# Approximate minimum to start turning?



## TrevortdogR (Feb 11, 2013)

What are actual start up costs to consider including lathe for making bowls and smaller items?


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

maybe this will help you Trevor 
Buying a lathe and starting out in woodturning.


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## TrevortdogR (Feb 11, 2013)

Semipro said:


> maybe this will help you Trevor
> Buying a lathe and starting out in woodturning.


Thanks!


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

I'd say expect to spend $500 on a lathe and another $100 on tools to get started. If you get bitten by the turning bug, you'll later spend a couple thousand or more on a lathe and $500 on tools, plus another few hundred on sharpening systems. As always, Your Mileage May Vary.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Turning is something you have to get dedicated to to be good at it. Kind of like mudding drywall or laying lineoleum.


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Turning is a lot like golfing, fishing or hunting there is always something more to buy. In my area you can usually find an old Craftsman lathe for $100 or so. Tools are another stiory. One chisel can easily run $80 to $100 for quality tools. Sharpening accessories, well the sky is the limit. But it is fun stuff.


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

You have gotten some good advice. The lathe is cheap because all the accessories are the expense.:grin: I have been turning now for 10 yrs or more and can tell you it does get expensive. Today after turning all these years I can say buy quality to begin with. If you get the bug like I did it will cost more now but in the long run will be cheaper and save you money. I turn everything from bowls, pens, pepper mills, pizza cutters, mini birdhouses, etc. I use them to repair furniture that needs items turned. I don't make a ton of money but this year so far I have made around $3400 and getting ready for Christmas which should be pretty good. I do only 2 craft fairs and have my turnings in a Art Gallery, a Floral/Craft store, and at the Buffalo Bill Cultural Center which sells to tourist. 

What I meant was about buying good equipment to begin with is if you do like I did and buy cheap lathe and cheap tools and get the bug you will be upgrading. Over the first few years I spent more money than I would have if I had just started with what I have now. I bought a cheap C-man to begin with and got so frustrated with it and bought a another cheap lathe, and then a third thinking I was saving money. If it were me I would get like a Jet 1221, Rikon 70-220VSR which I have heard good reviews on or a Turncrafter Commander to begin with which will let you turn 11" to 12" bowls, pens, pepper mills, etc. I would get these tools which will give you a good start. https://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCHSS8.html I bought those and still use most of them today. 

I now have a Jet 1220 and a Nova DVR XP. A good chuck is a must. I use Vicmarc chucks and have probably 5 of them. I am lazy and don't like changing jaws so each one has a different set of jaws. 

Long story short you will save money buying quality to begin with. If you find out you don't care to turn you will get your money back easily. My first C-man went to the metal scraper because I couldn't even sell it. So just some thoughts, info and idea's to mull over.


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

The tools will easily go into the hundreds. If you decide you want to start turning check out the EZ wood tools on Youtube. They will you start without getting into sharpening. If you decide that you want them PM me and I can give you a decent price of a set. Or prices on any other turning tools.


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Shop guy said:


> Turning is a lot like golfing, fishing or hunting there is always something more to buy. In my area you can usually find an old Craftsman lathe for $100 or so. Tools are another stiory. One chisel can easily run $80 to $100 for quality tools. Sharpening accessories, well the sky is the limit. But it is fun stuff.


This is good advice, don't spend a lot of money until you are sure you want to be a wood turner, buy a cheap lathe, join a turning club as they will have lathes to learn on and they will also be happy to show you how its done, some of my best tools came from persons who spent a lot of money on tools before they knew if the did want to use these tools or not, I got them cheap after they gave up so they never got their money back. That said if you do decide you like it then buy the best tools you can afford but you should still buy cheap chisels in the beginning, as it takes practice to learn to grind wood turning tools ang there is no point learning with expensive steel and no point in grinding them down as you learn how to do it. Turning is fun but don't spend a lot of money until you are sure you like it. N


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## BIGROMO (Mar 16, 2015)

I'd also suggest buying some inexpensive high speed steel lathe chisels at first as learning to sharpen eats away at them pretty quickly so you don't want to be grinding away on higher dollar tools at first. Also invest in a sharpening jig like a wolverine as it lets you sharpen quickly and easily and consistently and you will more than make up the $ in saving your chisels from becoming stubs too soon, as well as a better quality edge in far less time. But I'd make sure they are made from high speed steel, although there are various grades of that, at least they are harder than the carbon steel ones and will hold the edge longer while using. Then if you know you are going to stay with it, invest in a couple of good chisels, the ones you use most and add as you go along. Have fun-!


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Turning is something you have to get dedicated to to be good at it. Kind of like mudding drywall or laying lineoleum.


Or Rick Insulating his walls.


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## Pro4824 (Oct 17, 2015)

It's a little easier to justify the cost of a lathe if you consider other tasks it can handle when you're not turning wood. 
I've used mine as a 12" disk sander, a horizontal drill press, a buffer..... and a lathe.  Joe.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Check any local turning clubs. Many have sales/auctions this time a year and many turners who have "graduated" to newer equipment will be selling items they no longer need. If you are close to Asheville NC the Carolina Mountain Woodturners have their annual event in November. Also check Craigs list and etc. lots of folks think they want to turn and find it is not their thing. I would suggest going the used route for that very reason. No need to buy a bunch of new stuff until you are sure you will stick with it. Good luck...


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

Garyk said:


> lots of folks think they want to turn and find it is not their thing.


I'm glad I have my lathe, but I'm also glad I didn't invest in a really good one. I enjoy using it, but I'm just not the creative type that starts with no idea where he's going and figures out what a piece "wants" to be. My lathe goes for a couple of years at a time without being fired up. Segmented bowls appeal to me, but I've never invested the time. Maybe when I get those cabinets finished . . . .


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Several years ago I had a need for a couple of simple turned spindles as part of a build I was doing. Rather than farm it out, I looked into getting my own lathe. Found a nice
Craftsman on Craigs list for 300.00, Picked up a couple of basic carbide tipped tools at Rockler for IIRC 60.00 each. Picked up a drill chuck for another 20 on Ebay and a live center on the bay for another 10...Ended up with about 500 give or take tied up into it. Not a bad lathe, not a great one, but a good one to get a feel for on. Like anything else in the shop, it can easily become a money pit. BUT having said that, if lathe work will be your primary focus, shop around for something you can afford and don't skimp on the accessories. And if at all possible, spend some time with someone who knows what they are doing. Kinda introduce ya to the lathe and tools and how to setup and turn safely. 

I just wish I could spend more time on the lathe,,,turning is really something pretty darn enjoyable, You can literally start a project and finish it in a few hours time...most of my woodshop projects take me weeks *L*...


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Turning is a lot of fun and somewhat relaxing. I was home alone today and to kill some time i made 2 pens. One walnut and one acrylic. 2 less Christmas gifts to think about. Now the bad part. Cleaning up the mess.


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## john60 (Aug 30, 2014)

If you have not turned before take a class or find some one to teach you enough to let you try it. If its for you it will become apparent fairly quickly. Then you will need to decide what you want to turn. Penn State Industries have several small lathe packages that are complet enough to get you started. To use convential lathe chiesels you have to know how to sharpen (this should be part of basic instruction). Without sharp tools you are doomed and turning is not fun. If you go with the tools that use carbide inserts, then sharpening becomes a non issue.

I tried turning several different times. Till I learned to sharpen I never cared for it. Now I love to turn.


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

There are lots of good youtube videos to watch. Cap'n Eddie Castellin, Richard Rafin, Brendan Stamo, Allen Lacer to name just a few. All of theses guys have good videos.


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

I think there's value in starting off with entry-level tools, whether it's a lathe or a table saw, or anything else. If it's a passing fancy, you haven't invested too much. If it takes hold of you, then you've had the experience of using inferior tools. Some of the deep satisfaction that I get from using my Unisaw/Biesemeyer combination comes from the contrast with the experience I had with my entry-level Grizzly and junk fence for the first 20 years. Now that I've been at this a while and I know I'm in it for life, I tend to skip a step or two and go straight to the good stuff. But I can't shake the feeling that I'm cheating myself when I do.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

If you haven't bought a lathe yet, make sure that parts are available for it. As for tools, I started with a harbor Freight set (red handles) and still use them. I'm not real big into turning...yet but the tools give me practice for sharpening. Like others have said, as you progress, considering you want to stay with turning, you can add high quality tools and accessories when you can justify the cost. The lathe is the cheapest part of turning. Look for a turning club at www.woodturner.org for assistance.


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## IRestore (Mar 28, 2015)

It appeared to be fairly economical when I decided to get into it. Not unlike most of our hobbies, I suppose. I figured the cost of a midi-lathe, some good tools & I am off. Of course, I forgot the sharpening stuff, calipers, centering drilling vise, finishing supplies, etc., etc..

Ok, with that said, you could get a smaller lathe designed for pen turning & save some money. I would think someone could be "all in" for $500 if they really watched their pennies & focused small scale, I would budget $1,000 for a similar midi set up & as you would guess, the sky's the limit in all of this stuff.

Good luck,


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

IRestore said:


> It appeared to be fairly economical when I decided to get into it.


Boy, how many of us know THAT story? I told myself I would save enough money by building our furniture to pay for my tools. Now, it would sound like a joke. Now, I tell myself I'll save enough money on the furniture to buy the WOOD. Much closer to the truth. And then there's the time I convinced my wife I would save enough money on gas to pay for my motorcycle. It might have been true if I'd stuck with the first one. By the time I was finished, I was riding a bike that got 30 miles per gallon and driving a car that got 33. 

The Thing That Divides The Men From The Boys
More Than Anything Else, Is the Price of Their Toys


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

In regards to sharpening of tools: by the time you invest in a jig for sharpening (the old way takes time to learn) and the tools that require repeated sharpening you could probably justify the newer type of chisels that have the "throw away" carbide tips. Probably against the grain for some but they sure make turning easier and eliminate a lot of catches. Some times new technology is "the better way". And if you really want to save some money you can by bar stock and make your own tools. The handles are easy but shaping the metal takes some practice. My first hollowing tool (for Christmas ornaments) was a bent 16d nail. I think I picked that up from Dick Sing.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

I'm not a turner though at some point, I'll probably get a lathe. I think a lot of the advice you have gotten is good but it appears to be more focused on buying new and presumes you will keep the tool for a long time. Thus, the advice to get the best possible tool for your budget.

My perspective is that if you want to learn about something and aren't sure you will go deep in it, buy used. There are two reasons for this. First, you will reduce your initial outlay of $$$. Always a good idea. Secondly, if you decide you want to go deeper in it, you can probably sell the used tool for about what you paid. Thus reducing your "learning cost" close to zero. And, you get to learn what you like and dislike so, when you go for a new tool, you have a much better chance of buying the right one. I've done this with a number of tools and actually made a little money on it (though break even is just fine by me).


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## TrevortdogR (Feb 11, 2013)

Thanks for all the good advice!

Since I'm not sure I would love/like turning and with what seems to be around $500 minimum start up cost, I will probably put turning on the shelf for now since it's not a big itch to scratch. Since I don't have a band saw or spindle/belt sander yet I would rather invest in those tools first.


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