Whats the best lathe for...

[Kyle Atkinson]

I need to know what the best wood lathe is for both turning pens and turning larger things like table legs and plates and blows and such. Is there such a lathe out there? Will this lathe cost me an arm and a leg? Note: I wont be turning anything larger than probably 16 inches...

[daryl moses]

What's "best" is all a matter of opinion. It's like asking what's the best automobile, truck or whatever. My lathe is probably not the best machine on the planet but it does all I ask it to do and more. It's the "best" for my budget and what I expect to use it for. A lot of lathes will do what you want to do. A small lathe is fine for turning pens etc., but won't do the best job when it comes to turning large bowls, on the other hand a larger lathe will turn a pen just as well as a small lathe.
When you say 16" is that length or diameter?
Lots of variables......................

[Peter Fabricius]

Hi Kyle,
There are so many choices as you know and as Daryl said it is a matter of personal preference.
I think my Nova DVR XP is a great 16" lathe!
You would be wise to get in touch with local turners and the local turning club so you can try out different Lathes and receive local mentoring...
Good luck in your quest for your fantastic Lathe.
Peter F.

[Kyle Atkinson]

by 16" I mean diameter. Really Im looking for something that is reasonably priced and big enough to turn pens and things as big as a large bowl or plate.

[Robert Henrickson]

But you also mentioned table legs -- that presents an entirely different set of requirements

[Kyle Atkinson]

I wish there was a turning club here, its such a small town I only know one other person, it was his idea to get on here and ask.

[Brian Kent]

What part of the country do you live in. There are Creeker Turners all over the place.

[Kyle Atkinson]

I Live on Fort Sill in Oklahoma about an hour from OKC.

[Wayne Lovell]

An hour is nothing, I bet there is a good club in OKC.

[Reed Gray]

Well, for bowls, you want 1 1/2 hp, preferably 220 volt motor (most can be rewired if they are on 120), and for table legs, which most of the ones I did were about 29 inches long, you need one that has about a 35 inch long bed, because by the time you add in motor and tailstock, you are closer to 30 actual working inches between centers. You also want variable speed, especially for chain sawn blanks. On the cheaper end, Jet had a nice one in that size, with a sliding headstock, in the $2,000 range. I prefer the sliding headstock so you move it down to one end for bowl turning and you can stand up straight and not have to extend your arms to turn. The DVR is a good lathe, and I have been surprised with how much torque it has. In the $2,000 range? The variable speed is lacking in my opinion because it is push button for some selected speeds, and a very slow ramp up/ramp down change. I think minimum speed is now down to 100 rpm (corrections please if I am wrong), and I like slower speeds for sanding out my warped bowls. It is a 16 inch lathe, and you can get 2 foot long bed extensions. It has a pivoting head which works for bowls, but requires an extended tool rest and banjo. You have to fiddle with it when you pivot it back to make sure your centers line up. I know Grizzly has some lathes in this size too, but quality seems to be hit or miss. Going up from there is the Powermatic 3520B, which is probably the most popular lathe for many bowl turners. 2 hp, heavy, great variable speed, sliding headstock. Price is around $3700 or so. Jet and PM go on sale several times a year for 15% off. Going up from there are the Oneway and Robust lathes, in the $6000 and up range. That being said, pen lathes are lousy bowl lathes. Bowl lathes are okay pen lathes. If you really get into it, you will have one of each. If you search out the clubs, you may be able to find a used one, and get it at a good price, and some times a bunch of accessories. I used to figure that the lathe was about half the cost of getting into turning. Now, I figure it is more like 1/4 the cost, and that does not include the shop to put it in....

I have a bunch of bowl turning clips up on You Tube if you type in robo hippy

robo hippy

[Dale Bonertz]

I have the perfect used lathe for you. It is a Vicmarc VL300 3hp variable speed long bed. It will turn anything you want it to. I will sell it to you for $3950. Real offer if your interested. It is considered one of the best lathes on the market and would cost about $7500 new if they still made the long bed version. They make several models now but not a long bed in the 300 series. I live in Fort Collins, CO.

[Dennis Ford]

You asked about the "best" lathe, Vicmarc, Oneway and Robust could all qualify for that (not necessarily in that order). A Nova 1624 with extension would do everything you want for a lot less money. There are additional options between those.