"Toller" wrote in news:1DTri.13178$B25.719
@news01.roc.ny:


"Ecnerwal" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Toller" wrote:

I am not sure what I could have done to make it any better.

Chew off the high spot with something else. I've used both a drawknife
and a router (mounted on a lathe-mounted jig for control). With an
appropriate jig for control, even a portable circular saw could work.
Finding the high spots is easy in the lathe (unplug it, or at least
don't turn it on.)

Maybe a hand powerplaner?

IMHO, a lathe with a 400 RPM low speed is a poor design anyway,

I agree, but it was an incredible bargain.



Your lathe is capable of turning some fairly heavy blanks (ask Darrell
Fellmate). Start off between centers if you're seriously out of balance.
In fact you should probably start between centers until you have more
experience with larger blanks. 400 rpm is not a poor design. When I was
turning in Trade School, the big lathes we used were a bit faster than
that (even had to change pulleys). Zero rpm is wonderful, but when I turn
at that speed it reminds me of carving. Don't be afraid of the noise
(thunks, bumps, etc.).
How did you mount your new lathe? Big and heavy needs big and heavy. You
should have a very solid bench/stand to mount the Craftsman 15". Three or
four hundred pounds (sand, lead, depleated uranium, etc.) will give you a
solid platform. Again, don't be afraid of noise a out of round blank may
make, just respect it.
Regards,
Hank