Hi all. I became a woodturning enthusiast accidentally. One day my neighbour started talking about some leftover material from my house project laying on my yard and wondered if I could let him have them. In exchange he promised to bring me something of equal value. Since I did not need the material he was interested of I let him take them without thinking further of what he might be able to offer in return. Then one day he came and asked if I had ever wanted to have a lathe. He knew that I was learning some woodworking skills and had acquired some tools recently. But a lathe was something I had never wanted. Anyways, soon we were trucking his old Coronet Major from 1975 to my workshop. The neighbour had bought the lathe second hand but never used it and did not really know much about it.
The lathe stood in my workshop for many months doing nothing. Then I tried turning it on and heard that the bearings were bad, and noticed the pulley belt being old, dry and cracking. I had to either get rid of it or fix it. Knowing nothing about lathes, and actually knowing no one with understanding of them either, I started reading forums and watching youtube to understand the basics. After some weeks I had a new spindle bearings, new belt, an inverter, and a new 1,1kW three phase motor. I was ready to do my first turnings.
Now I have had the lathe in operation for about four years and have turned approximately 50 useful pieces, like bowls, boxes, spatulas and scoops. I like simple and functional designs. Most of the turnings have been made of birch, but some of rowan and walnut (the only wood that I've purchased just for turning).
I have felt the limitations of the Coronet Major since the beginning, but wanted to get more experience before buying something better. Markets for second hand lathes are small here, so I was mainly looking for new lathes. I chose a Record Power Maxi-1, because of the capacity, weight, price and availability at a local dealer. I'm hoping to never have to upgrade.
Now pictures of some of my turnings (done on the Major) and also the old Coronet Major and the new Maxi-1
The lathe stood in my workshop for many months doing nothing. Then I tried turning it on and heard that the bearings were bad, and noticed the pulley belt being old, dry and cracking. I had to either get rid of it or fix it. Knowing nothing about lathes, and actually knowing no one with understanding of them either, I started reading forums and watching youtube to understand the basics. After some weeks I had a new spindle bearings, new belt, an inverter, and a new 1,1kW three phase motor. I was ready to do my first turnings.
Now I have had the lathe in operation for about four years and have turned approximately 50 useful pieces, like bowls, boxes, spatulas and scoops. I like simple and functional designs. Most of the turnings have been made of birch, but some of rowan and walnut (the only wood that I've purchased just for turning).
I have felt the limitations of the Coronet Major since the beginning, but wanted to get more experience before buying something better. Markets for second hand lathes are small here, so I was mainly looking for new lathes. I chose a Record Power Maxi-1, because of the capacity, weight, price and availability at a local dealer. I'm hoping to never have to upgrade.
Now pictures of some of my turnings (done on the Major) and also the old Coronet Major and the new Maxi-1
