Jon Prouty
10-23-2008, 1:05 AM
Evening all... been lurking for a while as I dream of putting my shop together. I have had the urge to start doing some wood turning for a while now and was not able to take the plunge. With work stress building, my beautiful wife suggested that I really should take that pen turning class at W.C. that I have talked about for a long time. Well... I have to say, that the first time the gouge touched the wood I was hooked. It had this Zen feeling and I was able to relax immediately.
Now I wanted a JET VS mini lathe... then I wanted the Steel City Lathe as it was cheaper and had good reviews. My local W.C. did not have the S.C VS model I wanted and it would take a couple weeks to get it in. (thank goodness they did not have it... GLOAT coming). I have been watching Craigslist for a while now and refreshing the tool section many times a day, just waiting for one of those deals that everyone seems to find except me.
Sunday was my first score... a floor standing drill press (for drilling pen blanks of course). Not exactly a jewel, but will serve my immediate needs nicely. C.L. seller wanted $100, I took it for $75. (GLOAT #1) I did not have a dial indicator to check runout, but there was no visible wobble with the longest bit I had. Got it home and back to C.L.
Tuesday night a Craftsman VS wood lathe showed up on the list. Called the guy immediately and picked it up this afternoon (had to drive 80 miles round trip on my lunch break... took a longish lunch). I know it is not a JET or other super duper machine but it appears a much better deal than I could have gotten on a new mini lathe. Stand (pretty well built for a home built), 4 jaw chuck, a bunch of cheap lathe tools, and manuals all included. okay... okay... "so Jon, How Much?" C.L. seller listed it at $225, took it all home for (are you ready for this?) $180.
Finally, a lathe of my own! The stand will eventually be boxed in on the sides, bottom and back (along with some weight for stability). There is only one tiny little nick in the 12" rest and zero in the 6" rest. Neither look to have ever been touched up. This thing is cherry. The dead center is slightly discolored and drive center has little to no wear.
Seller bought it from his uncle's estate after his passing and he says he only used it a couple times. I have to say that was an exaggeration... I don't think this lathe has more than a couple hours total on it.
Gotta get to turning this weekend (going to start on some 2x2 sections from Home Depot (don't have a table saw yet, but I'm watching C.L. for one).
Gonna pick up the cheap Harbor Freight chisels and either the slow speed grinder from W.C or the Tormek clone from H.F. (that is dang cheap right now with the 15% off coupon as well). Oh well... decisions, decisions.
(pics should be attached, to prove it happened)
So... first post, first gloat. How'd I do? Think I'll fit in with you guys?
Later,
Jon
Now I wanted a JET VS mini lathe... then I wanted the Steel City Lathe as it was cheaper and had good reviews. My local W.C. did not have the S.C VS model I wanted and it would take a couple weeks to get it in. (thank goodness they did not have it... GLOAT coming). I have been watching Craigslist for a while now and refreshing the tool section many times a day, just waiting for one of those deals that everyone seems to find except me.
Sunday was my first score... a floor standing drill press (for drilling pen blanks of course). Not exactly a jewel, but will serve my immediate needs nicely. C.L. seller wanted $100, I took it for $75. (GLOAT #1) I did not have a dial indicator to check runout, but there was no visible wobble with the longest bit I had. Got it home and back to C.L.
Tuesday night a Craftsman VS wood lathe showed up on the list. Called the guy immediately and picked it up this afternoon (had to drive 80 miles round trip on my lunch break... took a longish lunch). I know it is not a JET or other super duper machine but it appears a much better deal than I could have gotten on a new mini lathe. Stand (pretty well built for a home built), 4 jaw chuck, a bunch of cheap lathe tools, and manuals all included. okay... okay... "so Jon, How Much?" C.L. seller listed it at $225, took it all home for (are you ready for this?) $180.
Finally, a lathe of my own! The stand will eventually be boxed in on the sides, bottom and back (along with some weight for stability). There is only one tiny little nick in the 12" rest and zero in the 6" rest. Neither look to have ever been touched up. This thing is cherry. The dead center is slightly discolored and drive center has little to no wear.
Seller bought it from his uncle's estate after his passing and he says he only used it a couple times. I have to say that was an exaggeration... I don't think this lathe has more than a couple hours total on it.
Gotta get to turning this weekend (going to start on some 2x2 sections from Home Depot (don't have a table saw yet, but I'm watching C.L. for one).
Gonna pick up the cheap Harbor Freight chisels and either the slow speed grinder from W.C or the Tormek clone from H.F. (that is dang cheap right now with the 15% off coupon as well). Oh well... decisions, decisions.
(pics should be attached, to prove it happened)
So... first post, first gloat. How'd I do? Think I'll fit in with you guys?
Later,
Jon