New member from Oxford

[Peter Kessler]

Hello everyone. I'm based in Oxford and recently started woodturning. I'm not very good at it yet, but 'normal' people don't seem to mind all the defects thank goodness.

I've been making furniture for several years, mostly for our home and friends. I particularly like Arts and Crafts style.

Also, looking to buy a second-hand lathe, so I will scour the for sale boards...

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

Hi welcome to the mad house, normal, What’s that

 

[Peter Kessler]

Fair point. Everyone who's not a woodworker?

 

[Bingy man]

welcome to ukw and good luck with your search for a lathe ..

 

[Fred48]

Welcome to the forum Peter
Fred

 

[Sachakins]

Hi and welcome to our insanitarium

 

[Morag Jones]

And welcome from me too. Beads and coves, and practice more beads and coves! Enjoy.

 

[Peter Kessler]

And welcome from me too. Beads and coves, and practice more beads and coves! Enjoy.

On lathe and in life

 

[alex robinson]

On lathe and in life

What sort of sizes machine are you looking for? There are usually a few decent ones on eBay / Facebook. A lot depends on what you are wanting to make and how much space you have

 

[Peter Kessler]

Looking for something around the size of a Record Power Coronet Herald. Not a beast, but something with enough scale to allow sizeable platters and jugs. I have a workshop at my home in Cumbria, but I'm now in Oxford half the time for work, and the college where I'm based is happy to install a lathe in return for me introducing some potential enthusiasts to it. That's why, ideally, I'd like to find someone who's getting rid of a whole setup of decent quality. (I don't really want to start bringing down my tools from up north.)

 

[alex robinson]

Looking for something around the size of a Record Power Coronet Herald. Not a beast, but something with enough scale to allow sizeable platters and jugs. I have a workshop at my home in Cumbria, but I'm now in Oxford half the time for work, and the college where I'm based is happy to install a lathe in return for me introducing some potential enthusiasts to it. That's why, ideally, I'd like to find someone who's getting rid of a whole setup of decent quality. (I don't really want to start bringing down my tools from up north.)

Nothing to do with me (window shopping is fun!) but how about this? I have the electronic variable peed version and it is lovely to use. Comes with chuck and decent set of toolss

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/8987158657972969/

 

[alex robinson]

Looking for something around the size of a Record Power Coronet Herald. Not a beast, but something with enough scale to allow sizeable platters and jugs. I have a workshop at my home in Cumbria, but I'm now in Oxford half the time for work, and the college where I'm based is happy to install a lathe in return for me introducing some potential enthusiasts to it. That's why, ideally, I'd like to find someone who's getting rid of a whole setup of decent quality. (I don't really want to start bringing down my tools from up north.)

I assume you have already been warned, but avoid this like the plague:

 

[Peter Kessler]

Thank you - and yes

 

[Peter Kessler]

Nothing to do with me (window shopping is fun!) but how about this? I have the electronic variable peed version and it is lovely to use. Comes with chuck and decent set of toolss

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/8987158657972969/

Looks v interesting thank you

 

[Peter Kessler]

Looks v interesting thank you

It's interesting but it is the belt only version which is a pain for speed changing, and the one chuck has no key. What's your view on the Axminster AWVSL 1000?

 

[alex robinson]

It's interesting but it is the belt only version which is a pain for speed changing, and the one chuck has no key. What's your view on the Axminster AWVSL 1000?

The chuck key is easily buyable and will be cheap. The electronic variable speed version is the Nova DVR and turns up fairly often second hand, but tends to go for more. I like them as it gets an impressive swing for a relatively small footprint (swivel head, chunky metal, but short!).

I used to have an axminster m900 which is the slightly smaller (and older version). It was a fantastic first lathe and surprisingly capable. 18" was possible, albeit terrifying.

A friend of mine has it now and I had a go on it recently. Still nice to use, but the Nova is a step up in build quality and stability, but at a corresponding step up in price.

I think that family of lathes (the axminster or the sip that was for sale on here recently+ hundreds of other clones) are superb value and way less limiting than the fixed head equivalents. Worth memorizing the shape for your eBay trawls though - very distinctive, yet comes under many different names!

 

[Peter Kessler]

The chuck key is easily buyable and will be cheap. The electronic variable speed version is the Nova DVR and turns up fairly often second hand, but tends to go for more. I like them as it gets an impressive swing for a relatively small footprint (swivel head, chunky metal, but short!).

I used to have an axminster m900 which is the slightly smaller (and older version). It was a fantastic first lathe and surprisingly capable. 18" was possible, albeit terrifying.

A friend of mine has it now and I had a go on it recently. Still nice to use, but the Nova is a step up in build quality and stability, but at a corresponding step up in price.

I think that family of lathes (the axminster or the sip that was for sale on here recently+ hundreds of other clones) are superb value and way less limiting than the fixed head equivalents. Worth memorizing the shape for your eBay trawls though - very distinctive, yet comes under many different names!

Thanks Alex. The Axminster AWVSL1000 does swivel, and also has stepped speed increases. Not the most powerful, but looks steady. I'm going to take a look at it.