any pro/cons on Craftsman 351.217120 lathe

[Dave Wagner]

Looking at a used Craftsman 351.217120 wood lathe
Wood lathe with stand, 15" outbound turning radius, 36" Spindle length, 12" inbound radius with tools.

Just getting into this and don't want to spend a lot of money to start.

Thanks!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dave - I pulled up the manual because I am not familiar with this lathe but it seems like it would make for a fair starter lathe.

Everything really depends on what it is you want to turn - the bigger the item - the bigger the lathe. Usually we look at the speed range of a lathe as that is a very limiting factor. The low end speed on this is 380 rpm and that is not bad. Anything higher and a 12" out of round blank would become a real challenge.

The lathe comes with a 1 hp motor and can be wired for 120 or 240 volt operation - which is just a nice option to have. The only real concern is that it comes with a #1 morse taper. Most lathes these days come with a #2 but with a little searching you can still pick up #1 accessories.

Depending on the price - this may be worth considering. Hope someone with actual experience on this lathe will chime in soon.

Here's the manual: http://www.hammerwall.com/Download_Manual/2424/

[Kaptan J.W. Meek]

My uncle has one of those.. it's a good machine, he does some excellent work on it.. He often wishes it had a larger swing, but then "don't we all"?
If the price is right, it's a good lathe to start on.

[curtis rosche]

PM me with your price range. i am also in the market for a new lathe right now, an i have a lot of lines on some lathes right now. i can send afew of them your wya if they are in your price range.