Hi
I feel I have to post again to let all those
who advised me on the title question, I
took Woodshavings advice (amongst others)
and purchased the Axminster Perform CCL.
It was more than I had planned on spending
but isnt that always the way with a new hobby?
I am chuffed to bits with the machine, every
thing I wanted and more, solid, strong and
plenty of power.
Ive never heard of Axminster but they seem
a well organised company with very reasonable
priced equipment. The Sealey equivalent of the
the CCL lathe is £299 !!! plus VAT !!!!
I also ordered a book, Woodturning A Foundation
Course, very informative and well laid out.
My cheap chisels should be arriving soon, I feel
I would learn a lot from learning how to
sharpen/waste a set of cheap tools before buying
decent ones.

Thanks again for all the advice.

BoB

Hi Bob,
Glad you like the CCL - as you have noticed the same lathe is available from
a number of places under different names and higher prices.

The main problem with cheap turning tools is that they will not hold their
edge for very long. None the less, they should sharpen OK and you will
certainly be able to turn some interesting pieces!

Apart from the quality of the steel, the other big difference between
chisels is the length of handle. This makes a big difference in the "feel"
when turning and you may find it useful to experiment with different
lengths.

Happy turning !!