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  #1   Report Post  
NoNameAtAll
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.
  #2   Report Post  
Saudade
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

In ,
NoNameAtAll typed:
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in
shop class. I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time
convncing my wife that I need it. We just made candle holders in shop
class, and while I'm sure it's great for things like table legs,
lamps, and baseball bats I have to concede that I really can't think
of any practical uses for it since I don't have any need to make any
of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat would be
kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that.
If you can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of
the usefulness of a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.


Seems to me if you don't have a need to make things "round" (like lamps,
table legs, bowls, pens, etc), then maybe you really don't need a lathe. If
you're taking a class with access to a lathe, maybe that will have to
satisfy your desire to turn.


  #3   Report Post  
Mike in Mystic
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

I don't mean this to sound rude, but if you have to ask this question then
why do you even want a lathe in the first place?

Table legs, chair legs, any cylindrical parts (spindles, dowels, furniture
knobs and pulls), bowls, pens, etc. etc. etc. etc. Honestly, the lathe is
one of those things where creativity is key - so having to ask what you
would use it for sort of tells me you wouldn't really use it that much. I
personally don't have much experience with the lathe, but I plan on using it
in the future as I know it will enable me to be much more versatile in my
woodworking.

Mike

"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message
...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop

class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife

that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure

it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to

concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have

any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat

would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If

you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the

usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.



  #4   Report Post  
NoNameAtAll
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

I don't mean this to sound rude, but if you have to ask this question then
why do you even want a lathe in the first place?


Mainly because I had fun using it many years ago in shop class. You mentioned
making pens, which sounds intriguiging. I'm sure I could make some nice gifts
through the course of the year that way. Can you make small things like that on
a big lathe or would I need a smaller lathe? In other words, could I make a
baseball bat and a pen on the same lathe? Making bowls might also be fun, and
would have some potential for gift-making.
  #5   Report Post  
C
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 16:04:08 +0000, NoNameAtAll wrote:

If you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.


In heaven there aint no beer (or toys), that's why we buy them here.

If she's a cook, tell her it's not a lathe but a device for making salad
bowls and candlesticks. One can never have enough salad bowls or
candlesticks.

If she's a gardener, tell her it's not a lathe but a device for making
mulch. Plants love mulch.






  #6   Report Post  
Mike in Mystic
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Yes, you can use a big lathe to make pens. And, as you probably surmise,
there is a limit to how big you can go with a smaller lathe. Right now I
just have a mini lathe. Eventually I'll go bigger, but since I don't know
crud about using the lathe I have, I don't see the need right now. If you
think you'll want to make larger items, it probably makes sense to get a
mid-sized lathe right off the bat.


"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message
...
I don't mean this to sound rude, but if you have to ask this question

then
why do you even want a lathe in the first place?


Mainly because I had fun using it many years ago in shop class. You

mentioned
making pens, which sounds intriguiging. I'm sure I could make some nice

gifts
through the course of the year that way. Can you make small things like

that on
a big lathe or would I need a smaller lathe? In other words, could I make

a
baseball bat and a pen on the same lathe? Making bowls might also be fun,

and
would have some potential for gift-making.



  #7   Report Post  
Jon Endres, PE
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message
...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop

class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife

that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure

it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to

concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have

any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat

would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If

you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the

usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.


Definitely not being sarcastic here, so bear with me. I can justify
anything to my wife by telling her, "Honey, I'd like to buy XXX. I *could*
be sitting on my ass in the recliner drinking beer and watching football, or
smoking a pack a day, or playing golf, or (insert expensive hobby here), but
since I don't do any of that stuff, I need something to occupy my time."

Find a local woodturner's group and attend their meetings. Get a cheap mini
lathe (JET or Delta) and a decent set of lathe tools, and start by making
some stuff for her. Lathe work doesn't have to be practical at all (just
pick up a copy of American Woodturner magazine and see how much of that is
practical), but it's sure relaxing and lots of fun.

Keep in mind that lathe work, also, doesn't have to cost you a dime in terms
of wood supply. There's a lot of turners I know, and myself included, that
basically grab chunks off the firewood pile or beg short chunks from local
loggers or tree services. What will cost you is when you get into it and
start buying expensive tools, accessories, exotic burls and turning blanks,
and eventually a really big lathe. Obviously, you don't need all that, but
I bet I could *easily* spend more on a high-end lathe, tooling, accessories
and supplies than I could on an entire flatwork shop.

Jon E


  #8   Report Post  
Bob G
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?


"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message
...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop

class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife

that I
need it.

=========================
I have owned a Lathe for close to 40 years BUT vary vary rarely NEED the
darn thing... BUT I find that using the Lathe is extremely a FUN way to
spend an afternoon, evening etc...

Honestly I have made my share of candle stick holders, plates, bowls, cups
etc...even got into making nut crackers at one time... not too many of my
"projects" require the use of a Lathe..... BUT I would never sell my
machine...just offers way too much fun and relaxation...

Bob Griffiths


  #9   Report Post  
Victor Radin
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

In article ,
ntiSpam says...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.

(with tongue planted firmly in cheek...)

Don't do it. Listen to your wife. Woodturning is an insidious hobby, no,
strike that last- it's not a hobby, it's an addiction. Sure- you'll
start with the inexpensive mono-tube crapsman lathe third-hand from ebay
and a set of $49.96 tools from Harbor Fright. You'll learn to turn
bowls, boxes, cups, pens, scoops, tops, toys, more bowls. Your firewood
budget will go up and then you'll get a woodburning stove for the shop
just to hide the errors. You soon start noticing other lathes calling to
you- the Minis and Midis... so you get one of each, and a set of tools
just for pens, and another set just for bowls, custom tools for mushroom
cap insides or the lip on a box lid... then you want more power to make
bigger bowls- and you begin looking at that Poole, or Vicmarc, or
Oneway... or (insert ominous music) the Stubby!! And another new set of
tools, because you just cannot possibly use a multi-thousand dollar
lathe with a $19.95 gouge. Then as your skills get better and the wife
actually notices on the rare occurrence that you step out of the
shop.... she needs a bigger salad bowl so you get the Osolnik giant sit-
on-it monster and turn a bowl the size of Rhode Island... and then she
wants columns for the porch... so you get yet another lathe, so you can
turn that 10-foot-long, 20" diameter post. Next thing you know you're
building a new shed in the backyard for the collection of lathes, with
it's own power and HVAC plant.

It all starts with one little pen...

Get yourself over to rec.crafts.woodturning and visit for a while- nice
bunch of folks who will actually have excellent reasons for getting a
lathe other than it's relaxing and a boat-load of fun (why I got mine
in the first place).

vic
who manages to avoid the addiction of new tools by being broke.
  #10   Report Post  
Leslie Gossett
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

I love this question. Almost as much as I love turning wood.

There was an old Craftsman lathe in my basement that belonged to my father.
I looked at it for a few months and kept saying, "I should fire it up and
see if I might like turning." Well I did almost a year ago and I discovered
that I loved turning wood. I soon yearned for a newer, better lathe and
bought one. Now my third lathe will be delivered this Friday.

I turned all of my Christmas gifts this year: lamps, rolling pins, pens
sets, and bowls. Everyone loved them and was amazed that they were hand-made
by me. I even managed to sell several bowls in the mean-time.

My next challenge will be a complete chess set. I havn't quite worked myself
up to starting on that one yet. I am looking for the right design.

I do finish about 2 to 3 bowls a week, when the mood strikes me, and if I
have the wood handy. I always have a few pen kits laying around and may
knock one of those out once in a while. My true love is bowls though.

I have my father to thank for buying that used lathe on a whim and leaving
it to me. He only used it once as far as I know and that was to turn a
mallet which he gave me for Christmas one year about 10 years ago. I still
have it and I still use it.

Wood turning is a wonderful and fulfilling hobby and that alone is a good
enough reason to get even a small starter or pen lathe.

Leslie
--
She's got tools, and she knows how to use them.



"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message
...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop

class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife

that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure

it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to

concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have

any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat

would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If

you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the

usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.





  #11   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

NoNameAtAll wrote:
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.


I own a mini and a midi lathe. One will turn up to 6" diameter the
other over a ft. Both will turn small things, candlesticks, pens etc,
but only the larger will turn things like bolws adequately. Let's face
it, a 6" diameter bowl doesn't hold a lot of salad. On the other hand
it makes nice small bowls for the dashboard (toll change) or next to the
bed, pocket contents. What my wife likes about it is that she doesn't
have to worry about presents, Xmas or otherwise. A fancy salad and soup
set is a nice wedding present, homemade oraments are nice Xmas
presents. If you have kids ANYTHING they make is a nice grandparent
present. Just remember a big lathe can turn small, the other way
doesn't work.
Hope that helps,
Dave in Fairfax
--
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/
  #12   Report Post  
DJ Delorie
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?


Non-turning uses for a lathe:

Variable speed power buffing. My friend comes over to polish the
aluminum trim for the car he's restoring.

Variable speed disk sander.

Variable speed drum sander.

Adjustable holder for building model rockets.

Making plugs and stoppers for various items around the house (drilled
holes, pipe ends, etc).

Winding thread/wire/ribbon onto spools.

Spending time teaching your kids to use it.
  #13   Report Post  
Don
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?


"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message
...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop

class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife

that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure

it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to

concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have

any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat

would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If

you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the

usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.


Just go buy it.
When your wife asks why you bought it say, *Cause I wanted it*.


  #15   Report Post  
Larry C
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

I have a lathe. I have few practical uses for it. You've already
figured out that a lathe is a blast to use. Immediate gratification and
no matter what you make it looks cool.

Here's my advice and it's application goes way beyond whether to buy
this lathe or not. It's always easier to get forgiveness than it is to
get permission. See all the hassle you're going through trying to buy a
lathe? You could have bought it, made her a bowl and a rolling pin and
a matching candlestick, taken her to dinner, and be back in your shop by
now using the lathe instead of talking about it.

--
Larry C in Auburn WA
"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message
...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in

shop class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife

that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure

it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to

concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't

have any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball

bat would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for

that. If you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the

usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.




  #18   Report Post  
kb8qlr
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

If you can't afford to buy it...build it.
I did. Check it out...
http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/kb8qlrjoe/page5.html
It aint pretty, it aint super accurate, but it works for me. I can always
make modifications to make it better.
I'm making bowls, drawer pulls, a dome roof for a bird feeder, a holder for
a magnifying glass.
Also, check out the very latest edition of Shop Notes.
Have fun always.
Joe kb8qlr


--
Be sure to check-out our webpages...
http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/kb8qlrjoe/index.html
New pictures & links being added frequently.
"Goat Tosser" wrote in message
...
The voices in the head of ntiSpam (NoNameAtAll) caused
NoNameAtAll to write in
:

Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in
shop class. I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time
convncing my wife that I need it. We just made candle holders in shop
class, and while I'm sure it's great for things like table legs,
lamps, and baseball bats I have to concede that I really can't think


Just wait till she suggests that "WE" "need" something (womanspeak for "I
want") then trade it off.

--
This sig free text brought to you by the letters s, i & g



  #19   Report Post  
Silvan
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Andy Dingley wrote:

That's the trouble with woodturning. No real use for much, too much
fun to leave alone. You get yourself a lathe and the next thing is
you're turning everything in sight. There's a limit to how many turned
mathoms a chap needs.


You can say that again, brother! I haven't been able to leave the stupid
thing off since I got it, but I have no real use for anything I've been
able to produce with it. Especially since I'm using extremely green wood
that warps like crazy as it dries. If I actually tried to use these
spindles for anything, I'd introduce enough stress into the resulting piece
to break nearly anything in short order.

So what I'm getting into personally is mushrooms. I got the idea from
someone's (Darrell Feltmate's, http://www.roundthewoods.com/mushroom.shtml)
newbie projects site, and I've been having a blast making these stupid
things.

I have no idea if the tool control I'm developing will prove useful for
spindles eventually or not, but I'm really happy with my results. My
mushrooms look at lot better (ie more like actual mushrooms) than
Darrell's.

He says he sells a boatload of them at craft shows. SWMBO does craft shows.
I'm using that as an excuse to turn all my little odd small branch scraps
into mushrooms. What the hell. It gives me some justification to continue
having fun anyway. That's the name of the game.

It's going to be a long time before I'm able to turn the chess sets which
were my primary use for this thing.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

  #21   Report Post  
Silvan
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Victor Radin wrote:

Don't do it. Listen to your wife. Woodturning is an insidious hobby, no,
strike that last- it's not a hobby, it's an addiction. Sure- you'll


It definitely is for sure. I haven't made any real stuff in my shop since
Christmas. The list of things I really need and can't afford is endless.

The biggest thing about a lathe is the realization that lumber just isn't
good turning stock. Especially not for newbies where one project in 30 is
worth keeping out of the trash can. (My ratio has gone way up since I
started turning mushrooms though. All of those have been keepers, except
he one that came apart. Plus I can turn them on the round, which saves a
lot of labor.)

You have to buy really thick, expensive lumber, or else spend a lot of time
doing careful glue-ups. Or else use firewood.

Firewood is all but demanded, and working it into turning blanks without the
proper tools is a tedious thing. I have an axe, a maul and a couple of bow
saws. Making bowl blanks SUCKS. Especially when they come apart after all
that freaking labor.

I need a chainsaw and a bandsaw bigtime. And a Jacobs chuck, and a four-jaw
chuck of some sort, and a screw chuck, and some different drives and
different centers, and better turning tools, and more turning tools, and
more wood, always more wood...

More more more more more!

It's the most expensive $200 I ever spent. Too bad I'm broke. I'm limited
so far to turning the pile of maple my neighbor cut out of her tree. So
far. I already know where the woodpile is going to go though.

vic
who manages to avoid the addiction of new tools by being broke.


You can say that again.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

  #22   Report Post  
Nova
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Bridger wrote:

as soon as you have one you'll stop bugging her for one. it's all for
her peace of mind.....
Bridger


Hey, I haven't tried that one yet. Thanks for the tip!

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
(Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)


  #23   Report Post  
The Davenports
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?


"Bridger" wrote in message
...
as soon as you have one you'll stop bugging her for one. it's all for
her peace of mind.....
Bridger


Now THAT'S the best one I"ve heard yet!


  #24   Report Post  
Don
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?


"Silvan" wrote in message
...
Andy Dingley wrote:

That's the trouble with woodturning. No real use for much, too much
fun to leave alone. You get yourself a lathe and the next thing is
you're turning everything in sight. There's a limit to how many turned
mathoms a chap needs.


You can say that again, brother! I haven't been able to leave the stupid
thing off since I got it, but I have no real use for anything I've been
able to produce with it.


Well, you can make some dowels.


  #25   Report Post  
Lazarus Long
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

There's lots to do - bowls, plates, spindles, chair legs and so on.

It sounds like you want the lathe to produce a whole project. That it
can do, limited only by what you think up.

If you're at all interested in chairmaking, you'll need one to make
chair parts. This is where it's a lieutenant in the process of making
something, like a jointer. You have a jointer, right? Yet the
jointer itself does make a finished item, it is something that's used
in the process. So it can be with a lathe.


On 14 Jan 2004 16:04:08 GMT, ntiSpam (NoNameAtAll)
wrote:

Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.




  #26   Report Post  
Tim Douglass
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 20:58:18 GMT, "Larry C"
wrote:

Here's my advice and it's application goes way beyond whether to buy
this lathe or not. It's always easier to get forgiveness than it is to
get permission. See all the hassle you're going through trying to buy a
lathe? You could have bought it, made her a bowl and a rolling pin


Even odds that if you make her the rolling pin you wear it for buying
the lathe without asking first. Making something she can hit you with
just doesn't seem smart.

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com
  #27   Report Post  
Gene
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

As you can sense from the responses so far, most of us don't NEED a lathe.
If we walked around our shop and had to pick the tool that is the most fun
to use, we, who have them, would most likely pick the lathe.

While there are some weekend square projects, most of them take longer than
that. With a lathe, from start to finished (that includes finish) is
measured in minutes to hours. Some projects are useless, like the mushrooms
mentioned. We call them "art" or "craft" depending on whether you have your
lathe in a shop or studio

Some people buy a lathe as an extension of their love of wood and
woodworking. Some find it so fascinating that they quit building square
stuff. Many, as noted in the responses, will use it occasionally as therapy.

How do you justify that you need it? You don't. You want it. If you smoked a
pack a day at $2 a pack (don't know what the price is, but this works for
here,) you'd burn up $730 in a year. If you smoke, quit, and you have your
budget. Then you'll have to worry about the dust in your lungs.

For a $730 budget I'd buy:

A used lathe or a Jet Mini with extension. ~$250
The $29.99 set of HSS turning tools from HF ~$40
A good quality 1/2 inch bowl gouge ~$50
A Talon chuck for the mini lathe or Stronghold for a full size lathe ~$200
Pen kits, book, wood. ~$60
That leaves $130 for some roses and a bauble for SWMBO. Or maybe a nice
dinner out.

Gene

"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message
...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop

class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife

that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure

it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to

concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have

any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat

would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If

you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the

usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.



  #28   Report Post  
TomL
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 10:31:46 -0800, "Gene" wrote:

As you can sense from the responses so far, most of us don't NEED a lathe.
If we walked around our shop and had to pick the tool that is the most fun
to use, we, who have them, would most likely pick the lathe.

Dont own a lathe yet so my most fun stuff is the bandsaw and my crappy
Stanley spokeshave.

TomL
  #30   Report Post  
David Hall
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

"Gene" wrote in message news:4006b2bc$0$18913$SNIP

For a $730 budget I'd buy:

A used lathe or a Jet Mini with extension. ~$250
The $29.99 set of HSS turning tools from HF ~$40
A good quality 1/2 inch bowl gouge ~$50
A Talon chuck for the mini lathe or Stronghold for a full size lathe ~$200
Pen kits, book, wood. ~$60
That leaves $130 for some roses and a bauble for SWMBO. Or maybe a nice
dinner out.

Gene


Damn, when did those $29.99 sets go down to only $40

Dave Hall


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Larry C
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Good point. Don't build any weapons for a week or two.

--
Larry C in Auburn WA
"Tim Douglass" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 20:58:18 GMT, "Larry C"
wrote:

Here's my advice and it's application goes way beyond whether to buy
this lathe or not. It's always easier to get forgiveness than it is

to
get permission. See all the hassle you're going through trying to

buy a
lathe? You could have bought it, made her a bowl and a rolling pin


Even odds that if you make her the rolling pin you wear it for buying
the lathe without asking first. Making something she can hit you with
just doesn't seem smart.

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com


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George Devine
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Make pens with a Vertilathe.

George
http://vertilathe.freeyellow.com

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C
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 16:04:08 +0000, NoNameAtAll wrote:

Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in shop class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't have any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball bat would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for that. If you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.



One thing you can do with a lathe is transport yourself into a world far,
far away from nagging mates, fighting kids, etc.

Lathing is fun.
  #34   Report Post  
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Silvan wrote:
The biggest thing about a lathe is the realization that lumber just isn't
good turning stock. Especially not for newbies where one project in 30 is
worth keeping out of the trash can. (My ratio has gone way up since I
started turning mushrooms though. All of those have been keepers, except
he one that came apart. Plus I can turn them on the round, which saves a
lot of labor.)
I need a chainsaw and a bandsaw bigtime. And a Jacobs chuck, and a four-jaw
chuck of some sort, and a screw chuck, and some different drives and
different centers, and better turning tools, and more turning tools, and
more wood, always more wood...


I ain't gonna give up a chainsaw, but you've got a box of blanks headed
you way. Try turning some of that pine you've got lying around, and any
poplar that you can find.

Dave in Fairfax
--
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/
  #36   Report Post  
Silvan
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Gene wrote:

measured in minutes to hours. Some projects are useless, like the
mushrooms mentioned. We call them "art" or "craft" depending on whether
you have your lathe in a shop or studio


Not useless. Tie a couple of them to a string and you have a bola. Put one
on your desk and you have a paperweight. Put a bunch of them in a bag, and
you have a weapon almost as good as a sack of doorknobs.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

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Puff Griffis
 
Posts: n/a
Default What can you with a lathe?

Because of this irritating thread I went out and bought the cheapest =
lathe that HF had. It was the $129 old model but I got if for $79 since =
it is discontinued. Anyway so I set it up and having never used a lathe =
before I actually read the 3 pages of instructions and off I went. I now =
have 7 honey dippers a candle holder and a dice cup. What a hoot.
Puff

"NoNameAtAll" wrote in message =
...
Way back in middle school the lathe was one of my favorite tools in =

shop class.
I'd love to own one, but I'm having a difficult time convncing my wife =

that I
need it. We just made candle holders in shop class, and while I'm sure =

it's
great for things like table legs, lamps, and baseball bats I have to =

concede
that I really can't think of any practical uses for it since I don't =

have any
need to make any of those things. Actually making a homemade baseball =

bat would
be kind of neat but it's tough to justify buying a lathe just for =

that. If you
can help me convince my wife (and myself for that matter) of the =

usefulness of
a lathe I'll be eternally grateful.


  #40   Report Post  
Silvan
 
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Default What can you with a lathe?

Phisherman wrote:

Having a lathe is like entering a time machine. Start using it and
you think an hour goes by, but really it was the entire day passes by.


Too true. Makes one wish for windows in the shop. Step in at high sun,
step out, and it's dark outside. Dark? How did that happen?

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

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