The Best Wood Lathes For Beginner Woodworkers
All of the power tools that are featured below in the list of Our Top Picks are really good, but only one of them can be considered the best wood lathe for beginners. In order to establish this, we first take a look at the different functions and features that each of them have and then state what their pros and cons are. From there, we will answer some frequently asked questions about wood lathes and then finish by making our final recommendation on which of these power tools is our favorite and the best wood lathe for beginners.
Wood Lathes For Beginners: Our Top Picks
Table of Contents
#1 Delta Industrial 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe
NOTABLE FEATURES
- High maximum speed
- Easy to move around
- Good value for money
The Delta Industriel 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe has a minimum speed of 250 RPM and a maximum speed of 4,000 RPM. It provides the ability to reverse spin, which is good for processes, such as sanding and polishing (should you ever use it for metal work). Whenever the belts on the power tool are changed, the lever on it allows you to quickly find the setting that is perfect for what you need. Even though it is very sturdy and made from cast iron cast iron, it is not that heavy that you are unable to move it around your workshop or a construction site.
It is powered by a 1 horsepower motor and so means that you are able to work with large work pieces both effortlessly and more efficiently. Thanks to how versatile the lethe is, you are able to perform a number of different tasks with it and so offers good value for money given its affordable price tag. However, should you ever want to work with pieces of wood that are really large then you will need to purchase some extensions at an additional cost.
PROS
- High maximum speed
- Easy to move around
- Good value for money
CONS
- Extensions required for large tasks
#2 Excelsior Mini Lathe
NOTABLE FEATURES
- Different speed range settings
- Good level of performance
- Reasonably priced
The Excelsior Mini Lathe has a 1 horsepower motor that provides a good amount of performance in a minimum amount of time. It has been constructed using cast iron cast iron so it is strong and durable, and the spur centre and the tailstock centre have been placed properly. This lets you utilize the specialist ball bearing feature on the knockout bar for the spur centre. The wood lathe has five different speed control settings of 760 RPM, 1,100 RPM, 1,600 RPM, 2,200 RPM, and 3,200 RPM.
Because it comes with a faceplate that is 3 inches in length and a 6 inch tool rest tool rest, you get a power tool that delivers a good level of performance that is long lasting. For greater convenience, the adjustment levers for ratcheting are easily available. In order to make the lethe efficient, the cam lock on it has a special safety feature and the hardware safety switch is chrome plated for added exclusivity. Because of these many different features, it is a good power tool for turning wood with.
Even with all of the many benefits that the Excelsior Mini Lathe has, it is still reasonably priced, which makes it good value for money. There are a number of accessories that are compatible with the wood lathe should you want to expand the things that you can do with it and these can be purchased additionally at an extra cost. Because the power tool is heavy it is difficult to move around your workshop or to transport from job to job. The instruction manual that comes with it does not explain all aspects of using it in detail, which is not good.
PROS
- Different speed range settings
- Good level of performance
- Reasonably priced
CONS
- Difficult to move
- Poor quality instruction manual
#3 Jet JWL-1015VS 10 Inch X 15 Inch Variable Speed Wood Working Lathe
NOTABLE FEATURES
- Produces very few vibrations
- Can be used for various applications
- Lots of power
The bed of the Jet JWL-1015VS 10 Inch X 15 Inch Variable Speed Woood Working Lathe is made from cast iron and so is super durable and very stabile when in operation. Because of this, it produces very few vibrations and so leads to a much more precise outcome. With it being so well built, the power tool will likely last for many years, even when used often and demandingly. The fact that it has a hollow tailstock and allows hollow boring through the headstock is highly convenient.
The cam lock on the lathe sits on both the tool rest tool rest and the tailstock. There are six different spindles that let you switch the speed range at which the power tool spins, with a range of between 400 RPM and 3,300 RPM. With the spindle being indexed at 15 degrees, you are able to perform woodworking techniques, such as veining and fluting. This means that it can be used for a variety of different applications, including making door knobs, pens, platters, drawers, bottle stops, plus many more things.
The Jet JWL-1015VS 10 Inch X 15 Inch Variable Speed Ranges Woood Working Lathe is powered by a 375 Watt motor that has six different belt speeds. With all of this power you are able to perform highly precise turning for an excellent finished product. Changing the speed ranges of the lathe for wood is a quick and easy thing to do given the access you have to convenient doors. The fact that it has twenty four options for indexing makes fluting and veining easy things to cut out. Best of all is that the power tool comes with a reasonable price tag, which makes it ideal for beginner woodworkers.
However, it does not have a chuck with it and so you will need to purchase this additionally at an extra cost. Also, with this model, there is no reverse speed control setting, which does limit what you are able to do with the power tool.
PROS
- Produces very few vibrations
- Can be used for various applications
- Lots of power
CONS
- Comes without a chuck
- No reverse speed setting
#4 RIKON 70-100 12-by-16-Inch Mini Lathe
NOTABLE FEATURES
- Easy speed adjustment
- Self ejecting tailstock
- Easy to transport
The speed setting on the RIKON 70-100 12-by-16-Inch Mini Lathe can be quickly and easily changed, thus making it ideal for use on a busy construction site. It has a feature whereby it self ejects the tailstock and thus eliminates the need to use the knockout on the centre of the power tool. This makes your life much easier and eliminates the number of steps that you need to take in order to get the piece of wood that you are working on into the position that you require.
Some of the impressive features that the lathe wood has include an extension, a 0.5 horsepower motor, and a ram that is laser engraved. Thanks to the extension you are able to transport the power tool with you regardless of where your next job takes you. Moving it is made easier given the fact that it is a mini lathe and so does not weigh that much. However, the overall quality of this lethe is not the best and so some of the many components that it has are prone to becoming damaged and even breaking.
PROS
- Easy speed adjustment
- Self ejecting tailstock
- Easy to transport
CONS
- Not the best quality
FAQs – A Buyer’s Guide
Below are our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about wood lathes and in particualrlly, what the best wood lathe for beginners are. By answering these you should be armed with all of the information that you need in order to make a purchasing decision that is right for you. To help us with this task, we enlisted the help of several industry expert and professional woodworkers so that you can rest assured that all of the information that we provide you with here is accurate, up to date, and follows best practice.
What is a good wood lathe for beginners?
A wood lethe that is at the lower end of the market should cost anywhere between $200 and $400. So for anyone looking to purchase such a power tool that is good value for money, they should be looking for one within this price range. Above and beyond this price range, some woood lathes can cost as much as $3,000 dollars, but these are aimed more at professional woodworkers who require certain functions, features, and specifications from their power tool.
Some of the best wood lathe for beginners within this lower price range include the JET JWL-1221VS 12-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speeed Woood Lathe, the Grizzly Industrial H8259-10″ x 18″ Benchtop Wood Lathe, the RIKON 70-100 12-by-16-Inch Mini Lathe, the Delta Industriel 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe, the Powermatic 1352001 Model 3520B 20×35-Inch Wood Lathe, the VEVOR Digital Readout Digital Readout Benchtop Wooden Lathe, and the Axminster Craft AC305WL Woodturning Lethe.
Our favorite out of all of these is the Grizzly Industrial H8259-10″ x 18″ Benchtop Wood Lethe. This is because not only is it really good value for money, but it comes with lots of capacity, is lightweight, and so is easy to transport from job to job or even just around your workshop.
What is the best wood lathe for the money?
This is a question that we have answered throughout this very review. All of the lathes wood that featured in the above list of Our Top Picks are all great power tools for beginners, as they are small, have all of the basic functions and features, and are all reasonably priced, meaning that you do not have to spend an arm and a leg in order to get started with this type of woodworking as either a hobby or a profession. Keep reading to see which of these lathes we thought was the best wood lathe for beginners of them all.
Some other good wood lathes for beginners that did not quite make it into the list of Our Top Picks is the NOVA 46300 Comet II Variable Speed Mini Lathe, the Central Machinery 8″ X 12″ Bench Top Wood Lathe, the Shop Fox W1758 Wood Lathe, the Grizzly Industrial G0694-20″ x 43″ Heavy-Duty Variable-Speed Wood Lathe, the JET 708358K JWL-1442VSK 14-by-42-Inch VS PRO Wood Lathe, and the Powermatic 1352001 Model 3520B 20×35-Inch Wood Lathe.
What wood is best for lathe?
There are a number of different woods that are good for use on a lethe. These include the likes of Beech, Ebony, Hickory, European Yew, Rosewood. Some of the ones that you would want to avoid using on a lethe include Mesquite, Manzanita, and Eastern White Pine. What makes the first list of woods good is that they are highly versatile, beautiful, and very durable. These types of wood can be used for a variety of different jobs, including making bowls, goblets, pens, bottle stoppers, bangles, plus much more.
When it comes to the appearance of a wood, it is typical that this will come from a more mature tree. This gives the wood a nice appearance, as well as a sweet scent. For durability, the wood should be able to withstand changes in climate, termites, and even attacks from certain fungi. With these types of wood being so elastic, it is able to accurately regain its original shape without ever breakings. This makes it ideal to make either archery bows or fishing rods out of.
What do you need to start woodturning?
In order to get started in the world of woodworking you simply need something that spins wood around. Typically this is a small power tool that is known as a lethe. Read the review above to see some of the best wood lathe for beginners. For any individual that feels like they have the skill and ability to do so, you can make your own lathe by using a drill press or a drill. From there, you just need a nice piece of wood to work on, as previously mentioned in response to the last question, and some chisel tools so that you can create the result that you are after.
The Best Wood Lathes For Beginners
Delta Industriel 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe
Having reviewed each of the above best wood lathe for beginners in detail, we are now in a position to make our final recommendation as to which of these is the best of them all. However, before we do that, we must state that all of the power tools that made it into the list of Our Top Picks are great for beginner woodworkers and so if you do not agree with our final choice or if you cannot afford it, then you should feel happy about purchasing any one of the others that we looked at in this list.
That being said, our favorite out of all of the best wood lathe for beginners that we reviewed was the Delta Industriel 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe. This is because it has a high maximum speed control of 4,000 RPM, it is easy to move around your workshop or a construction site, and thanks to its affordable price and the different things that it can do, it is very good value for money. However, if you plan on working with larger pieces of wood then you will need to purchase extensions in order to do this.
