Thread: suggestions to get started

I am really interested in starting down this road, but it might be a little while before I can commit 100%. So far I've done some research and I think I am leaning towards the jet brand mini lathe, variable speed model. Then the barracuda chuck and a basic 8 piece starter set of turning tools. I know a whole lot of this breaks down to personal preference and "how much" one can afford to spend. I don't immediately see myself wanting to do anything more than shaving brush handles, but I'm sure that will change once I see all the possibilities, like a pepper grinder etc. So all in all this set up is looking like over $800. Would anyone like to chime in on these questions. Am I leaving any necessary items out? Is this the best price to quality route? What turning tools/chisels are the absolute minimum required for turning brush handles? Etc. Thanks!

Hoping one of the brush pros will chime in here, as I am curious to find the best starter too.

Jet will serve you well,keep at it,is all practice.
I made a pepper mill awhile back,will post a pc shortley.

made out ofan old Poplar Table leg,top crank is bloodwood.
You can get the inner metal workings on the bay for cheap,Have fun.

A jet lathe will serve you well my friend. They're good lathes. A basic turning tool set is all you need to get started, although you will need a bench grinder to sharpen them. I find I can push my edges to maybe 3 projects before I need to re sharpen them, but then your just begging for a tool catch which leads to massive gouges and chips in your work piece. Following that is a lot of swearing and calling yourself names. When I first started I used a basic face plate that uses screws.

Here's how you do it.
Using a scrap piece of wood, make it perfectly square and then draw lines corner to corner. This gets you a centre point and also helps you align the handle material which you will glue to the scrap with either hot glue or CA. Now screw the face plate to the backside of the scrap with your handle material on it. That's some Ebony glued to a scrap piece of 2x4, it Should look like this.



You can now either use a parting tool to bore your knot hole or use the tailstock with a forstner bit. Once you have it turned, sanded and finished, use a parting tool to cut it off the scrap, or take the whole thing right off and use a band saw. Now its just a matter of sanding and finishing the bottom portion that was attached to the scrap.

Your local classifieds can be a woodworkers gold mine for tools.That would be my first stop for buying a new lathe. My mini lathe I have now I got that way and was used once. Came with a full set of Delta tools also used once, face plate and drive spur for IIRC $300. A steal if you ask me.

Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

A jet lathe will serve you well my friend. They're good lathes. A basic turning tool set is all you need to get started, although you will need a bench grinder to sharpen them. I find I can push my edges to maybe 3 projects before I need to re sharpen them, but then your just begging for a tool catch which leads to massive gouges and chips in your work piece. Following that is a lot of swearing and calling yourself names. When I first started I used a basic face plate that uses screws.

Here's how you do it.
Using a scrap piece of wood, make it perfectly square and then draw lines corner to corner. This gets you a centre point and also helps you align the handle material which you will glue to the scrap with either hot glue or CA. Now screw the face plate to the backside of the scrap with your handle material on it. That's some Ebony glued to a scrap piece of 2x4, it Should look like this.



You can now either use a parting tool to bore your knot hole or use the tailstock with a forstner bit. Once you have it turned, sanded and finished, use a parting tool to cut it off the scrap, or take the whole thing right off and use a band saw. Now its just a matter of sanding and finishing the bottom portion that was attached to the scrap.

Your local classifieds can be a woodworkers gold mine for tools.That would be my first stop for buying a new lathe. My mini lathe I have now I got that way and was used once. Came with a full set of Delta tools also used once, face plate and drive spur for IIRC $300. A steal if you ask me.

I've looked on local sources and it seems there are a lot more people looking than selling. It's going to be a little while before I make the purchase, so I can keep my eyes peeled in case of a really good deal. I wish I could find a sweet deal like you did!

So the jet is 580$, but I just found the rikon 70-220VSR for $600. Does anyone have this rikon?? It has a full 1 hp motor, over the 1/2 with the jet. I've been on some woodworking review sites, and in some cases the rikon is a better performer in the eyes of some. I pretty much know nothing and just want to make a sound decision after doing all the research.

I've been using the M-power lathe from Rockler since I started making pens. It's similar in both cost and performance to the Excelsior, which sells, IIRC, for around $300. Other than a roughing gouge, spindle gouge, skew, and parting tool, you shouldn't really need too many to start. A set of pen making turning tools will set you back between $60 and $90 depending on whose you buy. Add a roughing gouge and you should be good to go.
Here are pictures of a brush and bowl set and a pepper mill made on that lathe.
BTW, if you look at bargain or garage sale lathes, make sure the headstock thread is standard and that it has a Morse taper on both the head and tailstock. And buy plenty of sandpaper.

So is it possible to use hones to sharpen the tools without a grinder? I have very limited space, so if I need to get a grinder I'll need to figure out where it will go. Thanks for all the input thus far, it'd helping get the full picture of what I'm going to need!

Originally Posted by prodigy

So is it possible to use hones to sharpen the tools without a grinder? I have very limited space, so if I need to get a grinder I'll need to figure out where it will go. Thanks for all the input thus far, it'd helping get the full picture of what I'm going to need!

you don't need a grinder,go to harbor Frt and by some ceramic slips in diff shapes,emory or even sand cloth on a wood form will even work.
If your tools are an enexpensive set the are probebly on the soft side so will be pretty easy to sharpen them.,even with a fine file.