woodturning - beginner (novice)

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aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#290098 21-Oct-2021 08:29

Hi,

I am interested to hear back from anyone with experience (starting as DIY) with woodturning, especially what sort of lathe would be a decent start, which does not break the bank but at the same time would help me clarify if woodturning is for me or not?... I see on TradeMe a new one for $289, distance up to 1000mm, others are well over $1,000?...

I guess a good set of tools would cost more, but I am OK with that, there might be a second hand market for tools, but the lathe itself if it is rubbish then you are stuck with it.

The purpose is to play with some garden features (the common macrocarpa reeds on steel rods) and then moving into balusters for my own house - I might need maybe 80-100 balusters? It is not about saving money by DIY-ing it, it is the satisfaction to try something new, learn it and get some results.

What sort of motor power should I target, and what sort of rpm would be needed for turning from relatively small size timber (say 50x50)?

ToolShet is listing 400mm between centres for $539 then extra $149 for a bed extension to get to a full 1m between centres. This is 370W motor.

Topmaq has 1000mm between centres and 350W motor for $290 ?? https://www.topmaq.co.nz/350w-1000mm-wood-lathe-wwla1200?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5vuRm9fZ8wIVyV1gCh3QXgV-EAQYASABEgLQBfD_BwE

Then I found another one brand Ryobi (970mm centres and 375W motor) for around $300 but I see the same thing in Aussie is sold for AUD3,000 ??? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RYOBI-350W-970MM-4-SPEED-WOOD-LATHE-WOODWORKING-BENCH-TURNER-2-QUALITY-CHISELS/174509910372 The picture is identical to the one I found for $300 !!!

Reviews for Ryobi are not great at all, but maybe they come from professionals or long term woodturners with experience, as I said - this will be a for a relatively small project, will not become a source of income and very possible after this project is done I might not have much use of it... unless I discover a whole new hobby and I get really hooked?

Thank you!

Lias

5589 posts

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#2798449 21-Oct-2021 09:29

Watching with interest, I enjoyed woodturning in high school many years ago and have thought about getting a lathe a few times but never followed through.

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elbrownos

109 posts

Master Geek

#2798526 21-Oct-2021 10:23

I highly recommend joining a club.

I joined a wood turners club just over a year ago and it's been brilliant. Wood turning isn't all that popular at the moment, so the club has load of gear and wood and experienced wood turners who want to teach, but not that many students.

Why would I buy my own gear when I can use the club's gear for cheap? Also the tuition is top notch. Trying to teach yourself would take 10 times longer and produce a mountain of scrap.

Delphinus

611 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2798597 21-Oct-2021 10:50

Definitely join a club first.

Ge0rge

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#2798658 21-Oct-2021 11:36

Do you have a local Menz Shed? They often have some fantastic tooling. Don't be fooled by the name either - our local has several retired turners who love nothing better to pass on their knowledge to anybody who is interested - regardless of gender.

aucklander

477 posts

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#2798918 21-Oct-2021 19:16

in the current climate will be difficult to join, I tried, but...

mdav056

607 posts

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#2799050 21-Oct-2021 21:05

I looked into wood turning a few years ago, but was put off by the dust-extraction requirements, very expensive. Wood dust is very explosive, and not at all good for your lungs! Best option is probably the Auckland Woodturners when they get going again.

gml

CrazyM

110 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#2799133 22-Oct-2021 08:05

Hey, I'm a fairly experienced wood turner and happy to give my 2c

First off, lathes.

Dont worry about motor power at all. Its just not a factor for the diameter turning you are talking about. It only really comes into play when you are turning large diameter things that are heavier and have higher inertia.

RPM is also not much to worry about at these ~50mm diameters. If you can try and get a lathe that has lower speeds rather than higher. When you start turning an object you start with your piece of wood fairly unbalanced and then as you cut it it will get more balanced and you can then turn the speed up. When turning you want your workpiece spinning as fast as the it safely can and this is usually dependant on the balance of the workpiece and the weight of the lathe. i.e even a lightweight lathe will be able to spin a pencil at 3000rpm, but to spin a tree stump at a speed where you can cut it you need a lot more weight and stability.

Personally I would steer well clear of that Topmaq lathe, and the Ryobi, any of the other equivalent shaped ones. They are just too light and therefore prone to vibration. My preferred use for these models is to mount a piece of MDF and sandpaper to the faceplate and just use it as a disc sander :)

Midi lathes like that Toolshed one are a decent step up just because of their density but obviously you wont be turning balusters on 400mm between centres... MachineryHouse has some decent pricing on some larger lathes but then you are talking about $900 which might be too expensive on a first time hobby. On the other hand if you get a lathe like that Topmaq you are almost guaranteed to not enjoy woodturning...

If it was me I would be looking for something old and heavy on trademe. As a bonus it will likely come with tools, chucks, accessories that the owner has accumulated over the years. Something like the link below would be amazing and a steal at that price. Its also on a VSD so you can adjust the speed on a dial rather than stopping and changing belts. In non-covid times I expect that would end up around $2-3k

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/business-farming-industry/industrial/manufacturing-metalwork/lathes-accessories/listing/3300821457?bof=bHR98iQH

As a side note, I would get the idea of turning 80-100 balusters out of your head now. That sounds like a mind-numbing multi-year campaign to me.

Tool-wise you can get some decent old stuff off trade me but you will need a way to sharpen things. A disk or belt sander will do but a bench grinder with a fairly fine stone is better. Many options here to talk about....

I wouldnt worry about dust extraction at this stage. When you are turning you are making chips/shavings and very little dust so extraction is just a nice-to-have keeping your workplace clean. Once you've finished turning and start sanding then you'll be making dust but that can be controlled with a dust mask, or wet sanding, or a vacuum etc... Any type of dust in your lungs is not good but explosive risk is essentially zero.

Much more to say, but I'll stop there for now :)