If you have determined that you are good at woodturning, it may be time for you to buy a lathe of your own. Before you can select the right lathe for you, ask yourself exactly what you plan to turn on that lathe and then go shopping with the answer to that question in mind. This article will take you through the steps of selecting the perfect lathe.
The more practice you have as a wood turner, the easier it will be to select your next lathe. To assist everyone from apprentice to expert, I will try to keep my comments basic and yet complete. If you are a professional, please bear with me. If you are just starting out, this article may save you a lot of headaches at the school of hard knocks.
I’d like to start out by saying that turning out beautiful lathe work is an art which requires a certain amount of specialized talent. The only way for you to know if you have this aptitude is to take some lessons from someone else who does. You can be an admirable woodworker, adept at the table saw, band saw or router and yet, you may not have the particular kind of fine skill that it takes to be a guru at the lathe. Before you fork out your hard-earned dollars for a dream lathe, get some practice first.
There are some straightforward things to identify when acquiring a lathe and probably the most foremost question you might want to ask yourself is, “What do I want to bring into being on my new lathe?” and, “What do I think I might want to produce on it in the foreseeable future?.” If all you ever aspire to do is turn pencil and pen blanks, a micro lathe is all you need. If you plan on turning out gigantic pedestals for round tables, you might want to consider buying an industrial behemoth.
Numbers-wise, you will want to think about the lathe’s bed length, the distance between the base of the tool rest and the center (diameter that can be turned), the maximum diameter of bowls that can be turned safely (usually on the outboard side of the lathe head), the horsepower and RPM of the lathe motor and the variable speed range.
One thing that may not be obvious right away is that all lathes pulsate. This vibration is delivered to the spot where the cutting tool meets the wood. Vibration makes for inferior or coarse cuts and pulsation must be muffled out as much as possible. A flimsy stand is not going to do this for you. I went so far as to design a heavy lathe stand which had a large box which I filled with sand bags. A well-made commercial stand might be adequate for you, however.
If you have the aptitude to learn woodturning, you will learn that it is indeed accurate that practice makes perfect. During this period of apprenticeship, it should become clear to you the correct size and type of lathe you will require in the future. First things first.
Bob GillespieWoodworker
LATHE REVIEWS:http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/lathereviews/
WOODWORKING TOOL REVIEWS:http:/www.perfectwoodworking.com/woodworkingtoolreviews/
© 2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.
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