09-28-2018, 10:26 PM
(09-28-2018, 12:16 PM)Bope Wrote: Thank you for all the good suggestions. I have looked at the local guild and at their October meeting they are doing pen turning. My daughter and I are planning to attend. I was thinking about a 12" Craftsman that I found on Craigslist. It has been there for a bout a week so it might not be available anymore. I noticed it is probably what you call a tube bed. It is a head stock with a single tube attached. The tail stock and tool rest attach to this tube. Are the Turncrafters from Penn State or the Grizzlys any good? They look very similar to the HF models.
I'll second the recommendation to avoid the single-tube lathes like that Craftsman.
The old Shopsmith ER-10 machines made good lathes but people seem to want to much for them as antiques rather users. It can also be hard to find all of the lathe components. They are 2-tube convertible machines and the lathe function was often regarded as their best feature. I have one that was given to me that is in my restoration queue, but I do not recommend them as a first lathe.
I have heard good and bad things about the Turncrafter lathes. My take on them is that PSI has cycles where they do a better job of demanding quality and QA from their source and other times they are more interested in the price point. IIRC. Arlin was quite happy with one that he had for a while. Also, I think that there might have been a 1/3HP version specifically for pen turning that I do not think anyone was really happy with: too easy to stall the machine.
FWIW, that first mini-lathe of ours is a Jet 1014 multi-speed that I got off of Craigslist from someone going through a divorce (and his parents' garage did not have room for 2 lathes). I got the bed extension, stand, and stand extension through the WN SnS. I got lucky on the timing for the 2 buys on my journey into the vortex. My last trip to FL, that mini-lathe joined my sister & BIL in St Pete. Next trip, I will take the grinder with a Wolverine setup and on a floor stand. It is the grinder that my BIL and I learned to sharpen on. My new 1HP Rikon grinder with Woodturning Wonder CBN wheels was delivered yesterday. I will need to do the Wolverine setup and decide on a stand once the older one goes to FL.
"the most important safety feature on any tool is the one between your ears." - Ken Vick
A wish for you all: May you keep buying green bananas.
A wish for you all: May you keep buying green bananas.