Choosing your first woodturning lathe is an important decision in your woodturning journey. Watch and read our comprehensive buying guide.
If you are looking at getting into woodturning the first consideration is what woodturning lathe to buy. Axminster Tools offers a range of Craft benchtop woodturning lathes to meet your woodturning needs. Before buying your lathe there are a few points to consider and parts of the lathe to understand:
It's probably the most comprehensive free guarantee ever - buy with confidence from Axminster! So sure are we of the quality, we cover all parts and labour free of charge for three years!
The capacity of your lathe determines the size of project you can turn. It consists of the maximum capacity over the lathe bed and the distance between centres.
The maximum diameter you can turn on an Axminster Craft woodturning lathe ranges between 240mm and 355mm.
The length of work you can turn is determined by the maximum distance between the headstock centre and the tailstock centre. The distance between centres on an Axminster Craft benchtop lathe ranges between 440mm and 510mm.
In short, the larger the capacity of the lathe, the larger the project you can turn.
If you want to turn longer pieces lathe bed extensions are available. This will extend the turning between centres capacity significantly and, in some cases, over 1,100mm. See our range of Craft lathe accessories.
There are three types of control. A fixed pulley, where you have a pulley on the top and a pulley on the motor. To change the speed, you turn the lathe off, slacken the belt and move over the pulley settings.
A mechanical variable speed lathe is where you have you have pulley's both top and bottom that mesh together. As you move the control leaver the pulley's move in and out, controlling both speed and torque.
An electronic variable speed lathe lets you quickly and easily adjust and set the speed to suit what you are turning. For example; drilling requires a slow speed, turning requires a faster speed. When sanding, a speed between the two is required.
Axminster Craft variable speed benchtop lathes have powerful DC motors, giving you instant power when you need it. The Craft range of lathes motor power ranges from 375W to 750W.
Basically, the larger the power, the bigger the pieces you can turn as the motor needs to keep the piece turning at a consistent speed.
Retail prices for an Axminster Craft lathe roughly range between £200 and £600. *Price range correct as of September 2020
Generally, the more you spend on your lathe the bigger the motor, capacity, and number of features you get.
| AC240WL | AC305WL | AC355WL | |
| Max Diameter over Bed | 240mm | 305mm | 355mm |
| Distance Between Centres | 440mm | 457mm | 510mm |
| Power | 375W | 550W | 750W |
| Speed | 700 - 2,800rpm (5) | 500 - 2,040 / 1,000 - 4,080rpm (variable) | 250 - 3,550rpm (variable) |
| Overall L x W x H | 865mm x 205mm x 365mm | 820mm x 280mm x 440mm | 1,040mm x 370mm x 480mm |
| Nett Weight | 38kg | 40kg | 57kg |
If space isn’t an issue in your workshop you might consider the Axminster Craft AC370WL floor standing lathe.
| AC370WL | |
| Max Diameter over Bed | 370mm |
| Distance Between Centres | 1,100mm |
| Power | 750W |
| Speed | 500 - 2,000rpm (10, variable) |
| Overall L x W x H | 1,680mm x 470mm x 1,155mm |
| Nett Weight | 97kg |
| 1. Headstock handwheel | 5. Lathe bed | 8. Tool rest |
| 2. Belt cover | 6. Motor | 9. Tailstock |
| 3. Headstock | 7. Tool rest saddle | 10. Variable speed control (if it has one) |
| 4. Headstock shaft |
Our expert woodturning Tutor Colwin Way is inviting you all to his workshop for Turning Live. Colwin will be taking you through projects for all abilities and offering you some of the tips and tricks he’s learned on his life-long woodturning journey. Colwin Way will be hosting Live workshops every Tuesday and Thursday at 4pm UK time on our Facebook page.
Watch Craig Steele's Craft Bandsaw buying guide.
Mr. Colwin Way (or any dear umpalumpa) who reads this.
I want to upgrade from my very old record power blue DML24x (250w). I'm aiming around 12" to 14" for bowls and plates. That fight goes between the AC355Wl and AT350WL.
Besides all the advantages of trade vs a craft machine, they both have 750w. And the trade one is smaller in swing capacity...
My question is: - in that range of power is there a very significant difference between an electronic variable speed vs an inverter? And a follow-up question is that power ok for 12" bowls or should I save the double and go for the 1,5KW AT406WL instead?
Thank you for your time
Antonio