#1 or #2 ??

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Jgrden

Jgrden

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Joined
Mar 27, 2009
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Location
hOUSTON, Texas
It is time to purchase a lathe. After turning pens for eight years it never occurred to me to be concerned over the difference in #1 or #2 Mortis Taper. Harbor Freight has a lathe on sale with good reviews but after looking a the specs. it is a #1. Memory tells me my old 1014 JetVS was #2. What is the benefit of a #2 ??? or #1 ??
 
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+1 on the MT2. Whatever you are doing now may change in 6 months. As mentioned, when you want the flexibility of change, you have much more to choose from with the MT2.

Really glad you are back.
 
+1 on MT2 ... more accessories, sturdier, better rigidity, better availability

Good to see you back !
 
Mt2 is the only thing that should exist on wood lathes. And it's the only thing that does exist on lathes worth buying.

I suppose that If all you were ever going to turn is pens it would be fine.
 
I also want to recommend the #2 MT ... as the accessories for it are generally more commonplace, the price point for purchase of these accessories is also lower.

I never took into account the possibility that it would be next to IMPOSSIBLE for me to find #1MT accessories ANYWHERE in my town, with 5 big-box hardware stores in the city limits. Everything that fits on my lathe had to be ordered online... but if I go looking for #2MT stuff, even Harbor Freight has a cheap usable Jacobs style #2MT 1/2" drill chuck for 12 bucks.
 
Lady_Acoma said:
Oddly enough my harbor freight doesn't carry any chucks #1 or #2. Boggled my mind. At any rate I would vote #2 for the same reasons listed.
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There should be one over in the section of the store that carries the drill bits and replacement drill chucks.


Sadly enough, aside from actual turning tools, this is about all harbor freight carries in-store for wood turning.

Anything else you want will have to be ordered online.

Metal turning ... their mini metalworking lathe has a few available accessories you can get in-store, including HSS and carbide lathe bits with various profiles.
 
The #1 MT is fine for pen turning including drilling blanks on the lathe. I had one for a lot of years and turned a lot of pens with it. #2 is probably better if you will be turning other things.
 
Jgrden said:
Kragax said:
My Harbor Freight lathe is MT2.
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Hmmmm, I need to look this up. The one they advertise for $125.00 is MT#1. I am finding that MT #2 are around five hundred dollars and if you want electronic variable speed it is more.
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The MT #2 lathe from harbor freight is a more full-sized version, but it is NOT variable speed. You have to manually change the belt over on the pulley to change the speed.

It can come as a bench top model or with a stand .... price point is around 200 - 350 dollars, depending on if you get the one with the metal stand or not.


Personally, if I had the cash to spend on upgrading from my #1MT mini wood lathe .... I'ld probably go with the benchtop #2MT lathe and grab the variable speed upgrade kit for midi lathes from PSI. I'ld still be spending only about 360 dollars total, and have myself a very nice variable speed midi lathe... with a backup motor.
 
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