Road trip!
Rikon 70-1516VSRK vs. Jet 1221VS?
- Thread starter Big Ry
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- #22
My 9mo was screaming bloody murder all day today cause she's sick, and my toddler woke up an hour into sleep and threw up all over the place. So I'm nowhere close to being able to take a road trip any time soon lol
A sliding headstock won't let you turn bigger bowls, unless, the slider lets you go all the way out to the end of the bed, and the lathe has a bed extension to mount your tool rest. Or, you make an outrigger to hold the tool rest.
A swiveling headstock does allow much bigger projects, and usually has an outrigger as an option.
Note, that most lathes with sliding/swiveling headstocks are larger lathes that already have a bigger swing. Having said that, I know that Record makes some smaller lathes with a sliding/swiveling headstock, but they start about 50% more $$ than what you are looking at.
A swiveling headstock does allow much bigger projects, and usually has an outrigger as an option.
Note, that most lathes with sliding/swiveling headstocks are larger lathes that already have a bigger swing. Having said that, I know that Record makes some smaller lathes with a sliding/swiveling headstock, but they start about 50% more $$ than what you are looking at.
If someone hasn't already suggested it, I would recommend finding and joining a Philly-area woodturning club. That is where you're going to find the majority of lathe offerings, whether from older turners who are "retiring", families of recently deceased turners, or even newer turners who are relocating or who have decided turning isnt for them.
Just joining and indicating you're interested in learning to turn but don't have a lathe, I'd bet, would have someone contacting you to offer assistance. And most clubs have a web portal and/or forums where their members post stuff for sale/wanted. But the biggest advantage would be the networking - you might be surprised at how far a group of old guys (and gals) would go to help find a lathe and some tools for a new member they like. And for that, all you really need to do is go to the next meeting and introduce yourself around.
Just joining and indicating you're interested in learning to turn but don't have a lathe, I'd bet, would have someone contacting you to offer assistance. And most clubs have a web portal and/or forums where their members post stuff for sale/wanted. But the biggest advantage would be the networking - you might be surprised at how far a group of old guys (and gals) would go to help find a lathe and some tools for a new member they like. And for that, all you really need to do is go to the next meeting and introduce yourself around.
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- #25
Ugh that coronet herald is so tempting being that it's a top tier brand, has 14" swing, AND has a swiveling headstock. But I'm already pushing the budget as is with the jet/rikon.
I did find this used/open box coronet herald on eBay for $1k shipped. It says it's "untested", but they also have a 14 day return policy. So I'm wondering if it's worth considering this. I imagine I'd need to pay return shipping, which wouldn't be cheap. So this is a gamble for sure.
Record Power Coronet Herald Wood Lathe *Untested* | eBay
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Great responses addressing my comment on sliding headstock. If you can swing it (no pun intended), ability to adjust working height of lathe placing centers at approximately elbow height can make turning more comfortable.
Going back to my comment on advantages of stepping into a lathe like Jet 1640 is stepping up power to 220V, 1-1/2HP. That puts you into category of being able to core blanks.
Good sale currently on Jets but if you want to save and opt for used, there are possibly more used lathes in market after the symposium in June.
Going back to my comment on advantages of stepping into a lathe like Jet 1640 is stepping up power to 220V, 1-1/2HP. That puts you into category of being able to core blanks.
Good sale currently on Jets but if you want to save and opt for used, there are possibly more used lathes in market after the symposium in June.
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- #27
It was suggested to me before to network locally, and I'm sure that's probably excellent advice. But i just don't see how that's going to be possible any time soon. The local chapter of AAW is at my local community college. They meet at 7pm (tomorrow night is the next meeting). My infant goes to bed around 7pm and my toddler is eating dinner at that time. It's one thing to arrange a one time meeting, but do it with any kind of regularity is asking a lot of my wife. My infant is typically really difficult in the evenings. I've had to put them down myself when my wife was away at a conference, and it is an absolute nightmare.
Honestly, i don't even have the spare time in my day to woodwork, much less network with woodworkers. I do 99% of my woodworking between the hours of 9pm and 5am. I woodwork in lieu of sleeping, so I'm burning the candle at both ends for this hobby lol
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- #28
I don't doubt that the bigger ones are better, but I don't think that would be wise for me now. Aside from the budget aspect of it, i don't even know for sure that I'll like turning since I've never (truly) done it. Id hate to spend a ton on a really nice lathe only to end up not loving wood turning.
Not trying to turn you away, as turning is great therapy. That being said, nothing truer than the lathe being the least expensive tool. Easily spend $200 or more on starting set of tools and more each for high quality. Slow speed grinder $100 or more, decent chuck $200…that’s starting out.
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- #30
I totally get that, but i think i could manage with the minimum necessities until/unless i find i really love turning. I have a set of cheap hss tools. I know they're garbage, but they were free. If they're too frustrating, i can replace them piecemeal with quality ones. Similarly, i have a cheap drill chuck for a lathe. I'll have to double check the size. I would buy some other more common chucks right out of the gate though. So i have that factored in already. I've managed so far with my regular speed grinder and water bath for rough shaping and diamond stones for fine sharpening, but i have been wanting a slow speed grinder anyway since it's almost a requirement in any wood shop. I won't be buying a tormach, definitely something cheaper.
Cheap hss tools? Where? How?
Just realize that the path can be addictive and costly but there are great rewards to be had. Just picture turning something nice for your wife / kids with some of the cool wood that you have collected. Or teaching your children to make a pen they could use at school when they are older.
I have a preference for chucks from VicMarc and OneWay. I also have one from Nova which works perfectly well but seldom use it.
Thompson, Dway, Carter, Robust are all suppliers of quality tools. You don't need them all at once and can acquire what you need over a long period of time. Learn to sharpen & use the HSS ones that you have while you learn, add the quality pieces as your skills improve.
There are cheaper products for all of the above that originate in China. Some people use them and have good luck with them. I try to avoid that and use tooling from those mentioned above.
Don't ignore the used market. Many have purchased a lathe and all of the tooling only to never use it very much. It sits in the shop / garage taking up space until they put it up for sale for a big discount. There is always a good deal to be found out there.
Ryan, we've followed along with your wood purchases,.....2-3 weeks of your wood acquisition budget would bring the lathe, tooling, grinder, & CBN wheels home.
@Big Ry
I have a preference for chucks from VicMarc and OneWay. I also have one from Nova which works perfectly well but seldom use it.
Thompson, Dway, Carter, Robust are all suppliers of quality tools. You don't need them all at once and can acquire what you need over a long period of time. Learn to sharpen & use the HSS ones that you have while you learn, add the quality pieces as your skills improve.
There are cheaper products for all of the above that originate in China. Some people use them and have good luck with them. I try to avoid that and use tooling from those mentioned above.
Don't ignore the used market. Many have purchased a lathe and all of the tooling only to never use it very much. It sits in the shop / garage taking up space until they put it up for sale for a big discount. There is always a good deal to be found out there.
Ryan, we've followed along with your wood purchases,.....2-3 weeks of your wood acquisition budget would bring the lathe, tooling, grinder, & CBN wheels home.
@Big Ry
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- #33
Amazon Vine. And by cheap, i mean cheap quality (noname Chinese brand). I'm not sure what they sell for, but i got them free through Amazon Vine.
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- #34
My recent spending isn't typical lol yes, I've spent a ton on wood recently and was trying to cut back for a bit. But I've been on the hunt for a lathe for months, and there's just nothing around here in the used market. I check marketplace daily, often multiple times a day. It's just not that popular of a tool it seems. There's also too many cheapasses around here who think they can recoup all their money on the tools they bought. I can find hand planes all day every day. I can find all the free shop storage i could need. But larger woodworking power tools are tough. Maybe not so much tablesaws and drill presses, but most other big tools are hard to come buy. I just assumed it was because woodworking is basically a dying art.Just realize that the path can be addictive and costly but there are great rewards to be had. Just picture turning something nice for your wife / kids with some of the cool wood that you have collected. Or teaching your children to make a pen they could use at school when they are older.
I have a preference for chucks from VicMarc and OneWay. I also have one from Nova which works perfectly well but seldom use it.
Thompson, Dway, Carter, Robust are all suppliers of quality tools. You don't need them all at once and can acquire what you need over a long period of time. Learn to sharpen & use the HSS ones that you have while you learn, add the quality pieces as your skills improve.
There are cheaper products for all of the above that originate in China. Some people use them and have good luck with them. I try to avoid that and use tooling from those mentioned above.
Don't ignore the used market. Many have purchased a lathe and all of the tooling only to never use it very much. It sits in the shop / garage taking up space until they put it up for sale for a big discount. There is always a good deal to be found out there.
Ryan, we've followed along with your wood purchases,.....2-3 weeks of your wood acquisition budget would bring the lathe, tooling, grinder, & CBN wheels home.
@Big Ry
I think i have enough addictions to worry about as it is. 1yr 9mo ago i didn't even have a shop. Now i have almost every common tool and many thousands of dollars in wood across hundreds if species. As i type this I'm in the kitchen thermally treating a sycamore burl/canker for insects in my oven lol. I've resigned myself to the fact that I've gotten addicted to woodworking and wood collecting. But i don't see myself getting as addicted to turning. There's only so many bowls and tool handles i can make, and i generally dislike round objects in favor of square lol
Ry, even before tariffs started taking their toll on prices of products made overseas… the cost of lathes, especially larger high quality models has climbed 5% or more every year. The used market is still a good place to try and get in, but you’re unlikely to find good quality lathes and accessories for less than original cost.
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- #36
Well then there is no used market, because nobody is going to pay the new price for a used lathe unless they have some emergency and need a lathe same day.
Not true, just inflation rearing its ugly head! Has cost of homes gone down in the used market from new cost?? Nope, and quality factor comes into play as well.
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- #38
You said the used cost is the same as the new cost, so why would anyone pay new price for a used item? The housing market is never like that. You never pay new price for a used house. The new cost is always higher than used.
Clarify …
You spend $1000 for a good quality lathe in 2020, 5 years later in 2025 that same new lathe now costs $$1250 and a used one goes for $1100 and that used price continues to climb as does the new price.
It’s important to differentiate what price was when new in 2020 vs 2025. The real example most of us experience is our homes holding their value after being built.
My experience is that used equipment generally sells for about half of its original selling price. It can be a little higher or lower depending upon brand, size, condition, popularity, etc.
Ive got a shop full of machines as examples, all purchased on the used market by watching patiently for what I wanted and at the right price point.
I know several others that have done the same. I didn't come up with this on my own, but rather by observing what my predecessors have done.
Ive got a shop full of machines as examples, all purchased on the used market by watching patiently for what I wanted and at the right price point.
I know several others that have done the same. I didn't come up with this on my own, but rather by observing what my predecessors have done.