I took the wife and girls (ages 1 and 3) to the Chicago Woodworking Show on
Saturday. I don't know if the inspiration came from that or where, but
today, my wife got started talking about me making bowls. She's not too hip
on what I have in the shop (she didn't know I had a band saw), but somehow
she figured out I don't have "that thing that makes bowls", aka a lathe. I
got practically ordered to get a lathe.
Wife: You should get a lathe.
Me: No, you can't make me.
Wife: I think you should get one.
Me: Okay.
Well, it went *something* like that. Anyway, I've been interested in
acquiring a lathe for a while, and have just kind of had my eye out for
something to come around. Now that the seriousness factor has gone up from
a 3 to about a 6, I'm trying to decide what direction to go in. Like all
woodworking stuff, I know there is a $100 version and a $2000 version.
Based on your experience, what would you recommend for a novice woodturner,
lathe-wise? Mini-, Midi-, or Full-size? (or as Mike Myers might say "wee,
not so wee....and frickin' huge). I haven't turned anything since junior
high shop class, so would I need anything past the lathe with live center &
face plate and a set of basic turning tools (gouges, skew, and parting
tools?
I see where Grizzly has a 14" x 40" with stand for $188 delivered. The bed
is stamped steel, which doesn't excite me. For $353 delivered, you can move
up to a 12" x 35.5" with pivoting headstock and cast iron bed, which sounds
more like it to me.
todd
"Wood" suggest that you ask the same question at rec.crafts.woodturning news
group. You can also ask about turning tools, chucks, techniques, etc.
Another good resource is is to check out the classes at Woodcraft or other
wood working stores in your area.
Another option for buying a lathe is to look at auctions. Sometime you can do
well - sometimes not. The main thing about buying a used lathe is to make sure
the bearings in the head stock and tail stock are good with no play.
MIchael - another novice.
todd wrote:
> she figured out I don't have "that thing that makes bowls", aka a lathe. I
> got practically ordered to get a lathe.
> Wife: You should get a lathe.
> Me: No, you can't make me.
> Wife: I think you should get one.
> Me: Okay.
You really need to figure out how much you have to spend. There
is always a bigger, neater, more expensive lathe than the one you
have. Figure that decent tools will average $50 each unless you
make your own. If you are ordered to make bowls, then swingover
dictates the size of the bowls and bigger is better, figure 1"
less that swingover is the biggest bowl you'll really be able to
turn. Slower is better and that's why it's nice to have variable
speed. It isn't a requirement, but it sure is nice. Cast Iron
ways are better than steel tubes, but solid is the bottom line. A
swivel head is nice, but if it loosens up with use it stops being
a nice feature. If you take this over to Rec.Crafts.Woodturning
You'll start our weekly arguement on spend more and cry once, or
spend some and outgrow it then get what you now know you wnat.
DAGS and see how that works out. Find out where the local turners
are and find someone to teach you haow to turn. They'll be happy
to help and you'll scare yourself less.
BTW, You suck! Ordered to get a lathe, that's the fastest way to
waste time and money I've come up with, except maybe planes. %-)
Dave in Fairfax
--
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/
Well I am no lathe expert by any stretch but I can tell you that the =
14x40 will limit the scope of bowls you can turn and the stamped base on =
my HF lathe sucks.=20
Puff
"todd" <[email protected]> wrote in message =
news:[email protected]...
> I took the wife and girls (ages 1 and 3) to the Chicago Woodworking =
Show on
> Saturday. I don't know if the inspiration came from that or where, =
but
> today, my wife got started talking about me making bowls. She's not =
too hip
> on what I have in the shop (she didn't know I had a band saw), but =
somehow
> she figured out I don't have "that thing that makes bowls", aka a =
lathe. I
> got practically ordered to get a lathe.
>=20
> Wife: You should get a lathe.
> Me: No, you can't make me.
> Wife: I think you should get one.
> Me: Okay.
>=20
> Well, it went *something* like that. Anyway, I've been interested in
> acquiring a lathe for a while, and have just kind of had my eye out =
for
> something to come around. Now that the seriousness factor has gone up =
from
> a 3 to about a 6, I'm trying to decide what direction to go in. Like =
all
> woodworking stuff, I know there is a $100 version and a $2000 version.
> Based on your experience, what would you recommend for a novice =
woodturner,
> lathe-wise? Mini-, Midi-, or Full-size? (or as Mike Myers might say =
"wee,
> not so wee....and frickin' huge). I haven't turned anything since =
junior
> high shop class, so would I need anything past the lathe with live =
center &
> face plate and a set of basic turning tools (gouges, skew, and parting
> tools?
>=20
> I see where Grizzly has a 14" x 40" with stand for $188 delivered. =
The bed
> is stamped steel, which doesn't excite me. For $353 delivered, you =
can move
> up to a 12" x 35.5" with pivoting headstock and cast iron bed, which =
sounds
> more like it to me.
>=20
> todd
>=20
>
todd wrote:
> I took the wife and girls (ages 1 and 3) to the Chicago Woodworking Show on
> Saturday. I don't know if the inspiration came from that or where, but
> today, my wife got started talking about me making bowls. She's not too hip
> on what I have in the shop (she didn't know I had a band saw), but somehow
> she figured out I don't have "that thing that makes bowls", aka a lathe. I
> got practically ordered to get a lathe.
>
> Wife: You should get a lathe.
> Me: No, you can't make me.
> Wife: I think you should get one.
> Me: Okay.
>
> Well, it went *something* like that. [snip]
You are a hard sell. :-)
I would suggest (in order of preference):
1. Take a class (local adult ed, Rockler, etc.). Understand what kinds
of stuff you are interested in and buy to fit those needs. The
instructors are usually a good source for this kind of info.
2. Read everything you can get your hands on to get the same info as above.
3. Spend the two large and hope for overkill.
mahalo,
jo4hn
go to groups.google.ca then type rec.crafts.woodturning, and then put
your question into the search box, there is lots of information on this
subject there.
>
>
>
> "todd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I took the wife and girls (ages 1 and 3) to the Chicago Woodworking Show
> on
> > Saturday. I don't know if the inspiration came from that or where, but
> > today, my wife got started talking about me making bowls. She's not too
> hip
> > on what I have in the shop (she didn't know I had a band saw), but somehow
> > she figured out I don't have "that thing that makes bowls", aka a lathe.
> I
> > got practically ordered to get a lathe.
> >
> > Wife: You should get a lathe.
> > Me: No, you can't make me.
> > Wife: I think you should get one.
> > Me: Okay.
> >
> > Well, it went *something* like that. Anyway, I've been interested in
> > acquiring a lathe for a while, and have just kind of had my eye out for
> > something to come around. Now that the seriousness factor has gone up
> from
> > a 3 to about a 6, I'm trying to decide what direction to go in. Like all
> > woodworking stuff, I know there is a $100 version and a $2000 version.
> > Based on your experience, what would you recommend for a novice
> woodturner,
> > lathe-wise? Mini-, Midi-, or Full-size? (or as Mike Myers might say
> "wee,
> > not so wee....and frickin' huge). I haven't turned anything since junior
> > high shop class, so would I need anything past the lathe with live center
> &
> > face plate and a set of basic turning tools (gouges, skew, and parting
> > tools?
> >
> > I see where Grizzly has a 14" x 40" with stand for $188 delivered. The
> bed
> > is stamped steel, which doesn't excite me. For $353 delivered, you can
> move
> > up to a 12" x 35.5" with pivoting headstock and cast iron bed, which
> sounds
> > more like it to me.
> >
> > todd
> >
> >
Let me restate what I *think* Todd's question is, because I am interested
too.
What features should I look for in a lathe, under what circumstances would I
find that particular feature useful, and what retail price point should I
expect to see this particular feature.
For instance, i have noticed that as you pass the $1500 mark, machines start
to show up with Electronic, Variable Speed motors, When would I find this
feature especially useful?
-Steve
"todd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I took the wife and girls (ages 1 and 3) to the Chicago Woodworking Show
on
> Saturday. I don't know if the inspiration came from that or where, but
> today, my wife got started talking about me making bowls. She's not too
hip
> on what I have in the shop (she didn't know I had a band saw), but somehow
> she figured out I don't have "that thing that makes bowls", aka a lathe.
I
> got practically ordered to get a lathe.
>
> Wife: You should get a lathe.
> Me: No, you can't make me.
> Wife: I think you should get one.
> Me: Okay.
>
> Well, it went *something* like that. Anyway, I've been interested in
> acquiring a lathe for a while, and have just kind of had my eye out for
> something to come around. Now that the seriousness factor has gone up
from
> a 3 to about a 6, I'm trying to decide what direction to go in. Like all
> woodworking stuff, I know there is a $100 version and a $2000 version.
> Based on your experience, what would you recommend for a novice
woodturner,
> lathe-wise? Mini-, Midi-, or Full-size? (or as Mike Myers might say
"wee,
> not so wee....and frickin' huge). I haven't turned anything since junior
> high shop class, so would I need anything past the lathe with live center
&
> face plate and a set of basic turning tools (gouges, skew, and parting
> tools?
>
> I see where Grizzly has a 14" x 40" with stand for $188 delivered. The
bed
> is stamped steel, which doesn't excite me. For $353 delivered, you can
move
> up to a 12" x 35.5" with pivoting headstock and cast iron bed, which
sounds
> more like it to me.
>
> todd
>
>
I've only beeen turning since last October but variable speed will allow you
to slow down the rotation on unbalanced pieces.this can come in handy at
times when you wish to turn something either large &/or wet.
You will likely also want to get a chuck and maybe a couple sets of jaws for
it. Comes in handy for turning bowls and such.
Sharpening equipment and perhaps a jig for putting the edge to fingernail
bowl gouges is very good unless you're particuarly adept at freehand
sharpening.
Figure about $200 for gouges and such - roughing gouge, 1 or 2 bowl gouges
perhaps a scraper or three.
A bandsaw is probably the only other large ticket item and you're set to go.
"Stephen M" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Let me restate what I *think* Todd's question is, because I am interested
> too.
>
> What features should I look for in a lathe, under what circumstances would
I
> find that particular feature useful, and what retail price point should I
> expect to see this particular feature.
>
>
> For instance, i have noticed that as you pass the $1500 mark, machines
start
> to show up with Electronic, Variable Speed motors, When would I find this
> feature especially useful?
>
> -Steve
>
>
>
> "todd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I took the wife and girls (ages 1 and 3) to the Chicago Woodworking Show
> on
> > Saturday. I don't know if the inspiration came from that or where, but
> > today, my wife got started talking about me making bowls. She's not too
> hip
> > on what I have in the shop (she didn't know I had a band saw), but
somehow
> > she figured out I don't have "that thing that makes bowls", aka a lathe.
> I
> > got practically ordered to get a lathe.
> >
> > Wife: You should get a lathe.
> > Me: No, you can't make me.
> > Wife: I think you should get one.
> > Me: Okay.
> >
> > Well, it went *something* like that. Anyway, I've been interested in
> > acquiring a lathe for a while, and have just kind of had my eye out for
> > something to come around. Now that the seriousness factor has gone up
> from
> > a 3 to about a 6, I'm trying to decide what direction to go in. Like
all
> > woodworking stuff, I know there is a $100 version and a $2000 version.
> > Based on your experience, what would you recommend for a novice
> woodturner,
> > lathe-wise? Mini-, Midi-, or Full-size? (or as Mike Myers might say
> "wee,
> > not so wee....and frickin' huge). I haven't turned anything since
junior
> > high shop class, so would I need anything past the lathe with live
center
> &
> > face plate and a set of basic turning tools (gouges, skew, and parting
> > tools?
> >
> > I see where Grizzly has a 14" x 40" with stand for $188 delivered. The
> bed
> > is stamped steel, which doesn't excite me. For $353 delivered, you can
> move
> > up to a 12" x 35.5" with pivoting headstock and cast iron bed, which
> sounds
> > more like it to me.
> >
> > todd
> >
> >
>
>