Parkside Lathe chuck query

[PaulW]

Hi,

As a beginner I have purchased a Parkside lathe.  Could anyone tell me if there is a chuck that will fit this lathe? 

Many thanks

Paul

[Bill21]

What size is the thread on the spindle?

Edit: You may find this of interest.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/head-stock-adapter-for-parkside-lathe.129822/

[Les Symonds]

Hello Paul...I'd not heard of this make, but a quick bit of research shows that Lidl sells this lathe for £60. Whilst none of us is here to judge anyone by the quality of the lathe that they buy, I think it has to be said that at that price, this is not going to be a lathe that is capable of any decent quality of work. A proper woodturning chuck, even of the most basic quality, is going to cost probably double what your lathe cost, so even if you do find out what spindle size it is, I doubt that buying a chuck to fit it would be a worthwhile investment. Perhaps it would be better to use the lathe as it is, enjoy its use and then decide if it is worth upgrading!

Les

[Bourbon25]

Love posts like this, and the replies. Yes it's a cheap lathe, Yes it lacks the bells and whistles. But for a cheap way to get into wood working, These type of lathes are fine. They spin wood round, Isn't that what they all do? From looking on the net, the spindle size is M18. But really that one is too plastic to be anywhere near rigid enough and may well. A, stall, B shake itself apart. wait for the Workzone one. It's the same as the Clark CWL 1000b, which I have and It's perfectly adequate for turning

[Twisted Trees]

Love posts like this, and the replies. Yes it's a cheap lathe, Yes it lacks the bells and whistles. But for a cheap way to get into wood working, These type of lathes are fine. They spin wood round, Isn't that what they all do? From looking on the net, the spindle size is M18. But really that one is too plastic to be anywhere near rigid enough and may well. A, stall, B shake itself apart. wait for the Workzone one. It's the same as the Clark CWL 1000b, which I have and It's perfectly adequate for turning

I am afraid that most people I have spoken to who bought a Parkside £60 lathe have either suffered the frustration of returning it for faults, or decided that woodturning is hard and pointless. I continue to advise £60 is better spent on a half day tuition. Or better still joining the AWGB club nights.

PaulW if you do go down the line of buying a chuck I recommend you buy an adapter to fit an M33 chuck, If you upgrade the lathe you will probably be able to continue using the chuck or at least it will have some second hand value to recoup your money.

[Bill21]

I second the suggestion of an M33 Chuck. It has become something of a standard these days.

On the subject of the lathe itself it has been suggested elsewhere that due to its very lightweight construction it’s not the easiest machine to use for its target buyer.

[Mike313]

Hi Paul,
I hesitated in replying as I am a relative novice compared to those who have commented already but I would like to second the advice you've gotten from Les, Twisted Trees and Bill21. My first lathe was a cheapie and due to its poor build quality, vibration in the headstock etc. etc. etc. I never managed to really produce anything that I could say I was proud of or happy with. This was despite having taken a two-day course with a professional tutor.
I took the plunge and bought a decent lathe and found that - with hard work, practice and perseverance - I am now producing pieces that I am much happier with. I am now only limited by my own ability and skill, rather than by the lathe. And I know that, whilst I have a long way to go in terms of developing my techniques and skills, I am likely to reach my own limitations before I reach those of the lathe.
In my opinion, if you have the desire and the means, I would recommend picking up a decent second-hand lathe.
Woodturning is not a cheap hobby to get into - the costs of a lathe, chuck, PPE, turning tools, a sharpening system and dust collection all add up. I personally would recommend buying the best lathe you can within that budget. Once the initial investment has been made you then only need a source of suitable wood, which can be as cheap or as expensive as you wish.
Sorry for rambling on, I got a bit carried away there lol  but I hope this might be food for thought,
Regards,
Mike.

[Bill21]

Just to add, joining a club will often pay for itself by providing access to wood at reasonable prices. It’s certainly done so for me. We have a wood sale every March which sees members struggling to their vehicles wood laden.

[jay]

   if you decide to keep the lathe don't bother with chucks etc  Use a faceplate ,  make a wooden jam chuck  learn to turn between centers . Use it as a way of developing a light touch and all the other things one can do . Avoid pouring out loads of cash . Then when and if you get hooked on turning look to upgrade . I started turning in the '60s on that kind of lathe  or worse, one powered by a 1/4 single speed black and decker But I learned how to turn . Now I have a 300kg General and a Graduate bowl lathe and made my living by turning architectural  elements in North America   Turning really hooked me in  !!!!!

[Bill21]

Any update on this? Just asking in case the solution is of use to anyone else.