Please help?! Beginners lathe on a budget for bday present!

[Rattypuff]

Hello all,
Its great to find this forum!

I am going to buy a wood turning lathe for my partner, for her birthday.
She is highly creative, loves working with wood and has always longed for a lathe, but not really
got around to buying one.

Ive tried to do a lot of research online and realise that you get what you pay for..
However, I do have a low budget and can only stretch to about £250 maybe a little further.

These are what ive come up with so far:
Record DML24 X
Record DML305 (possibly a bit over budget but if its the one??)
Jet JML-1014

Bearing in mind, i know NOTHING about lathes! hehe
So please dont be too hard on me!

Accessory wise, im planning to get friends and family to chip in and suiggest some scrapers, chisels and gouges..

Im hoping that the above lathes would provide her with small bowls, handles, spindles and things like that..would i be right?

Ive read to avoid having to use a spanner to change speeds, light sheet metal constructions, to go for around 4 to 5 speeds.

Any help would be absolutely brilliant!
Thanks all - xx Emma

 

[loz]

Hi Emma,

Your get much more for your 350 quid on ebay etc , than buying new, and will be just as good machines. ( you might even gets some tools thrown in. )

eg

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RECORD-CL1-WO...UK_Crafts_Other_Crafts_EH&hash=item3cb1859749

You'd sell that for more than you bought it for if your partner wanted to upgrade down the line.

This looks an idea small starter.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Woodturning-F...UK_Crafts_Other_Crafts_EH&hash=item2c5805d362

 

[Rattypuff]

Hi Loz - wow, thanks for the speedy reply!

Yes, youre right about the second hand ones - ive been looking at them on ebay, i was thinking that might be the path to take but was abit concerned that i dont know enough about them, to know if it was in full working order and stuff like that. But saying that, a lot of people have thrown in accessories which are worth a lot which would save me having to research even more!

The new Fox one you linked me too looks good too.

ah, decisions...

 

[loz]

You'll get a lot more reply's on this thread, wait before you rush and buy something.

 

[sabrads]

Hi,

I started out about a year ago with a second hand lathe - I have no trouble recommending this as a good place to start - I bought mine from a member of this forum and it came with quite a few accessories.

I had a limited budget and in the end I decided that it would be better to buy second hand and limit my up front costs than purchase something I wouldn't end up using. I now have a garage full of wood, tools and machinery that I didn't own a year ago - plus a lounge full of wooden things that I have made.

Xmas this year will be bowls and pens

Steve

 

[Rattypuff]

Thanks Loz - ill try and wait..im so excited about it though! Her birthday is 12th November, so i have a month.

Thanks Sabrads - i think im edging towards that now actually - at first i was attracted to the 1-5 yr gaurantee with new brands, but i think i actually prefer a machine thats been used and has some history and also, of course, the bonus of getting a better model with extras thrown in, for about the same as a cheapee new one.

 

[Bodrighy]

Where will she be turning? How much space do you have? The smaller lathes are fine but you will find that if she really gets into it she will want something bigger pretty quickly. All the lathes that you have listed are OK. The DML 305 has 12" over the bed and can be extended for longer spindle work later if needed. As Loz said, it is worth keeping your eye on Fleabay and seeing what comes up,

Don't forget you will need to budget for tools etc as well. When she has it she will be unlikely to want to wait to get those later. :lol:

Pete

 

[Oakbear]

If the CL1 goes for £250 that's a good deal.

Stay away from Clark, NuTool or any old ones like a Viceroy (these may need more work to get going or have unusual size parts).

Here's another, but it'll be a bit over budget
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Record-Power-...r_Crafts_EH&hash=item4153499720#ht_758wt_1139

 

[Rattypuff]

Ah thanks everyone again,

Tools wise, i will buy a few too, but will be advising friends and family on getting some as they never know what to buy!

I know that she will really get into it, so will probably want to expand quickly. Shes just about to open a shop where he'll be selling bits of furniture that shes been working on (collage etc)..so she might be able to keep the lathe there as it has a basement where she can work - other than that, it will be in our spare room which is biggish and is a semi craft room!
Oakbear thanks for the ones to keep away from - i never that, so thats handy.

 

[Bluefoxy]

Hi Rattypuff,

Have you had a look at the Axminster lathes. This one, although not quite the capacities of the others, has the benefit of variable speed.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ax ... rod781208/

Or for a little more this one which also has variable speeds and a swivelling headstock:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ax ... rod780608/

Regards,

Ray

 

[guyandzoe]

you'll need a grinder to keep the tools sharp. Blunt tools make very bad friends.

Have you considered sending you partner on a turning course before buying the lathe. Highly recommended.

 

[johnf]

Hi Emma

Ive got this one spare Pm me if you are interested
location near hailsham

 

[miles_hot]

In terms of tools you can do worse than talk to Tool Post as they're very good. They also do vouchers so rather than stressing out trying to organise who's actually buying the skew Chisel etc you can just have a voucher and the joy of walking into the place with cash to spend

When I started off David (tool post owner) sorted me out a handful of tools which I have added to over the last year but I don't think I'll stop using:
Bowl Gouge
Spindle Gouge
Parting tool
Skew
French Curve Scraper
Roughing Gouge

I started off on a Perform CCL (there are a lot of this type of tool from Axminster and others) and I've still got it though I've just bought a couple of Graduates but they're in bits at the moment so it will be interesting to see if the Perform gets used (for spindle stuff) when one of them is up an running.

This is a great place for advice etc - you may even find that someone near you is willing to help out with the basic instruction (sharp end forwards etc ). There are also a couple of members who do Pro instruction who are very good - Mark Sanger and Richard Findley spring to mind as they were kind enough to demo at a recent bash but I know that there are a few others

Lovely present you're sorting out - with the risk that your partner will end up spending a lot of time with their new toy

Good luck

Miles
PS If you're running out of money when you come to the grinder and jigs or freehand etc have a look around as there are a lot of wooden jigs which people have built to provide the repeatability of jigs without the cost - some on this site.

 

[Rattypuff]

Hi all - thanks, you all have bits of brilliant advice which ive taken on board. The vouchers for toolpost are a great idea! thanks, that takes the heat off a bit.

Bluefoxy thanks for the links and John, ive pm'd you!

A course is a must isnt it really i guess..ill have alook too see if there are any in sussex.

Great!!! im so excited, thanks again!!

p.s. yes, a grinder thanks for that - totally forgot the tools need to be sharp!

 

[Rattypuff]

Hi John, which model is that one? does that read CL0 24?

Thanks

 

[Rattypuff]

I still cant find that model ?! Is that CL0 24?

 

[johnf]

I still cant find that model ?! Is that CL0 24?

Yes that is the mode lno

 

[sabrads]

Dont forget to get some wood for your partner to work with otherwise it would be a little like getting the keys to the candy store and then finding the jars empty......

A course is good but you can also get some good instructional DVDs etc - I have just got the Jimmy Clewes Back to Basics DVD - it was recommended in a thread here about bowl turning - very good DVD and well worth it.

 

[Lightweeder]

Hello there Ratty. You're right about one thing - this is a smashing forum. All the help you need, and more.

 

[Rattypuff]

OH!!wood!! thanks sabrads! completely forgot about that lol
Erm...what sort of wood and where from?!

Lightweeder - its a godsend, and im not even religious!