Cummins Wood Lathe

[Bill]

Came home from an auction with a clean looking Cummins Benchtop Wood Lathe, model #3253 (1/2 HP, 40" between centers, 14" swing) for $25. After reading some reviews, I'm not sure whether I got a good deal yet or not, but it seemed too good to pass up at the time. I don't have any lathe gouges yet, but I'll be on the lookout for some. --Definitely carbide-less ones, for the time being; I only have a lathe now because it fell in my lap... In fact, I'm not even 100% sure whether this is a

*real* lathe. The person doing the selling got my attention ("hooked me") when he suggested making tool handles...

Work on my renovation project continues. Almost time to apply the Zinsser 123. It's on sale this week at Menards.

Bill

[Bill]

Cost-wise, I think I'll need 4 or 5 lathes-worth of the Zins.... ; )

[Roy]

[Bill]

Roy,

Thank you very much!

Bill

[russellseaton1]

Consider the Harbor Freight High Speed steel 8 piece lathe chisel set. OK for spindle turning. Couple roughing gouges, one spindle gouge, couple scr apers, couple skews. Good HSS. Good for learning to sharpen lathe tools. You would need to add a bowl gouge for a complete turning set.

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[Bill]

spindle turning. Couple roughing gouges, one spindle gouge, couple scrapers, couple skews. Good HSS. Good for learning to sharpen lathe tools. You would need to add a bowl gouge for a complete turning set.

Thank you for your suggestion! That was one of the first sets I looked at online. The reviews leave some doubt as to the quality of the steel, but they are about half the price of the other recommended set (Benjamin's Best). I will investigate/compare more before I click buy. Sometimes people post reviews at LumberJocks.com too. I'll be checking there just to learn a little more.

Bill

[Bill]

Russell,

The set you mentioned gets pretty darn good reviews:

One of the "comments" on the review above even included a link to comparisons of metalurgical properties between various turning gouges.

Bill

[Larry Blanchard]

I bought that set years ago and my experience agrees with the review mentioned above. I did turn a new set of handles for the ones I used a lot.

[cindy padella]

Could anyone tell me how to remove the chuck that comes on there and put the flat bowl turning chuck on.....I bought an auction also and regretting it! thanks

[J. Clarke]

A little googling suggests that this lathe has a thread rather than a Morse taper, so figure out some way to lock the spindle and then unscrew the chuck.

[krw]

Aren't all wood lathe spindles and chucks threaded?

[russellseaton1]

Yes. All lathes, wood and metal, have a headstock spindle with a morse taper on the inside, and threads on the outside. To keep the lathe from turning, there will be some way to lock the spindle so you can unscrew the faceplate or chuck. On the chuck or faceplate, there will be round holes (1/4" diameter) to insert bars that you can grip and turn. And on the headstock you will be able to put a big wrench on the hexagon nut behind the spindle threads, or on the outside where the wheel is there will be some round holes (1/4" diameter) where you can put bars and lock the spindle from turning. The round bars to go in the holes should come with a new lathe.

[krw]

Newer lathes often have spindle locks rather than use Tommy bars or nut flats behind the spindle threads. Chucks don't all use Tommy bars either - nut flats on the backside for removal and a key to operate. I think most have a long rod to poke the MT center out of the spindle.

[Frank McGuire]

Agree with that, better to buy a set right. Bowl gouges are different, here is a good review about it -

[Leon]

The moon phase might work well with that.