trex9471 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I'm looking for my first lathe to get into turning bowls for sure but I'm sure I'll branch into other things. From what I've researched on my own the Delta 46-460 is a pretty great midi/mini lathe but the customer service is so poor that it turns people off. Jet's JWL-1221VS is also a nice lathe from the reviews but starts to get pretty spendy. Another one I've read about is the Rikon 70-100. This one is on the cheaper side but has only a 1/2 HP motor and no reverse which sounds like a feature to have. What's the opinion on the motor size? Is it worth the extra $ for that added HP? I'm leaning towards the Delta but the customer service deal has me worried. Any and all comments are appreciated. Also opinions on what type of tools and tool sharpening system that people like/use is appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trex9471 Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 The NOVA Comet II is another one mentioned. I know there are other threads about this topic but I wanted to get an opinion on the ones I listed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozwald Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 As a primarily turning woodworker, I would say first off if your main interest is in turning bowls, you're not going to be very happy with any of those for very long. You'd want something that can handle a larger swing, most likely one with outboard capability. Just because a lathe is listed as, say, a 12.5" capacity, you can't actually get that large of a blank on there. Subtract 3-4" at the very least for it's max swing capacity, more to adjust for the learning curve. Even pushing the limits on the mini/midi's, you're going to find yourself really pigeon holed on what you can make. As for HP, it's a bit overrated. Sure having a little extra is nice, but on a lathe that size 1/2 HP is enough to turn something at the upper end of it's capacity. Reverse is another one of those things - it's nice but you can turn for years without it & never miss it once. I would put the extra money in capacity, not unnecessary frills for a starter lathe. What I wouldn't consider a frill is the variable speed controls. The Nova & Rikon you listed both have a multiple pulley system to change speeds which gets extremely tedious, extremely fast. Especially since you'll be using multiple speeds on every single project. Honestly I would go with HF before either of those 2 & spend the extra money on wood & chisels. Between the Delta & Jet you listed, the Jet hands down. The Delta does have a variable speed, but it's limited range. The Jet has a digital variable range that is extremely wide & the only one you listed that doesn't require any belt changes. But again, at that cost you may want to look at a larger lathe with fewer options. If you were going to be doing just as many spindles, legs, candleholders, pens, etc. then I would consider the Jet to be a great choice. Bowls are just that odd-man out when it comes to turning & you're going to be limited by small capacity very, very quickly. Just my $0.02. I expect change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trex9471 Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Thanks Ozwald! What is the HF you're referring to? Also the price of the jet is about the top end of my price range because I know I still have to buy tools, chucks, etc. Without having looked I'm assuming i won't find a bigger lathe like you suggest in that price range... However I will do some research before I assume too much! Any other comments or suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozwald Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 HF = Harbor Freight. Known worldwide as makers of questionable tools. Their wood lathes are actually pretty good for the price, unlike a lot of their other offerings. If you can afford the Jet plus tools & accessories, I wouldn't even bother, but if the Rikon you mentioned was the top of your budget, I'd recomend the HF all day long at about half the price. I see Grizzly's got a 16x46" lathe for $600 (the G0462), but I don't know much about it. It does have outboard capability which means you could turn some pretty big bowls on it with the head pivoted out. It's nowhere near the quality of the Jet, but you'll be able to do a lot more with it. At the very least it'll get you by without limiting what you can make - you just have to sacrifice some bells & whistles that you don't need right out of the starting gate. From the reviews I've read on Grizzly's tools in general, they seem to make some pretty decent stuff at their price point; you just can't compare them to the higher end, more expensive brands. If you learn to drive the Honda Civic, it'll be easier down the road to choose between the Ferrari, Lamborghini & Lotus. Same with lathes. Grizzly's not the only 'Civic' out there, but I'd definitely recommend looking at something like that so you can put the extra funds toward 'gas money' (tools, accessories, wood) & get the lathe you really want when you can afford it... and have some experience under your belt to make a wise decision on which bells & whistles that suit your liking the best, which is often the problem when you're comparing the top models from the top companies. And like I said before, the only reason I recommend going larger is you said you want to make bowls. The higher quality Jet will beat the pants off from a larger lathe at the same price, no doubt... but you'll be fed up with it's small capacity within months. And probably find that some of the extra features you paid good money for are the ones you barely, if ever, use. That's another $0.02. You're going to owe me a beer pretty soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trex9471 Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Haha ok thanks! I've seen reviews that said HF is a poor choice. I did see that grizzly one. I think I'll keep my eye out for a bigger one like you suggest. Maybe craigslist... The closest club to me is 150 miles away so I can't get to one to try things out. I'm really exited to get started but I need to cool my jets so I don't make a rash decision! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozwald Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I was going to mention Craigslist, but it completely slipped my mind. I got my 14x40 Delta from there for $450. And don't believe all you read on the HF reviews. They have a bad name for themselves & on most of their tools they've really earned it. I've got an HF lathe, bandsaw, beltsander, grinder, drillpress & some odds n ends. It's true, most of it is garbage, but even with my Delta lathe, I still use the HF lathe quite a bit (which I've put hundreds if not thousands of hours on). The only bad things I can say about it are things that would've raised it's price, like having to move the belt to change speeds (which you'd also have to do on the Rikon). I do treat it pretty well; I'm sure if you beat on it, it wouldn't hold up all that well. But really there's no reason to in the first place. I love my Delta, but I'll probably never get rid of the HF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 the Delta 46-460 is a pretty great midi/mini lathe but the customer service is so poor that it turns people off. Guy on another forum bought one a few months back, had trouble (his own fault) and Delta shipped him new parts at no charge that week. I think the difference is calling rather than email. A local woodworking store uses a Delta 46-460 as their demo lathe even though they sell Powermatic/Jet, go figure. If I were going to buy a lathe in that class the Delta would be my first choice followed closely by the Nova 46300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trex9471 Posted October 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 Thanks McQ! After further looking it seems like the Delta 46-460 is a pretty decent little lathe and used quite widely by different groups. Seems Customer service had a bit of a downfall but is now back in order.Do you think that's a good starter lathe or should I look into something with a bit more range? I'm brand new so I've got a lot to learn and from what I can tell many people acquire more than one lathe in their shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I'm the wrong person to ask about starter lathes. My first lathe was a 1920's Goodell Pratt 7x12 and I'm currently using a 1958 King Seeley/Craftsman 9x30. Seriously though, everyone I've spoken to or read about that has the Delta loves it. You can buy an extension for turning longer spindles like table legs. I'm pretty sure that's what Carl Jacobson on youtube is using now if you want to see one in action. Spoke to a guy the other day with a Nova 1624 and although he didn't have anything bad to say he wasn't enthusiastic either. Which is the reaction I get from just about everyone with Novas. They appear to be really nice lathes but the lack of enthusiasm puts me off them a bit. If you are pretty certain that bowls are your thing, bigger is never a bad thing. I don't know anything about the Jet or Grizzly lathes but if I wanted to go big I'd go Powermatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trex9471 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 lol thanks! I think if I do go new it'd be that Delta one. Seems like a nice machine. Although I'm trying to find a used/older one to get my feet wet with before I jump into anything too spendy! For instance the one I just posted seems like an ok deal... I'm not really sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 The basic lathe hasn't changed much in the last hundred years other than electronic speed control. They are very simple machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozwald Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I'm really digging my Delta as well. It's a good machine & from my experience I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one. The problem with buying a large Delta/Jet/PM is they're definitely spendy unless you can score a deal on a used one. Since you're on a budget you can either look at a small Jet/Delta (I don't believe PM makes a small one) or a cheaper model larger one which will definitely get you by until you have the cash to upgrade. The only deal-stopper on the smaller ones is bowls. Speaking from experience, you'll get bored really, really quick turning small bowls. You can always buy bed extensions to give you a longer capacity, but with a fixed headstock you're stuck with the diameter it can produce. If you're looking to churn out some pens, legs, candle holders, various kits (peppermills, pizza cutters, etc), and the occasional small bowl, the small Delta would be a fantastic lathe. If you want to produce mainly bowls & throw in another project from time to time, you'll be wanting to buy another lathe in less than a year's time. It really depends on what you want to do. If it's the latter, I'd still recommend getting a cheaper, larger brand in your budget & getting a Delta/Jet/PM/Oneway down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trex9471 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I guess for me I wouldn't mind taking that much time to learn the craft. Bowls are my main interest but until I've actually started producing items I can't really say. I'm more interested in learning the skills need to make some awesome things before I worry about size. I agree that producing little bowls would get boring but I need to be patient and hone my skills! Besides I don't have room for a bigger lathe right now anyway! again I appreciate all your input! I'm learning by leaps and bounds with all these forums and videos and such! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted October 22, 2013 Report Share Posted October 22, 2013 ok im a little late jumping into this but I have the delta 46-460 I think its great for most turnings. you can really stretch your work without spend 1600-2000 on a full size lathe. With the delta and the extension you can make most anything you plan on making. 90 percent of your turning will be under 12 range. but if you want to turn larger stuff then I suggest building a dedicated lathe http://www.winburn.com/BowlLathe.asp. as for the price my suggestion is save up and buy the best lathe possible. I bought my lathe and tools, and 3 chucks, Jacobs chuck, buffer, faceplates ect.... and paid for it all with craft sales. it took me two years 3-4 sales but it has paid for itself. so don't worry about the price if your smart, careful and dedicated you can easily get your money back. here is links too every web site I have found to be useful for a professional turner. Tools(long handles allow extra stability and strength because you can brace it on you hips) you can make your own tools I found these site’s to be useful your own tools http://www.bigtreetools.com/articles/siegel%2018-4.pdfmaking making a texturing tool http://www.woodturnersresource.com/extras/projects/SpiralingTexturingTool/index.html making a minie cove cutting tool http://www.davidreedsmith.com/Articles/MiniCoveTool/MiniCoveTool.htm texturing tool http://aroundthewoods.com/detail.shtml 3 point tool http://aroundthewoods.com/three.shtml arm brace for hollow turning http://aroundthewoods.com/brace.shtml chatter tool http://www.detroitareawoodturners.org/Making%20a%20Chatter%20Tool.pdf cheap e-z tool blades http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/products/carbide-insert-knives.html home made e_z lathe tool http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f6/first-homemade-lathe-gouge-19990/ lathe chucks http://www.deltamachinery.com/accessories/lathes/item/46-461 http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CSC2000C.html http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/6/1/25/103/-/4604/RMWoodCo-Modern-Longworth-Chuck center finders http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=688 http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2083056/33683/The-Bullzeye-Woodturners-Center-Finder.aspx wood line burner use Formica scraps and the friction will burn lines on the wood buying tools buying e-Z tools http://easywoodtools.com/ buying blades to make handles for http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/default.asp Robert sorby tools are very good steel that hold a edge longer http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/ sandpaper cheap http://www.woodworkingshop.com/category.aspx?id=25&f1=BARGAIN+BOXES sharpening wolverine sharpen jig http://www.amazon.com/Oneway-Wolverine-Vari-Grind-Attachment/dp/B003L0M69O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1371213971&sr=8-4&keywords=wolverine+sharpening+jig paper sharpening hone for grinder http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2000219/2254/complete-razor-sharp-system.aspx home made paper hone http://www.davidreedsmith.com/Articles/HoningDisk/HoningDisk.htm grinder tool rest great for sharpening http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/6/-/21/94/-/699/Apprentice-Universal-Tool-Support sharpening with two grinders one normal with regular stone, second white stone, second grinder reversed with mdf wheel and felt wheel rotating up for honeing. sharpening arm and base http://aroundthewoods.com/sharpening03.html you can also just buy the base http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/5/-/21/93/-/817/Oneway-Wolverine-Sharpening-System how to sharpen your tools stores woodcraft http://www.woodcraft.com/category/1001030/woodturning-tools-lathes-and-kits.aspx craft supplies http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/ Packard tools http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=packard&Category_Code=tools pen state industries http://www.pennstateind.com/store/woodturning-tools.html 30 cheap pen kits http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKSLFUN99.html Videos Carl Jacobson has a lot of videos to study http://www.youtube.com/user/haydenHD?feature=watch eddie castelin teaches hoe to make lots of tools and jigs cheaply http://www.youtube.com/user/capneddie?feature=results_main making a wood pens turning corian books finishes for turning favorite finish is : shelack, boild linseed oil, denatured alch one part of each mixed together. it makes a decent finish that blends and smooths well, dries fast and is shinny. BEESWAX WOOD FINISH (for bare wood) 1 pound beeswax 1 pint turpentine (odorless, if you can find it) 1 pint boiled linseed oil Melt wax. Remove wax from heat source, then stir in turpentine and oil. Before applying to bare wood, warm the mixture to achieve better penetration. Apply with a soft cloth, let dry, then buff with a wool cloth. Old coats can be removed with an organic solvent such as turpentine. This can also be used on leather. (Another wood finish can be made with 1 pound beeswax and 1 pint turpentine, omitting the linseed oil.) use full sites tips and techniques http://aroundthewoods.com/contents.html#con08 Christmas ornaments http://www.woodcentral.com/newforum/ornaments/ project ideas http://www.woodturningonline.com/index.php tools,jigs,chucks http://www.turningblanks.net/servlet/the-template/shopmadelatheturningtoolprojects/Page lots of good info http://www.woodturnersresource.com/ definitions http://www.woodturnersresource.com/extras/lathe_terms/lathe_terms.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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