236, just to have the little extra oomph it gives..

These are my opinions for what it is worth... I am no woodturning guru... but I did do a lot of looking when I got mine and fortunately had a good club to help me along...

Good Luck on your search

 

[GregD]

Let me throw my .02 in here.
I bought the TurncrafterPro from PSI. So far, no problems. It does everything I have wanted it to. I would suggest that you go to places that sell lathes (Woodcraft, Grizzly,etc...) and try them out. Also buy the best lathe you can afford. Think ahead. What am I going to use this lathe for? I already wish I had bought a bigger lathe but that is another story.

 

[whatwoodido]

I have used several different lathes and I have not used one I don't like. My personal favorite is a Stubby, they are amazing, and extremely expensive, if money is no concern get a Stubby.

I have own a Iron Bed Delta 14" and other than being noisy I have generally found it to be a good lathe, and I use as much of the swing as I can at times. Though I have to say I will never purchase a variable speed lathe that is not electronic variable speed again.

I have used 3 different mini lathes, Delta, Jet and Vicmarc, only the Vicmarc was variable speed. The Delta and Jet are interchangable in my mind. They were both great lathes, very quiet and ran well. The Vicmarc was good but it was a buy your own motor type and I am not a big fan of that approach.

I have also used an old Powermatic that students use for classes taught through our county. These are probably 35 years old and they are pretty good old lathes.

All that said I am planning to buy a VS Jet Mini as soon as I get my paycheck from the wood turning class I start teaching next month. It will allow me to turn on my back deck til the weather gets bad. The Jet will get a real workout, mainly boxes and small bowls but lots of them.

If I were going to replace my Delta with another full size Lathe I would be looking at one of the Powermatics. I know several people that have them and they swear they are best lathe you can get for $2k.

Drew

 

[bigvoots44]

I started outwith a cheap lathe from canadian tire{here in canada }
It got me started, Iy is a fairly good lathe for the money,100. As i dony have much room and am stayiny small I have since purchased a taig. For what I do both lathes should outlast me. I do agree,buy the best tool you can afford if you are committed. I didnt know if I would like penturhing but am hooked,hence the taig,

 

[PenWorks]

Fred, now that you had your powermatic a while, what do you turn your pens on...
Powermatic or your Jet mini ?

 

[jdavis]

WE use the CarbaTec and Turncrafter Pro lathes. They do a good job for my students. Bought them from PSI. Our big lather are Rockwell/Deltas. Like has been said already, everyone has their own opinion about which is best. Turn on what you like and can afford.

 

[esheffield]

Lots of good advice, all around. I would ask if you have done any turning yet. Maybe in a class or at a friend's place. I know I'm kinda bucking the trend here, but unless you know you're going to use and enjoy it as much as I'm sure you will, I would look for the best VALUE you can find (NOT NECESSARILY CHEAPEST!) rather than simply best. At times these are the same. Maybe you're not like this, but I find that I have started several hobbies rather gung-ho, spent a lot to get into them buying the best, and then found out I really didn't enjoy it all that much. So now unless I'm quite sure I'm serious about something, I tend to go for value first - something with enough bang for the buck to know I'm going to keep up with it - rather than overall best. You don't want to go TOO cheap and get something so crappy it turns you off to the whole thing though. I kind of think of my first tools getting into something new almost as a "rental" to see if I like it.

This approach probably won't work for everyone - shoot, it may not work for anybody but me! But just something to think about.

I have the Ridgid lathe (WL1200 I think) that is a close relative of several Sears lathes over the years. Got it on sale when they were switching mfgs a couple of years ago. Very basic machine. Pretty decent distant between centers, but not much swing. Runs very smooth and quiet. Most limiting feature is the #1 Morse Taper. Unusual tubular bed makes finding 3rd party attachments impossible. Belt-change for speed adjustments. No handwheel. But even so, it's an OK lathe - not in a rush to replace it. If I were doing it over I would have bought something else, even given my "best value vs. best" attitude. But I bought it pretty much on a whim doing no research at all - big mistake no matter what approach to tool purchases you use! So you're starting off smarter already - asking questions of the right group!

Incidentally, I keep wondering about the Wilton 99177 Mini Lathe at Amazon for $99.99. I've seen people asking about it on here, but I don't think I've ever seen any replies from anyone who has one. Sounds like a "good value" though the 2/5 HP motor sounds a bit weak. And isn't Wilton part of the same group that makes Jet and Powermatic? http://www.wmhtoolgroup.com/

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

You got allot of good info here, and if it hasn't been said already I would like to add this. It doesn't matter how much you will spend on a lathe, because the lathe is the cheap part. You will spend allot more in accessories, most likely in the first year DAMHIKT

 

[ed4copies]

If penturning is going to be a hobby, plan to spend what you can afford to buy the best for your budget.

IF you hope to SELL pens and other small turned items, start with the Jet mini or equivalent. As you find success, use your profits to reinvest in better equipment. To make a hobby a business requires not only a product, but additional skills (marketing and people skills), which you may or may not possess. Time will determine how committed you will be.

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Mine is a Grizzly G1067Z, a 14"X40" full size lathe. When I bought it I had never even seen a lathe in use and had no plans to make pens. I selected it by checking catalogs and comparing features against price and taking reputation of seller into consideration. And, still, today, I am convinced it is the best dollar value around. That said, I do wish I had a lathe a bit more sophisticated than the G1067. But a large lathe will make small turnings, you can't do visa/versa. One day I may add a Carbatec or Jet mini to the shop for small projects and keep the Griz. If you do consider any model of the Grizzly, keep in mind that the spindle is a 1"X12 tpi, an oddball size. You may not be able to find the chucks and accessories you want and/or will have to have adapters made up for it as I did.

 

[driften]

OK.... I have a Jet Mini and would suggest the VS model.

Now here is something no one has said. The lathe can be the cheepest part of everything! I have spend a lot more on lathe related items then the lathe cost. I love my Jet but wish I had bought the VS model. You can not go wrong with a Jet mini of any type for penturning or work up to its swing size.

 

[woodbutcher]

My first lathe was a Delta Midi. Was just going to make pens for fun and profit. The live center was loose so $87.00 later all is true.{One Way} A friend gave me some "free" wood and it came clear the Delta was too small. Next day and $2500.00 later I brought a Powermatic 3520A home. So much for "free" wood. The PM is a killer for the money, PERIOD! Having said all that about 4 mos ago I ordered a Carbatec lathe from Penn State. After it arrived a few days later I again ordered a # 1 morse taper from One Way. I use all 3 of these lathes on just about a daily basis. I can turn a pen on the PM but i can't turn a bowl on the Carbatec. The Delta is great for my Beale polishing system and is great for pens, Christmas ornaments, small bowles and goblets. The Carbatec is great for pens. It comes up to speed fast and I can turn it off and grab the hand wheel to bring it to a complete stop quickly. You will only try that once with a PM. The point of all this rambling is this... There is no perfect lathe. Buy the best you can afford and dont forget tools, wood, project kits, eye or face protection, a lathe stand my also be necessary. I started with a lathe, roughing gouge, spindle gouge and a parting tool. I love turning and welcome you to a group of great people that will do their very best to guide and help you through this wonderful world of turning,
Jim[]

 

[Dario]

I have a Jet 1236 and love it. I can turn more than just pen on it but as most have already said, you can't go wrong with the jet mini (VS especially).

I will eventually upgrade (finances permitting) and maybe I'll shoot for a Powermatic but IF I really get lucky... I'll go with Oneway.

 

[darbytee]

Anthony, I haven't had my Beall system off of the Jet mini in about a month.[] I know the Powermatic is overkill for a pen but it is just so much fun to use.