Replies

1. 
   roc | Jun 20, 2009 04:58am | #1

   I just love to show baby pictures.

   He's a lathe for cutting metal. Sorry couldn't resist. Handy though; cuts threads etc. in wood. Probably bad for the lathe to use it all the time for wood. I don't much.

   A bit out of the price target but I didn't buy a nice cabinet saw which would cost about the same.

   roc

   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

   
1. 
   Quickstep | Jun 22, 2009 05:30pm | #6

   Roc,

   Do you find any limitations using the metal lathe on woodworking? I want to buy a lathe to turn banjo rims. All the banjo guys use metal lathes for the accuracy, but I'm wondering if I'd be sacrificing functionality during other turning operations.

   Edited 6/22/2009 3:14 pm ET by Quickstep

1. 
   roc | Jun 23, 2009 04:13am | #7

   >Do I find any limitations using the metal lathe on woodworking?Quickstep,Well let me say this about that . . . a metal lathe is a miracle to have around . . . for metal work. I was mostly kidding when I suggested it for your average wood project.It is great for threads in wood. There is an article where a disabled woman uses a largish, old, rather worn metal lathe to turn everything; bowls, legs etc. I think I saw the article in Woodwork mag several years ago.For the everyday wood lathe user the wood fibers will get into the works and probably mess it up for precision metal working. I have not turned enough wood on mine to be a problem but I clean it well.Probably need to talk to the banjo guys to get accurate info. I already had the metal lathe many years before I even considered doing any wood working. Woodworking lathes are relatively cheep so why not have both. Or if you are interested you could get the metal lathe and use it to make the wood lathe. There are kits out there as well; or there used to be.For turning legs one would want to remove the carriage and cross slide and install the wood working lathe equivalent because one could work much faster. I would guess this to be true anyway.And then there is the problem of wet wood turning. Not good for the metal lathe. Not good at all.Sounds interesting though. If you could post some pics of banjo makers at work that would be great.rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )Edited 6/22/2009 9:14 pm by roc

   Edited 6/22/2009 9:16 pm by roc

2. 
   RW | Jun 21, 2009 04:13am | #2

   I'd think you could grab a variable speed Jet mini lathe with a bed extension and do spindles all day long. For that price. It won't be all the frills and stickers of the bigger models but it fits your budget and it actually has enough power to turn something with.

   Real trucks dont have sparkplugs

3. 
   forestgirl | Jun 21, 2009 04:29am | #3

   Would you consider a used lathe?  Craig's List is a great source for used tools, and I see lathe's on the Seattle list regularly.  Prices should be pretty good these days.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
4. 
   Napie | Jun 21, 2009 06:42am | #4

   I’ve been known to turn a bit and if spindles are your only goal look for a nice used lathe.  There is little to ware out and used ones are quite reasonable in price.  I’ve see older Delta 12 x 36 models for as little as a hundred bucks, even if you have to buy a motor and build a stand you end up with a great machine.

    

1. 
   EricAnderson | Jun 22, 2009 01:50am | #5

   Oh yes, I am looking at the used market on Craig's list.  There is one good old Yates American that looks like it is priced a bit high and I don't think I want a 400 lb. plus unit.  I think a decent Delta was on there, but it went before about the time I started looking.  So, no, I have no problem with a good used lathe.  I would REALLY like a 45-715.  It is a real nice lathe that would fill the bill well.

1. 
   Taigert | Jun 24, 2009 11:13am | #8

   ERic,

   I am not that much into turning , but my 15 yo son has gotten hooked on it, I don't know sometimes if it's the turning that he likes so much, or the instant results. He made a couple of beautiful Pens for Fathers Day, for his Grandfather and myself.

   He did his homework on whats on the market without having to go broke, he settled on a Rikon.  It cost him just over $250.00 plus tax. I guess you can add extensions to increase the lenght of the bed.

   Taigert

2. 
   TomHigby | Jun 24, 2009 09:08pm | #9

   Eric, I have the Yates- American lathe about 50 years old, bought ten years ago for about $1000.  It's great, very steady, good varialble speed system.  I recommend it.  I was able to disassemble mine so that nothing weighed over 100#, and I at age 70 had no trouble getting if down into my basement.  I don't plan on moving it out!

   Tom

5. 
   frenchy | Jun 25, 2009 05:32am | #10

   Well here's the good news.  First let me state how much I hate Sears.  They are the last people I would buy a lathe from, but I did!

     Not that tube thingy you have but  a cast Iron swivel head lathe  16"x 43 inch.   it weighs 308 pounds!  Sears sells it for about $500 which is right where Grizzley sells their copy of it..

    However if you buy during the sales you'll get 20% off.  Take a floor model and there's an additional 10% discount and then sign up for one of their credit cards and it's another 10% off.  That means you can walk out of the store with it for only $324.00  when the bill comes won your Sears credit card pay it off in full and laugh up your sleeve..

      Go to http://www.grizzly.com  and look for model G0462.

       It's a fine lathe trouble free for over 7years for me..   and I can with sharp tools  get the wood polished looking  better than I can sand it..