Lathe Question
- Thread starter ts8181
- Start date
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jttheclockman
Member
Go to PSI site and read the reviews there. They are mixed but you will get that with just about any tool. The lathe is not going to be your big expense after awhile. The tools and add-ons and dust collector and so on will cost more than $500. Good luck. For me Jet is a proven commodity. Get the lathe with VS. You will not regret it.
jsmithmarcus
Member
I started with the Turncrafter 10" and have no complaints. I think you should have similar results with the 12". Plus PSI has great customer service should you need assistance.
monophoto
Member
I've had a 12" Turncraft for a bit more than two years.
My previous lathe was a ShopFox 1704. It was fine, but it was small and underpowered. I put a lot of thought into choosing the machine that I would move up to because I don't expect to ever buy another lathe. For me, the two key factors were the horsepower rating of the motor (based on my experience with the underpowered ShopFox and its inability to practically do end-grain drilling) and the physical footprint - my shop space is limited and the new lathe had to fit on an existing bench.
I've had very good experience with the Turncraft, and it has fully met my expectations.
A few things to be aware of:
1. The speed adjustment range 'out of the box' may not match the specification. Not a big deal - get on the phone with PSI, ask to speak with Joe Roberts in Technical Support. He will walk you through the process of tweaking the variable speed control to get the speed range you want.
2. Belt changes are fairly easy to do. My only issue is that i dropped the wing nut that holds the door to the belt compartment closed - and it disappeared into the pile of shavings on the floor under my lathe. The solution was to embed a replacement nut in a turned wooden knob that I can find when I drop it.
3. The indexing facility is not a spindle lock. DAMHIKT
4. The tailstock ram is locked in position using a screw with a handle on the back of the tailstock. If you back that screw out too far, the ram will rotate in the tailstock housing, and the ram can become very stiff and hard to move. I try to keep that screw within half o turn of tight at all times.
5. There can be some lateral play in the tailstock, but once you lock it in position, it's solid. This play can be a problem when drilling. I find that the best way to drill is to first put a small dimple in the center of the blank (use a skew on its side). Then, bring the bit up to the blank and advance the quill until the bit centers in that dimple, and then lock the tailstock down.
6. There are a lot of wires between the headstock and the speed control box under the right end of the lathe, and those wires tend to get in the way when you try to clean the shavings that accumulate under the lathe. It's a simple matter to tie those wires up against the underside of the bedways using small plastic zip ties.
My previous lathe was a ShopFox 1704. It was fine, but it was small and underpowered. I put a lot of thought into choosing the machine that I would move up to because I don't expect to ever buy another lathe. For me, the two key factors were the horsepower rating of the motor (based on my experience with the underpowered ShopFox and its inability to practically do end-grain drilling) and the physical footprint - my shop space is limited and the new lathe had to fit on an existing bench.
I've had very good experience with the Turncraft, and it has fully met my expectations.
A few things to be aware of:
1. The speed adjustment range 'out of the box' may not match the specification. Not a big deal - get on the phone with PSI, ask to speak with Joe Roberts in Technical Support. He will walk you through the process of tweaking the variable speed control to get the speed range you want.
2. Belt changes are fairly easy to do. My only issue is that i dropped the wing nut that holds the door to the belt compartment closed - and it disappeared into the pile of shavings on the floor under my lathe. The solution was to embed a replacement nut in a turned wooden knob that I can find when I drop it.
3. The indexing facility is not a spindle lock. DAMHIKT
4. The tailstock ram is locked in position using a screw with a handle on the back of the tailstock. If you back that screw out too far, the ram will rotate in the tailstock housing, and the ram can become very stiff and hard to move. I try to keep that screw within half o turn of tight at all times.
5. There can be some lateral play in the tailstock, but once you lock it in position, it's solid. This play can be a problem when drilling. I find that the best way to drill is to first put a small dimple in the center of the blank (use a skew on its side). Then, bring the bit up to the blank and advance the quill until the bit centers in that dimple, and then lock the tailstock down.
6. There are a lot of wires between the headstock and the speed control box under the right end of the lathe, and those wires tend to get in the way when you try to clean the shavings that accumulate under the lathe. It's a simple matter to tie those wires up against the underside of the bedways using small plastic zip ties.
Charlie_W
Member
Take a serious look at the Rikon lathes from Woodcraft.
They are solid and have a 5 year warranty.
They are solid and have a 5 year warranty.
WriteON
Member
PSI provides excellent support.