Frank,
I'm hopeful by now you have made a decision and you're turning happily. The Woodfast that Central FL Woodturners own is painfully gutless and is good only for small projects. That lathe used to be our only lathe and demonstrators were constantly disappointed by their ability to stall the lathe with heavy roughing cuts. I always felt that we needed to get rid of the DC motor and retrofit with an AC motor and controller. Instead, we opted for a new Powermatic 3520 and the Woodfast collects dust most of the year.
Maybe your club should put that Woodfast up for sale.....there are turners that would appreciate having one, especially at a price that would save them some money.
It's been quite a long time since I've stalled my Woodfast. Personally, it's my opinion that it's a sign of inexperience to stall a 1 1/2hp motor, and I believe the newer Woodfast lathes generally have a 2hp. It's much better to learn tool control than to bore the tool into the wood in a search for speed, or maximum cut per revolution.......even so, during the roughing operation, one might save a few minutes by "forcing" the tool to cut, rather than "guiding" it through a more controlled cut as it should.....and that is a major difference between a novice, and more experienced turners.
Still, the desire for bigger, more expensive, and more powerful lathes seems to be where the "state of the market" has taken us. Some people seem to think the amount of money they spend is a sign of their skill level......(and those who know the difference, have a little private chuckle over that one!
😀) This is not to say a quality lathe shouldn't be the goal of anyone who wishes to expand their knowledge, and open doors to a satisfying future......but, there IS a limit on how much enhancement to turning satisfaction is, or can be gained by sheer mass, swing capacity, and expenditure on a lathe......certainly, there is NO enhancement to one's skill level, or "artistic eye".
In some cases, I'll have to admit that the upper end of the expensive lathes are necessary to the needs of a few turners.......but, the majority of those who have them, look at their investment as a sign, or symbolic of their skill level. On the other hand, there are very flimsy, and generally ill-equipped lathes on the lower end of the spectrum, too.......my advice is to avoid those like the plague, and start with as good a lathe as you can afford.
I expect to hear "howls" of disagreement with my statements above.......but, there will always be those who justify expensive purchases of things that aren't really needed. For the other readers of this post, let me ask you this question: Do you know of turners that produce outstanding examples of craftsmanship, and artistic ability, with mid-range lathes? If you do, then it should be obvious that there is, somewhere in the middle, a place where skill and expenditure meet at a point of mutual benefit.
ooc
