Thread: Lathes

Anyone know of a place I can get a lathe without breaking the bank in the US? I'd only be using it for brush handles and maybe a loom strop handle or two. The least expensive I could find was $150 plus shipping. Does anyone make a hobby version for stock less than 6 inches?

There was a cheap plastic model I saw in a pawn shop for almost a hundred dollars. Harbor freight is cheap and local. The tools are not great and the other stuff you need is expensive.
Find a Rockler or Woodcraft nearby and watch the Saturday demos once a month or so. Get to know somone there and you draw it and they turn it!
A pawnshop is the best place if you have a few of them around where you live. Remember other cheap folks like me frequent them too!
~Richard

Craig's List

And normally they are complete with many of the needed accouterments

My Jaw Vise cost more then everything else combined because I bought it at Woodcraft

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Craig's List
And normally they are complete with many of the needed accouterments
My Jaw Vise cost more then everything else combined because I bought it at Woodcraft

Good call!! Craigslist is one I forgot and use often.
~Richard

I have the Harbor Freight one - less that $100, but - the accesories - chuck, drill chuck with taper adaptor, chisels, etc., with be at least another $200-300. Craigs list could well be your best bet.

Tool auctions,barn sales,craigslist,a s glen says , the tooling is pricey,a bare bones lathe is cheap, the three chucks I have for my Rockwell 45-450 cost more than the entire lathe did matter of fact, my carbide turning tools cost more than the lathe.keep lookingl great lathes are all over the place.

If you're looking for a small lathe they're usually called a midi or mini lathe. Seems they show up less frequently used then a full size guy.

Yeah bottom line is getting started with a lathe is a lot more than acquiring one tool. You'll need a chuck to hold your work and some appropriate sized jaws for your work and a least a hand full of tools and a way to sharpen them. My guess is you would be lucky to great settled for $500 and that's buying a used lathe and being frugal about the accessories.

You might look at the carbide tipped tools like the easywood stuff. While the tools are pricy you can skip the grinder and jigs for sharpening. It might pay off and there are fewer tools to master which may or may not be a good thing, YMMV. You will be off the ground running faster too.


I ended up with a rikon 70-100, a set of pennstate tools, a supernova 2 chuck with a couple of jaw sets and a used tormek wet grinder and the appropriate jigs. I'm probably about a little over $1k in and it would be really easy to have spent a lot more on a jet or delta lathe and some sorby tools. I spent a little more on the chuck then I had to -- could have gone with woodcraft or psi's house brand and for the price I couldn't turn the tormek down.

Anyways once you're done with that you can start going broke buying wood. -- good thing brush handles are small.

Going broke buying wood is correct some is impossble to get anymore, and even tho Brush handles are small you can still go thru $20 worth for one handle if using exotics,are many hundreds of dollors worth of wood on this shelf alone.

Originally Posted by skipnord

I have the Harbor Freight one - less that $100, but - the accesories - chuck, drill chuck with taper adaptor, chisels, etc., with be at least another $200-300. Craigs list could well be your best bet.

Ok, help a guy out as I'm obviously new to this. What is a chuck, drill chuck...? And someone mentioned appropriate sized jaws?

I'm lost, thanks for all the help here guys.

Stay away from Harbor Frieght lathes. I destroyed the two cheaper models in less than a week each. The more expensive metal lathe they sell - took me three days. The head stock collars are crappy soft steel and the key holes stripped right away.

I just purchased a used Turret Lathe made by Hardinge. I spent $200 at a "barn sale" and I got tons of freebies with it. Goes to show that with patience a good lathe will come your way, and when it does you dont want to find yourself without the money Harbor Frieght tools will waste.