Just came back from Harbor Freight Tools where they have a 14" x 40" wood lathe with 6" sanding disc (model 45276 Central Machinery) on sale for $84. It looks like a decent deal with a 1/2 HP, 115V, 4 speeds, and 40" between centers. I hope I'm not breaking any rules for posting this. Just wanted to give people a heads up with all this lathe talk lately.

Jared Fabre

You get what you pay for from HF. My first lathe was siminar...I GAVE it away to some poor sucker.

I agree with Billy...

However, I still use my HF lathe... same model you listed. It is not very good at all for boring/drilling because the tailstock is not at all precise (but it still can be done... just not efficiently), but for simple turning tasks and grip turning it works fine. I actually had to grind the underside of the foot on the tailstock in order to allow it to be centered in the rail.

I added a 4-jaw self-centering chuck that is available through Grizzly Industrial along with an adapter from Grizzly that fits the oddball thread configuration on the HF lathe headstock (13 threads/inch I think). I think the chuck cost as much as the lathe.

If I were to do it all over again, I'd spend the extra money for a Delta or Jet or other reputable brand of mini-lathe. Now I must wait for the HF lathe to die before I get a better one.

Erik

Erik Kunz Wrote:

>I think the chuck cost as
> much as the lathe.
>
> If I were to do it all over again, I'd spend the
> extra money for a Delta or Jet or other reputable
> brand of mini-lathe. Now I must wait for the HF
> lathe to die before I get a better one.

I bought the additional chuck, it was about 20 pounds and not really what I wanted, but I was SO LIMITED in what I could buy since the thread count was not compatible with any of the PSI chucks.

I turned right around and spent about $450 total on everything I needed for a DElta Midi, and it was really well worth the money. Does EVERYTHING I need, no problems, and while it was a little pricey, it was really worth every penny I put into it.

Seriously, if you cannot afford to INVEST in a decent lathe, do not WASTE your money on a POS one - it will end up costing you more money in teh long.

Stick with something like Turncrafter Pro, Jet, Delta that may be a little more but will save you money in the long run.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I totally agree with Billy. Any lathe that size for so little money is bound to be a piece of junk. Never buy a lathe, or any other tool for that matter, that uses proprietary threads. The two most common mini lathe spindle sizes in the US are 1" x 8tpi and 3/4" x 16tpi. Anything else needs to be checked before you buy it to make sure that spindle is a "standard" size, not some oddball that nothing will fit.

Thanks for all the info and advice. I guess its not such a great deal after all. On a side note when I do decide on a lathe what attachements do I need to turn cork on a mandrel? Thanks.

Jared Fabre

Jared, if you only want to do cork/EVA considera Grizzley lathe! [www.rodbuilding.org] Very nice set up for under $100 including the drill (get the Grizzley 1/2" drill to ensure a fit. Does a great job and you can mount it on a board and carry it soutside and set it on saw horses! Pretty popular with builders. Do a search here for Grizzley ALL DATES


Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

If you buy one of those Grizzly things, just make sure before you do that you never want to turn wood, otherwise you will have wasted $100.

I bought a cheapo Grizzly and broke the tool rest about the 3rd time I used it. Wound up making a new one out of 2x6 material.

I would really suggest spending the $ and getting a better one. I can make handles and drill etc, but it is just a pain in the you know what, you have to baby the daylights out of it.

I bought the PSI Turncrafter Pro, on advice of this forum. Glad I did, have not had one miutes trouble. The only thing I wish I'd done is bought the bed extension with the lathe. But it's only $28 so I'm gonna get that next. Also another great investment is Andy Dear's Turning DVD, answers tons of questions.

Bill in WV

I'm with the others who recommended the PSI turncrafter pro. Hands down the best lathe for the work we will end up doing. I purchase the MT 2 jacobs chuck off @#$%& for something like $25 including delivery. I picked up the chisels at HF which look identical to the one PSI sells in their catalog, but about $20 cheaper at HF. I got my mandrel kit from Andy Dear at LAMAR. The only thing left to do is get the jaw chuck which is in the mail and maybe some longer drill bits. I picked up a solid wood, long dresser out of the garbage and put wheels on it (another HF purchase) and voila, I have a Lathe stand with a ton of drawers for practically free.

I've turned several cork grips, a few wood ones, and a couple mini baseball bats on it with ease. I get most of my wood blanks off @#$%& to save cash as well, but any of your local woodworking outlet stores should have exotic wood blanks as well.

Domenic Federico
Infinity Rod Creations