Buying First Lathe

[loz]

phoned Record received excellent customer service and had a replace part the next day.

They are brilliant. I used the online feedback form for an issue with my cam handles - same result, next day delivery - They are very good.

 

[TEP]

Hi.

A lot of members are advocating the rebuilt 'Union Graduate' as the pinnacle of lathe hardware. Sorry I can't agree with that unless you have the space to use the machines full capabilities.

1/ The 'rebuilt' Graduate has only a 6" spindle height over the bed, say 11 1/2" max dia. If you want to turn bigger you must use the outboard end and you need a lot of space to work there. This is where a swivel head comes as a bonus, you can have the lathe up against a wall, and to run big just turn the head.

2/ Cost, the 'New Graduate' is a tremendous price. It has a lower bed than the rebuilt machines, but for similar readies you can buy some spectacular machinery, and they come with the afore mentioned swivel head. Which I admit to being a advocate of.

I like the design, and build of the Graduate, but I believe it was designed for schools and other teaching facilities, and the ideas the modern turner has for his work just doesn't fit easily with the Graduate.

Although if I had the room I would buy a Graduate bowl turning lathe tomorrow, but I think the rebuilt long bed one has had it's day really. As seen by LRE who have modified the new ones they are producing by lowering the bed quite substantially to try and fit in with modern trends.

All just my personal opinion! :wink:

 

[CHJ]

I find a Swivel Head not only a bonus as a space saver but virtually essential to enable me to position the workpiece at an angle that avoids me having to lean over the bed of the machine 80% of the time.
I could no play for anywhere near the hours I do at the lathe if my back had to contort over the lathe bed, despite several hours a week in the Gym strengthening it up.

 

[Steve Blackdog]

I find a Swivel Head not only a bonus as a space saver but virtually essential to enable me to position the workpiece at an angle that avoids me having to lean over the bed of the machine 80% of the time.
I could no play for anywhere near the hours I do at the lathe if my back had to contort over the lathe bed, despite several hours a week in the Gym strengthening it up.

I'm glad it's not just me that finds leaning over the bed on bowl work a real pain (literally)

 

[big soft moose]

Hi.

A lot of members are advocating the rebuilt 'Union Graduate' as the pinnacle of lathe hardware. Sorry I can't agree with that unless you have the space to use the machines full capabilities.

1/ The 'rebuilt' Graduate has only a 6" spindle height over the bed, say 11 1/2" max dia. If you want to turn bigger you must use the outboard end and you need a lot of space to work there. This is where a swivel head comes as a bonus, you can have the lathe up against a wall, and to run big just turn the head.

2/ Cost, the 'New Graduate' is a tremendous price. It has a lower bed than the rebuilt machines, but for similar readies you can buy some spectacular machinery, and they come with the afore mentioned swivel head. Which I admit to being a advocate of.

I like the design, and build of the Graduate, but I believe it was designed for schools and other teaching facilities, and the ideas the modern turner has for his work just doesn't fit easily with the Graduate.

Although if I had the room I would buy a Graduate bowl turning lathe tomorrow, but I think the rebuilt long bed one has had it's day really. As seen by LRE who have modified the new ones they are producing by lowering the bed quite substantially to try and fit in with modern trends.

All just my personal opinion! :wink:

Hi Tam

I'm certainly not advocating it as the pinacle of lathe hardware - that acolade goes to the VB36 without much doubt , but that is waaay out of my (and most peoples) reach , as opposed to being only a few hundred out of budget.

I wasnt aware of the 6" over bed issue but I dont think it applies to the short bed which was what i was looking at, and that aside I cant think of another lathe that is the equal of the LRE (rebuilt) shortbed variturn and at a comparable price

the only one i can think of that comes close is the Wivamac bowl turner - the one with right angled beds - but that is a least a grand more expensive

 

[TEP]

Hi BSM.

My post wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, just a all compassing observation about what often crops up when people talk about the best lathe. As I said I would love to have the room for a Graduate bowl turner, but that wouldn't do everyone.

IMO and experience where most go wrong is that people nearly always look at a bigger, better, and more expensive machine. They scrimp, and save until their pride and joy sits in their workshop. Then they go and turn all the same things that they did before. :lol: But now on a lathe that costs 5 times as much as the old one did. I just cannot see the point in upgrading if they don't need the bigger capabilities.

Then there are the complete beginners who come along asking what is the best lathe to start on. My answer would be one of the least expensive, until they find out if turning is for them. I reckon there are lots who fall by the wayside in the first 6 - 12 months and their gear ends up on ebay.

What anyone who if after a lathe should do, IMO, is sit down and write out a list of what they want to do on the lathe. Which decides what type of lathe they want. Once that is decided, then look at the available funds, now is the time to go out window shopping.

Again this is just how I see things, no doubt others will see it differently, but hey, that's life.

PS - I personally don't rate the VB36 unless all you wish to do is turn huge flat platters, bowls, and hollow forms. Which goes back to what I was saying about deciding what you want too do on a lathe, before looking for a machine. As in my circumstances I do quite a lot of spindle work so a VB be be useless to me.

 

[Bodrighy]

I agree with Tam. Having knackered a Perform CCl by turning things it couldn't really handle I would love to upgrade. However finances don't allow and I am turning on a Jet mini or a Coronet. To be perfectly honest the only rerason for me to upgrade would be to have a more powerful motor in order to turn things that are off centre and heavy. When I have mastered everything (or should I say if :lol: ) that my prtesent machines are capable of then will be the time to actually upgrade. In the meantime I am limited to approx 11" dia and about 35" length. A lathe 2nd hand for £100 or less, another £50 on tools and I should be able to turn abot 75% of the things that I want to. Look at the size of the things that Mark and George are turning and they aren't much bigger in fact most of Marks could probably be turned on my lathe if I had the skill

Pete

 

[big soft moose]

Hi BSM.

Then there are the complete beginners who come along asking what is the best lathe to start on. My answer would be one of the least expensive, until they find out if turning is for them. I reckon there are lots who fall by the wayside in the first 6 - 12 months and their gear ends up on ebay.

Again this is just how I see things, no doubt others will see it differently, but hey, that's life.

I broadly agree with you tam - except on the "least expensive" bit - IMO iif someone just starting out buys a horribly underpowered and tinny lathe they may well fall by the wayside because the lathe wont do what they want to do

unless someone has specific desires otherwise (such as wanting to make only pens) i would suggest that the ideal beginers lathe should be capable of face plate work up to arround 12" dia and spindle work to arround 36" length - something like the axminster 900 or perform ccl (or one of the many clones) , in other words something you can grow with.

that said if they are well off they migh be well advised to jump straight to a wivamac , graduate, hegner ,maxi or what have you because one of those will probably last them for life - and if they do fall by the way side the top end lathes hold their value better

 

[chippyminton]

Hello all.
Seems like my comments concerning "swivel heads" went down like a lead balloon,
Of course I realise that not everyone can afford a !"Grad", but consider this the graduate is probably the original "starter lathe" designed for schoolchildren, I turned my first piece on a graduate in the 70's.
In terms of starter machines, I favour British machines, and again would recommend the Tyme Cub, Myford ML8, Tyme Avon, Coronet/Record-perhaps I was a bit "heavy handed" to the beginner.
Good luck with your search for a lathe Robin