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Average Customer Review: 15 Reviews
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A nice compact smooth running wood lathe.
I've had this lathe now for over a year. I make pens (of which I've done over 150 on the Turncrafter) and the variable speed is ideal for this purpose. You can do the whole job without having to change the drive belt position. An important factor is having a heavy table to give the machine some extra weight. I bolted mine to 4 layers of heavy MDF board, which took care of vibration when starting on heavy blanks that are a bit out of round. It also helps to keep the bed and the grooves lubricated so that the tool rest and tail stock will slide easily. I use a spray-on dry lubricant for this. After adding a Barracuda2 chuck the only limitation is the 10" turn diameter. With sharp tools it turns even the toughest woods without a problem. I've now made many small bowls, goblets, vases and a bunch of gadgets (hooks and guages) used by weavers. It was even used to make ornamental railings for my daughter's doll house. My only gripe is that the speed controller has had to be replaced twice (I have to admit that I make it work hard, but the overload protection is less than perfect). Both times it was replaced for free under warranty, but it meant 2-3 weeks of downtime on both occasions. Now that it is out of warranty it may be an expensive fix if the speed control breaks again. I still rate the Turncrafter at 5 stars though. It is unbeatable value and I have been pleasantly surprised many times by its power and versatility. It has become an often-used and appreciated workhorse. After countless hours of turning I can't imagine my workshop without it. If you are going to turn relatively small objects this lathe will do the job admirably. If you want to turn big bowls you need to buy a bigger lathe (and spend a lot more money).
Already turned 3 pens!! Works great now working on technique!! Too bad Penn State can't improve on that!!
I tried a Jet Midi Lathe and wanted one for doing my small work. I just didn't have the price of one. So I decided to try the Turncraft and it does everything the Jet does and for half the price. I have turned several Pens and it really does the job. The only one thing that needs correcting is the booklet on the lathe. It sure doesn't tell you much or show all the parts. It's still a 5 star machine. I would recommend it to anyone.
Had a Mini Lathe before I bought the Turncrafter Pro. The new lathe gives more options for turing projects. Great tool Dave D
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