Buying A Wood Lathe – 5 Must Know Things

Buying A Wood Lathe – 5 Must Know Things
There are many aspects to consider when Buying a Wood Lathe. This video covers many things people don't always talk about before purchasing a lathe. The more you know, the better.

CHECK OUT MY LATHE REVIEW ARTICLE

▶︎▶︎▶︎TURN A WOOD BOWL UNIVERSITY◀︎◀︎◀︎

✅ Bowl Gouge Mastery
✅ Tool Sharpening – For Wood Bowl Turning
✅ Tree To Bowl – Understanding Green Wood
✅ Bowl Turning – Start to Finish

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FREE WOOD BOWL TURNING TIPS EMAILED EACH WEEK
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MY MAIN BOWL TURNING EQUIPMENT

____________________

_____________________________________________________________

▶︎▶︎▶︎TURN A WOOD BOWL UNIVERSITY◀︎◀︎◀︎

✅ Bowl Gouge Mastery
✅ Tool Sharpening – For Wood Bowl Turning
✅ Tree To Bowl – Understanding Green Wood
✅ Bowl Turning – Start to Finish

_____________________________________________________________
FREE WOOD BOWL TURNING TIPS EMAILED EACH WEEK
_____________________________________________________________

#woodturning #woodworking #turnawoodbowl #bowlturning

[servantofgod]

Thanks. here in Australia we have standard 240 volt and 10 amps. A long time ago an electrician installed a 15 amp power point for my welder, it cost $260 cash. Now I’m a renter and will have to check any lathe I buy is only 10 amps lest it be an expensive paper weight like my welder.

[jerrybyrd]

As someone very new to woodturning, there are a lot of things you mentioned that I never considered. Thank you for this video and others for both the educational and how to you show.

[wcdonah]

Thanks for another very excellent video. The only thing I would add is that once a decision is made on what lathe to buy, look for a used one. The large majority of people doing woodturning are retired and will be selling their equipment in 15 years or so. Lathes have a long life expectancy so used lathes are still good investments. I bought an 8 month old Powermatic 3520B about ten years ago for $1800 when new ones were about $3700. My lathe would still fetch close to my puchase price, making it a very good investment.

[michaelb]

I haven't turned a bowl since HS woodshop. I find your site the best I've seen. I just built a shop and I'm thinking of getting a wood lathe with your helpful site. Thanks.

[tielkgate]

Kent - Real Good Advice for new turners. Recently our Turners Club decided to replace seven of the Midi lathes as they didn't have enough power or weight when we brought in a teacher for a weekend group. They would move around or bog down when trying to turn a simple bowl of six or eight inches. So your point about "Size Matters" is spot on.

I know you have a lot of teaching on PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), and that is the next step for a new turner. So, if you are reading this comment, look through Kent's lists of videos for safety gear. You'll be glad you did. 😉😉😉

Lowell

[johnslaughter]

I already have mine. I bought it from Penn State Industries. It's a Turncrafter Commander 10", variable speed, 1hp motor. All the reviews I've found give it good marks. So, for starting, I think I'll be able to do what I want. I want to do bowls and inside out turning. I still need to get a gouge and a sharpening station. I should be able to do that over the next 2-3 months before warm weather arrives allowing me to work outside.

[reloadNshoot]

Its great that you brought up ergonomics in this discussion. It will save wear and tear on your body, make things easier and generally allow you to turn more without fatigue and or pain.

[nawazansari]

In the field of IT which I was trained in as an engineer the MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It's a protocol that allows computers to communicate with musical instruments and other devices. While I was doing research on which lathe to purchase I came across MIDI lathe so it sparked my curiosity and viola I found this video. I learned a lot from your video because I don't know anything about lathes. Thank you fot such a comprehensive video.

[NGildred]

My first lathe was a midi Record Power 14 inch lathe. It did me good while I was learning but I soon realized I needed a bigger, heavier, more powerful lathe. I did a ton of research and would have loved to have bought a Robust American Beauty but the cost was prohibitive so I turned to A T60S 24 inch from Harvey wood working. I waited for the price to go on sale at $3, 999 and got a 10% Veteran discount on top of that. It is heavy at nearly 800 lbs but I don’t see me out growing it and what a huge difference over my smaller 14 inch lathe. The tailstock swings away which is huge also so far I love it still wish I could get an American Beauty but until that day comes this one compares very favorably with others in the $5k range.

[KAlexa-ibxm]

Thank you for the excellent information. I've been wanting to buy my husband his first lathe but I didn't really know what to look for. This makes me so much more comfortable in making an informed decision

[slomkaadas]

Very useful video. Thank you Sir!
Cheers from Poland 🍻

[fallentreewoodcrafts]

For your viewers who have limited space... My turning studio measures apprx 12ft by 7ft. I do not have space for a full size lathe and all my equipment has to be precisely located given the restriction. I purchased a Laguna 12/16 with bed extension and mobile stand. It is 1 horsepower, MT2, 1by 8tpi. The bed extension attaches both on the tailstock side to increase bed length and outboard on the headstock side to turn larger diameters outboard with an included banjo extender. The banjo takes a 1 inch post so robust tool rests fit. It took a lot of planning and study to find the lathe that worked for my space limitations. I like this video because it encourages careful study before purchasing a lathe. While I would love an extra 1/2 horse, I am overall very happy with the 12/16. With sharp tools and careful technique, 1 hp has done quite well. Most of my projects are inboard, but the option to go outboard for larger projects is nice to have. Thanks for the video.

[douglasperry]

Hey Kent! Good advice for new turners! So I started on a Harbor Freight 1236 to start out 12 inch by 36 inch. So next thing I realized I want more stability was a bit Rocky!😂 You get my point so I bought a Nova MIDI lathe 14 by 24! Works awesome I actually enjoy turning on this lathe! Back to the Harbor Freight lathe that lathe has outboard features that in the past learning bowl turnings mostly from you my brother. Anyhoo can now turning a rough blank to the size I need to fit that 14 inch midi. Thanks Kent for your teaching back then and now! Happy Turning man! ✌🏼

[andrewh]

Thank you. I been looking into buying a lathe to start wood turning projects to enhance other design projects. This is important information to know as I am limited on my work space. Appreciate you sharing this.

[jonm]

I picked up the Laguna 12/16 lathe the week of the Covid shutdown and had a great time with it for a year. Then the bug got me and I started looking for something bigger and more powerfull and found a deal on a Powermatic 2020 and bought it. I was able to sell the Laguna to another member of the AAW for near enough to what I paid. My point is get something that fits your budget, interest level and space constraints. You can always resell a quality lathe in good condition and move up.

[stephendickinson]

Thanks. I've been considering upgrading from my mini lathe to a full size. This really helps.

[erichender]

I would add two more considerations from experience, quick acting threads/cams on both tailstock and banjo.

[beeflow]

Such good, clear information! Two points, chuck jaws have far less options about which manufacturer's hole pattern will fit which chuck. Then, get the calculator out when you buy tool rests, posts, and collars. Make sure the metric or SAE sizes offered will fit your unit.

[christopherharrison]

Great advice did not know a few of these before getting my first midi lathe .now I see how important these few tips can be.

[kevinetheridgemakes]

Wasn't aware of the headstock threads. (I don't own a lathe and have been thinking about getting one). Appreciate this video.