MIDI Lathe for small projects?

[Cooper Anderson]

I’m about to buy my first lathe. I want flexibility for the future, but my early focus will be on smaller projects, as I learn how to turn wood. I have zero experience with a lathe. Once I gain some skill, I want to make chess pieces, which range from about 2” to 5” in length. These are small projects.

But I also anticipate eventually wanting to take on larger projects, e.g., mid size bowls, longer spindles, etc.

Is a midi lathe too big if most of my projects will be smaller. For example, would the 1420 Powermatic be perfect for smaller projects or would it have disadvantages? More generally, would a midi lathe be great for smaller projects while also allowing for future larger projects?

Today, I’m primarily considering the 1420 Powermatic, but I’m still undecided on which specific lathe I’ll buy. In addition to the Powermatic, I’m also curious about by the Record Power Harold and the larger Regent model. Other brands also interest me.

Money is important but not the most important factor for my decision. I hate buying tools more than once.

Any and all advice is welcome. Thoughts?

[Reed Gray]

The PM is a fine lathe, and could work great for bowls. I seldom turn more than 14 inch diameter anyway, even though I can. It might be a bit short if you want do try rolling pins. Do try to find the nearest club. You may be able to try before you buy, as well as get a mentor, and a source for used tools. I do have a bunch of videos up on You Tube, mostly geared to bowl turning.

robo hippy

[Cooper Anderson]

This may be a dumb question, but is there any reason the PM would be ill-suited for small projects like chess pieces?

[Dave VanDewerker]

I am sure the PM 1420 is a fine lathe, but IMHO it is a very expensive small lathe. If you have never turned before I would suggest you buy a used Midi Jet/Delta/Rikon ect and see if you are going to like it and stick with it. You also have to remember that the lathe will actually be the cheap part of the purchase. You will need chisels, chucks, sharpening, face plates, spurs, ect,ect,ect. I started out with a Midi Jet lathe a few years ago and it was more than capable for turning chess pieces and smaller bowls, but I really tested it turning larger bowls and spindles, just not enough weight and size. I looked around and found a PM3520B used that is 10X what a Midi lathe is.

[Robert Hayward]

This may be a dumb question, but is there any reason the PM would be ill-suited for small projects like chess pieces?

There is no reason that I can think of that would make the PM a bad choice for small projects. You can turn very tiny projects on an enormous lathe. You cannot turn huge projects on a small lathe though.

If you have the space and budget for a larger lathe there is no reason not to go big to begin. Pay attention to what Reed said above.

I learned to turn on a Shopsmith when I was a kid. Fast forward close to fifty years and I became interested in turning again. Started with a Delta midi and quickly outgrew the lathe because of size limitations.

[Bill Howatt]

I cannot second the advice to find a club before you make a purchase strongly enough. You will get a lot of experienced advice on your anticipated purchase, maybe even a good deal on a used machine and great advice on woodturning topics. I was self-taught, thought after a few years I knew all there was to know. Went to a club meeting and couldn't believe how much I learned and I say to this day, I never went to a club meeting where I didn't learn something.
I don't know about the lathe in question but robo hippy knows what he is talking about (I've read his forum comments for years). The basic law of woodturning physics says you can turn small stuff on a big lathe but you can't turn big stuff on a small lathe! I never turned a pen until I got my 20" General - pen looked a bit silly mounted on the lathe but it turned just fine. I also don't turn bowls over 14" but it is handy to have the extra clearance with a larger lathe to be able to slide the banjo under the bowl if desired.
Good luck!

[Cooper Anderson]

This is great advice that I will take to heart. I really appreciate each of your responses. I’m going to research used lathes and local clubs. Thanks again.

[Jim Morgan]

I have a 2014 and have found it to be a fine, high-quality smaller lathe. I have turned projects both small and large(r) on it, with no real complaints. A 13" bed extension is available; in the upper position, it provides up to 33" between centers (certainly long enough for any reasonable rolling pin!); in the lower position and with the headstock slid to the right end, it allows turning up to 20" in diameter.

The PM2014 is on the expensive side, but Powermatic lathes hold their value. If you decided to sell it after a year or two, I predict that you would recoup almost all your original expense.

[Keegan Shields]

I have the Jet 1221 and it is great for small projects like knobs all the way up to bowls and vases. With the extension I imagine I could do full spindles - perhaps in the future.

Don't forget the used market - wood lathes are often the first machine a person will sell. Lots of options in Central Texas.

[Richard Coers]

I'm probably not the guy to ask, I have 9 wood lathes. The biggest concern for electronic variable speed midi lathes will be when you move to bowls. Turning bowl blanks that physically fit on the lathe can cause an early demise for the potentiometer or speed control board. Long sessions on the lathe build up a lot of heat in the board when the load is high. That makes for expensive repairs. I'd suggest a used Jet 1642, 1 1/2hp. I picked one up for $1,000 and it's a workhorse for little money.

[Thomas Wilson80]

As others have said, there is no problem turning small items on large lathes. I started with a jet 1014 for ornaments but after about a year once I knew I was hooked, I wanted to do larger things (bowls/hollow forms, etc.) so I upgraded to a Laguna 2436. I do more small stuff (boxes/ornaments/tops) on my larger lathe now than I ever did on my mini. That being said, I really like the 24” capacity over the ways when turning the occasional large bowl, etc. The largest I’ve turned is about 20” but much more commonly I turn small items or bowls closer to 12-14”, but it is nice to not have to worry about trimming corners to make a piece fit at the beginning.

I would recommend starting with a used quality lathe (something like a jet 1221 or 1642) and make sure you like turning, then you can upgrade to what suits your turning style better at a later time. Plus, buying used you will often get some tools/chucks/etc. to start with. A new PM2014 is pretty expensive to start with unless you are sure you’re going to enjoy it (which most people do). Good luck.
Tom