new to turning.. cheap lathe ?
- Thread starter stef
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I started on a real cheapo, just to see if I liked (and could cope with) the turning process. The limitations and quality of the lathe soon became apparent, but I was hooked and so I then stepped up to a really good lathe.
If I'd have gone for the good lathe first and discovered I didn't take to turning, I'd still have been able to sell it on and the experience of a good lathe is so different from the budget models that they're hardly comparable. If you like turning on a budget lathe, you'll love it on a better one!
You could perhaps find a turning club first?
Ray
If I'd have gone for the good lathe first and discovered I didn't take to turning, I'd still have been able to sell it on and the experience of a good lathe is so different from the budget models that they're hardly comparable. If you like turning on a budget lathe, you'll love it on a better one!
You could perhaps find a turning club first?
Ray
Save up for the best one you can get , buy once and keep
Don't ask me how I Know :roll:
Don't ask me how I Know :roll:
Bodrighy
Established Member
There are some good bargains to be had on Ebay and I agree with Argee that starting with a really cheapo lathe can be frustrating. I don't know what is available on Ebay for Nirmandy but certainly worth looking around. Most latehs on Ebay are collect only which sould be a problem. Other alternative is the smaller lathes from Axminster etc which whilst having the limitations of size are much better quality and will certainly get you going and have a reasonable sell on price if upgrading.
Pete
Pete
petercharlesfagg
Established Member
For what its worth, I started with a Draper single bed bar lathe that I bought for £79.00 16 years ago. I kept it for 2 years during which time I realised its limitations BUT at the same time worked out ways to get around problems without buying new kit!
Then when the obsession took hold, I invested in the Record CL3 which I am still using very happily.
I agree that buying a lathe that is going to last is sometimes a good idea BUT if after only a few months of unsuccessful or unhappy turning you decide not to bother, it is likely that you will lose out financially due to depreciation.
A cheaper lathe will give you a good grounding in make do and mend and then when the time comes to upgrade things will be that much easier, IMO.
Regards, Peter.
Then when the obsession took hold, I invested in the Record CL3 which I am still using very happily.
I agree that buying a lathe that is going to last is sometimes a good idea BUT if after only a few months of unsuccessful or unhappy turning you decide not to bother, it is likely that you will lose out financially due to depreciation.
A cheaper lathe will give you a good grounding in make do and mend and then when the time comes to upgrade things will be that much easier, IMO.
Regards, Peter.
I started even further down the pecking order, with a B&D "lathe attachment" and two carbon steel gouges. Hopeless for anything serious, but the sense of achievment from turning something half decent was enough to get me hooked.
And I even sold it at enough of a profit to be able to spend £25 on a "proper" Coronet round bed lathe.
So advice to original poster is to do whatever you feel comfortable with - a cheapo that you will want to upgrade, or a bigger investment that you might find ideal, or might find a complete waste of money. But whichever you do, get some tuition if at all possible, before you develop the sorts of bad habits that I have!
And I even sold it at enough of a profit
to be able to spend £25 on a "proper" Coronet round bed lathe.So advice to original poster is to do whatever you feel comfortable with - a cheapo that you will want to upgrade, or a bigger investment that you might find ideal, or might find a complete waste of money. But whichever you do, get some tuition if at all possible, before you develop the sorts of bad habits that I have!
ah..
ok..
not a clear cut answer then.
is turning really that tricky ? is it really necessary to get lessons?
:?
i naively thought it wasnt that hard.
to be honest, i've never really been attracted to turning, it's just that i have found a liking to making toy cars, and i have feeling that a lathe will be very usefull to make wheels.
hence my question.
so maybe i can refine it further... will a cheap lathe be ok to do some wheels (round 3 inches diameter), and will i find it really hard without tuition ?
ok..
not a clear cut answer then.
is turning really that tricky ? is it really necessary to get lessons?
:?
i naively thought it wasnt that hard.
to be honest, i've never really been attracted to turning, it's just that i have found a liking to making toy cars, and i have feeling that a lathe will be very usefull to make wheels.
hence my question.
so maybe i can refine it further... will a cheap lathe be ok to do some wheels (round 3 inches diameter), and will i find it really hard without tuition ?
stef":usys4bwq said:
enter " Woodturning " in Youtube and have a look , loads of clips on that site
wizer
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To save you some time on YouTube, follow this guy's tutorials:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bobham5
About the best step by step clips on there.
http://www.youtube.com/user/bobham5
About the best step by step clips on there.
