Record lathe, any good?

[Fat ferret]

Hi all, I want to turn a few things like,

chisel handles,
shaker style pegs,
table and chair legs,
maybe some staircase spindles too.

I have no experience turning but a while a go I saved on old blue record DML 24 from the skip. I know it has quite a few bits missing.

Do I build the record a bench and find new bits for the ones that are lost, if so where can I get them? Have manual so it should be a case of just working out what bits I lack. Or is it no good for what I want?

Can't afford new lathe but would the record do the job or do I need to save up?

 

[woodpig]

Should be fine to start with provided you can get the bits required. What sort of parts are needed?

 

[Fat ferret]

Sorry couldn't tell you, will have to have a look and compare with manual, are parts hard to get?

 

[RogerP]

Identify what's missing and ask on here ... you never know

 

[Jonzjob]

A DML was my first lathe I had it for a couple of years and it was well god enough to start on.

If you contact Record Power http://www.recordpower.co.uk/index.php?section=contact I'm sure they will be only too glad to help. I had to contact them about getting the headstock bearings out of my CL1 about a month ago and they were very helpful.. I upgraded all the way to a CL1 about 14 years back :mrgreen:

 

[Silverbirch]

A DML was my first lathe I had it for a couple of years and it was well god enough to start on.

Me too.
It rather depends on what is missing whether it`s an economic proposition to fix it up. You asked if you should save for something else. Assuming you can fix it up at not too much cost, it will certainly be more than good enough to get you started while you save up for something else. With some experience of using it, you will then have a clearer idea of what to look for when you are ready to splash the cash.

Ian

 

[Fat ferret]

Sounds like a good idea. I will get the record going. I mostly do flat woodwork anyway, just need to turn a few things now and then.

I contacted record power about the manuall, they were helpfull.

Seems a good start would be to make a bench for it so will do a search on how best to go about it.

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

This is the lathe I have, if I can be of any help.

 

[Jonzjob]

I think that my DML may have been the 36, because when I upgraded to the CL1 I put it straight onto the same 'A' frame stand as the DML was on. Just a 4 X 2" pine frame that it is still on. Bolted to the floor and cross braced with wires so that it's pretty solid. I put a couple of 'shelves' of 4 X 2 at each end to hold things like the various head and tail stock centers I have. I'll see if I can get a photo of it tomorrow? It really doesn't need to be complicated..