Thoughts on this package?

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Spin_Me

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Spin:
Sometimes price and value are not the same thing. I know several folks that have the TurnCrafter Commander and have been extremely dissapointed with it. That could be because they bought the first ones that were available. Additionally, this lathe was postponed several times before it was finally released. That is not usually a GOOD thing.

For just a few more dollars, you can upgrade to the Jet 1014VSI. I have been using the Jet for almost 4 years and have made THOUSANDS of pens with no issues at all. It is still going strong and even the belt is in great shape.

I would look hard at the jet and maybe try to save some money elsewhere other than the lathe. You don't want to be stuck with a lathe that doesn't meet your needs or is constantly waiting for repairs. The TurnCafter is new to the market and has not really proven to be a reliable workhorse, yet.

Either of these duplicators will work with the Jet and the price is a good bit less than the Vega duplicator. A friend has the first duplicator and it does fine for his uses (making chess pieces).
 
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If money is a serious issue and you can't afford the $379 for the Jet, the little Ricon on sale at Woodcraft is a good little lathe for the money and is sale priced less than the PSI lathe.
 
I had a Turncrafter Commander on back order and cancelled it to buy a Jet 1014VS. I'm really glad I did too. My buddy's turncrafter lathe has not held up well after just two years of pen making. Lots of vibration and the tailstock doesn't line up to the headstock dead on.

Not all the Turncrafter lathes are bad though, and there are a lot of owners of them here on the IAP that have no complaints.

I just decided that if I was going to drop hundreds of dollars on an integral piece of equipment for penturning, I should spend just a little more, buy it from a local Rockler store where I could check the headstock/tailstock alignment in the store before purchasing it, and so forth.
 
Morning here,
That motor is seriously out of parallel with the lathe unless it is loose at the moment. The price is lowish,lots of features. It would need to align fully for me and history of failure apparent and truly stated.Talk to the Service Dept.

Many of these lathes carry other names. Go American, when in Rome and all that.
Please have patience and success. Over here we have the VL100 Vicmarc over there as well, these you only buy once.Buy a basic lathe and customise it as I did easily affordable then as you go.

Regards Peter.
 
I have an older turncrafter that I've upgraded several times and overall I'm pleased with it, although I am looking to replace it. I've got a friend who buys all my old tools as I upgrade. If you can afford it, I would suggest going for a Jet, or even the new Delta VS that's recently been released. If money is tight and you're willing to put a little extra time into setup and maintenance then I think that the commander will meet your needs.
 
Seems no one has anything terrible to say about PSI lathe but the consensus is to spend the little bit extra and move up to jet which i have no problem with as i am very satisfied with my 1642 Jet. I have been back and forth on the variable speed thing but i have almost decided it is something i "need" even though it isnt the exact same as the variable speed i am accustom to.

PenMan1 said:
You don't want to be stuck with a lathe that doesn't meet your needs or is constantly waiting for repairs. The TurnCafter is new to the market and has not really proven to be a reliable workhorse, yet.

jbthbt said:
you're willing to put a little extra time into setup and maintenance then I think that the commander will meet your needs.
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This is what was in the back of mind when i do get time to turn I dont want to have to fiddle with equipment just get down to "playing" Thanks to all the responses.
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I would buy the Rikon that is on sale now at Woodcraft. I have had one for over 3 years and turn lots for hours on end and this lathe has not had one problem. It runs well, never gets hot, no matter how long I turn. The headstock and tailstock are perfectly aligned. Took it out of the shipping container, set it up and began turning with no problem. Rikon has great service. I broke something through my new turner stupidity and they replace the part with no problem. Several people have and like this lathe. I have a Rikon and a Jet 1014VS that I just picked up off of Craigs list for $200 and I actually prefer the Rikon, even though the Jet is VS.
 
Note

One thing to keep in mind....none of the commentors seem to own or have ever used the PSI Lathe you are asking about...so they are not speaking from experience. I'd wait until I hear from some actual owners before I made up my mind.
 
Mr. spin_me I had the turncrafter vs pro on order for over 4 months it finally came and I have never been so dissapointed. the lathe smoked as soon as I flipped the switch.Called penn state and talked to the tech dept. they shipped me out a new motor and vs box put them on it still did not work, I shipped the lathe back. spent another 100 bucks and got a jet 1220 vs and have never regretted that decesion. You can go to amazon..com and get a good price on this lathe. the turncrafter pullys did not line up the belt did not ride in the pullys as it should. the motor is a 12 volt not a 110 volt the box converts it to 12v. I will say penn state did what was right and refunded the purchace price with shipping. the do have a great customer service. and I will continue to do business with them. just not a lathe purchace...........hope this helps.............. if cost is a big factor I have a rikon that I have had for 3 years and have never had a problem, still use it along with the new jet vs................
 
You need to understand that when you ask this question, most responders will subconsciously defend their own purchasing decision - the lathe they bought is unquestionably the best, and any other is inferior.

I don't have any experience with the Turncrafter lathe, but I have read many posts by people who have them and who find them to be perfectly adequate. And there are several less expensive variable speed lathes out there - the ShopFox 1704, the Rikon, and even the Harbor Freight (which appears to be almost identical to the ShopFox except for the color of the paint). I have the ShopFox and my experience is that it works just fine for pens, bottle stoppers, tea lights, small tool handles, small bowls and cups, and other small projects. And I suspect that is the case for the other lathes in that class.

Certainly, there is a risk that an individual lathe may be defective - but that risk also exists on the more expensive offerings. And if you find that the lathe you purchase has a problem, that's an issue for the seller to address on an individual basis and not an indictment of the overall design.

Are coming at this purchase with experience in turning? If so, and all you are looking to do is buy a small lathe for a very specific mission, then only you can define the kit required to achieve that mission. But if you are a total newbie, I have to question whether you really need to start out with a duplicator. Duplicators are great if you are doing production work and need to be able to easily produce multiple copies of a design for a specific item. But if you are a newbie, it seems to me that the immediate challenge is learning how to turn. So if cost is an issue, you might consider not springing for the duplicator up front - it can always be added later if you conclude that you really need it.
 
Monophoto, you make very valid points on the mine is the best out there scenerio, i saw the PSI lathe while surfing and originally thought i didnt need a another lathe but then i got to thinking if i had a mini i could put in my basement with my small D/C and then i could go and "play" without having to heat the whole shop...I am looking at the rikon and jet and will look at the shop fox but i have not seen any locally but a search would surely see how close the nearest dealer is. I have been turning off and on for 3 or so years with a jet 1642 so the duplicator is not something i have to have but i have seen some times it would be handy. I realize the duplicator is not going to churn complete projects out but may speed up the process a little..if not craigslist it and move on.
 
I've heard enough scary stuff about the TCC I'd probably stay away if I couldn't check it out in person first.

That said, I had a TCP that was really good. But I bought it used and was able to check it out in person.
 
I have this model of the Turncrafter. Although a newer model, still the same specs, mine doesn't have the work light on it though. I've had it about 2.5 years and I really am pleased with it, the only reason I dont use it for pen making anymore is because I got a good deal on a 14" Delta and wanted to start turning bowls. After about 1000 pens I'm still on the original belt. The one thing that I dont like about it is that the motor is right under your work area, so the chips and other debris could have a way of finding a nice home in the armature housing. Other then that no problems and no complaints.
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/TCLC10.html
 
Have you considered this lathe? This is a Harbor Freight model.

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-x-12-inch-bench-top-wood-lathe-95607.html

After much thought, fear and frustration from considering all the differing points of view, I finally purchased this lathe. And I have been very happy.

I heard all the talk about most pen turners owning Jets, that Rikon makes a great lathe too for the price, the "new" Delta is the best available, etc. But for turning pens, every one of these lathes is more than you need.

My brother purchased a Jet pen-making lathe (the one that was discontinued about 6-8 years ago) and we have now made several dozen pens on it without difficulty. And it has only a 1/12 HP motor! So ANY of these units will give you more than enough power for turning pens.

This HF has VS, which I absolutely love. I would not have another lathe without it. I have had no issues with it, and bought the two year extended warranty just in case. The best part of this is that with the money I saved on buying a cheaper lathe, I was able to spend on more accessories and good turning tools, which in my opinion allowed me to become a better turner more rapidly.

If you would feel better about spending a bit more, then the new Rikon VS is on sale at Woodcraft for just under $300. That too is a high quality product. I have turner friends who use the Rikon, Jet and Delta, so I have heard extensively about them all. If you need to turn bigger objects, then a bigger lathe might be justified. But I decided that I would start with pens, and then progress if I felt I had additional interests, and could buy accordingly down the road. But it so often comes down to, "Are you really going to buy a 5 HP, 60 gallon compressor to air your bicycle tire?"

I hope this helps.
 
Turncrafter Commander Is Pure Junk

I personally own the TurnCrafter Commander and feel that it is pure junk. I tried to give it a chance and do a few different things on it but it has disappointed me all the way around. The bed and other bare metal parts rust very readily and the headstock makes quite a racket. I have a Jet right beside it and there is absolutely no comparison. The Jet is smooth and has a lot of power. Both happen to have 3/4 horse motors but the jet motor is twice the size of the PSI lathe. Don't waste your money! I have used the Carba-Tech from PSI for about ten years and had good luck with it.
 
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