# Charnwood Lathes



## Anonymous (21 Apr 2004)

Charnwood lathe @ £69. Any good for a complete beginner ?


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## Alf (21 Apr 2004)

If it's one with a single tube style bed, then no. Got a pic or link?

Cheers, Alf


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## Anonymous (21 Apr 2004)

http://www.charnwood.net/ProductDesc.js ... ckref=W811


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## Alf (21 Apr 2004)

Hmm, s'new one on me. All my instincts scream don't touch it with a ten-foot pole, but based on no evidence, that's a pretty hopeless bit of advice. :roll: Still, gotta be a step up from a drill-powered one I s'pose. 

Cheers, Alf


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## trevtheturner (21 Apr 2004)

My instincts the same as Alf's on this. From the description, as you would expect at the price, it has very limited features.

If you are serious about turning into a turner go for the best you can (and that includes gouges and chisels, grinder and chuck for starters!), i.e. good quality without spending a fortune. Good kit will serve you well and last. A cheapo lathe? Guarantee within 3 months you will be frustrated and fed up with its limitations and be looking to replace it with a decent one or to chuck in turning.

Cheers, Trev.


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## Anonymous (21 Apr 2004)

Well, having had a quick look at the picture the bed appears to be made from pretty thin section angle-iron. If you hunt around for info about lathe choice, you'll find that the weight and stability of the machine are really important, and you'll see lots of opinions about how great cast iron is, and so on.

That point alone would put me clean off this lathe. I've just bought one of the little Perform lathes from Axminster (recommended in GWW as a starter lathe earlier this year). Priced at £130, with cast iron bed and similar capacities to this one, plus the ability to put a drill chuck and other accessories into the industry standard 2MT taper headstock and tailstocks.

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole unless I was prepared to throw the money away if it turns out to be hopeless.

Cheers,

AG


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## blurk99 (22 Apr 2004)

I started off with the very similar Clarke CWL6B, and it was useless, i hated every minute i spent down the shed with the damn thing, best thing about it was the pressed steel spanner that came with it also fits the headstock nut on the lad's BMX so i didn't have to drive off to Halfords to buy one. Glad to have given it away now that the enormous Fox lathe is shaking the shed to pieces at the weekends  

jim


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## mudman (22 Apr 2004)

blurk99":5rlm65l3 said:


> Glad to have given it away now that the enormous Fox lathe is shaking the shed to pieces at the weekends



Blurk,

I see that you have the fox. I'm on the verge of ordering one myself as for the price range it does seem impressive.
Would you recommend it? Any problems with it.
I would appreciate your comments before I commit to it with the old plastic.

Cheers,
Barry


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## cambournepete (22 Apr 2004)

Afterglow":30awf3sl said:


> I've just bought one of the little Perform lathes from Axminster (recommended in GWW as a starter lathe earlier this year). Priced at £130, with cast iron bed and similar capacities to this one, plus the ability to put a drill chuck and other accessories into the industry standard 2MT taper headstock and tailstocks.



I assume you mean this one: http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=CCSL ?

It certainly looks good.

They also do a floor standing one for £40 more: http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=CCL

They both use 1"x8 threads so any chuck and other bits you get will fit lots of bigger and better lathes.


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## blurk99 (22 Apr 2004)

Hi Mudman

If you mean the Fox 46-717, from rutlands and craft supplies etc. at just under £300 i am very impressed with it but i've got the Supernova chuck with it - so that does add another £125 or so on, but the lathe is really heavy, absorbs any amount of imbalance that the chuck will hold on to and i find the range of speeds ideal for the sorts of turning that i do.

One slight problem i find is in the toolrest, to have a really tight grip with the quick release locks to have to have them so finely adjusted that seem a bit reluctant to slide along the bed when relased, but it's the sort of thing a regular wipe of 3 in 1 oil sorts out, i think there was a tool review in this months 'Woodturner' magazine that covered it, or a very similar machine anyway. They also mentioned the springiness of the toolrest when it's extended and this is also a slight problem, but i find it just stops me taking such deep cuts when the toolrest is extended.

I was originally looking at getting something like a Coronet Major or ML8 because of the extra woodworking attachments that you can have, but i'm very pleased with my Fox lathe

If you got a reasolable amount of french...

http://www.delta-france.fr/

id the manufacturers site, best of luck, but do make sure that it's the right one for you, and see if you can get a bit of hands on experience with anything your thinking of buying, it's a large chunk of cash  

jimmer


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## mudman (23 Apr 2004)

Thanks for the reply.
It does look like a good buy if just because of the extra weight and power that you get for the money.
Just phoned Rutlands and unfortunately they're out of stock until 14th May.  And I can't find anyone else that stocks them.
So, looks like I'd have to wait anyway. 
I am off to the Midlands show this weekend so hopefully I'll be able to drool over lots of lovely big machines and be able to make my mind up.

Cheers,
Barry


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## Anonymous (23 Apr 2004)

cambournepete":3kv59zfs said:


> I assume you mean this one: http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=CCSL ?
> 
> It certainly looks good.
> 
> ...



Yep, the little one's the one I bought. Cracking little lathe, nicely ground cast iron job. I saw them at one of the shows last year and was impressed with the finish. I compared them to the Delta and Jet Midi lathes, and they're just about the same from what I could tell. The Axminster guy on the stand really rated them too. Of course, some more time to play with it would be nice :roll: 

The big benefit for me is that they include the extension piece to the lathe bed, so you can turn over a metre between centres for those odd occasions you want to make farmhouse table legs.

I didn't go for the floor standing one because of space. I like the idea of being able to put the little one away when I'm not doing turning, since playing with planks is more my thing generally speaking. Of course, the likelihood of me actually putting any tool away after I've used it is quite low...

Cheers,

AG - about 6 miles or so away from Cambourne...


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## blurk99 (23 Apr 2004)

Hi Mudman - craft supplies may have them in stock- it's in the catalogue but not on their website, but they may try to get you to pay a £25 delivery charge, i told them i wasn't prepared to pay it for a lathe that was already £10 more than rutlands were advertising it for and so they waived the fee


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## Alf (23 Apr 2004)

Barry,

MSC have them in their advert in GWW, but I can't find it on the website. £284.95, but £9.95 p&p  Still, if you're in a hurry before SWMBO changes her mind... :wink: 

Cheers, Alf


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## mudman (23 Apr 2004)

None anywhere in the country.
Apparently Fox themselves have run out due to the site that makes the castings having run out of iron. :shock: 

Rutlands are expecting delivery after 14th May, MSC, 25th and Craft Supplies after 7th.
Lady at Craft Supplies wanted to charge me £42.50  for delivery! :shock: I told her that I wouldn't pay that sort of price and that Rutlands did it for tenner less blah blah blah but no joy.

Been thinking though that if the demand has been that great, then there may be problems with the next batch if they've been rushed through production.

Will have to see what's at the show this weekend. Unfortunately I can't get there until Sunday so I hope there's something left for me.

I'm ok with SWMBO, she's had her pressie so I get to get mine now. Trouble is, that way, the toys cost twice as much. :wink: 

Cheers,
Barry


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## Alf (23 Apr 2004)

I dunno, sometimes I wonder exactly what lengths one has to go to in order to spend money on tools... :roll: :lol: 

Cheers, Alf


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## mudman (23 Apr 2004)

Alf, you are so right, what is becoming of the world.  
Mind you, it may mean that I have to increase my budget now.  

_"But darling, my original choice was out of stock everywhere in the world. So I had to get this one which is much, much better."_

And I like your idea Trev...

_"Anyway, it now means that I can make things like this for you my sweet." _
Presents love of his life with small wooden item.
_"That I wouldn't have been able to make with the other one_."
Then adds.
_"Shall I make one for your mother?"_

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: 
:wink:


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## trevtheturner (23 Apr 2004)

Barry,

Dunno what happened to my posting, but you've obviously picked up on my drift. Make another one for MIL - brilliant!! :lol: Bound to work every time, and think of all the extra kit you'll be able to get! :lol: :lol: 

Trev.


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## mudman (23 Apr 2004)

It's gone. :shock: 
'Twas there, one minute, the next.....
Do Do Do Dooo (Twilight Zone music)

Spooky.

:? 

Cheer,
Barry


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## Anonymous (8 Jun 2004)

The Charnwood W811 Lathe is, I am sorry to say having been bought one as a present, C.R.A.P! (Cheap Rubbish Awful Pathetic).

B&Q are selling a twin solid bar design off on their website for £124 previously £300 - I just picked one up in store - infinitely better that the charnwood lathe and manufactured for PPPro by Rexon.


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