sanyalsoumitra
Member
Hi all,
I am looking for advise / opinion from the forum.
I am well trained on medium sized metal lathe machines
[ due to many years working as a shipboard engineer].
However did not know anything about wood lathes until
a few months back when I took an interest in pen-turning.
I managed to buy some fountain pen kits and made some pens
+ plus made some ( unfinished) kitless pens of metal,
teflon, plastic etc.
I am planning to buy a lathe and set up my hobby workshop
in a small way.
I have found out some local suppliers [ by the way,I live in
Kolkata, India] and found two good options in 350 mm span( Chuck to
tail stock distanc) precision lathes
a) Manual lathe machine [ which is just a miniature of the 2000mm lathe
I am used to in my ships workshop] for about INR 25000 ie about US$ 400;
b) CNC version of the same size for about usd 1800.
Have not yet searched for a typycal wood lathe [ some thing I have not used
anytime]. For me a handheld cutting tool at end of a long handle sliding back and
forth on a smooth support and variable tilt just by sheer judgement, is a dream
experience at the moment.This is a skill I do not have, not that I can not learn
but do not know how easy or difficult.
Now , in my own way I have explained the scenario. Basis that, kindly allow me to have some opinions from you.
A) Is it essential to use a wood lathe [ with its own tools & styles] to make wood pens ? Does the metal lathe [ with the fixed type usual metal tools] make any lesser quality on the job?
Or is it that a wood lathe offers simplicity and cost benefit - can some experienced guru advise me?
B) It appears to me that there are attachments available so that wood working tools can be used on tool post of a metal lathe [ so I can retain the alltime option of metal working too side by side]. Where to look for these conversion stuuf ?
C) How limited or unlimited are the options with a CNC lathe. Is it a steep learning curve? Let me have some advise here too.
I would delay the purchase till I clear my cofusions using advise from the forum. I would prefer to have only one machine, two at the most because of limited space. Perhaps one lathe and one vertical drill press would be the ideal as I wold have some free space around. Please suggest
the best plan.
Wram regards
Soumitra Sanyal.
I am looking for advise / opinion from the forum.
I am well trained on medium sized metal lathe machines
[ due to many years working as a shipboard engineer].
However did not know anything about wood lathes until
a few months back when I took an interest in pen-turning.
I managed to buy some fountain pen kits and made some pens
+ plus made some ( unfinished) kitless pens of metal,
teflon, plastic etc.
I am planning to buy a lathe and set up my hobby workshop
in a small way.
I have found out some local suppliers [ by the way,I live in
Kolkata, India] and found two good options in 350 mm span( Chuck to
tail stock distanc) precision lathes
a) Manual lathe machine [ which is just a miniature of the 2000mm lathe
I am used to in my ships workshop] for about INR 25000 ie about US$ 400;
b) CNC version of the same size for about usd 1800.
Have not yet searched for a typycal wood lathe [ some thing I have not used
anytime]. For me a handheld cutting tool at end of a long handle sliding back and
forth on a smooth support and variable tilt just by sheer judgement, is a dream
experience at the moment.This is a skill I do not have, not that I can not learn
but do not know how easy or difficult.
Now , in my own way I have explained the scenario. Basis that, kindly allow me to have some opinions from you.
A) Is it essential to use a wood lathe [ with its own tools & styles] to make wood pens ? Does the metal lathe [ with the fixed type usual metal tools] make any lesser quality on the job?
Or is it that a wood lathe offers simplicity and cost benefit - can some experienced guru advise me?
B) It appears to me that there are attachments available so that wood working tools can be used on tool post of a metal lathe [ so I can retain the alltime option of metal working too side by side]. Where to look for these conversion stuuf ?
C) How limited or unlimited are the options with a CNC lathe. Is it a steep learning curve? Let me have some advise here too.
I would delay the purchase till I clear my cofusions using advise from the forum. I would prefer to have only one machine, two at the most because of limited space. Perhaps one lathe and one vertical drill press would be the ideal as I wold have some free space around. Please suggest
the best plan.
Wram regards
Soumitra Sanyal.