I bought my first lathe cheap from Harbor Freight. Hadn't turned
before & wasn't sure if I'd like it. Turned out (pardon the pun) that
I loved it. I hated the lathe, but it taught me what to look for in a
new one a year later.

The one I bought had a #1 Morse taper - bad move, get a #2 or you can't
find a lot accessories. The thread size was an odd metric. Same
problem. The bed was a tube - horrible!

All that said, it was a good, cheap way to learn. I found I'm more
into bowls than spindles, so a long bed wasn't my main concern. Low
speed is more important to me because I like turning green wood. I
still don't have exactly what I want, but I'm a lot closer.

I wound up spending as much on 2 good self centering chucks as I did on
the lathe itself. I am glad I did, too. They're worth every penny.

The cheap lathe tools are also something you'll want to replace ASAP.
Find what you like the best & replace them as quickly as you can afford
with good ones. Makes all the difference in the world. You don't have
to spend a ton - one of my favorite roughing goughes is a 3/4" from
Craftsman - $25.

That's my opinion, anyway. I think turning is about as personal as
your toothbrush, though. There are a lot less firm rules than in most
other woodworking disciplines. - Jim