Folks,
I don't do bowls (at least not yet) and I don't use a lathe all that
much anymore (lots of craftsman furniture), but I still do turnings
now and then. I have done many turnings over the years that vary from
1/2 inch to 6 inches or so in diameter to over 3 ft in length.
Sometimes I had to splice two together to get the length I needed. I
have done all this with (ugh!) a 40 year old Sears Craftsman "tube"
lathe that I bought NEW. I tried a friend's Delta 46-715 and liked
it. I also know that Delta has a new midi 46-460 lathe that appears
to be very nice. The 46-715 has been discontinued, so I would
probably have to buy it used.
I don't want to spend over $600 or $700 (would prefer less) because I
don't use the lathe a lot, but I would like the smoothness and chatter
freedom that I can expect from a quality lathe. Although I know it
would be nice, I don't want a used 400 lb. behemoth. I have read
about the Grizzly and Shop Fox lathes, but I also heard the mixed
results. The Sears has made a smooth cut hard to do (possible, but
hard).
With these facts in mind, I would like to ask you-all what you would
suggest.
On Jun 21, 1:33=A0pm, RonB <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have had good luck with Grizzly products but I will admit that when
> I bought mylathe, I stepped around them. =A0Not that their machines
> were bad; but others seemed better.
>
> =A0You might look at the JET machines. =A0I ended up buying a JET 1442 a
> year or so after their introduction and I have been pleased. =A0The 1442
> is probably out of the price range you mentioned now, because it was
> right at $800 4-5 years ago. =A0Some of their smaller machines also
> looked pretty good at the time.
>
> I agree with Phisherman. =A0Before you throw in the towel with the
> existinglathe. =A0It is not unusual to see very heavy home-made timber
> sands weighted down with sandbags or such. =A0If you can stabilize the
> base, and firmly attach the machine to a rock-solid base you might
> take care of some of the problem.
>
> Rib
The banjo on the Sears is stamped steel and hard to get adjusted. I
would like a quality machine. At my age, I think I can do better. I
would really like the Delts 46-715, but I can't find one in the local
area and getting it sent from out of state (I live in Ann Arbor, MI)
is over $200. Delta has stopped making the machine. They apparently
are going with a midi at about $600 and then the bigger machines jump
up to well over $1,000. I wonder about the Grizzly lathes, but I have
not heard great things.
I have had good luck with Grizzly products but I will admit that when
I bought my lathe, I stepped around them. Not that their machines
were bad; but others seemed better.
You might look at the JET machines. I ended up buying a JET 1442 a
year or so after their introduction and I have been pleased. The 1442
is probably out of the price range you mentioned now, because it was
right at $800 4-5 years ago. Some of their smaller machines also
looked pretty good at the time.
I agree with Phisherman. Before you throw in the towel with the
existing lathe. It is not unusual to see very heavy home-made timber
sands weighted down with sandbags or such. If you can stabilize the
base, and firmly attach the machine to a rock-solid base you might
take care of some of the problem.
Rib
On Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:22:30 -0700 (PDT), eganders
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Folks,
>
>I don't do bowls (at least not yet) and I don't use a lathe all that
>much anymore (lots of craftsman furniture), but I still do turnings
>now and then. I have done many turnings over the years that vary from
>1/2 inch to 6 inches or so in diameter to over 3 ft in length.
>Sometimes I had to splice two together to get the length I needed. I
>have done all this with (ugh!) a 40 year old Sears Craftsman "tube"
>lathe that I bought NEW. I tried a friend's Delta 46-715 and liked
>it. I also know that Delta has a new midi 46-460 lathe that appears
>to be very nice. The 46-715 has been discontinued, so I would
>probably have to buy it used.
>
>I don't want to spend over $600 or $700 (would prefer less) because I
>don't use the lathe a lot, but I would like the smoothness and chatter
>freedom that I can expect from a quality lathe. Although I know it
>would be nice, I don't want a used 400 lb. behemoth. I have read
>about the Grizzly and Shop Fox lathes, but I also heard the mixed
>results. The Sears has made a smooth cut hard to do (possible, but
>hard).
>
>With these facts in mind, I would like to ask you-all what you would
>suggest.
Concentrate on the stand to fix the vibration issue. Cast iron legs
or hollow wooden legs filled with sand will help vibration and
stability. I have an under-the-lathe shelf stacked with sandbags. Out
of your price range, but a variable DC motor is great because a small
speed change can eliminate vibration quickly and easily. Even with a
quality lathe, sharp tools make all the difference.
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in news:Csg0m.869$NF6.221
@nwrddc02.gnilink.net:
> "eganders" wrote:
>
>> I
> would really like the Delts 46-715, but I can't find one in the local
> area and getting it sent from out of state (I live in Ann Arbor, MI)
> is over $200.
>
> Bumper sticker found on a car in Columbus, OH.
>
> "Directions to Ann Arbor,"
> "North till you smell it,"
> "West till you step in it."
>
> Lew
I visited the Medical Center for a few days a few years ago (research with
a collegue from way back) and found Ann Arbor a very nice college town with
very good food in quite a few places. The visit was not on my tab <grin>,
and was successful from my point of view: I am coauthor on a nice paper in
the J Clin Invest with as first author Matt Hyman.
--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid
"Han" wrote:
> I visited the Medical Center for a few days a few years ago
> (research with
> a collegue from way back) and found Ann Arbor a very nice college
> town with
> very good food in quite a few places.
I would agree, Ann Arbor is a very nice town and has some neat places
to eat or at least it did have when I covered it, but that has nothing
to do with the rivalry between the University of Michigan and The Ohio
State University.
Probably one of the best known sports rivalries in the entire country.
Woody and Bo made sure it got lots of ink.
Lew