Can anyone help

[Peter Blair]

A friend has a budget of $2000.00 and is looking for the best lathe for this budget.
Can anyone suggest which one or ones he should consider?

[Bill Howatt]

Is that $2K US or Cdn?
Just the lathe only or what is really needed - gouges, sharpening mechanism, optional but convenient chuck, PPE, ...?
Any idea of what he/she is expecting to turn - little stuff like pens, small bowls, spindles only (and how long), larger bowls, etc.

[Peter Blair]

Thank for asking Bill. The $$ is US and I have advised him of the other costs and required items and have asked about his intentions as well. I will get back here as soon as I know but I believe he just wants to learn to turn so he would not focus on pens or anything specific and with his budget I don't see that he could get anything worthwhile for large turnings. I suggested he try to find a good used lathe while he is looking.

[Edward Weber]

I know it's difficult to know what you want to turn until you get into it but it helps determine what size lathe you're looking for.
Many people start on a small Jet or similar sized lathe and then later decide if they want to move up to a full sized stand alone lathe for turning large items.
You can do a lot on machines like to one linked above.

[Bruce Jones]

Does it have to be NEW? If not have him look on FB Market place by his house, or Craigs list. Also an Estate sale where he could pick up everything for a bargain.

[Peter Blair]

Good points thanks I will be sure he sees this advise.

[Peter Blair]

Ok, I'm back and he is a little unsure but thinks he would like to turn small bowls and maybe some spindle work like candle holders but of course like a lotto us until we get a lathe we were mostly unsure about what to use it for. Just wanted to try one. I have suggested he look at used and to be sure he searches reviews before buying.

[John Kananis]

I quickly learned that bigger is better. You can turn small things on a large lathe but not the reverse. Then you have things like vibration, footprint, etc to consider. The best advice i received when I was looking (right here on this forum) was to go as large as I could to start. I went with the laguna 18/36 and I should have just went for it and gone for the 24/36 right off the bat (I was a little intimidated though). Best of luck to your friend abs happy hunting in the used market - I imagine he'll do well with that budget.

Ok, I'm back and he is a little unsure but thinks he would like to turn small bowls and maybe some spindle work like candle holders but of course like a lotto us until we get a lathe we were mostly unsure about what to use it for. Just wanted to try one. I have suggested he look at used and to be sure he searches reviews before buying.

[Peter Blair]

Thanks John and more good advise.

[Peter Blair]

Here is the lathe he is currently looking at: https://www.grizzly.com/products/gri...with-dro/g0462

[Dwayne Watt]

Here is the lathe he is currently looking at: https://www.grizzly.com/products/gri...with-dro/g0462

That is a spindle machine (reeves drive) I doubt he will be happy with the minimum speed of 600 RPM. In the Grizzly world G0838 or G0632Z are probably better choices. Anything with with a true variable speed motor is much better machine for most forms of turning.

[Peter Blair]

Thanks for the input Dwayne.

[Michael Schuch]

Does it have to be NEW? If not have him look on FB Market place by his house, or Craigs list. Also an Estate sale where he could pick up everything for a bargain.

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. You can get a really nice used wood lathe for several hundred dollars.

[Peter Blair]

Thanks Michael we have been searching Marketplace etc.

[Bill Howatt]

That is a spindle machine (reeves drive) I doubt he will be happy with the minimum speed of 600 RPM. In the Grizzly world G0838 or G0632Z are probably better choices. Anything with with a true variable speed motor is much better machine for most forms of turning.

The minimum speed of 600RPM is in stricter terms a safety issue if you are turning larger, heavy (green), unbalanced bowl blanks. A minimum speed of closer to 300-400 RPM or so is much better. While Reeves drives do work, once you've turned on an electronic variable-speed lathe you don't want anything else - you can also adjust the speed to minimize out-of-balance shaking.