I'm ready to bite the bullet and buy a lathe. I've read lots but still have a couple questions. Do I need a self indexing lathe to obtain the tight tolerences for reel seats? If I buy a self indexing machine, can I still freehand with hand tools? Thanks, E...

self indexing is nice to have ,but not needed for handle or reel seat work. i like the jet, but delta is coming out with a new midi lathe in jan that has some great features. variable speed is not necessary, but is very convenient and nice to have. The rikon lathe looks good and i have heard good thing about it as well as the turncrafter pro. remember that the lathe is only a part of what you need to get started, lathe, tools, chuck, sharpening system,mandrels,etc.
good luck as turning is very addictive

I'm not sure what you're asking... the indexing feature has nothing to do with tolerances of the machine nor the parts you turn on it. It is simply used for marking axis in degrees and/or locking the piece so you can perform a task with the lathe turned off and the piece stationairy.

I was with JP in Hickory and saw the new Delta lathe. Very nice. I suspect it is their response to the Rikon model which has tended to best the other mini/midi lathes by increasing the swing by an inch or so and the bed length by about 3 or 4 inches. No doubt Jet and others will answer with their own slightly larger models very soon.

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The Jet, Delta, Ricon and Turncrafter Pro are ALL very good machine at a good cost/value. I have the Turncrafter Pro with variable speed and love it Like J.P. said, the lathe itself is the minor investment. Chucks, decent tools, grinder/ sharpening system, mandrels, etc will add a considerable amount to the price.

I would also highly recommend getting the bed extension with the purchase (it's usually cheaper that way) It makes life a lot easier for boring out stock for grips, seats, etc.

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!!

Eddie,
Go with a midi - variable speed, and lathe bed extension.

Many nice lathes on the market for a decent price.

Penn state markest some nice lathes that are reasonably priced.
Also, delta, jet and others makes some nice ones as well.

Remember, the lathe is only part of the purchase.
You will need cutting tools, chucks, chuck adapters, manderals, tail stock adapters etc.
Do yourself a favor and plan on spending at least another $200-$300 on accessories before you are finished.
So, don't be suprised when you find it necessary to buy some accessories to do a particular job. However, don't stop the purchase of the accessory to do a particular job, because if chosen correctly - it will make the work enjoyable and fun.


Choose wisely and enjoy.

Roger

Since I was a bit space constrained, I wasn't able to buy a bed extension. I looked for a lathe that would do all the grip sizes for me, up to those long spey rod fore grips of 14" +.

I settled on a Turncrafter Pro with the 17" bed, Nova chuck, Jacobs chuck for drilling/boring, a set of mandrels, and a few Sorby lathe tools.

It's a great set up and I can do any type of grip or reel seat I need and it fits my space.

I would recommend the 17" bed length if you don't purchase the bed extension.

Terry

The Rikon, new Delta and the new Jet, all have 20" bed lengths. This generally negates the need for a bed extension for what most rod builders do.

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Thanks for the info guys. I guess I don't know the correct terms to use in my question. I'm speaking of a comparison between the lathes (I think metal lathes) that cut automatically and a wood lathe where you cut using hand held tools. Can a person cut a cylinder accurate enough with hand tools for a reel seat? E...

Eddie,
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would guess that the number of builders that do it with a wood lathe is many times the number that use metal lathes. I may be wrong but I THINK that you would be unable to do grips or other curved items. It's just my opinion, but I think that the versatility of a wood lathe far surpasses that of a metal lathe. I haven't seen anyone with a wood lathe that hasn't become addicted and started doing everything from Game Calls to Pepper Mills

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!!

You can do it faster with a wood lathe and your own hand doing the cutting. Just takes some practice.

Machine lathes are wonderful, but without certain attachments they do not allow the freedom of expression and creativity that a wood lathe and hand tools offer.

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Great.. That's what I wanted to know. Later, E...