Contemplating a lathe in a small shop

[Randy Heinemann]

I have a Nova Comet II midi lathe but would not recommend that. However, Powermatic just came out with the 2014 within the last month. From the few YouTube reviews I saw, it seems to be a great lathe for its size. It has capacity to turn up to 14" over the bed and the head stock can be moved to the other end for outboard turning. While it uses 115V electrical, it is equipped with a converter which allows the motor to operate like a 220V; so more power for the 1 HP motor (more like a 2HP maybe). Anyway if I were buying a small lathe right now, that could be a great choice. However, the price is much higher than the Laguna 1216; about double.

[hugh lonner]

So, I got the lathe and have finally gotten a chance to use it. It is set up on my workbench and day 1 was a disaster - I tried making three pens and all ended in problems, sometimes just preparing the blanks sometimes turning them. Day 2, however, I fell into a groove and seemed to remember whatever I'd known 7 years or so ago when I last turned, not that I'd known that much. Don't know if I did a better job of sharpening my tools or of using them - probably both.

The workbench probably has the lathe about 4 inches too high (or 2 if you like them slightly higher than the elbow sometimes recommended). I don't mind it, but now that I can see it in the shop I think the lathe is small enough that I am going to built it a stand of its own although I'm still very tempted by Jamie's stand idea.

One thing I'd forgotten was that I had a bit of a rash on my skin around the time I used to turn it went away when I got rid of the lathe. I hope it was just cocobolo that triggered it, but turning sure does create and spread dust in a way that other woodworking doesn't (at least the way that I do it - perhaps it isn't as bad if you are really good and create feathery shavings instead of the dust I create?)

Next up I want to try my had at bowls and perhaps segmented turnings, neither of which I've tried before.

[Thomas Wilson80]

I've never turned cocobolo but it is notorious for reactions. Hopefully you have good respiratory protection.

[Richard Coers]

So, I got the lathe and have finally gotten a chance to use it. It is set up on my workbench and day 1 was a disaster - I tried making three pens and all ended in problems, sometimes just preparing the blanks sometimes turning them. Day 2, however, I fell into a groove and seemed to remember whatever I'd known 7 years or so ago when I last turned, not that I'd known that much. Don't know if I did a better job of sharpening my tools or of using them - probably both.

The workbench probably has the lathe about 4 inches too high (or 2 if you like them slightly higher than the elbow sometimes recommended). I don't mind it, but now that I can see it in the shop I think the lathe is small enough that I am going to built it a stand of its own although I'm still very tempted by Jamie's stand idea.

One thing I'd forgotten was that I had a bit of a rash on my skin around the time I used to turn it went away when I got rid of the lathe. I hope it was just cocobolo that triggered it, but turning sure does create and spread dust in a way that other woodworking doesn't (at least the way that I do it - perhaps it isn't as bad if you are really good and create feathery shavings instead of the dust I create?)

Next up I want to try my had at bowls and perhaps segmented turnings, neither of which I've tried before.

Cocobolo is a sensitizer. So two kinds of people around it; those that are allergic to it, and those that will be allergic to it.