lathe

[pjwillms]

I am new to all this I have purchased a new bandsaw for hobbies. Now I am looking to purchase a lathe I have never used one just when I was in school 40 years ago what lathe wood be a good starter I will be hoping I can try turning some bowles and turning handles for bandsaw boxes.ty

 

[okeydokey]

How much do you wish to spend and new or used?

 

[pjwillms]

I don't now what £300 pounds will get I don't mind new or used ty

 

[Jameshow]

I'd look at the twin bar record lathes or an myford ML 8.

Both cheap as chips but quality lathes.

Axminster are good others will known more.

Just avoid the Clarke lathes with box section tubes as they are rubbish....
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cwl1000b-wood-turning-lathe/

 

[pjwillms]

Thanks very much.

 

[Tris]

Don't be tempted by Parkside, no matter how cheap.
If you buy secondhand you'll have a better chance of getting a chuck and some tools in with the deal, otherwise budget another £300 or more for those

 

[pjwillms]

Thanks for that you don't have a chuck with a new machine

 

[Tris]

No, you usually get a faceplate, drive centre and tailstock centre, chucks are always sold separately

This could be a good starter machine, no pics tho
https://www.gumtree.com/p/lathes/wood-turning-lathe-/1480319440

Or this one, but a bit further out
https://www.gumtree.com/p/lathes/axminster-ac240wl-lathe-/1488344947

 

[Doris]

I'd look at the twin bar record lathes or an myford ML 8.

Both cheap as chips but quality lathes.

Axminster are good others will known more.

Just avoid the Clarke lathes with box section tubes as they are rubbish....
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cwl1000b-wood-turning-lathe/

I second getting yourself a twin bar record/coronet lathe, but wouldn't recommend the ml8 myself because of the bed having a single track.

I taught myself to woodturn on a secondhand Clarke lathe. I think I picked one up for £30 off of eBay. Yeah they are rubbish compared to the bigger models more expensive record twin bar lathes but they taught me the basics before I then went on and bought a bigger coronet no3 lathe with a bigger motor etc.

I suppose the way I see it is like a learner driver learning to drive with a land rover instead of a hatchback. That's just me though

 

[kinverkid]

No, you usually get a faceplate, drive centre and tailstock centre, chucks are always sold separately

This could be a good starter machine, no pics tho
https://www.gumtree.com/p/lathes/wood-turning-lathe-/1480319440

Or this one, but a bit further out
https://www.gumtree.com/p/lathes/axminster-ac240wl-lathe-/1488344947

That Axminster lathe looks like a real bargain with all those extras.

 

[pjwillms]

No, you usually get a faceplate, drive centre and tailstock centre, chucks are always sold separately

This could be a good starter machine, no pics tho
https://www.gumtree.com/p/lathes/wood-turning-lathe-/1480319440

Or this one, but a bit further out
https://www.gumtree.com/p/lathes/axminster-ac240wl-lathe-/1488344947

Thanks for that right on my doorstep

 

[sneggysteve]

Try to get one with electronic variable speed - big help when learning and adjusting speed to suit the out of balance blank.

I'm in Caerphilly if you want to have a look at my Record CL4 variable to see what I mean

 

[pjwillms]

Thanks for that you are just down the road from me.

 

[graduate_owner]

Don't underestimate the cost of tools, chuck etc. If you see someone offering a 'deal' with these included they could very easily be worth as much as the lathe itself, when you consider a new HSS bowl gouge could well cost around £60, and a chuck could easily cost £200 plus jaws.
I have a Myford ML8 and it is a solid, well built machine, as indeed it should be considering at today's prices it would be over £1000 to buy new. Early ones are yellow, then they changed to silver, and finally green before productopn ended in the 80s. Mine is yellow, so probably 50 odd years old, and still good.
As James said, please do not buy one of those Clarke etc (lumberjack, vevor etc) lathes with 2 square bars for a bed. They really are rubbish.
Also, factor in the cost of a sharpening system. A bench grinder is a good start. Get yourself a copy of Woodturning, A Foundation Course by Keith Rowley. You will find plans for a home made sharpening jig in there as well as a wealth of other useful information.

Welcome to the money pit, and do enjoy your woodturning.

K

 

[RonnieI]

Don't underestimate the cost of tools, chuck etc. If you see someone offering a 'deal' with these included they could very easily be worth as much as the lathe itself, when you consider a new HSS bowl gouge could well cost around £60, and a chuck could easily cost £200 plus jaws.
I have a Myford ML8 and it is a solid, well built machine, as indeed it should be considering at today's prices it would be over £1000 to buy new. Early ones are yellow, then they changed to silver, and finally green before productopn ended in the 80s. Mine is yellow, so probably 50 odd years old, and still good.
As James said, please do not buy one of those Clarke etc (lumberjack, vevor etc) lathes with 2 square bars for a bed. They really are rubbish.
Also, factor in the cost of a sharpening system. A bench grinder is a good start. Get yourself a copy of Woodturning, A Foundation Course by Keith Rowley. You will find plans for a home made sharpening jig in there as well as a wealth of other useful information.

Welcome to the money pit, and do enjoy your woodturning.

K

I've got a Myford Mystro 2 that I bought secondhand for £300. That's got a square tube bed and it's really nice to work on, why do you say the square tube machines are rubbish? I've modified it quite a bit though; bigger 2hp motor and modern VFD (old one died) and I've just finished modifying the head and tailstock to increase over the bed capacity to 24".

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The ones he referred to are rubbish.

 

[pjwillms]

Thanks for that I am new to this all help appreciated.ty

 

[Stigmorgan]

£300 can get you quite a lot if you buy 2nd hand and are patient, it can be an expensive hobby, like others have said, don't forget to consider a sharpening system, I think it's probably the most important thing to have as a blunt gouge won't cut and you will quickly get frustrated and give up, next to consider is air quality, turning creates huge amounts of mess and dust (something you don't tend to see in YouTube videos) dust masks are a must, full face protection is better, my next equipment purchase will be an air scrubber that hangs from the ceiling and cleans the air even after you've finished working.
Once you are all set up and ready to turn avoid the temptation to use pine/soft woods to learn with as just like using a blunt tool it is hard to get good clean cuts on softwood and will cause frustration and increase the amount of sanding required this increasing the fine dust that hangs in the air and will be covering absolutely everything the next day.

 

[graduate_owner]

I've got a Myford Mystro 2 that I bought secondhand for £300. That's got a square tube bed and it's really nice to work on, why do you say the square tube machines are rubbish? I've modified it quite a bit though; bigger 2hp motor and modern VFD (old one died) and I've just finished modifying the head and tailstock to increase over the bed capacity to 24".

The Mystro has a good reputation. I was referring to those Clarke, Vevor, Lumberjack etc etc lathes with flimsy square tubes for a bed, which twist or bend under pressure. Chinesium faceplates, gutless motor etc. Definitely best avoided.

I would also like to stress the importance of lung protection, especially when sanding. I have a fine dust extractor with the suction tube positioned very close to the lathe, and it is amazing how much dust it sucks away. Also amazing is the dust in the air if I forget to turn it on!!


K