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Lathe recommendations?

Raymond,

I have had a lathe for two or three years. However, I just can't seem to get enough time at the lathe to make me good. I am just saying that so you know how to take my advice.

Vaughn told it to you straight. Believe him.

I looked at HF lathes at the beginning. I found out that you are very limited in accessories because they don't use standard threads. So I did not purchase HF. I did buy a sweet used Delta with easy to change belt. I was soon sorry. I quickly found that I wanted variable speed. So I sold it.

I read all of the promos. I went to places where I could get my hands on a couple different midi lathes. I went to where I could get my hands on some expensive (several thousand dollar) lathes. I noted what I like on the expensive, that the other (translation=amount I would pay) lathes did not.

I found that I wanted:

Variable speed (to me that is essential)

To be able to move tool rest and tail stock without having to use a wrench. This item was not a biggie. it was just something I wanted. That was, until I had it. Now I consider that a biggie. You can change your setup so much faster and easier. You will make tool rest adjustments that you just won't stop and do if you have to go through the wrench routine.

A minimum of one HP.

Standard threads. I chose 1 x 8 tpi because almost anything comes with that thread.

I wanted the 42 inch bed. I did get the extension.

I would have liked a larger throw to possibly make larger bowls and similar. However, I was not willing to pay the price in dollars plus having to give up some of my "wants" to get that size gain.

I finally decided on the Jet even though it did not have all of the features I wanted. THEN I got my hands on a Delta 46-460. It was instant love. It had what I wanted and it just plain felt right. I am exceedingly glad I made that decision.

I did not think reverse was important at all. I do not use it a lot. However, I am sure glad the lathe had it. I have used the indexing only once. I am sure I will use it much more.

The lathe is very smooth; it is very quiet.

I know I have impressed you with my superior intelligence. However, this will change your mind in a hurry. I used the lathe for several days, just sitting on my workbench. Yeah, I was only doing small things: a 5 inch mahogany bowl, some 2 inch diameter spindle turning. I had absolutely no problem---well actually I did have one problem---that was a really, really STUPID thing to do. Don't you even think of it.

My turning learning curve was lousy. I was a very slow learner. Vaughn let me use his Easy Wood Rougher turning tool. It was my turning point. The Easy Wood lathe tools are used differently than most lathe tools. However, for some reason I took to them. What is interesting is that using them really improved my use of regular/normal/typical lathe tools..

Remember, I am a real amateur. I just told you what happened to me.

Enjoy,
Jim
 
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Raymond, the "feature" that makes a chuck reversible is a set screw on the chuck that locks it to the spindle. It's not a feature found in all chucks, but a number of them do have it. In the case of the Nova chucks I've got, there are two set screws involved: one on the chuck that locks it to the thread adapter, and another on the thread adapter that locks it to the lathe spindle.
 
Beware of the set screws that lock a chuck to the spindle. I buggered the threads on my lathe with a set screw (don't know how, but I know where the bugger is).

The primary reason I have used reverse is sanding. By the time you are done turning, the chuck is tight on the lathe, and I have never had a problem with the light force produced by sanding in reverse.
 
I'll echo Bill. I messed up my spindle threads by forgetting that I had tightened the locking set screw. Now I don't use it. Like Bill, I only use reverse for sanding (at relatively low speeds), and have not had a problem with the chuck coming unscrewed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The only difference I know of between the G3 and the G3-D is the latter has a couple of serrations in the bottom of the jaws.
Like the others, I never use the set screw on my G3.

The G3 is $125 (all inclusive) on the bay or the G3-D is $137 and free shipping on Amazon.

This http://www.toolreviews.ca/reviews/Delta_46_461/46_461.html
show the difference in the jaws but the specification for what they can safely hold is the same.
The D looks like mini-spigot jaws to me.
 
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Raymond, the one Jim was using is the Ci1. I also have the Ci2 Mini, which is a smaller version of the Ci2. For starting out, My recommendation would be the Ci1. The Ci2 is a good tool, but the Ci1 can do pretty much anything the Ci2 can do, and then some.
 
I have the Ci1 and have never regreted owning it. It is a safe tool to use and I enjoy using it when roughing and shaping.

I would look around for a better supplier for replacement cutters though as the ones he sells are very pricey. You can get cutters from alot of internet sources.

Either way I would strongly recommend the Ci1
 
Dan Mosley said:
...I would look around for a better supplier for replacement cutters though as the ones he sells are very pricey. You can get cutters from alot of internet sources...
Click to expand...

I have tried some of the other cutters from less expensive sources, and there is a big difference between them and the ones sold by Easy Wood Tools. It's my understanding that the EWT cutters go through extra sharpening steps, and the evidence of that shows in how they cut, and how long they cut well.

I've had similar experiences with the round Ci0 cutters. I was a field tester for EWT a year or so ago, and Craig sent me an assortment of different carbide cutters to compare to the one that's currently being sold. (The assortment included a new "original" round cutter.) In an effort to improve the quality of his product, he wanted me and the other testers to see if any of the other cutters were better than the one he was selling. At least in my experience, the original was still the best.

So yes, you can get less expensive cutters, but you'll pay the price in lost usability.
 
Raymond Scott said:
Which size rougher was that? Ci1 or Ci2? I'm trying to figure out everything I'll need so I can order it all at the same time. Don't want to be sitting with a lathe I can't use...:doh:
Click to expand...

I did the larger rougher. When I received it, I thought I blew it. However, I am really, really, really glad that I did. Since receiving the rougher I have acquired two more Easy Wood Tools turning tools. I have the longer handle on all three of them.

My other turning tools with typical size handles seem so insecure after using the longer handles. Sometime ago on FWW someone said (not word for word though), "When you make your own wood turning tools make them long. Start at 24 inches. If you don't like it you can shorten them."

Well, I turned my handle for 30 inches total tool length (tip of cutter to end of butt). It felt great. It snugged to my waist and hip beautifully for roughing. However, I was always banging the tail end on something. I shortened it. You already know the rest of the story. I shortened it too much. Murphy struck again.

In my opinion the Easy Rougher is tremendously safer than a roughing gouge. When you have that square shank flat on the tool rest (which is the way you use it) it is SOLID and you feel in complete control even as a rank amateur.

Gads, I sound like a salesman. My only contact with the company is to call and order a tool. I ordered from the company. Later I found out Crafts USA carries the line.

I have tried to find the receipts for the tools to give you details. Unfortunately old age seems to have crept into the filing system. I will give you the details as soon as I find them.

I have the large square tip (virtually positive it is Ci1 Square), the large curved tip (probably Ci1 R2), the large round tip (Cio) and the Diamond (Ci4). Even though I use it, the Cio is the one I would not really miss. I might miss it if I were doing more hollowed forms. It is nice in a small open bowl where the bottom and side get together.

If I could have only one it would be the Ci1 square.
My second favorite is the Diamond (Ci4).
Third choice is the Ci1 - R2
 
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Ok, I got the Delta 46-460 with the bed extension, stand and stand for the extension. The base on the extension stand is about 1cm shorter than the other ends of the stand. I initially got some various washers of different thickness to shim the base for that foot of the lathe, but now I'm rethinking that. Has anyone else had this issue? If so, what did you use to shim up that part of the base with the stand in order to level it out? I'm afraid if I only use the washers at the point the bolts go through, I may have an issue with vibration. Any ideas?
 
I'm way out of my depth here, but it seems like you might be able to fabricate something yourself - either with mild steel bar stock or even (gulp!) a piece of hard wood. :dunno:

The closest I came to this kind of semi-precision DIY work is when I turned a spacer out of wood for one of the wheels on my grinder. The wheel came with that non-precision series of nested plastic spacers, 2 or 3 of which I used to get close to the axle diameter. But the wheel always had a significant wobble in it. My replacement spacer quieted the grinder down a fair bit. Not perfect, but much better. :thumb:

BTW - another tip which I learned long after using a file to align the extension bed with the main bed on my Delta LA200 (and introducing some slop in the process) ... Get the two beds close to aligned, and then use your tailstock assembly to clamp the two beds together vertically. (Why oh why didn't that occur to me? :()
 
Raymond, does the extension stand have feet on it the same size as the main stand? Are the feet adjustable for height/leveling?
 
It does have an adjustable foot for leveling, but the stand is connected to the other ends so the leveling foot only changes the angle it sits at. I could adjust the height of each end, but it would be too much of a correction and I would end up having to shim the ends. Here is an exploded view of the set up. I've circled the shorter area.
 

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