HF or PSI

[Mike Newell]

Hello everyone,

I'm thinking I would like to purchase a lathe for spindles, small bowls, table legs, etc. I don't want to spend a $1000 on a lathe and was thinking of the Harbor Freight that has good reviews for the price or the Turncrafter PRO. I'm a weekend warior and am looking to expand my woodworking.

Thanks for any comments.

Mike

[Bill O'Conner]

I just went thru this myself and decide on the jet 1220vs like the slow speed of 270 and a litle more swing. Ordered one from Rockler from there sale that is coming up on the 21 and 22 got it for 495 plus tax best deal I could find. Had to go to the store to get the best deal not showen that low online. I know the Turn craft Pro list for alittle over 300 after shipping cost and has a slow speed of 650 not really good for unbalanced pieces


Bill

[Bernie Weishapl]

I got a Jet 1220VS and like it a lot. The slow speed of 270 lets you turn unbalanced pieces up to 11". I would highly recommend it. I got mine from Rockler also on sale at $495 at Christmas.

[David Drickhamer]

I'd have to go with Bill on this one. After figuring shipping, Jet quality, plus the feature of a slower speed I'd go with the Jet. Actually Rockler has a Jet Mini lathe on sale this weekend for $340 plus change.

[Burt Alcantara]

There are a lot of used lathes showing up on all of the Craigs Lists everywhere. In my town, a Powermatic 45 is available for around $600. The picture of it looks very clean. Nothing wrong with a used lathe, especially a first one as chances are very high that you will become totally addicted and want a larger lathe.

Burt

[Neal Addy]

I'm sure this will draw the wrath of HF owners but I would avoid that particular brand. The specs alone prove that they were not designed by woodturners.

Most folks that start with low-end lathes typically find themselves upgrading in a short time. You're better off putting that same money into a better quality lathe up-front. IMO, several mini lathes are a better buy than most of the lower-end full-size lathes for first time buyers.

Check this page (http://www.nealaddy.org/pub/Lathe_List.html) for a list of available lathes. Keep in mind that specs alone aren't always a good guideline. Practically any lathe you buy is a compromise between price and features. Things to look for should include:

1) Speed - Low-end speed of 500 RPM or lower is best. You also don't want large gaps between settings.
2) Swing - Swing is king. Buy as much as you can afford.
3) Stability and rigidity - It's no good if it vibrates or won't stay centered.
4) Design and ergonomics - Should show that the manufacturer understands woodturning. Many don't.

Hope that helps!

[John Beaver]

I looked at the HF lathe in the store the other day. I wasn't very impressed with it. It just didn't look well made or solid, and I didn't feel confidant that everything was lined up well.

I've never seen the PSI in person, but have had good experiences with their other products.

I think you should definitely look at the JET as well.

[Bill Bulloch]

Check out the General International Model 25-200 M1. It's a 12x20 Mini Lathe with an outboard swing of a little over 19 inches. http://www.redmond-machinery.com/general%2025-200.htm

[Neal Addy]

Bill, do you have any experience on that GI lathe? I was surprised when I first saw an MSRP of $750. Street price looks to be around $700. That seems kinda high for a "mini". Is it worth it?

EDIT: Oops, sorry... didn't mean to highjack this thread with a side question! :o

[David Walser]

Well, not really a defense, more of an explanation. I'm one of the many satisfied owners of the HF 34706 lathe. Are there better lathes on the market? Of course there are. However, the 34706 is a clone of the Jet 1236, which, until a few years ago, was Jet's top of the line lathe. As such, the HF 34706 has the same limitations as the Jet -- too slow a minimum turning speed (600 rpms) and too light weight for large out of round blanks. But for spindles, the lathe works like a champ!

I bought the HF back when I didn't know whether I'd enjoy turning or not. I had two projects that required a lathe: a cane for my father-in-law and some pens. Since then, I've turned a lot of things on that lathe, including small bowls. I tried using the swivel head feature to turn a larger bowl twice -- first and last time! If any of you have this lathe (or the Jet), leave the swivel head feature alone! In sum, I'm glad I bought this lathe. I still have it (almost 6 years later) and still use it frequently. (It just became my buffing station.) My Woodfast is a much better lathe, but it doesn't turn a better pen nor can it turn a cane (the Woodfast has a short bed).

So, if you need the longer bed of the HF and are just getting you feet wet in turning, the HF can be a very good buy. On sale and with a 20% off coupon, the HF can still be had for much less than $200. (I think I paid $120 for mine.) That's a lot less than a Jet mini with extension bed!

As for the quality of the lathe, the castings are a little rough. Years ago (when I was in the market for first lathe), a hot debate raged on the old Woodnet forum about the merits of the HF lathe. One of the detractors admitted he'd never seen the lathe but was certain it was crap because of all the other crap he'd seen come from HF. Finally, he went down to the store and took a close look. He was honest enough to admit he'd been wrong. It wasn't the low quality POS he'd been saying it must be. Sure, it had the same limitations as the Jet it had cloned (as discussed above), but it's quality wasn't far off from the Jet. This was from a guy who's primary lathe was a Oneway.

YMMV.

[kenneth walker]

I have the PSI 10" swing with a 40" long bed and if i had to do it over again i would get the jet it is better made for just a little more money.