Help needed from experts with patience

[RobertMP]

Hi guys,
I am about as new as they come to this having done some turning at school in the 60's

I'm in the same boat!

My school turning was late 60's maybe just into 70's and I've not touched any since.

I think I'll enjoy it and need a lathe to find out

Bit of a loner so I don't think clubs are the way for me. Current plan is to buy something OK but cheap to see if it is as good as I remember. If it is then I'll throw some money at getting a good lathe and tools/accessories.

Don't even know what I'll like to make when I can!

Least if I bid on something on ebay I know who I'll be bidding against having read the threads here

I think I joined here last March thinking I'd have my workshop ready to use in a few months..... just about at the buying toys stage now.

 

[Bodrighy]

Sorry to be a pain guys.... I have just seen this lathe on e-bay justdown the road from me. Transport & pick up is a big problem as I live miles from most people, I have tried googling the model but get nothing so can anyone identify this and tell me whether it's worth bidding for and if so what it is worth going to.

When I get up and running I promise to give Chas a run for his money

MC-940

 

[bwlossie]

Chisel,
I have got my pictures stored on my ISP [AOL]
I have gone through the instructions but at the stage all I can see is the url and not the picture.
Any ideas?

Barry.

 

[paulm]

Hi B,

Could be wrong because the pictures are pretty poor, but looks like one of the very basic models with just the one tubular bed bar, like you could get in B&Q or elsewhere.

Sure it would turn things but expect it would be very tiresome and frustrating to use.

I would save your money and get a better made model that will keep you enthuisastic.

Keep looking, there's one out there somewhere !

Cheers, Paul.

 

[bwlossie]

I hope this works....

A dish made from very wet wood and undergoing microwave treatment

Then I needed some fruit to put in it.....

 

[Bodrighy]

Hi B,



I would save your money and get a better made model that will keep you enthuisastic.

Keep looking, there's one out there somewhere !

Cheers, Paul.

I know, I know, be patient......
It's even worse now as my drill as packed up so I can't even play with the lathe attachment on that. I'll get ther...eventually

 

[Bodrighy]

I hope this works....

A dish made from very wet wood and undergoing microwave treatment

It worked....and you are no 'newbie' except perhaps to the forum. They look good to me anyway
Bodrighy

 

[bwlossie]

Glad to finally get the idea on pictures.
Would appreciate comments, tips, suggestions from the experts.

Barry.

 

[Anonymous]

When you drill the hole for the stalk on the fruit, make it at an angle... stalk length only needs to be about 1/2" (13mm) max... slice the top off at angle as well :wink:

Use the head from a wild poppy (dried ) for the calyx at the bottom of the fruit.... with a dab of superglue...

 

[bwlossie]

Thanks for the tip Oldsoke.
I have seen some turned fruit with a clove used. Would have tried that but haven't any at the moment.

Barry.

 

[Bodrighy]

I have been doing some detective work and apparently this lathe is made by Topmaq whoever they may be. I can only find them in a New Zealand site where they sell for NZ$ 399 (about £146 proper money.)
Possible price and location is tempting as most things on Ebay would cost me about £40 in petrol just to collect.You seem to have a monopoly up north on 2nd hand lathes at the moment.
Chisels advice earlier holds me back. Anyone out thee ever heard about them?

site selling

Just type MC940 into the search box to view

Thanks again for your patience with an *****

Bodrighy

 

[Anonymous]

looks like another overpriced chinese copy of an early record design...

have a look at the SIP and Draper dealers sites...

 

[NickWelford]

Bear in mind something else, which you might not have considered yet. Once you have a lathe you have an ideal power source for other things. Of course, variable speed is really key for most, but I do buffing and sanding using the lathe with a jacobs chuck and worm for buffing wheels and an arbor for a home made sanding drum. Also you can affix a flexible drive and use that for all sorts of things. Much better than using a drill as a power source.

Also, I found that once I had a lathe, I wanted to turn larger items. Which led to a larger lathe and swivel head. You can tuen very small items on a large lathe but not vice versa.

 

[Bodrighy]

Hi guys,

Having read and re-read the messages on the forum, (I don't think I've missed any) I have finally plumped for either the Axminster M330 or the Perform CCL. Looks like I'll be making a trip to Axminster soon. Thanks for your help and adviceProbably the latter, it seems to offer more for the money. That is unless something I can get to comes up on E-Bay by the end of the month. I have a basic set of chisels and a grinder so a chuck will have to wait a month or two and I can practice and get used to the lathe first. I have also ordered Keith Rowley's book to keep me going unti I get the lathe as everyone in the forum seems to swear by it.
.

P.S. If anyone has a lathe to sell in the £100 - £150 bracket. in the meantime and doesn't live too far from Exmoor PM me or something. I'll keep you posted with my 'progression' once I get going.
First pics are likely to be of the 'What not to do' and 'This could happen to you' variety.

Bodrighy

 

[Bodrighy]

Evening guys,

I have been going through the stuff I have from my father in law which came with my drill operated lathe. I know that the face plate, tool rest etc will probably be of no use but the lathe was powered via a foot control. A bit like a rheostat that allowed you to run at a variable speed depending how far you pushed it down.

I have noticed that for some turning speeds lower than those available on the two lathes I am contemplating, would this switch be seful or not? I don't know whether for some reason it might damage the motor using it.

A very frustrated would be turner.
Bodrigh

 

[PowerTool]

Don't think it would be worth trying to wire it up - larger variable-speed lathes are often three-phase motors run via an inverter.Smaller lathes are quite okay at higher speeds,as you are turning smaller-diameter timber (less mass off-balance,and lower peripheral velocity)

Andrew

 

[Blister]

Bodrighy

have sent you a PM

 

[RobertMP]

Bodrighy,

Have you checked the adtrader site I linked to in my 'clueless newbie' thread? You can sort results by area. I don't think the asking prices are too bad - certainly better than ebay.

I just put in the keyword > lathe < and my postcode in the search boxes on the left of the page.

http://193.243.131.17/index.php

Robert.

 

[CHJ]

but the lathe was powered via a foot control. A bit like a rheostat that allowed you to run at a variable speed depending how far you pushed it down. ....would this switch be seful or not?
Bodrigh

No, the control will be of no use unless it is a very small lathe powered by a series (brushes) motor like that fitted in your electric drill.

Most lathes have an induction motor which can only be 'speed controlled' by changing the frequency, hence the need to change between belt pulleys or have some form of variomatic gearbox fitted.

 

[Bodrighy]

Bodrighy,

Have you checked the adtrader site I linked to in my 'clueless newbie' thread? You can sort results by area. I don't think the asking prices are too bad - certainly better than ebay.

I just put in the keyword > lathe < and my postcode in the search boxes on the left of the page.

http://193.243.131.17/index.php

Robert.

Thanks Robert, I saw your suggestion and gave it a whirl. As yet there has been no lathe worth having, of a price I can afford, that will fit in my attic and that is within reasonable distance of Exmoor. Most of the good ones I'd have to add about another £30 - £40 in travel costs. I suspect I will be buyng new from Axminster which is within hailing distamce.