what lathe should I buy?

What wood lathe should I buy? That is the question I try to answer in this comprehensive guide for beginning woodturners. Lathe preferences are an individual decision so this is my way of helping your discover what your needs may be.
I start out by asking three questions: What do I want to turn?, What is my budget?, and will this lathe give me room to grow? There are so many good projects to start with in woodturning. There are pens, bowls, platters, hollowforms, lidded boxes, ornaments, toys tool handles, and honey dippers to name a few. You need to get a feel for what you like to make. When budgeting your lathe you must remember that you not only have to buy the lathe but many tools along with it. chucks, chisels, sharpening system, etc. Growth is an absolute necessity in woodturning and life! Plan ahead and get a lathe you can grow into. In this video I talk about some of the specifications and features that you should become familiar with. First of all is overall size. I explain mini, midi, and full size wood lathes. I talk about features that are a must have and some that are nice to have. The capacity of your lathe is important and I take you through how to read the specifications so you know what to expect about the size of projects you can do. Some of these feature included are swing over the bed, distance between centers, spindle thread, morse taper, motors and drive systems. There are thoughts on whether or not you need a variable speed drive. I go over getting to know your tool rest banjo and your tailstock. Last of all we discuss the weight of a lathe and the materials they can be made from. I hope this tutorial is helpful to you in your woodshop!

Disclaimer: This video and description contains affiliate links. This means if you click on these links and make a purchase I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!
Here are some of my recommended products and brands.
Full size lathes
Gold standard and considered by many turners to be one of the best!
My lathe! (loving it!)
Benchtop variable speed
great brand! Great midi lathe!
Also another midi lathe I trust. less powerful motor.
Benchtop with pulley speed change.

music credit:

This video is for entertainment purposes only. geiserwoodturner is not responsible for actions that are unsafe. Be sure to read and understand how to safely operate your power equipment before you use it.

If you like this be sure to follow me on Instagram @geiserwoodturner

[notbadsteve]

Thanks. I'm new to the hobby. Started watching turning videos about 2 years ago to help with insomnia (not an insult)😂.
I became obsessed and now want my own set up.
I found this video after watching hundreds of adverts disguised as reviews.
Yours was no nonsense and told me everything I needed to know.
Cheers

[JamesCouch]

The best advice I would give to beginning turners is to buy a used lathe cheap to see if you want to continue turning or not. If you do then get the lathe you want and if not you don't have much invested.

[nkosiakinlabi]

This has been thus far the best and most detailed of any video I’ve watched explaining the in and outs of choosing a lathe. Thank you!

[brgovender]

Very interesting and informative. I'm new to wood turning. Thanks for sharing.

[georgebollinger]

I'm 68 years old and retired. Thinking about buying a lathe for turning pots for turkey calls. Pretty overwhelmed on everything I need. The Grizzly T25920 looks like a good unit but tooling components has me confused on what all I need. Very good video, thankyou and I will keep being a sponge soaking up information.

[chrisperry]

BEST 'intro to lathes' video I've seen! Thank you.

[dd]

Thanks for your time to make a great video, learning here.

[mpace]

Just took a wood turning class yesterday. Now I'm looking for my first lathe. Thanks for pointing out the things to look for and some specifications.

[dancoxe]

Just the video I was looking for before buying a lathe. Perfect amount of detail.

[draynraB]

Just looking into getting a lathe so I very much appreciate your advise, wisdom and experience on this topic. Straight forward, no non-sense, and informative. Thanks !!

[geneclifford]

I am thinking about buying a wood lathe. Thanks so much for your time explaining the options. Happy turning.

[johnbauby]

I have been woodworking forever and had never turned on a lathe. I was NOT going to drop upwards of $2000 on a lathe not having any idea if I would even like it. I opted for a Delta. I think it's called a "midi". Couldn't be happier. Under $1000, handles most everything I wanted to do to learn and fits in my tiny space available. It of course has its' limitations but the quality was very good for the price. Now, two years later I am ready for a full size lathe but have no plans of getting rid of my Delta. FYI, it is a new Delta, not an old school Delta which I would have preferred. Now I am ready to drop $2k, maybe even $3k on a decent full size lathe. I wish I had gotten into turning decades ago. Fun and practical.

[BigGuyReviews]

Very nicely done, sir. The information you said you would provide, plus some. No BS. Nice video!

[crackerjack]

I have been turning for a few years now and need to upgrade my 14" general lathe. I love the lathe but have outgrown it and I'm testing its limits. Mainly the weight of blanks at 13.5" by 6" that I'm turning. Your video is a good reminder of the elements involved in choosing a new lathe and it was was well worth watching. Thanks.Montana Wood Art Bozeman MT.

[arasul]

By far the most informative video I have watched so far.

[teresas]

Super helpful! Thanks! Sorry to see you don’t do many new videos…I get it, they are a lot of work. Appreciate the ones you have and you are a super teacher🙌🏻

[kimr]

I thought I knew most things about lathes, but you proved there is always more to know. Thank you for that.

[chrisgriffith]

Some of the best things to know about wood turning lathes. I am looking at buying a lathe, and do not know a lot, this helped me understand what I need to look for, and how to shop for value. Thanks.

[theogburner]

Very well thought out and informative. I sure wish I would have seen your video before I bought my lathe. Your video hit many more points about needs and wants. As it turns out my choice of lathe was just right for me and your video would have saved me a lot of time. Following your points led me to the lathe I have and, for what it's worth, I suggest anyone watching this video to watch it a few more times and really concentrate on the questions and points brought out. You will save yourself time and possibly heartache if you follow Jason's advice and guidance. Sorry for the long comment. Thank you, Jason.

[solodiver]

Excellent informative video in a week where I'm shopping for my first wood lathe.