Any Experience with quality of Walker Turner L540 or Grizzly G1067?

[Brian Kent]

The Walker Turner is restored, 10" x 30", with "Some Tools" and home-made stand for $250. I think it is built in 1937. San Diego Craiglist.

The Grizzly G1067, Variable Speed "New!", is 14" x 58" (though I think it is actually 14 x 40) with 8 piece Marples turning set for $350. San Diego Craigslist.

Any recommendations or warnings?

First lathe, to get into it, not intended to be one I end up with permanently.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Brian,
If your interest is bowl turning, a 10" swing is quite limiting. I have a hunch you would become unhappy quite soon if you buy too small.
faust

[David E Keller]

I don't know anything about either of those, Ken, but a 10" swing ain't much. Several folks here have Grizzly green lathes, so maybe someone can speak to that particular model. If I had to pick between the two site unseen, I'd get the Grizzly.

[Joe Watson]

Did a quick search on each but didn't find much - the grizzle (http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1067) (manuel on that page) is a 14x40 (which would probably make my mind up right there, but slowest RMP is 500 (which is alittle fast for unbalanced wood)). If it is a G1067Z the manual says it has a sliding and pivoting head stock (if so, i would get the grizzle no questions asked).

Some things you might want to keep in mind.
Are the "accessories" (chucks, tool posts, centers, etc...) you end up buying now, gonna work with a lathe you buy later.
So spindle thread size and Morse taper (grizzle has #2) for the head and tail stock, along with tool post size.

_

[Brian Kent]

Yes it is the G1067Z.

A 1/2 Horse motor may not be enough, but it depends on which half of the horse.

[Roger Chandler]

Brian,

I would stay away from that particular lathe...........even though you view it as a starter lathe........for a couple hundred more you can have a really good midi lathe............I would go with the Delta 46-460 if I were you ...........it will serve you well until you decide if and when you want a big lathe...........You can't go wrong with the Delta 46-460 because you can always get most of your money back from it when you sell it to buy a bigger or decide turning is not for you.

That G1067z is just not a good lathe.........I have the G0698 and love it...........you can get the 12x20 grizzly lathe for $450 and it is a good one, only does not have reverse............check out the Grizzly Green Monster Group where a number of turners with the different models have posted info on their units...........it will be time well spent! Under the community tab at the top of the page......click groups, then GGMG.........discussions are posted at the bottom of the page.

[Brian Kent]

Thank you Roger. I think the overall advise is to pass on these two. On another thread "How much does turning really cost" I was having fun looking ahead 3-4 years from now to get the "right" lathe and accessories. A couple of people said not to wait, to buy a used lathe, and get started. So I will just keep on looking at what seems affordable from time to time, until finances and a good used lathe (or a good new lathe!) can appear at the same moment.

[Justin Stephen]

I would stay away from that particular lathe...........even though you view it as a starter lathe........for a couple hundred more you can have a really good midi lathe............I would go with the Delta 46-460 if I were you ...........it will serve you well until you decide if and when you want a big lathe...

Agree 100%, not only in general but specifically about the 46-460. With its 12.5" swing and 1hp motor, it is more than enough lathe to last you a pretty good while and still be useful to you later as a second lathe if/when you upgrade. If you plan on turning chunks of green wood into bowls, etc., you will need some swing and you will need some power in the motor. Also, the Delta while certainly bigger and heavier than your typical "mini", it is still legitimately portable, which could also come in handy sometimes.

As for that specific Grizzly, 1/2hp with a 14" swing sounds like a bad combination to me. Every time you take anything more than very light cuts, the lathe is going to come to a screeching halt. And, as Joe pointed out, 500rpm is pretty darn quick for unbalanced chunks of wood. All in all, it doesn't sound like a lathe designed with form turning from wet wood in mind.

[Bill White]

Oh well......I guess that I'll just have to chuck my 1067Z. Dang! It has sure been good to me, but what do I know?
It sure was/is better than what I had before.
Bill

[Wilbur Pan]

I used to have a Walker-Turner L540 lathe. I thought it was great as a starter lathe, with these caveats:

1. The spindle thread is a bit of an oddball. If I remember correctly, it was 1" x 12 tpi. It's not impossible to find accessories for this size spindle, but it limits your options somewhat. My lathe came with a number of faceplates when I got it, so the only thing I had to look for was the proper adapter for my chuck. Oneway and Vicmarc make 1" x 12 tpi adapters for their chucks, and if/when you get another lathe, you can simply get a new adapter to fit. Don Pencil makes 1" x 12 tpi faceplates.

2. Bearings. Luckily, the bearings on my Walker-Turner lathe were in decent shape. When I first got my lathe, I disassembled the headstock, cleaned, and regreased the bearings, but after I did that, it ran really smoothly. The problem with the bearings is that they are an oddball size that isn't readily available. If you wind up looking at the Walker-Turner lathe, spin the spindle. If it turns but just seems stiff, that's okay. If it seems loose, or makes clicking sounds, then the bearings will need replacing. You can find a bearing that is close and have a machinist alter the bearing or the lathe spindle so that it will work, but you'll have to factor that into the cost of the lathe.

Having said all that, I had no problems with this lathe as a starter lathe. For years, people said that the Jet mini-lathe was the best starter lathe out there. A Walker-Turner lathe (or a Delta or any other lathe of this era) is a mini-lathe on steroids, with the added benefit of a built-in bed extension. And you can make a lot of things on a mini-lathe, so this Walker-Turner should be the same.

The only reason I sold my Walker-Turner lathe is that I found a Conover lathe for sale in my area. But it was a great lathe the entire time I had it, and I was a little sorry to see it go.

[Brian Kent]

Well I passed on those two, although if Bill or Wilbur had posted first I probably would have gone for it.

I thought about starting with lessons on somebody else's lathe at Palomar College woodworking. I have just one day a week off, so I would have to commit to a semester of using all my days off for Woodworking 100 and then another semester of using all my days off for the first lathe class.

I was looking into Ken Haines, the instructor, and saw that he is also a member of San Diego Woodturners. This looks like a tremendous place to start learning. They meet just 8 miles away from mi home and have had some tremendous presenters. I wrote to several of the mentors yesterday and each one of the has given a quick and welcoming response. Specifically I asked if I could attend before ever using a lathe. This will give me a better idea of what I would like to do.

They also said some people were available for free lessons, so I can get the safety aspect down without learning from personal injuries.

[Joe Watson]

Ohhh... did not notice it was a 1/2HP, good catch... kind of silly for a lathe that size.

Ive read here (and other places) of many people buying lathes and tools from other club members, maybe after alittle while with the San Diego Woodturners you will find a good deal. Good luck.