Just curious, who owns a lathe....

[Iain]

Who owns a lathe and who is a woodturner, I am the first to admit I own a lathe but would (wood) never confess to being a turner......

[echnidna]

I voted Rats coz I dislike turning but its a necessary skill for furniture making.

[fred.n]

Yep, I got one....MC 1100, but must admit I don't use it much
Don't really go into my shed as much as I would like to either??
Me old uncle took a really bad turn last year (he's 78and got one of those heart things like Cliff's dad) and I spend most of my time around at his place, making sure he doesn't cut his fingers off in His shed.
( the machine's kicked in a couple of times already).
I do all the lifting, cleaning,stacking,ripping,etc etc cause the old boy just loves his shed :2tsup: His wife doesn't trust him to use the power tools, so I keep an eye on him :) If I make it to his age and have his passion, I'll be one happy man.

[Gra]

I own a lathe, I am a turner.


A bad one, but still a turner...

[Big Shed]

I bought an MC900, older model green one, at a clearance sale for $100, nobody wanted to bid and the auctioneer begged for someone to give him $100 for it. So I did!

Haven't used it a lot, used to do a lot of wood turning when I was younger, but pressure of work meant that I finished up selling the lathe I had at the time. So I'm hoping to get back in to it again, hopefully will do some pen turning.

Too pre-occupied with new toys at the moment though:2tsup:

[craigb]

I don't own a lathe. No option for this so I can't vote. :)

The only turning I've done was in high school many moons ago.

I can't say the idea of turning really grabs me but I'll probably get a lathe one day for making furniture legs and such like.

I won't be turning any pens and I think there's enough dodgy bowls and plates in the world without me adding to them. :D

[AlexS]

Where's the 'I own a lathe and am a barely competent turner (on a good day). Only bought it cause it was cheap and handy for doing legs, round tenons etc.

[watson]

Ah Geez,
I made a mistake....I thought you meant " I am the impotent Turner"

[journeyman Mick]

Where's the "I've got one, but it's stored in pieces and I'll get around to assembling and installing it as soon as I've got the time and money to add a 90 sqm extension to the shed"?:? :rolleyes:

Mick

[Stu in Tokyo]

Nova DVR 3000, love it, like to turn, I think I'm getting a bit better at it, but don't get enough time to do more.

Cheers!:U

[Wild Dingo]

Where the blazes is the "Ive got a bloody fanfriggintastic lathe but wouldnt have a clue" one??... or the "Ive got a lathe and some cheep shyte chisels but am totally incompetent" one?... or the "Theres something someone called a lathe in a corner of the shed that snarls and bites every time I go near it so I avoid it like the plague" one?.. or the "I think its called a lathe and I sometimes have a go at it but it tends to throw timber back at me" one?

But Ive got one and give it a short workout every now and then... but a turner? Im not a turners earhole mate!! :doh:

[DJ’s Timber]

Got 2 lathes :U..........reasonably good at it :2tsup:, could be better if I had a bit more patience

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32804&d=1161396353

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Where's the "I want to be a turner when I grow up, in the meantime I collect lathes" option?

[silentC]

Well I've got a lathe, I'm not intimidated by it (if you saw it, you would understand why not), but I wouldn't really describe myself as a turner. I've turned a few things but have yet to make two items that look the same, or that look like I expected them to when I started.

Can't say I've really been bitten by the bug, but there is something about it I suppose.

[Wongo]

I don’t own a lathe, I don’t feel intimidated by it, I am not a turner and I don’t give a rats ring.:D

Also I have never turned a pen.:cool:

[Wood Borer]

I'm CraigB, I don't own a lathe yet.

I did some turning at school and it was fun, you seem to get reasonable results in a short space of time with little experience and not a very high outlay in purchasing the machinery.

I think for under $5000 you could purchase a reasonable lathe and a handy set of chisels and have a completed bowl or box in a matter of hours with very little tuition or experience.

That amount of money for cabinet tools would not go very far and for a beginner the initial results would be quite ordinary.

The good turners do spectacular work, the rest just have fun I think.

When I get a lathe it will be for fun and to turn legs and decorative parts for cabinets etc.

When rejuvenating an old wooden chisel or screwdriver handle, it is spectacular how quickly you can get an acceptable finish when you sand and wax it in bench drill. To get a similar finish on a flat piece would take hours whereas on the drill it takes minutes. The turners seem to get it a bit easier when it comes to finishing.

It annoys me when people find out you are into woodwork and assume you are a turner. When you tell them you don't own a lathe, they knowingly nod their heads and assume you wish you could afford a lathe so you can be a real woodworker.:((

[Wongo]

I must say the first thing people ask me is usually “do you own a lathe?”

Can't they say “Do you own a 10” JET supersaw” or “Do you have a 2ph powermatic jointer” or something like that?:?

[silentC]

People ask me that too. And I say "yes" :D

See, I am a real woodworker! :wink:

[Wood Borer]

See, I am a real woodworker! :wink:

:D :D :D

[Ruddigar]

I'm CraigB.....

You are? :? :?

Who's this bloke then:


I don't own a lathe.....

Is this one of those Spartacus moments? :?

[munruben]

I'm CraigB, I don't own a lathe yet..

I think for under $5000 you could purchase a reasonable lathe and a handy set of chisels
Thats a bit pricey for a hobby. My ex son in law bought a lathe for $200 and he turned out some. real nice bowls and stuff
I don't have one but have thought about it, thats as far as I got, thinking about it.:rolleyes:

[ss_11000]

Also I have never turned a pen.:cool:

but you will:D ...

i have a lathe but i want a bigger better one:2tsup:

[Wood Borer]

You are? :? :?

Who's this bloke then:



Is this one of those Spartacus moments? :?

Yep - if I had hair it would be blonde. :doh:

[Iain]

I have a little record and thought about something bigger, but, I use it occassionaly to make handles, knobs or whatever, I am afraid it just doesn't excite me that much.
I have also been asked first up many time 'do you own a lathe?', I really wonder why.
I saw a GMC lathe for sale at a car boot sale, the poor bugger was dreaming in more ways that one, he had a price tag of $300 on it, and it came with a full set of turning tools, 4 Marples chisels, he reckoned that they were really good turning chisels:? :? :?
The chisels were your everyday chisel, not turning tools.

[Ashore]

I have a lathe and its great it has this big sanding disk on it , I do take it off if I need to , like Iain turn knobs handles etc but otherwise its a great faceplate sander:2tsup:

[wheelinround]

I have a little record and thought about something bigger, .

Record thought they'd gone out of fashion must be a 45 if its only little.......after an album or old 70 as the bigger one :D

I have one new Jet mini variable speed
new to turning did it at school many moons ago always wanted to take it up my trade was partly woodork but nothing to do with turning
I bought it for hobby and fun

[Andy Mac]

I had a small homemade lathe, years ago, but a mate has it now. I use one at work, but in my home workshop I have a metal lathe (& mill-drill), but there wasn't a polling option for it. It does get covered in wood shavings ocassionally!:oo: And I'm competent on neither...

Cheers,

[Stuart]

And I thought the old records ran at 78.... ;)

I have a (non electronic-variable) Jet Mini - running very nicely if I knew how to use it. Pens are fine, but I can't figure out bowls - just roughing down results in so many dig-ins that my nerves are shot after a few short minutes.

[wheelinround]

And I thought the old records ran at 78.... ;)

I have a (non electronic-variable) Jet Mini - running very nicely if I knew how to use it. Pens are fine, but I can't figure out bowls - just roughing down results in so many dig-ins that my nerves are shot after a few short minutes.

Oh um yeh 78 thats what I get for typing in the dark

A non eletcronic -variable Jet-mini????
Pedal power & belt change:D:rolleyes: good way of staying fit I guess hooking exercise bike up to drive but hard to move aroud thought

[Stuart]

Well, yeah - both can run at different speeds - one uses the traditional belt and pulley system, the other has electronic control.

Doesn't mean they don't have motors!

[Waldo]

G'day,

:yes: got a lathe. :yes: got some nice chisels, got the skills :no:
Do I turn much? :no:

Why the heck haven't I done much on it lately, well I was busy setting up the t/saw and now I'm about to start construction this weekend for my r/table.

In the meantime the cobwebs keep building on the lathe. :C

[TTIT]

............ never confess to being a turner......Ok - I'll bite - why?

[Mulgabill]

Yep! Got a couple of Lathes, tools etc. Do some turning, sell some pieces, exhibit some.:B
But what I would reeeaaally like is more shed time!:C

[Cliff Rogers]

I've got 4 now, stupid expensive hobby.... bit like bloody golf. :p

I travel all over the damn country meeting people with the same affliction (not golf) & yesterday (day before now) I found out that the bloke who has been cutting my hair for almost 10 years has bought a block of land in the hills about 20Kms away from mine & he now has a lathe too..... :cool:
Due to cyclone Larry, he also has more fallen trees than I have & he doen't know how to cut them up & store them.... :rolleyes:
How many free haircuts can I use?????:?


How much wood can a wood.....turner pack in a suitcase & still get on a flight to Melbourne? :D

[dai sensei]

I've got a lathe and love to turn. I have plenty of other big machines, but the lathe is my favourite.


How much wood can a wood.....turner pack in a suitcase & still get on a flight to Melbourne? :D

Not sure what flight your on Cliff, but Virgin & JetStar have a 20kg limit on your luggage, after that it is $7/kg :o . You can take 7.5kg on the plane, but if they are decent chunks, they deam them as deadly weapons and make you put them in your suitcase - then charge you more excess :~ I got caught on my last trip, cost me $70 to bring back my timber blank gifts, probably only worth $30, but I could not bare to put them in the bin.

[Cliff Rogers]

...Not sure what flight your on Cliff, but Virgin & JetStar have a 20kg limit on your luggage, after that it is $7/kg :o . You can take 7.5kg on the plane, .....
I know, been caught before on Jetstar, came Virgin this time, web seat allocation, selfcheck the bags, 28Kg & 6.5Kg... :rolleyes: Only 13.5kg of that is clothes & suit case & backpack.
Didn't get busted for it this time. :2tsup:

[rsser]

Well for the wannabe's, would be's and am's ...

Forum turnfest in Melb. tomorrow, for details go to as well as follow the leap-frog links:

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=52325

All very welcome, esp. maybe's and wannabe's ;-}

[ptc]

Hope you all have a great time.
and don't forget the camera.

[Schtoo]

$5,000? :oo: :oo: :oo:

If I had that much for a lathe, it better be gold plated and cut wood all by itself. :2tsup:

As it stands, I have more money invested in the lathe tools than the lathe itself. By a factor of 5.

Scary huh? Even more so when you realize there are only 3 small HSS tools, and they were the exorbitant sum of $50.

I say lathe because it really isn't. It's just a few ally die castings, a couple bearings and some plastic. Runs off the drill stuck in one end, and that at least is connected to a spindle. It's not as crude as using the drill's chuck, but it isn't far short of that.

It works, I can turn small stuff, that's all I need until I can wangle a bigger one.

(Or run up to Tokyo and steal Stu's from the dungeon when he's not looking. :D )

[Stu in Tokyo]

............It works, I can turn small stuff, that's all I need until I can wangle a bigger one.

(Or run up to Tokyo and steal Stu's from the dungeon when he's not looking. :D )

Well I have the keys to the hoist, so if you could get it out of the Dungeon, you could have it........wait a minute, that's dangerous, knowing you, you'd figure a way.....:rolleyes:

Well you could certainly come on by for a test drive of the DVR! :2tsup:

Typhoon get past you yet?

[Stuart]

Runs off the drill stuck in one end, and that at least is connected to a spindle. It's not as crude as using the drill's chuck, but it isn't far short of that.

What's wrong with using a drill chuck? (See my video about using one to hold the pen mandrel!!) :2tsup:

[Schtoo]

Stu #1, I'd just take it through the wall. That would work, right? :oo:

Typhoon went past with a bit of blowing and heaps of rain. No-one around here complaining too loudly, as we need the water. I think that problem is at least slightly corrected. :rolleyes:

I think it was pretty big in size, but not as powerful as some have been. Only 950 air pressure-doohickeys. Scary when you can judge how strong it something is by scientific measuring. :-

Stu #2, I didn't say there was anything wrong, it's just crude. :rolleyes:

I do it often enough myself on metal, but the wood lathe setup is much, much better. The output is the same as a drill spindle (1/2" UNF) so drill chucks fit on no problem, but it also has two ball bearings that cope better with side and end thrust loads than a drill can.

Plus it has a spur drive centre and a little faceplate. Worth much more than the $10 it cost me from the bargain bin, and I kick myself for not buying the other two that were there. :(

[Jon]

I inherited by father's lathe (I knew I eventually would when I bought it for him) and while I have used it a few times there is no way I could honestly say that I am proficient, but I am not intimidated, I just got no time.

I have made a few spools for string lines, replicated a broken banister for work mate and replicated a broken chair leg for FIL. I am sure there have been other things but I can't remember. I do not ever think that I will be a "turner" as the number of projects that I would/will do with round components will probably be limited. But in saying that, one day I will endevour to master the lathe just so that I know I can. Until then, it will remain a slightly used face plate sander and a "storage bench"

Jon

[jmk89]

No lathe

Why not?


In order




No time
No money
No talent (I suspect)





But one of these days I'm gunna get one.......

and then, look out -




I'm gunna do heaps of posting in the pen making forum:D :D

[fxst]

A couple of each (metal & wood) and call myself a turner. Well I make odd shapes round so I guess that make me a turner :D

[Ross]

Would not be without one.

Ross

[rodent]

3 going on 4 . A turner ? all the time ,many a time ,even when i haven't got time . But most of the time . The real question is how many turning chisels do you have and which ones do you use the most and which the least .:roll:
ILL count up mine tomorrow and scare my self.:doh:

[Harry72]

Just had to update this thread... boots'n'all as Stu put it!:D

[Tonyz]

we have somthing in the shed that looks like a lathe but the downside is the Ryobi name on the side

[weisyboy]

we have somthing in the shed that looks like a lathe but the downside is the Ryobi name on the side

yer mine is dark blue and has 3 letters i an afraid to mention.:B

[Sebastiaan56]

I collect antique fixer uppers, current collection is a Record Power Drillmaster.

I play at turning but I very much a learner

[BobL]

I'd like to have one but have resisted because.

- no room in the shed
- if I got one I'd do nothing else except fiddle with it for the next 3 years
- SWMBO is already asking too many questions about my tool purchases

Cheers

[DSEL74]

Where's the "I want to be a turner when I grow up, in the meantime I collect lathes" option?


I'm with Skew, I have a Colchester Master 2500 4' Bed and a Myford ML7 which I could turn in the Colchester! and yes the colchester intimidates me since some metal flew out of the chuch and out threw the roof! :o Left and interesting rectangular hole in the roof which is a conversation starter. :roll:

[rsser]

Ouch.

... nah I'm not a collector; can only afford one with my tastes.

[Gingermick]

old technatool ti something or other but it hasn't been used since 2006. Only coz 2007 was a mongrel sister screwing big assssssed slaggy bitch awefullous McScrudeon ...................... of a year and I'm glad to be rid of it.

[Waldo]

3The real question is how many turning chisels do you have...

Me, I haves 27 chisels. :q

:2tsup:

[DJ’s Timber]

I'm with Skew, I have a Colchester Master 2500 4' Bed and a Myford ML7 which I could turn in the Colchester! and yes the colchester intimidates me since some metal flew out of the chuch and out threw the roof! :o Left and interesting rectangular hole in the roof which is a conversation starter. :roll:

Don't think you realised this, but we're talking about Wood Lathes here :doh:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Don't think you realised this, but we're talking about Wood Lathes here :doh:

Oh... I only have one of those - all the rest are made of metal. :rolleyes: But I reckon that's still probably one more than most people here. :p

As for chisels... that varies. Are we talking handled or unhandled here? And even that varies quite a bit in my shed, depending on how many concrete nails have fallen out of my broomstick offcuts. :-

[lubbing5cherubs]

Yep I am a good turner... ( Everday since birth I have been able to turn my food into :seald:)


Oooh You mean the wood lathe. No wish I could say I was a turner but I am working on it; I love to play
Toni:)

[yaryetnom]

I have 2 a bigun & littleun. I see the term "turner" wasn't defined so I can claim to be one as I have occasionally turned a valuable timber resource into material for the mulch pile.

Ray

[wenwood]

I don't own a lathe...but I want too. :)

[Groggy]

Got a lathe, need the turner that goes with it.

[manoftalent]

just resently unearthed (from way back of shed)...a green one with a mtr bed ....now to find time to play with it :U

[xjumper65]

I am primarily a hand tool woodworker (although I do have a bandsaw I occasionally use for rough dimensioning). I make mostly furniture, boxes, and household items. Being that this would be only my 2nd stationary power tool in the shop, it was a big decision for me to buy a lathe. Ultimately, I did buy one about 2 years ago because I wanted to expand my capability to make turned legs, 1/2 columns, 1/4 columns, etc for furniture. I was intimidated by the lathe at first (especially since I prefer not to use power tools), but I quickly came to appreciate this machine in my shop. It can be quite handy. For instance, last night I turned a dowel that was 15/16" diameter for the purpose of sharpening a new in-cannel gouge (and we know how tricky those can be). I've also turned some shaving brush handles, shaving brush/razor stands, small bowls and, lidded boxes. It can be fun and sometimes its a nice change of pace from the benchwork. I can't see myself becoming a full-time turner anytime soon, but its a nice arrow to have in the quiver.