All new to me. Just joined today.

[Diver]

I already sent this but maybe to the wrong place so here it is again...

I have been looking for a forum such as this for a while. Getting on a bit now and looking for a new hobby. I thought I might have a go at wood turning. Having mentioned this to my wife she thought she'd help out by getting me a simple lathe on which to practice (have a go) along with some chisels. Bless... All I can say is, I got rid of it asap. But, it did make me realise it was worth pursuing. So, here I am!
Having read as much as I can for now and lived on YouTube for hours each day I think I've come to the conclusion I might like an Axminster ac355wl. I would be very interested and appreciate any advice from the members. I look forward to hearing from someone. Allan

 

[Blister]

Hello and welcome Diver , Best bet before you start is to book a day with a professional Turner , Tell him you are a novice with no experience , Make sure turning is for you before buying any Kit / equipment.
Then have a look for a local club and pop along on a club night and see how things go , Some clubs have what they call hands on nights where a lathe or lathes are used , Most members are helpful .
Buying a lathe is only the start you do need lots of other things as well , PPE personal protection equipment as in a good quality face sheild , Good quality dust mask , Protect your eyes and lungs is a MUST , Then tools , Sharpening kit, Fluids / Polish / stains , A decent size place to use said lathe and equipment , Another option would be to buy a good quality used lathe from someone packing up or downsizing / retirement , Then you need wood stock sandpaper , Sanding sealer , the list goes on and on
You will be suprised how quick you can out grow a small lathe and want to upgrade , Think it threw before buying , Have fun and don't cut corners on safety.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The usual advice - get a copy of this -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15545401...ivDFwKIkh62DiwhgUKxZojw7jvtdVytoaAtUaEALw_wcB
loads available second hand.

Join a club, experience some different lathes. Your plans might change with a bit of experience.

If you must buy before you know what you're doing/looking at, look e.g. at an older Axminster or Record CL series that comes with some extras - you can always sell it on without losing much. Avoid lathes with obscure threads, that way madness lies. Stick to ¾" x 16 or M33, ideally.

As Blister said, you will spend more on ancillary gear than you will on the lathe (my lathe second hand was £450 - I have more than that tied up in chucks and jaws.)

 

[Etaf]

not sure if these are near you
i just searched woodturners clubs near Barnsley

https://www.thewoodturningclub.co.uk/https://huddersfieldwoodturners.org.uk/
my (now passed) father-in-law used to go to a club , near chelmsfold essex , I think 1 evening a week and saturday morning , he did end up buying a lathe , from axminster tools , didnt do a lot of turning , but they could also buy wood at very good prices.

 

[Diver]

Thanks for all the help and advice guys. Space: I've just reached 68 so slowing a little but I've laid a concrete 8x12 bed in the garden and a wooden shed is ordered so I'me quite serious.
My handle/avatar (diver) is because I used to teach scuba diving so I know all about costs escalating with kit, especially when teaching more advanced courses. I'd hate to calculate how much I've spent over the years on dive gear.

Sound advice from Blister. As you can read I'm familiar with escalating expense.

Thanks Phil: The book is now ordered do that's read to be going on with.

Hi Etaf: Mirfield is nowhere near me and unfortunately I no longer drive (vertigo). I'll have a look into Huddersfield woodturners.

 

[Etaf]

my son has just done a load of diving courses last summer - basic, 18m i think, mixed air , dry suit & possibly various others .......
he has just purchased a watch - and something else he had to purchase for the first course

he had a lot of fun over the summer - but not really interest in the colder weather diving

he went diving in SA as well this year - 2 trips - was going to go in a cage to the sharks - bu tthat fell through

 

[Padster]

Hi @Diver

So given the other comments here, I will instead answer the question posed about the AC355WL.

I have this lathe and love it, as it was the largest I could sensibly get in my workshop with all of the features I required, I got a great deal at the time from Axi and I got a package with the SK100 chuck. You usually get a free taster intro (couple of hours)on a lathe if bought from an Axi store (I live close enough to Nuneaton and the staff are great).
The lathe does not come with a stand but this suited me as I had a bench I wanted to put it on. It has variable speed both via electronic control and manual moving of the drive belt - giving flexibility of turning - I have no complaints and it has done everything I expected, and it will only get swapped if I get more room at some point or decide I want to turn larger bowls.

Just like diving I guess you can spend as much or as little on this hobby as you like - and I now have more jaws for the chuck and tools.

Some here will advise buying second hand which is great if you have that mindset or background for repairing/renovating - I personally bought new to get warranty, and because of the customer service from Axi, and with a new machine, I can more easily maintain and know there should be nothing wrong with it and going forward get any required parts shouldn't be an issue.

Just my opinion and the path I chose; but I hope it may help.

Regards

Padster

 

[Diver]

my son has just done a load of diving courses last summer - basic, 18m i think, mixed air , dry suit & possibly various others .......
he has just purchased a watch - and something else he had to purchase for the first course

he had a lot of fun over the summer - but not really interest in the colder weather diving

he went diving in SA as well this year - 2 trips - was going to go in a cage to the sharks - bu tthat fell through

After the 18m comes the 30m advanced and then it gets interesting with speciality courses. Dry suit is a good one but a bit dodgy if not taught properly. I've seen one death with dry suit in the UK. But dry suit diving in the UK is great (and warm in the suit) and there's lots to see. I'll put my nearly new dry suit on the market soon but I'm only short.

 

[Etaf]

he did do the 30m

 

[Diver]

Hi @Diver

So given the other comments here, I will instead answer the question posed about the AC355WL.

I have this lathe and love it, as it was the largest I could sensibly get in my workshop with all of the features I required, I got a great deal at the time from Axi and I got a package with the SK100 chuck. You usually get a free taster intro (couple of hours)on a lathe if bought from an Axi store (I live close enough to Nuneaton and the staff are great).
The lathe does not come with a stand but this suited me as I had a bench I wanted to put it on. It has variable speed both via electronic control and manual moving of the drive belt - giving flexibility of turning - I have no complaints and it has done everything I expected, and it will only get swapped if I get more room at some point or decide I want to turn larger bowls.

Just like diving I guess you can spend as much or as little on this hobby as you like - and I now have more jaws for the chuck and tools.

Some here will advise buying second hand which is great if you have that mindset or background for repairing/renovating - I personally bought new to get warranty, and because of the customer service from Axi, and with a new machine, I can more easily maintain and know there should be nothing wrong with it and going forward get any required parts shouldn't be an issue.

Just my opinion and the path I chose; but I hope it may help.

Regards

Padster

Hi Padster

My sentiments exactly and I like the idea of warranty. Funnily enough that is the exact setup I was thinking of and for the same reasons.

 

[Diver]

he did do the 30m

Not that it matters because I've stopped but I'm a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and use to teach:
Underwater photography
Search & Recovery
Underwater Navigation
Dry Suit
PPB
Wreck Diving
Deep Diving
Nitrox
Diver First Aid

 

[Spectric]

If anyone is thinking of undertaking turning underwater please use a pneumatic motor on your lathe and not an electric one.

A good idea if you can wait until November is to visit the woodworking show at Harrogate ABOUT | The North of England Woodworking & Power Tool Show

and you will see a lot of turners and such.

 

[alex robinson]

Hi Padster

My sentiments exactly and I like the idea of warranty. Funnily enough that is the exact setup I was thinking of and for the same reasons.

I am sure you will hear about plenty of options for lathes from here on a woodturning club. If you are buying new Axminster is an excellent option. They have 2 lathes in that price bracket and you should decide which downside you prefer! The AC355WL has electronic variable speed but a fixed headstock, and so you are limited to 355mm diameter bowls (a bit less finished size). The AW370WL is almost £200 cheaper as it has a 10 speed cone drive. However it has a swivel head so can make much bigger pieces. I used to have an old version of it and it could get up to 450mm finished size.

The correct answer is probably to get the more modern variable speed machine. I find making big bowls childishly amusing, so would get the extra capacity at the expense of refinement!

 

[alex robinson]

Hi Padster

My sentiments exactly and I like the idea of warranty. Funnily enough that is the exact setup I was thinking of and for the same reasons.

PS. Welcome. I am sure you will have a great time turning and the site is a brilliant place to get ideas

 

[Stigmorgan]

Just my 2penceworth, whilst taking a course is a good idea it's not something I have done and that's partly down to not having the funds to do it but mostly because whilst I am a practical learner I am also an silly person, by which I mean I'll take on board everything I learn at the class but as soon as I'm home I'll go back to doing it my way, I consider myself to be an amateur having only been turning for 18 months, most of what I have learned has begun on YouTube, I probably spent 2 years watching YT before I was lucky enough to find my lathe on gumtree for little money, was probably another year before I had cleaned it up and managed to buy a few tools and I turned my first piece on November 1st 2021 and since then (I have an addiction) I have been at the lathe most days. Do what's right for you but I would agree, especially as you want to buy new, that a taster session is a good idea to be sure that it's something you will enjoy, I'm too scared to add up everything I've spent so far and I'm lucky enough to not have to buy wood.

 

[Diver]

If anyone is thinking of undertaking turning underwater please use a pneumatic motor on your lathe and not an electric one.

A good idea if you can wait until November is to visit the woodworking show at Harrogate ABOUT | The North of England Woodworking & Power Tool Show

and you will see a lot of turners and such.

PS. Welcome. I am sure you will have a great time turning and the site is a brilliant place to get ideas

Thanks for the welcome Alex. I have sent messages since last year to people near where I live (Barnsley) but I guess they're too busy to reply. I think it would be a good idea to go and physically see someone working but I no longer drive so I probably need someone fairly local. I'll keep trying or I'll just go it alone.

 

[Democritus]

Welcome aboard, Diver. Take your time looking for a lathe, and widen your search to manufacturers other than Axminster ( who know how to charge for all things Woodturning) . I suggest you look at Record Power who produce some very good lathes, and also have a look at Simon Hope’s website. Everything , of course , depends on how much you want to spend, but it is probably best to invest in a lathe that not only meets your needs as a beginner, but also as you progress in the craft.
This forum is excellent, having input from some very skilled and experienced turners. You are always just a click away from very helpful advice.
Good luck.
D.

 

[Spectric]

It is a shame you don't drive, if you could find someone with the woodworking interest who fancies a day out you could go to Axminster in Warrington and then onto Bivens on the Blackpool road from Preston, then stop of in Blackpool for lunch and back home.

 

[Diver]

Welcome aboard, Diver. Take your time looking for a lathe, and widen your search to manufacturers other than Axminster ( who know how to charge for all things Woodturning) . I suggest you look at Record Power who produce some very good lathes, and also have a look at Simon Hope’s website. Everything , of course , depends on how much you want to spend, but it is probably best to invest in a lathe that not only meets your needs as a beginner, but also as you progress in the craft.
This forum is excellent, having input from some very skilled and experienced turners. You are always just a click away from very helpful advice.
Good luck.
D.

Thank you D
Sound advice. The reason I was thinking of that lathe is for me it should be fairly future-proof, it's new and therefore guaranteed, has variable speed AND a digital readout. It isn't too large for me to move if I need to, etc. but I'll certainly look at what you or anyone else on here suggests. Nothing like the voice of experience.

 

[Diver]

It is a shame you don't drive, if you could find someone with the woodworking interest who fancies a day out you could go to Axminster in Warrington and then onto Bivens on the Blackpool road from Preston, then stop of in Blackpool for lunch and back home.

Roy, that sounds like an excellent idea. I can drive and have a land rover but I don't drive any more.