# Axminster mini lathe - hobby vs. trade



## McAldo (12 Jul 2013)

I just registered, hello everybody!
I am a complete beginner and looking for a mini lather I could move to the workbench every time I need turning (shed is tiny and badly ventilated, so I need to move it to a sheltered workbench outside).
I heard SIP and Draper are cheap but not that good, so I am considering axminster, and I read all I could about them here on the forum (and read Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Turning a few times back to back)
If anybody has experience with Axminster lathes, or anyway feels like giving me some advice, I'd be really grateful.

I have found these three (Sorry can't post links:
jet-jet-jml-1014-mini-wood-lathe-prod362338/
axminster-hobby-series-ah-1218vs-woodturning-lathe-prod890273/
jet-jet-jwl-1220-woodturning-lathe-prod724867/


I am very tempted with the 'hobby' one. I understand that hobby is rated for 100 hours work per year, and trade (the jet ones) are 1000 hours per year.
Considering I am a full time dad with a full time job at night, realistically I won't be able to enjoy turning more than 8 hours per week. I'd like to make , among other things, woodwinds so the hollow tailstock on the hobby sounds particularly attractive.
Sizewise I could do with the 350mm/250mm swing of the small jet, considering I can fit an extension bed to any of them, but the 450mm/300mm swing of the other two is attractive. They all have 8tpi, I understand 16 is more common, not sure?

Could anybody tell me if the hobby could fit the bill, considering I cannot spend lots of time turning?
Aside of the rated hours, what's the difference between these lathes? On paper they sound so similar, aside of a £180 difference, surely there must be a reason.
Any other model you would advise considering?


Sorry if the question is a bit generic, I wrote a more detailed message, but the forum logged me off while writing, so I lost it and after a night of work I am too knackered to write more 

My max budget is 550. But 200 will probably go towards tools, wet grinder, jig, sandpaper and finishing material, face protector, pen jig, perhaps a chuck, an auger. I'd love a bowl saver too, even if I won't be turning anything massive, but probably at a latter time.

Thanks 
Aldo


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## McAldo (12 Jul 2013)

Update: I just spoken with Axminster staff, and actually all the lathes have an hollow tail stock fro boring, so that's not an issue. Even if they were suggesting using a drill press instead so not to put strains on the lathe motor. But then, most deep drilling I'll do is one inch or less in diameter, max 350mm in depth but mostly around 130mm, so I guess it should be ok to use the lathe?


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## chipmunk (12 Jul 2013)

Hi Aldo,
Welcome to the forum.

It is tricky to recommend a first lathe for anybody - especially if on a tight budget but I'll try to help. 

The differences between the lathes on your list are mostly in the quality of the components and the level of finishing.

For example the motors on the Jet lathes are continuously rated which means you don't need to switch off occasionally as you ought to do with the Hobby rated lathes - But in practice this isn't a big deal for an occasional turner. The other thing you may notice is that the levers and knobs on the hobby lathes are sometimes rough or somewhat clunky (e.g. the Axminster AWSL toolrest locking handle) but arguably this is just reasonable cost-cutting. Something's got to give and it still does the job.

I think that your idea of using a lathe for drilling instead of a drill-press is fine - you just need a shop-made scrapwood platter mounted squarely on a morse taper fitted on the bottom to go into the tailstock and away you go.

Given that you have no turning tools or grinder then I'd suggest that you go ahead and buy one of the hobby rated lathes and then you will have money left for other essentials. If you search on here you'll find suggestions for starter tool sets but you can get along perfectly well without a chuck (you will need a Jacobs chuck on an arbour though) and definitely without a bowl saver - sorry :wink: 

Hope this helps
Jon


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## Paul.J (12 Jul 2013)

Hello Aldo and welcome  
Theres a nice little Record lathe for sale in the for sale section if thats of any use to you??


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## bugbear (12 Jul 2013)

The cynic in me points out that quite often second lathes are in quite good condition.

You can view this as either a comment on some people who start turning as a hobby, or as a pointer to a good source of value for money equipment.

Can anyone recommend a good list of s/h equipment - do the magazines still have "for sales" in the back, or has eBay killed all that?

BugBear


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## Martin10 (12 Jul 2013)

Hi Aldo

I bought the Jet 1014 in January as a first lathe. My choice was influenced by the fact that, at the time it came with a free chuck that brought the cost down to similar to the Axminster (I bought it from them). I have been very pleased with it and not found any negatives so far. 

Hope you enjoy turning, whatever choice you make. If you have any specific questions about the 1014 just PM me.

Martin


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## finneyb (12 Jul 2013)

Hi Aldo,

My tuppence worth. 
Either Jet or Axminster are sound. Hobby will do you just fine - I'd put money on that you will not be at the lathe 8 hours every week of the year.

Also consider Axminster's AWVSL900 @ £285 http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ho ... rod886607/ benefits are longer between centres, swivel headstock allowing larger bowls to be turned, sliding headstock which I find to be more comfortable when turning. Comes with its own stand - albeit pressed steel but its good enough. Variable speed - mechanical rather than electronic will very rarely go wrong. Although electronic is nice.

Bowl saver - nice thought - but you will never get your money back on the wood you save. What they are useful for IMHO is making a nest of bowls. I'd spend the money on a band saw - but if you get a 8tpi hand saw (approx. £10) a band saw will not be a priority. Axminster has one for £400, but as I said not a priority.

Hope that helps

Brian


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## Phil Pascoe (12 Jul 2013)

There's a Graduate for £250 in Banbury - a few posts ago. Get in quickly!


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## McAldo (13 Jul 2013)

Thanks so much for all the replies, much appreciated!
As a complete beginner is great to get so much useful advice.

As I mentioned, my original message was somewhat more detailed but I lost it upon submitting. Probably all for the best as very long posts are boring to read through  But there is something I should have remember to mention.
Unfortunately, living in London, I never really considered getting a car as it wouldn't really get much use.
So I am quite restricted as for buying second hand lathes, as understandably most sellers prefer pickup in person.


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## McAldo (13 Jul 2013)

chipmunk":2ek376l5 said:


> Hi Aldo,
> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> It is tricky to recommend a first lathe for anybody - especially if on a tight budget but I'll try to help.
> ...



Hi Jon, thanks so much for clarifying and for all the advice.
I am glad you think that the hobby lathes are still good enough, I see the usual advice to beginners is not to skimp on the lathe as that will end up costing more on the long run than getting a good lathe, so I was really nervous about choosing one.
I see you are not the only one pointing out that bowl savers are not that great after all, thanks for saving me money 
Out of curiosity, is it possible to make multiple platters or bowls with normal straight tools?
I quite like the idea of making matching sets, like flat plate, soup platen and little dessert plate/bowl. But then, that's the kind of "yeah, and then I could do this, that and that" attitude of the clueless beginner watching turners with 30 years of experience effortlessly churning out little wonders on youtube


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## McAldo (13 Jul 2013)

Paul.J":3kzige2z said:


> Hello Aldo and welcome
> Theres a nice little Record lathe for sale in the for sale section if thats of any use to you??



Thanks Paul, just checked that out and, was I local and had a car, I would certainly get it.
Given you mention Record, if you don't mind me asking, are Record lathes better than Jets?
I hear they are quite solid, very similarly priced, and they use a 3/4 16tpi mount which I was told is generally preferable so not to use adapters.


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## McAldo (13 Jul 2013)

bugbear":k7a6bzca said:


> The cynic in me points out that quite often second lathes are in quite good condition.
> 
> You can view this as either a comment on some people who start turning as a hobby, or as a pointer to a good source of value for money equipment.
> 
> ...



I see your point. Actually, I am not adverse at all to buying second hand, and I'd be more than happy getting a second hand bundle with lathe, tools and other bits and bobs, as sometimes you find on ebay. 
But my main problem is that I don't really need a car here in London, so I never got one. So I am restricted to the very few sellers which will be ok with shipping, or are so local that a taxi will do.
Actually, my quest for lathes started with a record plus tools and chuck auction in Wallington, just 5 minutes away. I still regret not having put an higher bid as it went for 135, just over my bid, and the seller was ok with dropping it at my house. I would have started turning 6 weeks ago. But then, I really had no clue about market prices at the time.


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## McAldo (13 Jul 2013)

Martin10":32b1l2es said:


> Hi Aldo
> 
> I bought the Jet 1014 in January as a first lathe. My choice was influenced by the fact that, at the time it came with a free chuck that brought the cost down to similar to the Axminster (I bought it from them). I have been very pleased with it and not found any negatives so far.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the feedback Martin. Unfortunately Axminster is not offering extras to sweeten the deal at this time.
Out of curiosity, do you find the 250mm max diameter restrictive at all in regard to what you can turn? That was my main reason for considering the more expensive model in the Jet line too. Not much because I expect to turn 350mm diameter all that often, but my neighbour is offering me some tree surgery left overs over the next months, so the flexibility might come useful..
Or I can just get a chain saw and rough out my spindlesbefore mounting I guess.

Aldo


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## McAldo (13 Jul 2013)

finneyb":3jcaamy0 said:


> Hi Aldo,
> 
> My tuppence worth.
> Either Jet or Axminster are sound. Hobby will do you just fine - I'd put money on that you will not be at the lathe 8 hours every week of the year.
> ...



Hi Brian, thanks so much. Yes, it does help a lot and I find it reassuring that you think the hobby line is good enough.
I have been considering swivel head models, and they look really handy. 
My main problem is that the shed is really tiny and, given I rent, there is no way I can add a second shed just for turning. Also, very little ventilation and close walls full of hanging gardening tools which I wouldn't know where else to put while keeping them handy (furious wives waking you up 'cause they can't find their favourite spade don't make for good weekends  ). Not the safest place to turn, a rogue spindle or bowl would play pinball big time in there.
So, I really need to move the lathe to the sheltered area outside for turning. 
I guess I could fit a few removable wheels to the model you suggest and wheel it out as needed, but I really need to check its size.
Also, and here I would seek your advice, is 2000 rpm limiting for small items?
It's nice to leave options open but the bulk of what I would turn is going to be quite small, some pen sized or smaller.

You are certainly right that my 8 hours per week won't happen every week, and most of that time might well be spent measuring, cutting and gluing rather than turning, considering I am quite new to woodworking anyway and only have basic tools.
Band saw sounds nice but yeah, being space and budget what they are, I have a set of decent saws and probably I'll have to stick to that.

Thanks for the advice regarding the bowl saver. My idea was as you suggest to make matching nesting items, rather than speeding up hollowing of blanks (and send the leftovers back in the hope arguing for a partial refund  ), but I understand it's probably a gimmick.

Thanks so much for all the help!

Aldo


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## McAldo (13 Jul 2013)

phil.p":2g5c5obv said:


> There's a Graduate for £250 in Banbury - a few posts ago. Get in quickly!



Thanks for pointing that out Phil, much appreciated.
Unfortunately, not having a car, most second hand items are not an option for me, despite of that lather probably being an excellent one


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## finneyb (13 Jul 2013)

McAldo":fs2jmsy2 said:


> Also, and here I would seek your advice, is 2000 rpm limiting for small items?
> It's nice to leave options open but the bulk of what I would turn is going to be quite small, some pen sized or smaller.
> 
> 
> Aldo



2000 rpm limiting? - I don't think it is. But, I'm not a speed freak - others are. 
Accidents do happen and it is usually due to excessive rpms.

If you are going to move the lathe to turn you do want a smaller lathe - they are not lightweight - so this moves away from my suggestion.
Just a thought, it's best, if not essential, to have the lathe bed level when turning - if you're moving each time you turn this may need looking at.

Any clubs nearby? - some have small lathes they rent out to try.

Brian


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## Martin10 (13 Jul 2013)

McAldo":2dsjgca4 said:



> Martin10":2dsjgca4 said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Aldo
> ...



The point is that any lathe will have limitations. Personally as a new turner I decided that I probably wanted to master techniques etc before I tried scary stuff with huge lumps of wood. If I want to move on to something bigger it will be big, heavy and have enough grunt to turn the wood without problems. The Jet mini has the advantage that I can move it around my garage, and can free up bench space if I need it.

Swings and roundabouts!

Martin


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## McAldo (14 Jul 2013)

finneyb":2b578cnr said:


> 2000 rpm limiting? - I don't think it is. But, I'm not a speed freak - others are.
> Accidents do happen and it is usually due to excessive rpms.
> 
> If you are going to move the lathe to turn you do want a smaller lathe - they are not lightweight - so this moves away from my suggestion.
> ...



Thanks Brian, good to know speeds over 2000 are not that necessary even with very small items. Sorry, perhaps it was a silly question, but I really know little 
I had read in my handbook that lathe level and centres alignment should be checked and corrected before securing the lathe to the bench, and was wondering if moving it every time would affect this. Thanks for confirming it will.
I'll have to figure out a way to correct things quickly I guess.

I got in touch with a turners club in Northern London. They were really helpful and even offered me contact details for somebody giving lessons, but a bit too far away for me to visit regularly or to rent a lathe from them, provided they do.
Yesterday I sent a mail to the Croydon club, which is closer. Perhaps I can ask them about renting.
For sure, I hope to attend one of their meeting, so I can see them working. Embarrassingly I never really watched anybody turning in real life


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## McAldo (14 Jul 2013)

Martin10":b62xmlns said:


> The point is that any lathe will have limitations. Personally as a new turner I decided that I probably wanted to master techniques etc before I tried scary stuff with huge lumps of wood. If I want to move on to something bigger it will be big, heavy and have enough grunt to turn the wood without problems. The Jet mini has the advantage that I can move it around my garage, and can free up bench space if I need it.
> 
> Swings and roundabouts!
> 
> Martin



Hi Martin,

Thanks for your advice.
Yep, that makes perfectly sense. Actually, being my first priority to be able to move the lathe frequently, I should consider whether the advantage of very occasionally turning wider items is really worth 10kg additional strain on my back


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## chipmunk (15 Jul 2013)

McAldo":33wcp6bo said:


> Out of curiosity, is it possible to make multiple platters or bowls with normal straight tools?
> I quite like the idea of making matching sets, like flat plate, soup platen and little dessert plate/bowl. But then, that's the kind of "yeah, and then I could do this, that and that" attitude of the clueless beginner watching turners with 30 years of experience effortlessly churning out little wonders on youtube



Well you could use a parting tool to cut out a cone from the centre of your bowl blank before starting conventional hollowing in order to save some of the wood. But it's not something I'd recommend from day one as there can be quite a lot of leverage on the tool as it'll be overhanging quite a long way from the toolrest near to the centre of the blank. You'd also need to widen the kerf of the cut so that the tool doesn't bind. It's not an easy cut to make safely.

HTH
Jon


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## finneyb (15 Jul 2013)

chipmunk":32yqodaj said:


> McAldo":32yqodaj said:
> 
> 
> > Out of curiosity, is it possible to make multiple platters or bowls with normal straight tools?
> ...



The alternative is to buy roughed out bowls - they are sometimes available on ebay and in the US http://www.roughoutbowls.com/
I would never buy them - too tight - and that's before you even get to the postage.
I turn green wood and preferably free green wood.

Brian


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## Robbo3 (16 Jul 2013)

McAldo, although here is nothing wrong with the questions that you are asking, with all due respect, you are trying to run before you can walk.

Your circumstances dictate that you need a small, easily moveable lathe. Nothing wrong with that, so go for it.

My local club in West Oxfordshire mount their Vicmark lathe on a workmate (trolley & two men needed to move) for both professional demonstrators & amateur turners without worrying about twist or it being perfectly level. In fact the amount of wobble is often commented on.

Try & attend a meeting at a local woodturning club. You will learn more there by watching & asking questions especially if they have a 'hands on' session aimed at beginners.

London is a large area & had you been a little more specific as to your location you may have more replies about clubs or tuition local to you.

HTH & above all, enjoy.


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## McAldo (31 Jul 2013)

I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for the wonderful advice and tips.
I should have done this earlier but got a bit lost in work and other things.
In the end, the temporary winner between hobby and trade is actually Bank of Scotland. I saw an opening to shift some credit, which will save me way over what I'll eventually spend on lathe and tools, but that required parting with a few grands, so had to postpone buying.

Unfortunately, no reply from the Croydon club, which is the closest to me (I live in Carshalton, Sutton area). I guess the person I tried to contact is on holiday or something, will try and contact someone else in the board.

But I found a very good post from CHJ about starting tools, so I guess I'll start getting the lathe and the tools and practise on some found wood I set the aside for the purpose.
Might go for some set covering what suggested:

• 3/4 or 1” Roughing Gouge
• 3/8” Spindle Gouge
• 1/2” Flat Skew Chisel
• 1/2” Round Nose Scraper
• 3/16” Diamond Parting Tool
• 3/8” Bowl Gouge (standard grind)

I see that most 'good' (expensive) sets on Axminster comes with a domed chisel (kind of Sorby spindle master shape), which looks attractive in video demonstration (finish on pine looks great) but seems to be regarded as limiting and a novelty tool by experienced turners on all forums.
So I'll try and get a flat chisel instead, and butcher wood until I manage to use it properly 


Well, just wanted to again say thanks. It's quite amazing all the advice you get on this forum, much appreciated!


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## chipmunk (31 Jul 2013)

I think you may be confusing a round-nose scraper, which will be found in almost all conventional turning sets, with the Sorby spindlemaster which will not?

A round nose scraper has a rectangular profile and a ground bevel whereas I think the spindlemaster has a half-round profile and a polished bevel at a much sharper angle?

HTH
Jon


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## McAldo (31 Jul 2013)

chipmunk":1l4n73k6 said:


> I think you may be confusing a round-nose scraper, which will be found in almost all conventional turning sets, with the Sorby spindlemaster which will not?
> 
> A round nose scraper has a rectangular profile and a ground bevel whereas I think the spindlemaster has a half-round profile and a polished bevel at a much sharper angle?
> 
> ...



Thanks Jon,

No, I think it's the skew they mean:
3/4" oval skew
http://www.axminster.co.uk/henry-taylor ... prod22370/

the cheapest sets have straight profile skews though, so I might go for those.
Crown cryo seems interesting too, but not being used to sharpening, perhaps I'd better go for a £70 set like axminster's own one
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ax ... rod822073/
but again oval skew chisel :-k 

Not sure.. Sorby's take on their spindle master is that it's easier than a straight skew and that it will give very good finish even on soft woods like pine.
But reading on the forums many people suggest a straight skew is actually more flexible, even if more difficult to learn. Which is also what my woodturning manual says, something like "Good for smooth curves but a straight chisel allows for much more"
I don't really have an opinion myself, just what I read.


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## chipmunk (31 Jul 2013)

Sorry I misunderstood.

The profile of skews is quite contentious. Round, oval, rectangular or rolled edge all have their fans and critics.

For what it's worth, my preference would be for round skews in small sizes (up to about 10mm) and rolled-edge in larger sizes. Oval skews can be more tricky to sharpen because they don't naturally sit on the grinder rest and I find that they can flex in-use in small sizes which isn't good.

HTH
Jon


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## McAldo (1 Aug 2013)

Thanks for the advice.
I understand the spindle master for instance can only be sharpened with a diamond stone ( or with some pretty expensive Sorby sharpening system if the bevel get damaged), perhaps it's the same with other oval ones too.. not sure..
Anyway, I'll stick to your advice and if I get any small skew I'll get a round one.


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