New lathe day!

[PeterSk]

Snuck up on me a little this one, I'd planned on buying something sensible to replace my godawful Clarke lathe and had settled on an Axminster AWVSL1000 for it's revolving headstock and 1HP induction motor.

However, it's not available from Axminster online for another four weeks, so I did a bit of ringing around and found that the High Wycombe branch had one in stock, but it was their display model. They were kind enough to put it to one side for me and I found time to go and collect it yesterday.

I spent today lifting the immensely heavy parts out of my car and into my workshop and got it bolted together.

Here's my site foreman inspecting the goods on arrival

And here it is in place and installed.

Shown here with a lump of sycamore in the chuck.

Whilst I was at Axminster, somehow a selection of sandpapers and a bowl sanding machine found their way into my possession, I also nabbed some extra chisels. I had intended to get a parting tool, skew chisel and spindle gouge, but somehow I ended up with two parting tools and no skew chisel. Odd as the packets have the right part code on them for the three separate tools, just the skew packet has a parting tool in it.

I also picked up a VersaChuck from ToolPost in Didcot, along with some cellulose sanding sealer and some MC wax. Plus a set of Nova cole jaws, which sad to say have needed some modification to fit correctly.

The first turning I did with this lathe was some faux spindle work using some straight-ish branches that got lopped off the tree in my back garden a few weeks ago. More like peeling than turning, the wood was so soft. Now I've got a little sycamore blank chucked up and am slowly turning it into a lot of shavings.

 

[miles_hot]

Well done - good choice We look forward to more of your work

Miles

 

[Oakbear]

Looks like you have well and truly hit the slope sir!

 

[The Shark]

Hope it brings you many hours of endless entertainment :lol:

Malc

 

[gasmansteve]

Nice one Peter,soon have it looking more untidy than that
Steve

 

[Blister]

The expression on the cats face to me says

" Now What have you Done ! "


Nice lathe should keep you happy for a while


:lol:

 

[Bodrighy]

Won't be long before those books disappear under the shavings. :lol:
Enjoy the slope

Pete

 

[skeetoids]

You've taken the fast flume to turning and your not getting off.

You'll be amazed at what you'll will make for the home, I turned a fridge the other day and our bath is half a 6foot hollow form! :lol:

Enjoy your lathe and the lives it will change.

Aw the best,

Lee

 

[The Shark]

You'll be amazed at what you'll will make for the home, I turned a fridge the other day and our bath is half a 6foot hollow form! :lol:

 

[Paul.J]

Enjoy Peter
Will look forward to seeing what come of it now

 

[PeterSk]

I'd like to see some pictures of that 6' hollow form :lol: :lol:

Already started making an arse of things as you'd expect, got a lovely profile on the bottom of that sycamore then with half a second's drifted attention managed to stick the gouge in and hock a huge lump out of the edge. That bit's become a sacrificial bit to practice turning chuck dovetails on I think...

 

[Silenus]

Half the fun is getting stuck in and making a real hash of it as you learn, I think. The other half is wrapping masking tape around the cut fingers or applying savlon to the other hands, arms and such that didn't move out of the way quick enough. That centre in the tailstock has bit me far too many times already when reaching over the bed.

 

[mark sanger]

well done Pete

I see you have been bitten by the bug and could not wait. Good on you.

have fun and remember, keep that bevel rubbing. but not to hard.

 

[webby997]

Hi Pete !

I'm think of treating myself to a AWVSL1000 as-well.

How have you found it over the past few months ? would you recommend it ?

Cheers-Luke

 

[henton49er]

PeterSk,

In a parallel story, I too settled on an Axminster AWVSL1000 (as my first ever lathe), but found that it was out of stock at the time (August 2010). By coincidence Axminster also advised me that there was one at their High Wycombe branch if I was happy to wait an additional 48 hours above their usual next day delivery. This came as planned and was installed in my (unheated) workshop. As a beginner, I turned odd bits and pieces until my hands turned blue in mid November (in the hills of mid-Wales winter seems to set in in October and last until May!!). I am now looking to change the location of my lathe to a smaller workshop in one of my outbuildings where I will have lots of heat!!! I have yet to brave photographing anything to put up for criticism, but may well do so when I get back to turning in the new workshop, or when the weather warms up!!

Cheers,

Mike