# relatively cheap, sort of first/second lathe advice please



## hellier0437 (1 Jan 2008)

hi, am new to the forum and am looking for some advice on choosing a lathe. 

i have been using a draper lathe for a little while, making lamps, bowls, etc. but it is in devon and i spend most of my time in surrey, so i want to buy a new one for surrey. i would like to spend under £300. i am not too fussed about distance between centres (but 30" plus would be nice), i want to be able to turn some decent sized bowls. if possible , then long hole boring would be nice for the lamps, and i would like to buy a relatively inexpensive chuck in the future. 

i have been looking at the fox F46-719 which i have found for £275

1) is there a better option for the money?
2)can the fox be found any cheaper?

any help gratefully received

thanks


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## Paul.J (1 Jan 2008)

Hello H and welcome  
I would recommend the Perform CCBL from Axminster,there are few turners on here who use a Perform lathe and all seem to be happy with them.All cast iron,variable speed,rotating headstock.here are all the models.
HTH.
Paul.J.


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## hellier0437 (1 Jan 2008)

thanks for the reply,
this one doesn't apear to have a hollow head and tail stock for log hole boring, is this essential for the holes in lamps, or can the same job be done with a chuck to hold the lamp and another chuck on the tailstock to hold the drill?
thanks


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## CHJ (2 Jan 2008)

Welcome to the forum *hellier*, the perform Paul refers to certainly does have hollow head and tailstock, it comes with a hollow revolving centre also.

The performs are not the most elegantly finished but they certainly do the job and are hard to beat for the money, many of the other brands are basically the same castings/fittings with a presumption that they have better quality control for the increase in purchase price, something that is debatable IMO.


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## Paul.J (2 Jan 2008)

Morning H.
Here are a couple of table lamps i turned on my Perform,when i had it.
It does have the hollowing centre for this job.




Paul.J.


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## Blister (2 Jan 2008)

There is one here , If you are quick :wink: 

Not mine but found it while :shock: last night  

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Perform-CCBL-Vari ... dZViewItem


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## hellier0437 (2 Jan 2008)

thanks for the advice, i'm just a bit worried that the perform is 37kg lighter than the fox, (97kg instead of 134kg). i do tend to end up turning blanks that are somewhat off balance. could the light weight pose a problem in that respect? (i do find that my draper lathe bounces around quite a bit)
thanks again
tom


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## Paul.J (2 Jan 2008)

Hellier.
here
is a review another member done on the Fox lathe.
As for the weight.The Perform seemed heavy enough to me,but if it's weight your after then this will be up to you to decide.
Just that there are quite a few happy members with the Perform lathe.
HTH.
Paul.J.


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## JackL (2 Jan 2008)

The problem with comparing the two is that they are not similar. The Fox is a bigger lathe than the Perform and therefore ought to be heavier.
I have turned many things on my Perform that would have the gentlemen at Axminster tearing their hair out.
I even designed and built my own free standing tool rest in order to turn larger bowls on it.
I have had seriously unbalanced burrs on the thing with sandbags to dampen vibration. Only replacement in three years have been one new drive belt per year.
I can therefore recommend the Perform, but not having used the Fox, I can't comment, though I would expect it to be a very suitable machine.
You pays your money and takes your choice. Good luck with your purchase - which ever lathe you finally decide on.


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## shedhead (2 Jan 2008)

My first lathe was a Perform CCBL. It was as stable as my Jet lathe is now. I only changed lathes as i got a good second hand offer on the Jet lathe, i could not turn down. Otherwise i would still be happily using the Perform one now.


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## hellier0437 (2 Jan 2008)

thanks, my worry is that a lot of people say they have had one and have now upgraded it, what are they upgrading to?. also, are there any other options. for example, what is the general consencus on record lathes (DML36 or CL1)
thanks again


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## Paul.J (2 Jan 2008)

Tom.
Take a look in Chas's members lathes on the front page.
Paul.J.


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## Bodrighy (2 Jan 2008)

I have been using a Perform for nearly a year and so far have only turned about half a dozen round blamks. Everything else has been defrmed, off balance or just plain awkward shapes. I have also been abusive and negligent in my maintenance. It is still going, though it needs a new belt, and the only problem that I have is that the legs it comes with are not reallt strong enough for a particular 15" off balance lump of chestnut I want to turn so I am in tthe process of buildiong a more substantial bench.

It is an 'orrible colour and the bed is not the best finish in the world but you are unlikely to get better value for money.

I also would like to upgrade to a a Wadkin or an Apollo but unfortunately working out if a 10' x 6' shed somewhat limits my choice at the moment. :roll: 

Pete

P.S. One big advantage is the service from Axminster. I naffed up the variable speed through lack of lubrication  and they simply sent me the replacement parts with instructions over the phone on how to replace them


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## Mark Hancock (3 Jan 2008)

Bodrighy":qfaxs43c said:


> It is still going, though it needs a new belt,
> Pete



If it needs a belt within such a short time check the alignment of the pulleys. Just use a straight edge such as a steel rule to check it. If there is even a slight out of linement a poly V belt can wear in a very short time.

If you need a replacement belt don't automatically go to the manufacturer/supplier for the replacement. There are other options. I had a similar situation with a Coronet No 3 lathe 10 years ago. I found a local motor factor who supplied 3 belts for the same price as a Coronet/Record replacement and because I corrected the allignment of the pulleys I'm still on the first replacement with belts to spare.


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## Coca (4 Jan 2008)

Whilst on the subject of new lathes perhaps someone could offer me a bit of advice also.

I have never turned on a lathe since I left school many years ago, but I find myself hankering after one, my wife says it is a mid life thing, my other two hankerings are a Bentley and a younger woman, my wife wants me to get a lathe as it might only hurt me whilst the other two would certainly kill me.

I have half of a double garage to work in and £1000 to spend, I want to buy a lathe, bandsaw, pillar drill, some sort of sharpening system, tools and sundries.
My question is what would you buy if you were in the same situation? Help please, I want the best I can get for the least money.

In the interests of safety I shall book a course before I turn the lathe on.


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## CHJ (4 Jan 2008)

Welcome to the forum *Coca*, may I add a decent grinder to your list of wants, by decent I mean with at least a good white stone not necessarily an expensive model. One of the things you are going to want to do early on in the exercise, possibly even before you cut a bit of wood is sharpen the tools.

As to the shopping list, no doubt there will be others along shortly to point out their preferences of equipment and why.


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## Paul.J (4 Jan 2008)

Hello Coca and welcome  
Might be worth considering a good second hand set up on Ebay or on some of the woodturning club sites.
If you are certain that you will stick with turning i would buy good quality tools,and chuck from the start.
Paul.J.


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## Bodrighy (4 Jan 2008)

Hi Coca and welcome

With a grand toi spend I reckon you could got to town. Of course you could spend the lot on a lathe alone as well :lol: 

Bottom line what do you want to turn? I started out with £130 lathe a £10 grinder from B&Q and some carbon steel tools I was given and worked from the attic. I realised that I loved turning so have slowly built up a stock of tools, a decent grinder and maybe one day a better lateh. I realised early on however that if people could turn out really good stuff on a pole lathe uising ground down files I had no excuse but my own technique to blame. 

A reasonable smaller lathe, a few good quality tools and a decent sharpenig system and you are away but at the end of the day I'd start small and build up.

I was in a market just before Christmas and there was a turner there. I asked him what lathe he had and he had a Wood smith....an expensive American job. My wife wandered over and wiothout thinking said rather loudly, "your stuff is much better than this" flattered but b***** embarassing.

Pete


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## CHJ (4 Jan 2008)

Bodrighy":lk4asn5k said:


> ............ said rather loudly, "your stuff is much better than this" flattered but b***** embarassing.


 :lol: :lol: :lol:


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