Advice For Buying a Lathe

[muhmazabd]

Hello every body,
This is my first post, I really appreciate your help.
Few thinks to tell you before my question, I am doing the wood working as a hobby my workshop based in Bahrain, I am staying in Manchester for the coming three weeks, I want to buy a MIDI lathe, a good quality one because i will ship it over seas as i couldn't find any suitable option back in my home country.
This is my first time in wood turning and i am really confused, I found the following options i will put the link and best price i was able to get for each one

http://www.toolgurus.co.uk/sip-01936-variable-speed-midi-wood-lathe/
SIP 01936 -> 330 GBP (3/4 HP)

http://www.jettools.com/us/en/new-products-and-offers/new-products/1221vs-lathe/
JET 1221VS -> 630 GBP (1 HP)

Axminster Hobby Series AH-1218 Woodturning Lathe
Axminster AH-1218 -> 229 GBP (3/4 HP)

http://www.machinery4wood.co.uk/product.php/section//sn/BRI%2F717854-PK
Nova Comet II VS Midi Lathe -> 530 GBP (3/4 HP)
 
http://www.recordpower.co.uk/product/cast-iron-electronic-variable-speed-lathe#.V5Ccw_krLIV
DLM 320 -> 500 GBP (1 HP)

the best one  think is the jet 1221 1HP, but as i found that it is manufactured in china so will it have a big difference than the SIP 01936 3/4HP the SIP look as good option for the price and features but will the 1/4hp make a difference,
I am really confused about these options, can you please advice me what to choose, or tell me how do you find them if you own one of them, is any other good options that i missed.

Thanks a lot for your time,

Muhammad

[GBF]

I would go for the Axminster hobby Lathe they are a super lathe AH 1218.
Don't forget a chuck
Give Axminster a ring I expect they will do a deal on a lathe chuck and jaws

Regards George

[fuzzyturns]

If you cannot find any options in your home country, then obviously one important thing to do is phone these various suppliers and figure out which one would actually support you in Bahrain. I could well imagine Jet not having any troubles there, and possibly Axminster might help as well, but I'd have my doubts about a few others on the list.
The other question to answer for yourself is how much use this lathe will see. The Axminster lathe is a very good deal for a hobby lathe, but if you intend to use it more than, say, 10-15 hours per week, it will not last. Neither will the SIP (which I wouldn't choose for other reasons).

[Philip Green]

If you are wondering why the SIP is so much cheaper, it is because it has a single phase motor and the variable speed works in the same way as an old fashioned light dimmer. I won't go into the techie bits but basically, it reduces the speed by reducing the amount of power available to the motor. OK if you can't afford anything better but I think you would soon find yourself frustrated by the lack of power.

The other three are three phase motors with variable speed controllers that deliver fairly constant power to the motor whatever the speed.

Good advice from George. Their after sales service is second to none.

[muhmazabd]

Thank you George, fuzzyturn and statsman for your advice,
So i will drop the SIP from the list, upon your advice I will consider only the Axminster  AH-1218VS , and the Jet 1221VS,
both are DC motors hopefully they will not suffer from the lack of power problem with low speed like the SIP,
Regarding the support in Bahrain, I think Axminster is better option for me, they do deliver overseas,
But please I have one more question, which parts that usually need replacement maybe it will be a god idea to buy some spare parts for it,
I dont expect to use it for more than 5 hours a week, so hopefully it will last for sometime.
Thanks Again
Muhammad

[fuzzyturns]

If Axminster ship overseas, then there is probably no point in buying spare parts. In fact, I'd ask them what they would charge for shipping to Bahrain. Might work out cheaper if they ship instead of you taking it your (unaccompanied) luggage.
I haven't had to buy any spare parts for my lathes so far, but I reckon the first thing to wear out will be the drive belt.

[seventhdevil]

i second what fuzzy just said but for me it was a shaft bearing not the belt. then again mine is the larger jet 3520b and i do give it some punishment so that's no surprise.


what sort of timber grow in bahrain?

[muhmazabd]

Thanks again, fuzzyturns,
I checked the shipping cost and it will be cheaper to send them using airfreight service,
Dear seventhdevil, no timber is grown commercially in Bahrain, all imported the country is just about 780
sq kilometer  , I might be able to get some logs from "Ziziphus tree" it grows to big size but it is very hard wood. The palm trees what you will find every where but as you know it will not make any good timber, all wood is imported and it will be dry already, so i am not sure how suitable it will be for wood turning, the worse case it means that I need a sharp tools always.
About the turning chisels I won the set chisels in the picture in eBay auction, any other suggestion please.
and finally regarding sharpening i hop that "Veritas Grinder Tool Rest 600320" will be enough with bench top grinder, I have already DMT diamond stone and Veritas honing guide polishing compounds, i can sharp the chisels perfectly but i am slightly worried about sharpening the gouges, will it be easy task or not.
Regards

[fuzzyturns]

Please don't be offended, but these three tools are best kept in the box. You might even be able to sell them again on ebay without incurring a loss.
There are other threads here on this forum regarding the most suitable tool set for a beginner, please search and read, I won't write about it again. There is a fair bit of debate going on about what such a basic toolkit should include. Where there is very little debate is on the subject of how to learn woodturning: find yourself a tutor and get lessons. Since this will be next to impossible in Bahrain, I'd suggest you search the main AWGB website for their register of tutors, and also the Register of Professional Turners. You might be able to find somebody in the Manchester area that can still squeeze in a day of tuition, and I promise you will not regret it. You will learn more in that one day than in 1 week of watching youtube videos.

[muhmazabd]

OOOOOps,
Thank you for letting me know, I thought this was a good choice ,
I will follow your advice and search for a tutors but I have some academic work to finalize before leaving so let me see what can I do.
By the way Axminster have a 2 days event presented by Colwin Way on the 29th and 30th of July, I will attend and hope it will give me the boost start for wood turning.
thanks a lot my friend, Appreciate your advises.
Regards

[Paul Hannaby]

If you look at this web page, it shows the clubs on a map. You might find one you can visit while you are in the UK.

http://www.awgb.co.uk/club-map/

If you are buying anything in the UK to export, you should be able to avoid paying the VAT. Talk to the retailer about that.

[muhmazabd]

Many thanks for every body,
I bought the Axminister 1216vs, with extension bed and 100mm Axminister chuck.
Appreciate your help