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Hello everyone

BEESA

Apprentice Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2019
Posts
2
Location
North London
First Name
Donald
Hello , everyone . My name is Don and I live in in North London , I have stumbled across the world if wood turning on youtube and it really has got my imagination working overtime . A chap from another forum pointed me in the direction of this forum? I would like to begin turning and have the space and time but no experience of any kind of lathe work . So I would like to start with , what would be a good starter lathe . I like the idea of pen making but youtube has lead me on to wanting to make bowls and a host of other items
Thanks for now
Don
 

Morse

Graduate Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Posts
679
Location
Cheshire. UK
First Name
Dave
Welcome Don.
Best advice is to look around for a local woodturning club.
That way you get hands on experience plus advice.
Having said that, this forum has a great deal of experience and just ask if you come up with a problem.

Dave
 

BEESA

Apprentice Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2019
Posts
2
Location
North London
First Name
Donald
Thanks everyone �� having fun looking around the web and watching youtube videos . So much to absorb and yes I will be asking lots of questions ��
Thanks again
Don
Also found a local club to me in Barnet so may well pop along to their next meet
 

AllenN

Fellow
Joined
May 20, 2013
Posts
2,242
Location
Lancaster, UK
First Name
Allen
Welcome to the forum Don. For the basics of wood turning there are good videos by Mike Waldt and Sam Angelo on ‘tube, but I would also echo the advice of visiting a local club. There is a huge amount on this forum too and certainly do not feel unable to ask. We all have to learn and asking is often the best way There s no such thing as a daft question.
 

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,455
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
Hi Don - welcome to the Forum

I echo the advice to visit a club, and I see you've got on top of that already.

To answer your lathe question directly though, I'm sure you've already done a fair bit of research, so you'll know what sort of money they are. Set yourself a brief, taking into account what you think you want to do on the lathe now, and where you might be in terms of capability and experience in a couple of years time. You probably feel don't want to go overboard on the price, just in case, but you probably also feel that you don't really want to have to change it in a couple of years if your skills and ambitions have exceeded its capabilities.

Important questions to ask yourself are what diameter can be turned on the lathe? Does it have variable speed, and if so, is it electronic or done via a belt change? Can it run in reverse? What length can it cope with? What is the build quality? Does it have hollow headstock and tailstock quills? Is it 1 morse taper or 2 morse Taper? Is the motor sufficient for he capacity? Some of these are less important than others, but after a visit to your club, they will slip into perspective and their significance will be more obvious, and you'll have more of an idea of what you need, why you need it, and how much you're going to have to shell out for it.

(How's that for a lengthy answer that doesn't really tell you anything)? :devil:
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
I recommend a bare lathe and depending how handy you are fit a variable speed control on a three phase motor,gives single phase to three phase power. WElcome from over here. Later today I will take pics of my relocated Vicmarc Vl100 to illustrate my recommendation. It is over twenty years old now. Cant beat class. WElcome from over here.Desparate for time now setting up my Vicmarc VL150 inthe last couple of years.

Look for the best you can afford and have fun.

Peter.
 

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Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
I recommend a bare lathe and depending how handy you are fit a variable speed control on a three phase motor,gives single phase to three phase power. WElcome from over here. Later today I will take pics of my relocated Vicmarc Vl100 to illustrate my recommendation. It is over twenty years old now. Cant beat class. WElcome from over here.For starters setting up my Vicmarc VL150 in the last couple of years. Must is join a wood group.

Peter.:goesred:
 

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Frederick

Registered
Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Posts
871
Location
Chatham
First Name
Frederick
Welcome Don

You have come to the right place. If the answer ain't on here, then there ain't one.

However, a minor word of warning, take it slowly (as you appear to be doing) and you will get there in good time. There are no short cuts to experience. I know.

I am only a beginner and will always be so. I have been fortunate enough to attend numerous woodturning demonstrations and a few wood turning courses which have helped me a lot, even if it's only from the safety point of view. The local club is, without any doubt, the best way to approach this fantastic hobby. Welcome aboard Don and ask away!!!

:thumbs:

Cheers,
Frederick
 
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Pierre

Graduate Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Posts
996
Location
Southern Central France
First Name
Pierre
Welcome Don,
I hope you have a lot of spare cash. What ever lathe you buy whether its £1-00 or £1000-00 if the points in the headstock and tailstock dont meet precisely dead centre (known as the kiss test) it will be useless; even 1 mm out of true will ruin your pleasure in turning, so make that your prime goal. The more you an play on someone else's lathe first then the more you will understand what you will need in a lathe. I started on a Record CL1 then afterwards I got spoiled on my teacher's Oneway and eventually bought a £1500 Axminster 3.5 HP lathe with all the bells and whistles. So you can see it pays to research.

PG
 

WHCreations

Full Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Posts
91
Location
surrey
First Name
william
Hi Don, Welcome!
I have been asked quite a few times by people in your situation. I always suggest buying as big as you can afford or have space for. This is because you can grow with the lathe, rather than the lathe having to grow with you. The amount of times I have seen people buy a small one from axminster or wherever only for them to start turning bowls and finding they have nowhere else to go except to buying yet another lathe. I myself have an old Draper which I bought second hand from an old engineer. The lathe was well looked after and has served me well.
Whatever you decide I am sure the wealth of knowledge on this forum will serve you well.
Kind regards
Will
 
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