What Kind of Lathe do You Have

[Jake Byrd]

Hey Guys,

I was just curious as to what kind of lathe you guys have and how you like it. Me? I have a Jet Pen lathe. It is tiny, but great for what it is made for. One more thing, if ya could have any lathe ya wanted, what would it be?

Thanks:D ,

[Jim Young]

Grizzley, their big one. Got a brand new one from a guy who died before he could use it.

[Bill Ryall]

Home-brew franken-lathe. Not pretty by any means, but I just started turning. It works ok for spindles, table legs and tool handles.

[Jake Byrd]

Mr Ryall,

If you don't mind, could you post a picture of it?:D I like to see the home made ones a lot.

Thanks,
Jake Byrd

[Randy Meijer]

Me too........JET Pen lathe. :D

[Jim Becker]

I turn on a Stubby 750 as pictured below. Previously, I used a OneWay 1018 with a bed extension and started on an HFT 34706. (Jet 1236 clone)

http://www.stubbylathe.com/images/StubbyFront_sm.gif

[Kent Cori]

I'm still using my $200 HF 34706 lathe. That must mean I'll eventually end up with a Stubby like Jim! :) :) :)

[James Farrow]

Jet JML-1014 Mini Wood Lathe.

Just got it a week ago so haven't done much, but it seems to work
well so far.

James :)

[Chad Young]

I have the Jet 1236 and for what little I have used it thus far I like it a lot.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Been beating up a Jet Mini for two years. It is holding up well. Got a Wilton mini as a traveling lathe. If I ever get more room, I will probably go for a One Way or Stubby.

Bruce

[John Gregory]

I have a Ridgid brand. It is ok for the price. But if I could do it again, I would have purchased something different. There is no duplicator for this one. And variable speed would be nice rather than the pulleys

[Dennis Peacock]

Jet 1236 for turning pens and small stuff and a PM 3520A, 700 pound beast for the rest of my turnings. Great lathe I might add.!!! :D

[Lloyd Frisbee]

I have the HF (Jet 1236 clone). Got mine for $179. I have spent 3 times that on tools and accessories. No $$$ for a Stubby. Several in our club have Stubby's tho.

[John Shuk]

Jet 1236 bought used from a friend. Any lathe I'd like?......Oneway is pretty nice more realistic for me for the money looks like the Powermatic with I think very little compromise on my part.

[Steve Clardy]

A 36" Craftsman, and a 3000# Hempel CH-12 Semi-Automatic turn lathe.

[thomas prevost]

Jet mini which I love for small turnings Built a table to sit on my tailgate so I take it on vacations. I also have the large Grizzly. Not a bad tool but if I had it to again I would buy a Jet or similar. The Griz lathe's have an odd spindle thread 1"-12tpi. Until most recently, most chuck manufactures did not have a thread insert for this. I spent $85 to have a custom Oneway insert made and another $65 to have a 1-12tpi to 1-8tpi interface made for other tools. That could have been spent towards a higher quality lathe.

[Earl Reid]

I have a OLD, Sears and a Jet Mini
Earl

[George Tokarev]

Delta 46-204. Twelve inch swing, forty length, "medium duty" lathe. Someday I'll get one of those Powermatic 3520s. One kid left in college.

[Charles McKinley]

Jet 1236 If I were doing it again I would have bought the jet mini and spent the other $300 on tooling and classes. One of there days a Poolwood like Mr. Grumbine's!

[Dick Parr]

Jet Mini and an old Rockwell/Delta 12"/36", about a 1935-1940 model.

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Jake

<img src="http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/urn02.jpg">

My main machine is a Poolewood Euro 2000, aka Big Blue. My travel lathe is a Vicmarc mini with variable speed DC, and soon I will have a Mini Max copy lathe for production spindle work. Now, I can do production spindles by hand and eye, but I am getting a sufficient quantity that the Mini Max will be a welcome addition.

Bill

[Jack Hogoboom]

I've used Bill's Poolewood, which is a beautiful lathe. David Ellsworth uses the same lathe. Mine is a Jet 1442. Plenty of machine for what I do now.

Jack

[Dale Thompson]

I've got a PM 3520 and the Jet mini VS. I love both of them. I can't imagine going back to a lathe without electronic VS. HMMM? What does VS stand for? :confused: :)

Dale T.

[Brian MacDonald]

Jet 1236 and a newer 2hp 1642. (I like the 1642 much better!)

[Cecil Arnold]

Started on a Jet 1442, which is going to the farm, and am breaking in a PM 3520, which, as Dennis says is one good piece of equipment.

[Marvin Ewing]

I've been turning for about 30 years . collected a lot of tools I did have 7 lathes at one time one for every day of the week.now i have a woodfast,1224 oneway and a 1000 Stubby. Use the oneway most of the time if I have something big I use the Stubby very seldom use the woodfast

[Ted Harris]

Hey Guys,

I was just curious as to what kind of lathe you guys have and how you like it. Me? I have a Jet Pen lathe. It is tiny, but great for what it is made for.
Thanks:D ,
I have posted links below if you want to view the machines. :cool: I have a 13 x 40 Smithy metal lathe (http://www.tedharris.com/images/shop_main_lathe.gif), three central machinery wood lathes (http://www.tedharris.com/images/shop_sanding_shafts.gif), a 7 x 12 nini metal lathe, and a traveling machine with an enclosure w/glass front, mounted on an ambulance gurney for portability (http://www.tedharris.com/images/shop_traveling_lathe.gif).

One more thing, if ya could have any lathe ya wanted, what would it be?
Next I would like to acquire a Clausing or two, and then maybe a CNC lathe. :D

[Steve Cox]

I have an old Rockwell/Delta probably 1960 or so. 12" swing, 36" length, vs with a handle from 300 to 1800. Works like a champ!

[Michael Stafford]

I started turning on my second hand Shopsmith which is now relegated to being a drill press in horizontal mode, my 12" disc sander and few other uses. Jake, if you can find one used at a good price they are versatile beginner tools and you can do a lot on one. Over the years I have had 3 of them. Folks in the woodworking community look down on Shopsmith but until I could do better they served me well. I now have a Jet Mini VS for pens and other small things. I have a Nova 3000 that I lucked into used which I absolutely love. I built a massive wooden stand for it and it works for me. In your community I bet there are plenty of woodworkers with old equipment sitting around that you could probably pick up pretty cheap. Try that avenue before buying new.

[Ken Salisbury]

I have 2 Jet Minis and a Jet 1642VS


LOVE EM ALL

[Alan Tolchinsky]

I've got a PM 3520 and the Jet mini VS. I love both of them. I can't imagine going back to a lathe without electronic VS. HMMM? What does VS stand for? :confused: :)

Dale T.

Dale, I think the VS stands for verrrrrry smooth. Right? :)

[Steven Wilson]

Oneway 2436, 3HP, dual banjos, 17" multi extension on outboard

[Bill Ryall]

Mr Ryall,

If you don't mind, could you post a picture of it?:D I like to see the home made ones a lot.

Thanks,
Jake Byrd


Here is the Franken-Lathe (I hope) 1st time posting a picture.

I found it as a twisted pile of metal in the metal pile at the junkyard. I salvaged the headstock and tailstock. and scrapped the rest. The headstock is homemade out of parts from an automobile piston. Whoever did it did nice work. I freed it up, regreased the bearings and got it to spin freely. I salvaged some scrap iron from the dump and borrowed a neighbor's welder to make the bed and tool rest. The legs are cast iron- 1 solid piece. I believe they date to about 1900ish, and wete a tool stand of some sort. The motor is a true 3/4 hp that I salvaged a while ago. I found the pulleys new at a yard sale, and the link belt is a piece left over (salvage) from an AC cooling tower install that I had done at work a couple years ago. The motor is tensioned using a poultry fan tensioner that was salvaged during the above AC job.

The whole thing cost me a case of Bud and some welding rods for my neighbor and a lot of time on my part. It was fun and very educational. Until I built this, I had never turned anything. I bought some cheap Buck turning tools on sale at the orange borg for $20 closeout. I have turned a bunch of tool handles and some practice spindles so far. The first real project will be table legs for SWMBO.

[Dale Thompson]

Dale, I think the VS stands for verrrrrry smooth. Right? :)

Alan,
Thanks for the clarification! I always thought that it stood for Verifiable Stupidity!! ;) That's the grade that I always get from my "Shrink". :( :)

Dale T.

[Jake Byrd]

Cool, thanks for the picture.


Thanks a lot,

[John Weber]

Can't believe there aren't more old Delta/Rockwell's on the board:

http://www.weberwoodworking.com/images/Lathe%201.jpg

John

[Ted Shrader]

Jake -

My wife has a Delta 1642. She is very happy with it. I even get to use it once in a while. :) My other /starter is a ShpSmith. Doesn't even get used as a lathe any more - only as a drill press.

Ted

[Steve Inniss]

Jake, DVR 3000. Just need an outrigger for it -Steve

[Christopher Pine]

Not many have a delta midi... Not to start the old and beaten to death jetmini vrs delta midi...
I have had mine for several years now and it is still working fine! Original everything.
Chris

[David LaRue]

Jet mini lathe. Just this wekend I finally setup my ginder and One-way wolverine jig, sharpened a skew and a gouge today. Getting ready to turn some pens this week. :)

So lots to learn, lots to turn!

Dave

[Chuck Fischer]

I also use a Shopsmith Mark V that I restored not too long ago. I know they aren't appreciated that much, but really, it is a nice tool. I only use it for drillpress, disk sander and boring machine, but lately I pulled out the lathe tools and have had some fun making christmas orniments and a knob for a #5 1/2 plane I am restoring. I have a soft spot in my heart for the shopsmith since my dad has one. In my opinion its a nice machine for what it is. I probably put way too much time and money into it, but what are you going to do? I use it a bunch and I love it. To me, thats what its all about. I'm also new to lathe work though, like I said I just started playing with it.

Chuck

[Arnie Grammon]

Warning....price gloat ahead

I bought the Jet 1242 around last Christmas for $399 w/ free shipping from Amazon.....came with the cheap pen-making set:D . I really have no complaints with this machine, other than not enough time to work on lathe projects. I have used it, and love it, but I have never played with the big boys yet.

My limitation continues to be turning tools.....quality seems very expensive to me. I bought an inexpensive set (are you starting to notice a theme here?....I have two in college right now) and turned longer handles....I have to say that helped a lot, but the steel in the lathe chisels still leave something to be desired.

AG

The weird thing about the lathe is Amazon shipped two, but only billed for one. After talking to a Amazon/Tool Crib rep, they thanked me for my honesty and gave me a $25 credit "towards my next purchase" :rolleyes:. At least I can look at myself in the mirror :).

[George M. Perzel]

I've got an old Rockwell variable speed lathe-solid as a tank
George M. Perzel

[Greg Narozniak]

Still Working on putting an Old Sears Craftsman back together that was my Grandfathers. I am still lusting after a Oneway / or an Old Rockwell if I had my choice.

[George Tokarev]

You might as well call that Sears a Rockwell, Greg. Believe Atlas was bought out by them, and Sears used Atlas and Sprunger.

George, is that the block I see in that gap bed? I would like one for mine, but then I'd have to move the right end farther from the wall to get the tailstock out of the way to install the steady. Must be thousands of that kind in HS wood shops everywhere. I know there is still one at ours. Even novices can't kill it, though they try, and when I had to get a quill a few years back, it was "yes sir, we have them, just give us the purchase order number."

[Greg Narozniak]

You might as well call that Sears a Rockwell, Greg. Believe Atlas was bought out by them, and Sears used Atlas and Sprunger

Thank for the tip George I did not know that. I have been going crazy trying to find a Tool rest.

That is why I love this forum!! :)

[George Tokarev]

Measure the distance between the ways, check the distance from ways to centerline, and give Packard Woodworks a call. At the very least you might cobble up one from an inexpensive Delta iron "banjo" and the appropriate spacer even if it's not the standard distance. Secondary would be to get one of the old Rockwell/Beaver/Homecraft types if its the 9" throw it looks to be. For that, couple of sources, best might be the old woodworking machines site.

[Greg Narozniak]

Measure the distance between the ways, check the distance from ways to centerline, and give Packard Woodworks a call. At the very least you might cobble up one from an inexpensive Delta iron "banjo" and the appropriate spacer even if it's not the standard distance. Secondary would be to get one of the old Rockwell/Beaver/Homecraft types if its the 9" throw it looks to be. For that, couple of sources, best might be the old woodworking machines site.

Thanks George I will give Packard a call.

[Jack Wood]

I use my Grandfathers very old Craftsman Lathe. Solid and really heavy. I believe it was originally on a stand with the motor below it but the stand wasn't with it so I use a HF motor from a junk lathe to power it. This lathe was really what got me started in woodworking and now I'm teaching my son to use it. The torch keeps burning! By the way that is a picture of my grandfather over by the drill press. He was the woodshop forrman at the Pullman Standard Rail Car plant in Bessemer AL from the 40's until the mid 60's.

[John Miliunas]

Well, it's been so long, I *think* I've still got them! One from either side of the Big Pond; One is a Yorkcraft from Wilke Machinery. Basically, your typical Jet 1242 one-off. With a LOT of ballast on the base, it will spin up some decent bowls/platters, though it's mostly reserved for pens now. Number two is a Vega 2400 bowl lathe. Built in the good ole' US of A, with a 220v electronic VS motor and 500lbs. of ground-hugging iron and concrete! :D Yup, I said "concrete", as there is concrete injected into the headstock and in the adjustable legs to help keep things planted! :D There are a number of tools I'd still like to get for it, but for now, I'd just be happy to get some time to turn "on" the power! :rolleyes: :cool:

[Brad Schmid]

Jake,

I currently have a Jet EVS1642 (2HP). When I do another upgrade somewhere in the future I'll be looking at Stubby, VB, Poolewood and Oneway. I would like to eventually have something that will do at least 20"-24" inboard.

Cheers,
Brad

[Bobby Nicks]

I have a PM 4224. Very smooth, nice lathe. Also have an old Craftsman, from around 46, 47. Right now my father in-law has it, but next time I down there I plan to bring it home as he can't used it any more.


Bob

[George Tokarev]

Greg -

Two and a quarter, eh? Packard doesn't list a lathe brand with that gap, but they do sell a Oneway steady adapter with 2 1/4, so there must be others out there. Did you drop in at owwm.com? Atlas was a manufacturer, as were others, for Sears. Might get lucky. What's the bed to center swing?

[Greg Narozniak]

Greg -

Two and a quarter, eh? Packard doesn't list a lathe brand with that gap, but they do sell a Oneway steady adapter with 2 1/4, so there must be others out there. Did you drop in at owwm.com? Atlas was a manufacturer, as were others, for Sears. Might get lucky. What's the bed to center swing?


George,

The swing from center to the wyes is 4½" I have not checked OWWM.com yet but I will

Greg

[Roger Bell]

Craftsman/Atlas circa 1940 with a 1 hp Baldour motor.

[sascha gast]

just got my Nova DVR 3000 yesterday and i am in the shop spending time with it. damn what a nice lathe. the variable speed and power of this thing is great. nice upgrade from my jet mini.

sascha

[David LaRue]

Sascha,


You have a lot of kewl toys! :p ;)

[sascha gast]

Sascha,


You have a lot of kewl toys! :p ;)

i have to admit, i had a great year, but i am almost there, but i'll finish next year. this year was my spoiled year, but i have no kids, just a girlfriend and 2 dogs.
but i sure like the toys.

sascha

[Joe Judge]

I picked up a Rockwell 46-111 lathe from a yardsale this past summer.
Missing a tool rest and an unwired motor.
After replacing the blown motor (oops!) and somehow attaching a non-Rockwell tool rest ... it works nicely.


-- joe

[Rob Russell]

I've also got a Rockwell 46-111, but the outer flange on one of my 4-step pulleys is bad, so I don't have the slowest speed. You might ask "why am I giving away spalted wood that would be great for turning when I have a lathe? No time to turn.

[Larry Barnes]

Jet 1642, Had it about a year now, great performance. love this lathe

[Steve Wargo]

It's a huge lathe (for me), since I usually only turn table legs and drawer pulls. It weighs around 500 pounds. Still has the manual oilers for the bearings and runs like a champ.

[Paul Held]

A Record Bowl lathe and two Powermatics, a 3520 20" and a 4224 24". You can never have enough...Paul