Lathe buying advice

[durango dude]

well, I found a (complete!) Shopsmith Mark V --- for a ludicrously low price......

($200!)

It included a set of 8 Miller Falls lathe chisels that look unused.

I've been turning stool legs just to have some fun figuring out how stuff works.

[treetopguy2028]

Lathe buying advice

I started turning in 1999 on an antique spring pole lathe, a/k/a foot lathe and didn't know anything about it. I still turn on the old lathe but my fourth electric lathe is a Central Machinery 12 x 33-3/8" (Harbor Freight #34706) mounted on my work bench at home.
I also demo for a job at the Ozark Folk Center State Park on the spring pole lathe and a Fisch Tools TC 90-100 electric midi lathe right next to it. Before assembling the CM lathe I studied the manual at least five times so I'd know every part that would go together to make this valuable machine. I have written reviews in the HF website for that item number 34706.
I switched from standard HSS turning tools to Easy Wood Tools 15 months ago. This change proved it's worth and there is no looking back to spend time sharpening. I kept my Work Sharp 3000 equipment I bought in late 2007 for I still use a five tool set of Craftsman chisels on the spring pole lathe.
I am also on the slippery slope but I don't regret it for my skill has grown and my sales have paid for all the tools. The work shop, my seventh shop 45 years, is small but organized with shelves and pegboard everywhere to organize and store tools, supplies and a wood cache of stuff in the room 8'x30.

[guycox]

Skip the 6" grinder and get the 8" one -- Setting the Sharpening jig up on the 6" grider has proven to be a problem for me.

[atgcpaul]

Well, I am a man with 2 lathes, 2 daughters under 2, and too little time. I probably won't be turning for at least another 2 years.

I did go to that turner's club meeting a few weeks ago. I think most of the members there were in the "I'm spending my children's inheritance" category. Felt like a fish out of water. The demo was cool but gee if I didn't have a single person come by and say Hi. I don't bite.

[cabinetman]

Thought I would chime in. For many years I had no need for a lathe, and never tried turning. I was in a woodworking store, and they had a cheap import steel tube 14"x40" floor model (never used) for $65. That was just too cheap to turn down just for something new to try out.

The next weekend at the flea market, I bought a set of turning tools. The lathe had only a thread on spur bit (some metric size I think). I played with it and I found it quite easy to turn spindles, newels, and legs...items that were previously farmed out. All with just a spur.

I may try to get a fitting to use other accessories that have a standard thread. Bowls may be in my future.

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