Woodworker's Journal 2006-30-5, страница 46

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By Betty Scarpino

Looking for a mid-sized lathe at a "mid-sized" price? There are a gaggle of choices, hut you've got to shop carefully. Hi-ho, hi-ho ...

I am often asked, "Which lathe should 1 buy if I only have X-amount of money to spend?" That's a complex question because there are many variables. And the only way to offer an honest answer is to try a bunch of machines out.

Recently, I had just that chance, and 1 eagerly obliged. I spent the day in Chris Marshall's shop (he's the Journal's Field Editor) trying out seven mid-sized lathes — operating levers, turning power switches on and off, opening and closing casings, sliding tool-rests and headstocks and testing parts. I also made some shavings, turning faceplate and spindle work — definitely the most fun part!

To help narrow down the candidates for this lathe test, I used two primary criteria: size and price. This ruled out miniature lathes as well as lathes with large capacity (and high sticker prices). The lathes in between became the "midsized/mid-priced" lathes. Admittedly, it's a wide range. The brands in the test group are JET, Oneway, Powermatic, General International, Nova, Delta, and Craftsman. There are a few others out there that could have been included, but not every company could supply us with a model to test. Additionally, several of these companies have other models in their lines — be sure to visit their web sites to see the other options.

Prices for these lathes range from just under $600 to $3,000 — obviously a huge spread! Inboard capacity ranged from lathes with a capacity of 10" to ones that could handle up to 20". The spindle length capacity ranged from 24" to 42".

I was already familiar with the JET, Oneway, and Delta models tested here. I was somewhat knowledgeable about the General International and Powermatic, but I had not previously tried the Nova or Craftsman machines.

Two Quick Tests for Quality

Here are some easy tests that I used to help determine the quality of a lathe: 1) The headstock and tailstock should line up parallel with each other and be parallel to the bed of the lathe; and 2) All the parts should stay where they are when locked into place. (These tests can be performed right on the showroom floor and do not require tools or special equipment.)

To test that the headstock and tailstock line up, securely place the drive center into the headstock spindle and the live center into the tailstock. Slide the tailstock down the bed of the lathe until the two points of the centers almost touch. The points of the two centers should meet dead on. If they don't,

Tool Review continues on page 66...