I Would Like to Get a Lathe

[Matt McCoy]

Hello there:

I have no experience with a lathe, but I'm pretty sure I would like to give it a try. To start, I'm interested in making identical wood-handled shaving brushes in small batches. I stumbled across videos of mechanical duplicator attachments that follow the profile of a jig, a semi-automatic machine that looked pretty interesting, and small tabletop CNC lathes like the Sherline CNC Mini Lathe 4400. I'm open to used equipment and don't have a budget in mind yet, but would appreciate any info to point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

[charlie knighton]

welcome to the creek, you will enjoy woodturning.....to make shaving brushes you could rig up a drill with hand made tailstock, but a small midi lathe would be better......since making 100's of the same item exactly the same sort of destroys the market price, we sort of discouge cnc made items

all commodities market value seems to be breaking down......6 months from now things could really be something.....and the people who buy the new lathes for less money might be willing to sell their old lathes at a similar discount

check out grizzly lathes just come out with big lathe for less than my mid size lathe....you should be able to get nice lathe soon ,,,,be picky......but cnc........nah

[Bruce Pratt]

Most wood lathe duplicators will not give you the detail you need for shaving handle brushes. Also, as noted above, you may get greater value from "one of a kind" rather than batched identical items. If you are going to stick with small items, you can start with a small pen turning lathe from Penn State Industries. If you need bigger than that, consider Rikon or Jet midi's

[George Troy Hurlburt]

My first lathe was a 1980 Shopsmith, which I still have and use it for all the other attachments. I suggest starting with a full size lathe from the get go. The Nova Nova DVR would be a good way to go. Takes 110 volt. 1 1/8 spindle. Head can swivel. Does not take up a lot of room it is definitely movable. 12" swing, variable speed has a lot going for it. In my opinion a wood lathe is for wood. Production work comes with peat and repeat.

303347

[Wayne Lovell]

First I wood contact your local turning club, the Dallas club meets in the evening at Wood World on TI Blvd. right off the Central Expressway, There is also a Ft. Worth club but I don't know where they meet. Most clubs have mentor programs and the members are usually very helpful and like to show their equipment. I agree no one I know uses a duplicator so you probably won't get much help on that subject but every one will gladly help to lead you into the addiction. If you want to make a drive the East Texas Woodturners Club has an open shop day usually on the 3rd Saturday each month in Mineolia at one of the members shop. He has several mini lathes and there will be plenty of people who will love to put tool in your hands and start to teach you how to turn, if you don't believe it as my wife who was standing around visiting and the next thing she knew she was turning a pen.

Goggle East Texas Woodturners Club and go to the news letter and it will give you date and directions, this months newsletter should be up this evening or Monday.

[Thom Sturgill]

One company (Rockler) sells a duplicator for about $330. This is not CNC but rather has a guide that follows a pattern while a cutter scrapes the shape into the duplicate as you move the tool along the bed. Probably only good for roughing banisters (which is what they show) You still have sanding - more than if turned directly cutting with a gouge or skew. I have also seen smaller units often sold for making chess sets where pieces need to be pretty similar.

I would tend to agree that making shaving kits individually would be better, more saleable, and as you get proficient with gouges, probably faster and mush more satisfying.

[Marvin Hasenak]

From your website link, I get that you are into laser and CNC machines. I would suggest you go to one of the CNC forums and ask there, these guys are trying to sell you a manual version of CNC. In my opinion that might be wasted money and time for you, go with your wants, not theirs.

If you think you want to learn woodturning, do as suggested and check out the local clubs in the DFW area. Wood World of Texas is a fascinating place, as about a class, or check out Woodcraft, and ask about a class. You might decide that hand turning each one is more enjoyable, that letting a machine make copy after copy. Be an informed buyer, do your homework, know what you want to turn before you start buying.

[Matt McCoy]

I really appreciate the replies. Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

I'm fortunate that I'm pretty passionate about my work and it coincides with my interests. The line between my products and pet-projects is blissfully blurred and it's a nice way to keep the lights on in the shop. I have an art background and even though I really like to work digitally, the basic fundamentals of design still usually apply. It appears that woodturning would be similar too. I also really like to make things in my traditional woodshop so the techniques, tips, tricks, and safety considerations of adding a lathe will be good to know anyway (whether manual, semi-automatic, or CNC). I'm also fascinated with automation and try to pretend I'm an amateur engineer.

I've talked to a few local woodturners I met at Rockler, but will definitely check out the other suggestions as well. Thanks!

[roger oldre]

I came into turning from the same angle as you have. I needed to find a way to produce faster with quality. not all duplicators are the same and as with typical turning proper attention must be paid to how a tool is ground. Properly employed a duplicator can give as good or better finish much faster and with less sanding than most people can get from traditional tools. I have modified several lathes for turning wood with a duplication system and have also built several from scratch.this is the latest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GBvyQd4sb8&feature=player_detailpage

[roger oldre]

I had to split these up. here is a video of the finish off the cutter on a finishing pass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fDslwkq76U&feature=player_detailpage

[roger oldre]

last is a video of a lathe that has been doing its job since the late forties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PycgbO4tK0&feature=player_detailpage

[Matt McCoy]

Roger: Thanks for the cool videos.

[John Sanford]

As is so often the case, there are SO many ways you can approach this. I'm going to recommend a hybrid approach over the long run. Specifically, follow the advice above regarding linking up with an existing woodturning group. Learn to turn the lit'l beasties manually, this doesn't necessarily mean getting a lathe. THEN determine whether or not a duplicator/CNC route is the direction you want to go.

As far as the issue of selling lots of the same thing goes, whether or not they are "the same" from a marketing standpoint depends a lot on material as well. A second consideration is that in some circles, an artisanal CNC produced item is valued more than a hand turned item. (Maker movement and all that.) Of course, a combination would likely be most valuable, with the metal components made in small quantities on a CNC by a maker, and the wood hand turned. Doing the combo allows both markets to be reached, and would likely also satisfy the tech wizardy side of a craftsman as well as the hands-on side.