# Obvious piece of crap...



## Timbo (Aug 15, 2012)

I have a habit of checking to tool section on craigslist just about every day.  Today I came across what has to be the most obvious piece of crap lathe  I've seen posted.

Take a look here if you want a good laugh - wood lathe 50mm 4 speed


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## flyitfast (Aug 15, 2012)

That's the lathe I use - what's wrong with it?????
:biggrin::biggrin:


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## alamocdc (Aug 15, 2012)

Now that's funny! The dude is smokin' crack!


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## tim self (Aug 15, 2012)

I started out on one of those. (or something similar but pre pens)  Nowhere near that price.


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## Kinger (Aug 15, 2012)

even better that the dudes name is Zoid ,  sounds legit


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## pensbydesign (Aug 15, 2012)

i have one of those sitting in my shop never plugged it in


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## mredburn (Aug 15, 2012)

Things like that fall off the truck all the time............


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## cnirenberg (Aug 15, 2012)

mredburn said:


> Things like that fall off the truck all the time............



Yup, better call Zoid to come get that stuff off the road before the scrap metal guys do.


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## its_virgil (Aug 15, 2012)

I too had that lathe as my first and turned lots of pens on it for two years. It looked just like that one and was called a Rand best I remember. Paid about $100 for it from an eBay auction. No where to go but up.
Don


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## KBs Pensnmore (Aug 15, 2012)

I had one like it also, over here it was sold as GMC. Made a lot of bowls on it though, it still works in a Day Centre that I volunteer at.:biggrin:
It had another section, bolting it on, that made it into a 36"between centres.
Kryn


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## wood-of-1kind (Aug 15, 2012)

pensbydesign said:


> i have one of those sitting in my shop never plugged it in



You don't have to plug it in. The "hamster" generates the "turning" motion.:wink:


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## its_virgil (Aug 15, 2012)

...I kept several ages of hampsters and change the speed by changing the age of the hampster.:biggrin:

Actually, the one I had worked quite well, was well built but could have been a little heavier and it is still being used by the guy who received it as a gift. 

Hard to judge quality from just a picture.

Do a good turn daily!
Don





wood-of-1kind said:


> pensbydesign said:
> 
> 
> > i have one of those sitting in my shop never plugged it in
> ...


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## KenV (Aug 15, 2012)

That is a great upgrade from a spring pole lathe with out bearings --   if you have a current bush to plug the new one into.

Not sure it is an upgrade from a treadle lathe.......


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## plantman (Aug 15, 2012)

KenV said:


> That is a great upgrade from a spring pole lathe with out bearings -- if you have a current bush to plug the new one into.
> 
> Not sure it is an upgrade from a treadle lathe.......


 
 You have to remember that the old bow lathes, that were used by the Egyptians, changed rotation ever stroke!! Original AC motor. We all have to start someplace, and it's usualy with little money and less knowledge. As our funds grow, our knowledge increases, and we find we enjoy what we are doing, we tend to move on to bigger and better machines that help us to achieve greater success in our projects. To some of the people that have the better machines now, this lathe may seem like a joke. To someone without a lathe, it's the "Holy Grail". I do agree that the $200 price seems a little high, but it's a good entry level if you find out you don't like to turn after all.  Jim S


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## plantman (Aug 15, 2012)

KenV said:


> That is a great upgrade from a spring pole lathe with out bearings -- if you have a current bush to plug the new one into.
> 
> Not sure it is an upgrade from a treadle lathe.......


 
 You have to remember that the old bow lathes, that were used by the Egyptians, changed rotation ever stroke!! Original AC motor. We all have to start someplace, and it's usualy with little money and less knowledge. As our funds grow, our knowledge increases, and we find we enjoy what we are doing, we tend to move on to bigger and better machines that help us to achieve greater success in our projects. To some of the people that have the better machines now, this lathe may seem like a joke. To someone without a lathe, it's the "Holy Grail". I do agree that the $200 price seems a little high, but it's a good entry level if you find out you don't like to turn after all. Jim S


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## ironman123 (Aug 15, 2012)

I have a green one of those from HF, in my garage now that I bought for my Grandson 7 or 8 years ago I think for 59.00.

He played with it one weekend and it has been sitting there collecting dust for about that many years.

Ray


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## toddlajoie (Aug 16, 2012)

I starte off on the green HF version. Took me about a week to realize that the way the bed flexed when you tightened the tailstock should not be considered a "feature"


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## underdog (Aug 16, 2012)

I too had one of those. I believe mine was a tad lighter blue though. It isn't worth $99 brand spanking new if you wanna know the truth.

And yes, when you tighten the tailstock down, it bowed up. I made a torsion box and screwed it to the base to stiffen it up. That helped, but didn't totally cure the problem. It's just stamped out sheet metal after all... Finally the spindle bearings slid out of the housings, and I just gave up on it. Sold it to the local ReTool store and got a drill press instead.


I turned a few things on it, then moved up to another piece of crap (HF 1236 - pardon me if you have one and love it), and finally bought a Jet Mini 1014 (with extension) for about $250 (after rebates). Turned LOTs of stuff on that.  Now I have the Jet 1642 and enjoy it, but dream of a Robust or Vicmark, or Oneway....


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## pensbydesign (Aug 16, 2012)

toddlajoie said:


> I starte off on the green HF version. Took me about a week to realize that the way the bed flexed when you tightened the tailstock should not be considered a "feature"



i think thats the spring clamp feature


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## Timbo (Aug 17, 2012)

its_virgil said:


> ...I kept several ages of hampsters and change the speed by changing the age of the hampster.:biggrin:
> 
> Actually, the one I had worked quite well, was well built but could have been a little heavier and it is still being used by the guy who received it as a gift.
> 
> ...



I don't know Don...I agree with you for the most part, but in this case I think I would have given 10 : 1 odds that this is a peice of crap just from looking at the picture.:biggrin:


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## plantman (Aug 21, 2012)

Tim: It's not the price of the lathe that makes it work, it's the skill of the craftsman using it. You could have the most expensive lathe made, but if you don't know how to use it, it's worthless!! Most of the beautiful pieces of furniture in the world were made without power tools. They used what they had at the time and the skill they possesed. Hence the word "Craftsman" or "Master". Never judge a book by it's cover or a tool by it's picture!!   Jim S


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## DannyHeatley (Aug 21, 2012)

The price may be a bit out but up here Canadian tire sells worse. I mean at least that one is metal.


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## eldee (Aug 21, 2012)

Well, if you use a bow lathe like the Marrakesh turners, this thing is a step up.
Marrakesh Wood Turners - YouTube


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