Wood Lathe Buying Advice - a Chat with Woodturner Mike Waldt

What should you know before you buy a wood lathe? Scott Bennett and @MikeWaldt walk thought the various things to consider when you buy a lathe and the related wood turning tools. Related Links: - Chart for Lathe Dimensions and Relative Price - http://homeimprovementwoodworking.com/tools-how-to/how-to-buy-a-wood-lathe/ - Mike Waldt’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_tt3HOlpZguB8ebtB4k1w - Lathe Dust Collection https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLuoLys-x2vkdl8tpWeQ-eg - Dust Collection Fundamentals Video https://youtu.be/-c2YyFw7g1U - Wolverine Grinding Jig Video - https://youtu.be/-Yc7VvSV6D0 - CBN Grinding Wheel Video - https://youtu.be/h1iIZUcz7rs - AirShield Pro Respirator Video - coming soon, subscribe to get notified The first thing to understand is the basic terminology of wood lathes. The key parts are: - Lathe Bed - the foundation of the lathe that holds all the parts together - Lathe Stand - the leg assembly that holds up the bed rails - Head Stock - the motor, spindle, belt drive system, and motor controls make up the head stock - Spindle - where the power used to turn the wood using various mounting attachments - Tail Stock - the live center, quill, and hand wheel used to stabilize the opposite end from the head stock - Banjo or Tool Rest Base - the movable part that holds the tool rest, locking into the lathe bed - Tool Rest - the location where the turning chisels sit when cutting the wood There are three key dimensions you need to understand before you buy a wood lathe: - Swing - this is the maximum diameter of the turning over the bed, without the banjo/tool rest base attached. This is an important dimension for turning bowls as they’re typically the largest diameter work you will be turning. - Swing over Tool Rest Base - In the event you will be working on large-diameter spindle turning, be aware, the banjo/tool rest base will decrease the swing capacity. - Distance Between Centers - this is the maximum length of wood you can turn on the lathe. This is more important for spindle turning than it is for bowl turning. Finding the details of lathe specifications takes some research, so we’ve compiled a chart to make it easier for you - http://homeimprovementwoodworking.com/tools-how-to/how-to-buy-a-wood-lathe/ Before you decide which lathe to buy, you also need some additional tools. These are the bare essential items you should have. From a budgeting perspective, these will cost roughly $350. - Basic Wood Turning Chisel Set - Low Speed Grinder - Grinding Jig - NIOSH Approved Respirator - Face Shield Should you buy a New or Used Wood Lathe? The benefits of being the first owner of a lathe are obvious as you know exactly how the lathe was treated and you will have the manufacturer’s warranty. On the other hand, if you buy a used lathe, you can expect to spend 40-60% of the original retail price - that’s quite a discount. If you decide to buy used and you’re not familiar with machinery maintenance, bring a friend along with you to help you decide if the lathe is operating the way you would want it to. I purchased my lathe used. I was able to buy it from someone in my own community, and I hit it off with the owner. We had a great discussion and he showed me his new lathe and explained to me why he was selling the one I was interested in. I tried it out and made sure all the parts were there before negating a price. I also had done my research by finding the manual for the lathe online and reading through it to familiarize myself with it. I’m still happy with my purchase and I bought it at 55% of the retail price. There are some serious risks of using a lathe. This is not intended as a full list of safety advice, but it’s a list of some of the risks you need to be aware of when operating a lathe. - Don’t Work With Dull Chisels - When the chisels are dull, the user tends to force the work which can cause breakage and injury. When spinning wood breaks on a lathe, it is very dangerous. Another reason to keep your chisels sharp is they work much better. - Don’t Wear Jewelry - There have been cases where lathe operators have lost a finger because they were wearing a ring. The spinning force of the machine is very powerful. - Don’t Wear Loose Clothing - Any loose clothing should be removed before using the lathe. Items such as loose long sleeves or hoodie strings could get caught into the spinning lathe and cause you injury, or death. Our woodworking plans - https://woodenitbenice.ca/collections/woodworking-plans Our 1-on-1 woodworking advice sessions - https://woodenitbenice.ca/collections/woodworking-advice-sessions See the tools we use in our workshop and the tools we recommend: https://www.amazon.com/shop/homeimprovementwoodworking 🇨🇦 Canadian link - https://www.amazon.ca/shop/homeimprovementwoodworking For more woodworking knowledge or to contact us directly, visit our website https://WoodenItBeNice.ca #woodturning #lathe