How slow is slow enough?

[Tony Sizemore]

I am starting to look at bigger lathes in depth and I want to know for some you that are shall I say “more experienced” at this how slow should I be able to go? I am planning on turn platters, bowls, I am looking at a Lathe that has at least 20 inch swing but some will only go 500 RPM’s so let know what you think. If I strap a 28 inch chuck of log on a lathe that is turning 500 RPM’s am I going to kill myself? LOL !!!
I just want to make the correct choice here. If I am going to drop 2, 3 maybe 5 grand on the thing I do not want to say “Dam I wish I had bought ________ (fill in the blank)”
Now don’t get me wrong here. I know everyone has there idea of what is the “best” lathe out there. That’s not what I want. I just know what its like to strap a chuck of log on my 12 inch swing lathe and chase it across the shop until I get it trued up.
Thanks for the help.

[Jim Ketron]

Just get one from 0-????? rpm and you will be OK!
I have chucked up lots of pieces that I have had to start out below 500 rpm some of my winged bowls are good examples.

[John Hart]

Tony...I can speak from the experience of chucking up a 15" diameter, 12" long piece of lopsided wood traveling at 400 RPM. Gosh...was that fun!

Imagine holding on to an out of balance washing machine while in the spin cycle and trying to carve something with an exacto knife. It's truly a joy to behold.

After that, I modified the circuit on my lathe's speed control to get it down to around 200. It's much better now.:)

[Andy Hoyt]

What Jim said.

[Travis Stinson]

Tony, buy the most lathe you can afford.;) If you're wanting at least a 20" swing, make sure it's heavy and HAS variable speed....preferably from 0 rpm.
Here's a good example of needing variable speed with a heavy out-of-balance blank.:cool:
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/joesfault/?action=view&current=100_1915.flv

[Dennis Peacock]

Tony,

Jim and Travis have you on the right track. If you want to buy ONE lathe and have that be all you really need for a long time? Then, based on your budget? You can get anything from a PM 3520B up through a OneWay 2436 or every a VB36 like this one.!!!! Can you can it will hold a BIG bowl blank? :rolleyes: :D

BUT....from ZERO RPM's to ???? will prove the be a GREAT advantage to you and will also improve your skills and quality of work....at least it did mine when I went from 500RPM at the slowest to almost 0 at the slowest.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Tony..........I can tell you from my limited experience.....Chucking up something small and out of balance .....spun at 500 rpm will definitely get your attention........the OFF switch will be your first response!.........When I upgrade I WILL GET SOMETHING THAT has variable speed and WILL GO A LOT SLOWER THAN 500 RPM! Period!

[Ernie Nyvall]

If I strap a 28 inch chuck of log on a lathe that is turning 500 RPM’s am I going to kill myself?

Yes

I had a 16" that started at 500, and had it weighing 900 lbs with the sand. I had a piece on that was just missing the ways... I couldn't get it turned off fast enough. Get one that starts at zero.

Ernie

[Keith Burns]

Tony, I have a 12" swing old heavy lathe that will gow down to 340 rpm. Works fine majority of the time, but there are times I wish I could go slower.

[Pat Salter]

I hope "tool time tim" doesn't see this thread :eek:

Talk about needing to go slow, check this one out.
http://www.timberlinedesigns.com.au/pages/Enlarged_Click/teepookanasizeVinceopenBottle.htm

[Jim Becker]

You also need to verify that the drive on the lathe you choose actually can go smoothly down to or near zero RPM if you are going to turn really large stuff. Some of them do not. OneWay does. My Stubby 750 (http://www.stubbylatheusa.com./cgi-bin/index.py) does...and it can go to 30" inboard for something like a large platter or small table top. The Stubby 1000 can do something like 44" inboard. Neither supports outboard turning and both are short-bed lathes designed primarily for bowls, vessels and platters, although you can do a nice 30" spindle with no problem.

[Tom Jones III]

if you are spending $2,000+ then you should be able to turn at least 200 rpm with plenty of torque. There may well be times when you want slower but you can get through it with 200 rpm. On my PM I have chucked a 20" blank, fairly round but not completely and it did not notice the weight or out of balance. It was as powerful and as stable as if I was turning a pen. If you spend $2k+ you should not get less than that out of a lathe.

[Dick Strauss]

Tony,
I've got a Delta 1440 and have had to ride the sucker to get a 12" bowl roughed out at 500 rpms. The lathe weighs 300# now and will weigh 300 more when I'm done with the sandbox. Even a 600 pounder (like the PM3520s) will do the dance if the blank is enough out of balance and the speed is set too fast.

Don't worry about the low rpm range if you want to ride the bull!!! If not, follow the words of wisdom from others here!

[Andy Hoyt]

My guess is that even if you had the mother of all lathes (weighing in at 47 buhzillion pounds like Jeff Singleton's) and mounted a 16" wonky blank and set the machine at 500 rpms; you would not have fun. And your arms, shoulders, back, and legs would remind you of that fact the next day.

Speed matters

[Tony Sizemore]

Thank everyone.
You have reinforced what I guess I already knew…. Slow means Slow!! and the slower the better. I have my eye on some mustard colored metal for the shop. I like what the PM 3520 has to offer so now I just have to keep putting money in the tool fund, but for now I will just keep dancing!
I know the wait will make me appreciate the big boy evewn more when it gets here even more!:rolleyes: