New addition

[wingnut]

Gee, thanks for reminding me, Egon! Not. I bought CanTire's biggest model on sale just before they transferred me down here (7 years) ... and it's never been plugged in yet ..... although I did put together the table and mount it ... and then our woodworkers club had an auction a year ago for a fundraiser .... and I ended up buying another smaller lathe because nobody bid on it .....
I'm hoping that after I retire .... [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] .... I'll actually get to try turning some wood and making lots of useful sawdust.

[egon]

Wingnut:

I'm finding my Inexpensive Mini Lathe is typical of most low priced tools. Junk. I have broken both tool rests. Got replacement ones made for ten bucks. The motor is very underpowered but that I knew befor purchase.

On the bright side it will do what it was purchased for. My turning skills are very limited as both coordination and a fine touch are required for large projects.

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[fivestring]

After seeing a friend spend $300 on a lathe, I thought, "Man that's pretty cheap!"

Then I saw him spend $900 on accessories and I said, "NO WAY!" [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

Maybe down the road.
I would like to turn some table legs and my own design columns for clock cases.

[egon]

Sounds like a router and the bits.

Egon

[RJohnson]

I had put off the purchase of a lathe as it is sort of like golf. You can spend an awful lot of money and not have a lot to show for it but when the wife said go for it. I went and bought the Jet Midi-lathe. It has been the most enjoyable hobby I have ever had. Of course I am still spending and spending. The lathe itself is the cheapest part of turning.
Let's see, first I needed some good tools, then I found out they got dull [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] so had to buy a grinder and then a Wolverine to sharpen them correctly. Then a chuck, hey it cost more than the lathe [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] . Lucklily the wife had said go for it, and I have been going and going. Starting to feel like the Energizer Bunny [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] .
Seriously I have found it to be a challenge but one that keeps my interest and helps me make a few useful gifts besides.
Way to go Egon.

Randy

[wingnut]

Interestingly enough ... having all the accessories for a lathe makes you a better craftsman ... just like having all kinds of different knives makes you a better carver [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

We have a couple, well, actually three, real good artistes on the lathe in our club .... one is a real artist and had his own show (he had that much "stuff") at the local museum last summer. His current forte is segmented bowls ... which combines measuring, cutting and gluing skills with lathework (you can see his stuff on the website I manage for the club: http://www.midlandwoodworkers.org ... check out February ... all 3 of our guys presented). Anyway, the fun part of this is that he brought in a lot of specialty gouges .... and then proceeded to make fun of them all. He basically uses one gouge for everything .... the talent is in the holder ... not the tool.

[fivestring]

I've heard that you only NEED 3 gouges: 1 parting tool, a skew chisel and a bowl gouge.

That sure would make it a cheaper hobby !!! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[RJohnson]

Gary
I think that would be similiar to golf, where you only really need three clubs; a driver, a sand wedge, and a putter. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Of course when I look at the bags the pro's use I alway see more than three clubs [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] .
I know that I may only need three tools for my wood turning but it is so much easier when a smaller or larger tools (as the case maybe) is available for turning. Take the parting tool, I have worked my way up to three, maybe four if you include the 3/8" Bedan. I have two small ones to use on my pens and miniature birdhouses, 1/16" and 1/8" wide. Then I have a large 2 mm one when I need more leverage and I don't want to waste a lot of wood.
Like I said it is a hobby that just begs me to spend money [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] , and I seem to manage to do my share. Just don't get me talking about the LOML scrapbooking [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] .