Lathe Question for NOOB

[jeremysaal]

Good morning!

I was very excited to discover this group! My sons and I are getting into pen turning and ring making but need a reliable lathe. I am looking at a nice one at Rockler (Nova Comet II 12" x 16-1/2" Midi Lathe for $499 with the G3 Reversible Chuck thrown in) and a less expensive version on Craigslist (Shop Fox W1752 10" x 15" for $180, which comes with all kinds of pen turning equipment/tools/accessories and looks new).

This is our first experience searching for our own lathe so I would love to hear your comments about these. Am I better off paying the $499 for the Nova Comet II or will the Shop Fox get the job done? Obviously, I prefer to save where I can, but if there is a huge quality and time saving difference, then I'll pay extra. I like the Shop Fox because it has about $220 worth of items thrown in.

Thank you for your assistance!

Have a good one!

 

[D.Oliver]

Its tough to say, without knowing the condition of the Shop Fox. Is the Shop Fox Variable speed? If they were both brand new machines, my personal opinion would be to go with the Nova, but with all the extra goodies with the Shop Fox, it may be the better value. Welcome to IAP by the way!

 

[plantman]

Good morning!

I was very excited to discover this group! My sons and I are getting into pen turning and ring making but need a reliable lathe. I am looking at a nice one at Rockler (Nova Comet II 12" x 16-1/2" Midi Lathe for $499 with the G3 Reversible Chuck thrown in) and a less expensive version on Craigslist (Shop Fox W1752 10" x 15" for $180, which comes with all kinds of pen turning equipment/tools/accessories and looks new).

This is our first experience searching for our own lathe so I would love to hear your comments about these. Am I better off paying the $499 for the Nova Comet II or will the Shop Fox get the job done? Obviously, I prefer to save where I can, but if there is a huge quality and time saving difference, then I'll pay extra. I like the Shop Fox because it has about $220 worth of items thrown in.

Thank you for your assistance!

Have a good one!

Jeremy; Since you and your son are new at pen turning, I would go for the Shop Fox with all the correct extras to go with it. This way you can see if you really like turning. If not, your not out $500 + another $300 or more for tools and extras to go with it. If both of you decide that turning is for you, now you can upgrade to a better lathe and you will both have your own. Also an extra lathe is always helpful in drilling blanks, finishing, and a two person shop !!! Jim S

 

[mikedealer]

Hi Jeremy, although many people will probably strongly disagree with me on this.. im gonna say it anyway....

Harborfreight Sells the 95607 Lathe for $125 and with coupon comes to like just over a $100 bucks, brand new.

This lathe is the one i use alot for all my pens and small work.. ill explain why i think its a good lathe..
-Pro: It has variable speed adjustment (no belt changes which can be a pain, u turn a knob for speed adjustments, i find invaluable for buffing etc)
-Pro: Its fricken cheap, $100 bucks for a new lathe for pens and rings and bottle stoppers and anything else small is more than perfect.
-Pro/Con?: It uses MT1 sized components. Con is that sometimes MT2 stuff is easier to find, Pro Is that ive managed to find any and every MT1 component i need without issue and very cheap.
-Pro/Con?: Irregular Headstock screw size, its 3/4x16 i think.. You can get an adapter for 1x8 for like $10 bucks and use ALL standard chucks and components.. Adapater works perfectly.
-Con: Tailstock doesnt turn smoothly out of the box.. If you plan to do regular drilling on it, may not be best bet. I polished my Tailstock Tube and Inside the tailstock itself, glides like butter now without issue, but had to work on it to make it perfect. Used a Teflon Shim also between knob and tailstock to eliminate any gap, works great.

Couple other random quirks and complaints with this lathe.. Bottom line, at the end of the day, its $100 bucks, PERFECT PERFECT Starter Lathe once you get 1x8 adapter and some MT1 accesories.
Look at it like this, for $100 bucks, if the lathe doesnt work for your needs, keep it as a buffing station and spare lathe or for drilling or whatever. Bring back to HF For return within 14 days i think too if it really sucks for you.

For $100 bucks, i give this lathe a high value rating.. dont think it can be beat anywhere near that price range. The next model up at HF is $199 and has to change belt and still has its quirks.

I wouldnt personally invest in a expensive lathe at first.. i think u can do everything with the $100 one without issue.

u can always PM me with any questions on it..

 

[Skie_M]

Hi Jeremy, although many people will probably strongly disagree with me on this.. im gonna say it anyway....

Harborfreight Sells the 95607 Lathe for $125 and with coupon comes to like just over a $100 bucks, brand new.

This lathe is the one i use alot for all my pens and small work.. ill explain why i think its a good lathe..
-Pro: It has variable speed adjustment (no belt changes which can be a pain, u turn a knob for speed adjustments, i find invaluable for buffing etc)
-Pro: Its fricken cheap, $100 bucks for a new lathe for pens and rings and bottle stoppers and anything else small is more than perfect.
-Pro/Con?: It uses MT1 sized components. Con is that sometimes MT2 stuff is easier to find, Pro Is that ive managed to find any and every MT1 component i need without issue and very cheap.
-Pro/Con?: Irregular Headstock screw size, its 3/4x16 i think.. You can get an adapter for 1x8 for like $10 bucks and use ALL standard chucks and components.. Adapater works perfectly.
-Con: Tailstock doesnt turn smoothly out of the box.. If you plan to do regular drilling on it, may not be best bet. I polished my Tailstock Tube and Inside the tailstock itself, glides like butter now without issue, but had to work on it to make it perfect. Used a Teflon Shim also between knob and tailstock to eliminate any gap, works great.

Couple other random quirks and complaints with this lathe.. Bottom line, at the end of the day, its $100 bucks, PERFECT PERFECT Starter Lathe once you get 1x8 adapter and some MT1 accesories.
Look at it like this, for $100 bucks, if the lathe doesnt work for your needs, keep it as a buffing station and spare lathe or for drilling or whatever. Bring back to HF For return within 14 days i think too if it really sucks for you.

For $100 bucks, i give this lathe a high value rating.. dont think it can be beat anywhere near that price range. The next model up at HF is $199 and has to change belt and still has its quirks.

I wouldnt personally invest in a expensive lathe at first.. i think u can do everything with the $100 one without issue.

u can always PM me with any questions on it..

A decent idea, and I own a Harbor Freight mini lathe myself, but that Shop Fox is a steal at 180 dollars with all the stuff added in .... I spent over 300 dollars getting my lathe and all the tooling needed to make pens.

Before paying for that shop fox though, make certain that the tailstock lines up properly with the headstock (spur center dead on with the tailstock live center), and that the tailstock slides smoothly up and down the ways and locks down properly. Also make sure that the tool rest slides smoothly and locks down as well. Last, of course, make sure that it will turn on and operate through all it's speed ranges properly.

 

[plantman]

Hi Jeremy, although many people will probably strongly disagree with me on this.. im gonna say it anyway....

Harborfreight Sells the 95607 Lathe for $125 and with coupon comes to like just over a $100 bucks, brand new.

This lathe is the one i use alot for all my pens and small work.. ill explain why i think its a good lathe..
-Pro: It has variable speed adjustment (no belt changes which can be a pain, u turn a knob for speed adjustments, i find invaluable for buffing etc)
-Pro: Its fricken cheap, $100 bucks for a new lathe for pens and rings and bottle stoppers and anything else small is more than perfect.
-Pro/Con?: It uses MT1 sized components. Con is that sometimes MT2 stuff is easier to find, Pro Is that ive managed to find any and every MT1 component i need without issue and very cheap.
-Pro/Con?: Irregular Headstock screw size, its 3/4x16 i think.. You can get an adapter for 1x8 for like $10 bucks and use ALL standard chucks and components.. Adapater works perfectly.
-Con: Tailstock doesnt turn smoothly out of the box.. If you plan to do regular drilling on it, may not be best bet. I polished my Tailstock Tube and Inside the tailstock itself, glides like butter now without issue, but had to work on it to make it perfect. Used a Teflon Shim also between knob and tailstock to eliminate any gap, works great.

Couple other random quirks and complaints with this lathe.. Bottom line, at the end of the day, its $100 bucks, PERFECT PERFECT Starter Lathe once you get 1x8 adapter and some MT1 accesories.
Look at it like this, for $100 bucks, if the lathe doesnt work for your needs, keep it as a buffing station and spare lathe or for drilling or whatever. Bring back to HF For return within 14 days i think too if it really sucks for you.

For $100 bucks, i give this lathe a high value rating.. dont think it can be beat anywhere near that price range. The next model up at HF is $199 and has to change belt and still has its quirks.

I wouldnt personally invest in a expensive lathe at first.. i think u can do everything with the $100 one without issue.

u can always PM me with any questions on it..

I agree with Mike on the HF VS lathe for around $100. I have this as one of my lathes and use it mostly for drilling and rounding rough wood. Sometimes I will turn objects on it. However, $100 is just the start !! Tools, chucks, supplies, glues, blanks, etc. will at least enlarge that number two or three times. If you can buy the lathe in good condition with all the extras for pen turning for $180 or lower, you will be way ahead in both time and money !! Jim S

 

[low_48]

I say buy both. 2 lathes, no waiting. Buying Harbor Freight machines is a crap shoot in my mind. Sure some folks get okay machines, others get bad ones. Depends a lot on duty cycle. Use it for 8 hours a week, might work. Use it 8 hours a day, might not. They are not the low cost supplier without a reason. i'm at a point in my life where I have little tolerance for minimal quality tools. Cheap lathes are just no fun for me!

 

[Drewboy22]

I like the HF idea but as said before that is only the beginning. By the time you get mandrels, blanks, glue, kits, tools, sand paper, ect, ect... you will have spent a couple hundred more. I would go cheap and get in as cheap as you can to make sure you want to do this. Then upgrade at a later time. <- At least that is my plan

Good Luck and enjoy

Drew

 

[Charlie_W]

Check the horse power of each lathe. That might give you your answer.
Also, can you get parts for the shop fox? I googled Shop Fox Wood Lathe and did not see a website for Shop Fox.

In this case, I would lean towards the Comet. Next in line, Rikon at Woodcraft, then Jet. I would stay away from a morse taper 1. Start with mt2 and your accessories will fit almost all machines out there. Also, stick with the 1"X 8 thread. Again, more accessories and will fit more lathes till you get into the full size lathes. Then an adaptor will be all you need to keep on going.
The Nova G3 chuck should have an insert that can be changed for larger lathes.

Tools are like anything else. Better Quality tools cost more than bottom line tools...and you will be glad with your choice. Resale will be better too.

Good luck on your quest! Let us know what you get.

 

[PSNCO]

Doesn't look like the Shop Fox is variable speed. It does look very clean and new though.

Here's a Jet 1014 used (Non variable speed) + some tools for $250:

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/tls/5240571451.html

 

[Edgar]

If it were me, I'd absolutely take a good, hard look at that $180 Shop Fox deal. If it's in good condition, runs smoothly & everything is as it appears, it sounds like a really good deal to me - especially if all the pen making accessories are in good condition too.

I have an Excelsior 10x18 that I bought at Rockler for $200 and it's been just fine for me. It's the exact same lathe that Harbor Freight sells for roughly the same price but with their Central Machinery name & color. (A slight step up from their cheaper MT1 lathe.)

Shop Fox is manufactured and supported by Woodstock International in Bellingham, WA (I suspect that they actually have it built offshore, but I don't know that for sure).

I downloaded the manual for that lathe from their web site at https://www.woodstockint.com/manuals and I must say that I am impressed with the quality of the manual. It's well written, thorough and even includes some turning tips. It's definitely a much better manual than any of the HF lathe manuals (or my Excelsior for that matter).

For what it's worth, the Shop Fox web site is www.shopfox.biz but that's just a link to the Woodstock International website.

Welcome aboard & good luck in your search. Be sure to let us know what you wind up with.

 

[low_48]

Check the horse power of each lathe. That might give you your answer.
Also, can you get parts for the shop fox? I googled Shop Fox Wood Lathe and did not see a website for Shop Fox.

In this case, I would lean towards the Comet. Next in line, Rikon at Woodcraft, then Jet. I would stay away from a morse taper 1. Start with mt2 and your accessories will fit almost all machines out there. Also, stick with the 1"X 8 thread. Again, more accessories and will fit more lathes till you get into the full size lathes. Then an adaptor will be all you need to keep on going.
The Nova G3 chuck should have an insert that can be changed for larger lathes.

Tools are like anything else. Better Quality tools cost more than bottom line tools...and you will be glad with your choice. Resale will be better too.

Good luck on your quest! Let us know what you get.

Shop Fox is Grizzly painted white so it can be sold to retailers. Identical machines.

 

[wizical]

Just by looking at both lathes online, you need to ask yourself a couple of questions

1) are you going to turn just pens and rings or do you plan on turning other items in the future? The Nova Comet is a solid lathe that will probably last a lot longer than the Shopfox or Harbor Fright tools

2) any accessories you buy for the Nova will probably transfer over to other lathes that you intend to buy in the future.

Before you spend the money, make sure this is something you really intend on doing for a while

Good Luck

 

[Skie_M]

Just by looking at both lathes online, you need to ask yourself a couple of questions

1) are you going to turn just pens and rings or do you plan on turning other items in the future? The Nova Comet is a solid lathe that will probably last a lot longer than the Shopfox or Harbor Fright tools

2) any accessories you buy for the Nova will probably transfer over to other lathes that you intend to buy in the future.

Before you spend the money, make sure this is something you really intend on doing for a while

Good Luck

If I'm reading this stuff right, the nova and the shopfox are both 1x8 spindle MT2 lathes... that's probably the most common size of equipment all round that you'll find you want for a woodworking lathe.

Plus ... later down the road, if you want the convenience of a knob dialed speed control, you can purchase such an upgrade for around 150 dollars from some companies.

 

[Mengtian]

I posted this in another thread. Kinda of the opposite of going cheap. But since you are considering the Nova I thought this would be a comparison for you think about.

I looked at the Nova II and that deal. After shipping and Taxes it costs 576.00. The Rikon 70-220VSR is 619.00 at Performance Tools. No taxes. Cost after shipping is 669.00 (619.00 if you select commercial shipping).

For the price difference I think the Rikon is a pretty good deal.

Thoughts?

The Rikon is 1 HP and can do 20.5". Variable speed and good reviews. My experience from being a woodworker and buying tools is that you will (if you continue in a hobby) will want to do more with what you have.

Just my 2 cents.

BTW: I am by far no expert with lathes...that is why I am also in the research phase of purchasing one.

 

[jeremysaal]

Doesn't look like the Shop Fox is variable speed. It does look very clean and new though.

Here's a Jet 1014 used (Non variable speed) + some tools for $250:

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/tls/5240571451.html

Hey, PNSCO, I was just looking at this posting! It sounds like the Jet 1014 would be a better choice. I might have to check it out.

Thank you!

 

[jeremysaal]

Check the horse power of each lathe. That might give you your answer.
Also, can you get parts for the shop fox? I googled Shop Fox Wood Lathe and did not see a website for Shop Fox.

In this case, I would lean towards the Comet. Next in line, Rikon at Woodcraft, then Jet. I would stay away from a morse taper 1. Start with mt2 and your accessories will fit almost all machines out there. Also, stick with the 1"X 8 thread. Again, more accessories and will fit more lathes till you get into the full size lathes. Then an adaptor will be all you need to keep on going.
The Nova G3 chuck should have an insert that can be changed for larger lathes.

Tools are like anything else. Better Quality tools cost more than bottom line tools...and you will be glad with your choice. Resale will be better too.

Good luck on your quest! Let us know what you get.

Shop Fox is Grizzly painted white so it can be sold to retailers. Identical machines.

I never knew that Grizzly sold under a different name. Thank you for the great details! I am always comfortable with their products.

 

[jeremysaal]

Good morning!

I was very excited to discover this group! My sons and I are getting into pen turning and ring making but need a reliable lathe. I am looking at a nice one at Rockler (Nova Comet II 12" x 16-1/2" Midi Lathe for $499 with the G3 Reversible Chuck thrown in) and a less expensive version on Craigslist (Shop Fox W1752 10" x 15" for $180, which comes with all kinds of pen turning equipment/tools/accessories and looks new).

This is our first experience searching for our own lathe so I would love to hear your comments about these. Am I better off paying the $499 for the Nova Comet II or will the Shop Fox get the job done? Obviously, I prefer to save where I can, but if there is a huge quality and time saving difference, then I'll pay extra. I like the Shop Fox because it has about $220 worth of items thrown in.

Thank you for your assistance!

Have a good one!

Jeremy; Since you and your son are new at pen turning, I would go for the Shop Fox with all the correct extras to go with it. This way you can see if you really like turning. If not, your not out $500 + another $300 or more for tools and extras to go with it. If both of you decide that turning is for you, now you can upgrade to a better lathe and you will both have your own. Also an extra lathe is always helpful in drilling blanks, finishing, and a two person shop !!! Jim S

Awesome advice, Jim! That is definitely the best way to look at this type of purchase. I am also looking at a Jet 1014 (non-VS) for a little more that comes with a few extras. I hope to pick one of these up this weekend.

Have a good one!

 

[mikedealer]

Check the horse power of each lathe. That might give you your answer.
Also, can you get parts for the shop fox? I googled Shop Fox Wood Lathe and did not see a website for Shop Fox.

In this case, I would lean towards the Comet. Next in line, Rikon at Woodcraft, then Jet. I would stay away from a morse taper 1. Start with mt2 and your accessories will fit almost all machines out there. Also, stick with the 1"X 8 thread. Again, more accessories and will fit more lathes till you get into the full size lathes. Then an adaptor will be all you need to keep on going.
The Nova G3 chuck should have an insert that can be changed for larger lathes.

Tools are like anything else. Better Quality tools cost more than bottom line tools...and you will be glad with your choice. Resale will be better too.

Good luck on your quest! Let us know what you get.

Shop Fox is Grizzly painted white so it can be sold to retailers. Identical machines.

Neither companies make any lathe's. They are all bought from here.
Products / Woodworking Catalgoue / Wood Lathe-Burt Group Co. Ltd.

 

[Heartwoodturning]

Hi

I adore my Record DML305 Cast Iron Midi Lathe. It is my baby. It does everything I ever ask it to without complaining and with low vibration due to the cast iron base.

Record knows more about the machine than I do this is what they say:

The DML305 is a very well built cast iron midi lathe with the potential to expand. The bed is made of finely ground cast iron for weight and rigidity and is fitted with a cam locking toolrest that clamps easily and solidly to the bed with one handed operation. The machine comes with 393mm between centres but optional bed extensions can be added to increase this capacity.
The swing over the bed is 305mm and the motor is 1/2hp providing ample power for the capacities of the lathe. The six speed spindle has a 3/4" x 16tpi thread to ensure a wide range of Record Power accessories can be fitted and the whole machine is well finished with polished metal handles, a spindle lock with indexing and graduated markings on the tailstock barrel. There is even a tool tray attached to the headstock to keep essential items close to hand. Many of these features are normally only found on expensive professional lathes.
The machine can be bench mounted or there is a very sturdy and simple fabricated steel legstand available as an optional extra. Optional legs can be added if necessary when cast bed extensions are used in conjunction with the stand.

 

[jeremysaal]

I ended up purchasing a Jet 1040 off Craigslist for $225, which came with about $250 worth of extras, plus was in great condition. It was worth the wait!

Now, to upgrade my drill press...

Thank you for the great advice!

 

[wyone]

The Jet 1014 is an awesome starter lathe.. and perfect for pens and small turnings