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Need a lathe

fingwe

fingwe

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Joined
Nov 2, 2015
Posts
322
Location
Suffolk
First Name
Melanie
Hi, I’d like to get back into turning and am looking to buy a smallish lathe (sub £500 I guess), but just about everything is out of stock. I’d normally go to Axminster or Record power, but the only thing available is records £250 lathe. I’d prefer something with variable speed, but I don’t know what other brands are decent, could anyone point me in the right direction? Otherwise I guess I’ll get the Record for now (although the £50 delivery charge is a bit steep ?).

Thanks!
 
Penpal

Penpal

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May 26, 2013
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25,342
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
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Peter
Morning Melanie look for awhile second hand through a wood group in your area and seek advice through membership,there is safety in groups.

Good luck girl.

Peter.
 
D

Derek33

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Oct 12, 2013
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19
Location
Tadworth, UK
Hi Melanie, I have the Axminster Craft AC305WL its great for most things. It had good reviews and I nearly got the Record equivalent but the reviews swayed it for me. Has a variable speed and belt change if you need it, but I just leave it on one of the belts. I thought I would miss having the digital speed read out but no you soon get to know where you want to be. Had it about 6 months now and very happy with it. There is a review from me on the their web page for the lathe. Hope this helps Derek.
 
Neil Lawton

Neil Lawton

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If you do go for the Record, Snainton Woodworking Supplies have some on offer due to damaged packaging and delivery is only £15.
 
Phil Dart

Phil Dart

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Unless you absolutely must have it now, if it were for myself I'd be tempted to hang on until Axi have their new stock. I have no idea how long that might be however, but when I was in your shoes a while back I found that many of the other options, although with variable speed, didn't offer the right ratios for the right belt positions. If you want to turn at say 3000 rpm and sand at say 500 rpm, you don't want to have to change a belt before you can do so. The Axi I bought was the only one at the time within my budget, that gave a high enough and low enough variation of speed without the need to change a belt. Things may have changed on the specs of other makes since then of course, but it's a point worth bearing in mind.
 
fingwe

fingwe

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Nov 2, 2015
Posts
322
Location
Suffolk
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Melanie
Hi Phil,

Yes I’d much prefer variable speed, as I’ve turned with and without it and know how much easier it is. I’ve plumped for the Record that Neil pointed me to as a short term stop gap, hopefully I can upgrade when things start coming back into stock. Although by that stage I might be in here asking for recommendations on an engineering lathe so I can do kitless pens (I’m not a good enough wood turner to do them on a wood lathe!].
 
21William

21William

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Dorset
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William
An M33 spindle thread seems to have become fairly standard now I’d try and get a lathe with that thread in case you upgrade later on. Not a dealbreaker but worth thinking about. I’d try and hang on for an Axminster if you can.
 
alpha1

alpha1

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middlesbrough
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Dave
90% of my pen turning is done on an engineering lathe. The only thing I have used the wood lathe for is drilling the blanks in a set of pen jaws. The couple of times I have tried using gouges was a disaster.
 
Dalboy

Dalboy

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Mar 20, 2014
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Kent
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Derek
Have to agree with trying to get one with the 33mm thread keep looking and good to see you back turning again
 
fingwe

fingwe

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Nov 2, 2015
Posts
322
Location
Suffolk
First Name
Melanie
Thanks everyone, I ended up getting the Record from Snainton that Neil recommended. It’s been delivered, I’ve now just got to wait until I can get some help lifting it onto it’s stand!

Hopefully next week I’ll be able to start producing some finished pens!
 
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