wilmington CL

[Sully]

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[DaveO]

Those are the tools being sold by our friends at Kids Making It. Contact Frankson if you would want more information about them.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8566


Dave

 

[lottathought]

I could actually use a little advice.
I called KMI today. They sold the Ridgid but still have the Craftsman.
It is an older Craftsman with a tube design. It also is belt driven.

It sounds like a really good deal..and I am more than a little impressed with the cause.

I want to start off with the correct lathe for me however. Price is a huge concern...but not at the expense of getting a tool that is totally inappropriate for my needs.

I suppose that I am writing this because I have read some real war stories when it comes to lathes. That coupled with the fact that I know very little about them makes me want to get some guidance. I have read that a lathe is a little like a shoe...get the wrong one and what is a very enjoyable experience becomes a painful process.

My general needs in the beginning will be pen turning..coupled with some slightly larger projects.
I can imagine eventually getting into some larger projects. No real idea about it at this point though.

Plus...I have heard some less than flattering things about Craftsman. But maybe that is new Craftsman..perhaps old Craftsman is a different story.
And how does belt driven rate against straight shaft?
I would think it would make a smoother spin..but perhaps there are drawbacks as well?

Anyways..just thought that I would throw this out for some input..Thanks

 

[DaveO]

Michael, tube bed lathes aren't the best bet. Personally, I have issues with Craftsman tools due to their propensity to make proprietary parts, like miter slots that don't fit standard miter gages. You might want to check out my HF lathe tomorrow, it's a good buy for the buck. Plus the lathe is just a small part of the turning experience, as long as it spins true, and is stable with easily adjustable speeds that is about all you can ask. As far as I know most lathes are belt driven, I would want it that way in case the motor needs to be replaced.
You can always turn smaller things on a big lathe, but not big things on a small lathe.
MTCW for now.
Dave