I'm 42 years old. Actually, I turned 42 on March 1st of this year. I "negotiated" with my wife to get a wood lathe for my birthday present. It's something I've wanted to do lately.
Since we're a family of modest means, and because I had absolutely no prior knowledge of wood turning, wood lathes, etc; I thought I'd buy the best machine I could, for the absolute cheapest price.
I ended up with a 12" x 36" Lathe from Central Machinery, offered by one of my absolute favorite stores for "inexpensive" tools - Harbor freight. This particular model is one step up from their cheapest model - somewhere around $140. I'd stay away from that one.
Mine is made from cast iron, so it's got some definite weight and substance. Plus, it came with a stand. It was normally $280 (here in NC) and on sale for $199.99. For the money, I thought it was a great deal.
Since we're a family of modest means, and because I had absolutely no prior knowledge of wood turning, wood lathes, etc; I thought I'd buy the best machine I could, for the absolute cheapest price.
I ended up with a 12" x 36" Lathe from Central Machinery, offered by one of my absolute favorite stores for "inexpensive" tools - Harbor freight. This particular model is one step up from their cheapest model - somewhere around $140. I'd stay away from that one.
Mine is made from cast iron, so it's got some definite weight and substance. Plus, it came with a stand. It was normally $280 (here in NC) and on sale for $199.99. For the money, I thought it was a great deal.
As I write this, I've used it for 2 1/2 months, and I am still very pleased with it. If I make it as a professional, I'm sure I'll need to upgrade, but for now, I'm happy!
One thing - I've purchased tools at Harbor freight for years, and most have been well worth the money. However, that money is usually well below comparable tools from name brands. That said, if I need a special tool, especially for one project, I'll pick it up there. I never expect it to last beyond that one project, so when they often do, I'm always pleased. The price is usually so reasonable, I could buy 2-3 items for the same price as the name brand. Because I wanted this lathe to last "longer than my first project," I purchased a one year warranty. I think it ran about $35, but, since the unit had such a good sales price, I thought the extra piece of mind was worth it.
One thing - I've purchased tools at Harbor freight for years, and most have been well worth the money. However, that money is usually well below comparable tools from name brands. That said, if I need a special tool, especially for one project, I'll pick it up there. I never expect it to last beyond that one project, so when they often do, I'm always pleased. The price is usually so reasonable, I could buy 2-3 items for the same price as the name brand. Because I wanted this lathe to last "longer than my first project," I purchased a one year warranty. I think it ran about $35, but, since the unit had such a good sales price, I thought the extra piece of mind was worth it.
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