I often get asked what equipment is needed to start woodturning. So I thought I would write a few pointers.Hopefully the information here will help you decide.
Which Lathe Should I buy?
As with many hobbies, it’s easy to get things wrong and end up with an unsuitable lathe. They will all allow you to make things from wood but the difference between the vast range of machines is capacity. Before you choose a lathe, ask yourself what you want to make.
Biggest Diameter
If all you want to do is to make pens, a relatively small lathe would suffice. If you want to make bowls, the maximum diameter of wood blank the lathe can accommodate (often referred to as “swing”) will limit the size of bowl that can be produced. Starter lathes are often around 10″-12″ (25-30cm) and larger machines are often 16″-24″ (40-60cm).
Bed Length
The length of the lathe is also worth considering. The distance between centres will be the limit of the length of work that can be produced. So if you want to make long spindles, this dimension should be considered. Don’t forget to take into account that if you add a chuck, you reduce the space available for the wood blank and if you want to use a drill in the tailstock to drill the end of things you make, that will also reduce the maximum length of blank you can turn. Some manufacturers offer bed extensions to increase the length available so that is also worth adding to the equation.
Motor Power
If you are turning larger diameter pieces of wood, a more powerful motor will allow you to take bigger cuts without stalling the machine. Entry level lathes often have motors rated under 500W and larger lathes can be in the 750-2250W range. The general rule of thumb is the larger the diameter you want to turn, the more power you will need. It is possible to turn a 50cm bowl with a 750W motor but using a more powerful machine will speed things up. Some operations such as bowl coring and drilling become difficult with lower powered machines.
Variable Speed
A basic lathe will just have a number of pulleys to allow the spindle to turn at different speeds. The limited number of pulleys may prevent the lathe from running slow enough for operations such as thread chasing and drilling.
More versatile lathes incorporate electronic variable speed. This is achieved by using a different type of motor than the basic AC motor found on cheaper lathes. The advantage of electronic varable speed is almost infinite speed within the range the machine covers and the ability to change speed quickly while the lathe is still running. The variable speed lathe may also include a number of pulleys. This gives maximum versatility over an extended range and the ability to maximise torque at lower speeds by selecting a lower range on the pulley.
What Other Lathe Features are Important?
The lathe design and configuration may also be part of the equation when considering what to buy. Do you want one with integral legs? bench mounted? an optional stand? Is the Headstock fixed or movable/rotatable? Some lathes can be configured by moving and rotating the headstock to allow larger diameter pieces to be turned.
A lathe will sometimes come with basic accessories such as a spur drive, a live centre, a faceplate and a knockout bar. All thes accessories will be very useful.
Hand tools
You will need a selection of cutting tools to allow you to use the lathe. If you are just starting out, you can either buy the tools individually or buy a box set. The basic set usually consists of a spindle roughing gouge, a parting tool, a spindle gouge, a skew chisel and a scraper (either half round or square end). Extended sets may include a bowl gouge or two, a second spindle gouge or a second scraper. What tools you need will vary depending on what you plan to make but as an absolute minimum for spindle work, I would suggest a spindle roughing gouge, a spindle gouge and a parting tool.
Do I Need a Chuck?
Whether you need a chuck or not largely depends on what you plan to make. If you only need to mount your workpiece on a faceplate or pen mandrel, you probably don’t need a chuck. Some things can be turned between centres just using the spur drive and live centre that came with the lathe. However, almost everything else can be much easier with a chuck. Most woodturners end up with one or more chucks and a selection of jaws to allow them to mount different projects on the lathe.
What other accessories will I need?
This may depend on what you plan to make but over time, it’s likely you will end up with quite a range! The most common basics are a jacobs chuck for drilling on the lathe, a screw chuck for mounting bowl and platter blanks, ruler, calipers, dividers and vernier gauge for measurements, assorted abrasives for sanding and one or two finishes for finishing your work.
You will almost certainly want some means of mechanical sharpening because even with the best tools, you will be doing a lot of sharpening. A bench grinder is a common choice but other machines such as belt sharpening machines or wetstone grinders can be used. You can sharpen all your tools by hand on a stone but reshaping and sharpening is so much quicker on a grinder.
If you are cutting your own blanks, you may want to invest in a bandsaw. Bigger blanks usually need a bigger bandsaw and it’s usually the depth of cut that is more important to turners. For cutting pieces of wood too big to put on the bandsaw, a chainsaw is often used. Both these are useful but it depends on whether you source your wood in larger sections or just buy precut blanks.
Where can I get all these things?
Look at the links page, there are several suppliers listed which will give you a start in the process. If budget is limited, it’s also worth considering the second hand market. There are always lathes, tools, accessories etc. for sale through the usual second hand channels online. Bear in mind that second hand equipment usually comes with no guarantee so choose carefully or use a source which offers some protection.
If you have any questions, consider joining a club where you will find others prepared to offer advice or if you contact me, I might be able to help.