thoughts on this lathe
thoughts on this lathe
I am shopping around for a good lathe to carve pipes. Any thoughts about this lathe would be appreciated.
http://cosprings.craigslist.org/tls/1047795008.html
http://cosprings.craigslist.org/tls/1047795008.html
- KurtHuhn
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- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:00 pm
- Location: United States/Rhode Island
Having seen a lot of aspiring carvers come and go - and in the meantime buy thousands of dollars worth of tools that end up being sold for hundreds after being used a handful of times - I strongly suggest giving pipe making a try WITHOUT a huge tool investment right off the bat.
A pipe can be made using very simple tools, and most folks here got started with nothing more complicated than a cheap drill press. Give it a shot, if you still like doing it after a number of pipes, by all means, go for a complex mill/drill/lathe if it's going to fit into your work process.
And not knowing diddly about your skill level, I'm very uncomfortable telling whether I think you should take the leap and buy this tool or not. What I will say is that, depending on your workflow and skill level, this tool may prove useful. Past that, I have no experience with that particular brand, model, or type of tooling.
A pipe can be made using very simple tools, and most folks here got started with nothing more complicated than a cheap drill press. Give it a shot, if you still like doing it after a number of pipes, by all means, go for a complex mill/drill/lathe if it's going to fit into your work process.
And not knowing diddly about your skill level, I'm very uncomfortable telling whether I think you should take the leap and buy this tool or not. What I will say is that, depending on your workflow and skill level, this tool may prove useful. Past that, I have no experience with that particular brand, model, or type of tooling.
- ToddJohnson
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:00 pm
- Location: Nashville, TN
- Contact:
And in conjunction with all that, that particular lathe/mill combo is unsuited for most of the operations you'll need to perform as a pipemaker.KurtHuhn wrote:Having seen a lot of aspiring carvers come and go - and in the meantime buy thousands of dollars worth of tools that end up being sold for hundreds after being used a handful of times - I strongly suggest giving pipe making a try WITHOUT a huge tool investment right off the bat.
A pipe can be made using very simple tools, and most folks here got started with nothing more complicated than a cheap drill press. Give it a shot, if you still like doing it after a number of pipes, by all means, go for a complex mill/drill/lathe if it's going to fit into your work process.
And not knowing diddly about your skill level, I'm very uncomfortable telling whether I think you should take the leap and buy this tool or not. What I will say is that, depending on your workflow and skill level, this tool may prove useful. Past that, I have no experience with that particular brand, model, or type of tooling.
Todd
Thanks guys!
I recently carved my first pipe with a coping saw and used a horse hoof file to rough it in. I then sanded it down to shape with 60 grit, by hand. I decided to change stems and redrilled for the new stem and then cracked the damn shank. But all in all I was quite happy with the pipe...except the shank is badly shaped. I left it for now as I might band it. Its only been sanded to 400 and I moistioned the briar for the two pics:
heres right after I cracked the sob:
and theres the horsehoof file I used. One side was pretty course and took off briar quickly and the other side was bit gentler. The rest of the shape was sanded down with 60 grit. I should have left it alone and went with that first stem.
I recently carved my first pipe with a coping saw and used a horse hoof file to rough it in. I then sanded it down to shape with 60 grit, by hand. I decided to change stems and redrilled for the new stem and then cracked the damn shank. But all in all I was quite happy with the pipe...except the shank is badly shaped. I left it for now as I might band it. Its only been sanded to 400 and I moistioned the briar for the two pics:
heres right after I cracked the sob:
and theres the horsehoof file I used. One side was pretty course and took off briar quickly and the other side was bit gentler. The rest of the shape was sanded down with 60 grit. I should have left it alone and went with that first stem.
Given your tools, yeah. Looks like a Peterson 303 with a beer belly.
I have a jet mini lathe, and it's excellent for pipey activities, and it takes very standard component pieces (8tpi 1" threads, #2 Morse taper) It is a bit small between centers for a buffing setup (Beall's setup is 18" long) and too small to take large buffing wheels (I use the drill press for that). But for carving, it's nice.
Delta makes a very similar model, and I think so does grizzly.
If your budget is limited, and you want to get a do-it-all (but not all that well) machine, you might get by with that multi, but my guess is that it will frustrate you in terms of capacity before long. Certainly I don't keep my drill press and my lathe intermingled while I'm turning!
That thing looks built well though - at 400 pounds there's a lotta metal!
I have a jet mini lathe, and it's excellent for pipey activities, and it takes very standard component pieces (8tpi 1" threads, #2 Morse taper) It is a bit small between centers for a buffing setup (Beall's setup is 18" long) and too small to take large buffing wheels (I use the drill press for that). But for carving, it's nice.
Delta makes a very similar model, and I think so does grizzly.
If your budget is limited, and you want to get a do-it-all (but not all that well) machine, you might get by with that multi, but my guess is that it will frustrate you in terms of capacity before long. Certainly I don't keep my drill press and my lathe intermingled while I'm turning!
That thing looks built well though - at 400 pounds there's a lotta metal!
I have a Smithy lathe/mill and I have only used the mill 4 or 5 times in the 2 years I have owned it.
http://www.smithy.com/product_image.php?f=MIDAS-1220 LR.jpg&w=500&h=531
I wish I had bought a different lathe in the beginning.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-JET-BD-920W-9-x ... .m20.l1116
Ryan
http://www.smithy.com/product_image.php?f=MIDAS-1220 LR.jpg&w=500&h=531
I wish I had bought a different lathe in the beginning.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-JET-BD-920W-9-x ... .m20.l1116
Ryan
Ryan, I have the 1220XL. Admittedly it's a nuisance having to remove the lathe chuck and switch out the tool holder for the vise when going from lathe to mill/drill, but I regularly use the mill/drill feature for both milling and drilling. This little gadget Safe-T-Planer used in the mill/drill is great for squaring up briar blocks.
Just an added note to those who think the mill/drill gets in the way when using the lathe, the mill/drill head swings through 360 deg, so I just rotate it 90 deg out of the way.
I would certainly love to have a seperate lathe and mill, British or American made, but sometimes we have to get what we can afford.
Kola, I agree with the other guys. Don't waste your money on that small model.
Just an added note to those who think the mill/drill gets in the way when using the lathe, the mill/drill head swings through 360 deg, so I just rotate it 90 deg out of the way.
I would certainly love to have a seperate lathe and mill, British or American made, but sometimes we have to get what we can afford.
Kola, I agree with the other guys. Don't waste your money on that small model.
Regards,
Frank.
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Grouch Happens!
People usually get the gods they deserve - Terry Pratchett
Frank.
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Grouch Happens!
People usually get the gods they deserve - Terry Pratchett