Where can I find a polite cheap wood lathe?
Answers:
I wouldnt go to Harbor Freight.
I own one and its junk!!
What I would get is a "mini lathe" from Jet, they are satisfactory and small, and you can do so much with them. And if you find you want to turn bigger things, when you get better, later you can upgrade.
I would also join some group like
http://sawmillrun.org
As they hold a lot of turners on there, and can distribute great advice. Also, join the Wood Turners Association so you can find a club surrounded by your area and get some practise time surrounded by with some actual wood turners! (They meet at a different shop every time).
If you buy a cheap lathe, similar to I did, then you will find its junk and will not work on it as much. (They harbor freight one will NOT walk as slow as you need it, as it doesnt go below 1100 rpms, and the mini Jet goes down to 500).
I wish you economically..
Jesse
Yeah, i was going to suggest HF or Northern. look on Ebay too, because in attendance are some people who sell (or resell) the brands that those two retailers take. There's another similar company, something like wild cat or tiger or something, but i don't recollect the co name exactly.
How serious are you about wood turning? Do you have any experience? I suspect from your press that you are wanting to try wood turning but have little if any hands on experience.
If so, I would suggest you carry in contact with the nearest wood turning or wood working club within your area. That is one of the best ways to get appropriate info and training in the subject. That is also one of the best ways to find a lathe that will suit your purposes.
There is a lot to getting a virtuous lathe from how stiff or solid the bed is to the type of tail stock and the dimensions (distance between centers and throw).
If you haven't tried it, wood turning can be a lot of fun but it is really a lot harder for most folks than it appears on the sundry TV shows. You might want to try your hand at it on someone else's lathe before you invest surrounded by your own lathe and gouges.
Harbor Freight.
mike
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