What Lathe do you use?

[Matt Wimpee]

Before the board was hacked we had a lot of fun with this subject so lets give it a try again for turners that would like to brag or complain or just comment on what you use to destroy a chunk of wood.

I guess I should start first.

I use a Nova DVR 3000, my spouse uses the Jet mini and you will find a Harbor Freight Green Monster with the beal buffing system sitting waiting for somthing to polish. On a back bench is a Delta mini with another ball buff.

I have never found a lathe I didn't like. well, maybe the pole lathe like Robin Wood in UK uses. That would give me a little pause. The old legs are not what they used to be.

My DVR is the first generation and start up is 1500 rpm and that is my only complaint. I understand that all that has changed on the later models. I have not found anything the DVR will not handle. I do use a floor tool rest for the REALLY big stuff. The Head turns to 45 and 90 degree for the big stuff.

Now, it is your turn. If you were one of the bunch that posted before, do it again there maybe turners out there that would like to hear about what is being used across the country.

Keep the good wood turning and the pieces that went wrong burning.

Matt

[Joe Herrmann]

I use an old Conover that I bought probably 20 years ago, but it still does everything I want it to do. the only thing that I don't like about it is that the wooden bed doesn't permit the tailstock and the banjo to lock securely EVERY TIME so I have to remember to check it often. Other than that, it's been a darn good lathe.

I don't have time to turn a lot these days but plan to retire from teaching again at the end of the school year and then I hope to have more time. Then I hope to be in the market for a new lathe (or two) but have to decide what I brand I want.

Joe

[DMcIvor]

Always a fun topic, so I'll chime in. I started off with a Craftsman 15" benchtop. I wasn't sure that I'd take to the craft and didn't have a huge amount of money to sink into the enterprise, so this seemed like a good place to start. Of course, this was like saying I'll just try crack once to see if I like it. The addiction was immediate and powerful. My relationship with the Craftsman was love-hate, though. That machine required frequent maintenance to perform adequately and ate $60 drive belts at the rate of about 1/year.

I've sinced moved on to a Nova DVR 3000 and I love it. It's a terrific machine, does everything I ask of it, is amazingly quiet (especially after the Craftsman), and after about 4 months has been consistently reliable. (Not much time, I realize, but the Craftsman had already required a warranty repair by the same point). Teknatool has been great about responding to my questions about setting up the lathe (try that with McSears and see where you get ':x'). I haven't tried any really large timber on the Nova, as finding anything of the sort on my edge of the Great Basin desert is unlikely.

Before I bought the Nova I attended a workshop over in Provo. They had both Oneway and Vicmarcs. All solid machines, but I still don't have the price of a used car to plunk down on a lathe. Someday I'd love to have a Oneway in the shop, when I can justify it. But I also see another move in my future, and I couldn't imagine losing several friendships over moving a Oneway. When I do get one of those, whoever settles my estate will have to deal with moving the lathe!

[JimQ]

I'm a newbie. I have been turning for 3 months, for the first time in 45 years. But I have to second what DMcIvor said, "I wasn't sure that I'd take to the craft and didn't have a huge amount of money to sink into the enterprise, so this seemed like a good place to start. Of course, this was like saying I'll just try crack once to see if I like it. The addiction was immediate and powerful."

While I bought a small Delta Midi Lathe inexpensively (at Sears) I have probably spent 5-8 times as much on tools and accessories since I got hooked. I don't expect to go to a bigger lathe for quite some time. I really enjoy doing small bowls and goblets. Small detail work is very satisfying to me.

Maybe they can setup a place where we can post pictures of our shops.

JimQ

[Matt Wimpee]

Morning all,

JimQ

All those that have seen my shop have had nightmares for months. Remember the old TV show Green Acres? Well, up until a week ago when I ran an New Electric feed to the shop it was Unplug one machine and Plug in the one I am going to use. It provided a lot of safety but if your spouse is turning see what the response is when you say, "Dear, would you mind turning your lathe and your fan off while I cut this blank." It brings a whole new meaning to relationship communication.

My shop is kinda like a barn 20X30 plus a wood storage closed area 20 feet by 10 feet. Have a big fan that sits behind me that blows the dust and chips out the back door. Neighbors not close enough to be a problem. Then I move the shavings every week or so, or when the pile gets as high as the lathe. Granted my setup would be hard to deal with in cold weather country.

And DMcIvor, we here in Florida have an excess of free wood of most any size you would like so, get a semi and come on down. Oh, by the way, bring your own water and ice.

Just messin with all of you. Wonder where Whit is?

Keith, as I was born and raised in Ky I can tell you that if you can get someone to let you cut their hedge apple tree you will find one of the prettest and difficult wood to turn. It is better known as Osage Orange, who would have known? I have a friend that supplies me and you can more than likely find it it in a field somewhere close. stuff is as hard as cured concrete and really, really hard to get a good grip with a chuck but the end result is almost worth it.

Y'all have a good day now, heah

Matt

[DMcIvor]

"we here in Florida have an excess of free wood of most any size you would like so, get a semi and come on down."

Believe me Matt, I've considered that option! If I thought I could process it all before our 10 percent relative humidity converted it to splinters, I'd do it. So if you wake up to a Kenworth idling at your curb, don't say I didn't warn you! ':wink:'

[JimQ]

Matt, My lathe sits in the corner of the garage. To get to it, I have to roll out: the shop vac; the grinder; and the benchtop band saw. Most of my tools are benchtop and mounted on plywood panels that can be swapped around to mount on Craftsman rolling tool carts. To get out the lawn mower on the other side, I have to move out the router table, chain saw, blower, weed eater, and hand truck. At least it is not as bad as it used to be. It hasn't seen a car in 15 years.

JimQ

[ToolMaven]

I have a Delta Midi Lathe and have been quiet happy with it up until I trashed a drive belt. Delta has been been back ordered for months and there doesn't seem to be another source of supply on the face of the earth.
Other than that, it's a nifty unit. Judging by all the tools and accessories I have managed to acquire for turning, I think a drug habit would have been cheaper.

[La truciolara]

I started with that antique lathe actioned by a pedal.
Now I use three lathes, dependng of the size of the item I have to turn, thay are all Vicmarc with elctronic speed control
VL 100
VL 175
VL 300

[Matt Wimpee]

Morning Toolmaven,

Sorry to hear about the belt problem. We had a problem with the Delta Midi. It jumped from one speed to another and we found that when the factory installed the belt it was upside down. It streched the old belt beyond use soooo, when I did get a replacement I ordered TWO.

Things like that cost me a lot of money.....you know the extra money you have to pay the preacher for saying all them there words. It was my wife's lathe, can't think of the amount it would have cost me if had been the one I was using at the time.

Now to solve your present problem. Install a small handle on the hand wheel and have your wife turn the drive spur by hand. the more coffee you serve her the faster she can turn.

take care

Matt

[JimQ]

Matt,

You're really trying to get in trouble, aren't you?

JimQ

[ToolMaven]

After raising just a fuss, of all things the long delayed belts showed up today ( I prudently ordered 2 also) and would you believe they are totally different than the old one? I tried one one and it seems to work OK, so maybe they were changing suppliers? At least now I can play with all
the new " goodies" I have been gathering. Hooboy! High dollar sawdust coming right up!

[Barry Craven]

HI All, I have a DVR3000 and am very happy with it.

Barry C.

[Woodbutcher68]

My first lathe was a $79.00 cheapo similar to the one Menard's sells for about $139.00. Last year I bought a Grizzly 14X40 variable speed and I've been happy with it. Someday, I'll get a better one.

[Whit]

Hi Matt, and all the other inmates.

I haven't been around for awhile. Between surgery in September and a wildly contaminated computer I've been down for about 3 months. The virus I managed to acquire (from where I still don't know) defied all the best efforts of three techies. Even in Windows Safe Mode we couldn't erase some of the offending files. It finally came down to a hard-drive re-format and reinstall Windows, etc.

All that notwithstanding, Peggyand I are sharing our DVR 3000 which we both like a lot. It's been super reliable for coming up on 3 years now. I'd guess it averages 500 to 600 hours a year of heavy use and we've had NO maitenance issues. Well, al least not since Matt told us to blow some air in the slow under the drive spindle from time to time. That's where it monitors and controls speed.

Our 3000, like Matt's, is an early model so it boots up at 1500 RPM but very quickly adjusts up or down as desired. Since there are not belts it runs quietly and very smoothly.

When it's time to move up (not soon) I'm looking very favorably at the Vimarc VL 300 Shortbed. I think it compares very favorably with the Oneway for $1000 less money.

Whit