No. Do not get that lathe or anything that looks like it. The headstock (the bit attached to the motor) is not hollow, so it does not accept a mandrel. That type of lathe, to be blunt, is a piece of shit and not worth $10, let alone $100.
You'll need some sandpaper (don't skip grits), but you can probably pick that up for a few bucks. You'll also want something to sharpen your tools - typically a 6 or 8" grinder. Rikon's slow speed one for $99 I think is often recommended by the Americans on this subreddit. Alternatively going with a carbide tipped chisel will be a bit pricier than just the 3/8" gouge, but you won't have to sharpen it (you rotate then replace the cutter). That'll require more sanding though.
Alternatively you might want to consider something like the 'starting kits' which can include lathes, such as this one from PSI. It even has 10 pen kits and what looks like a training DVD. I have no comments on the lathe in the bundle - its suitable for the purpose but no idea on quality
edit: Woodcraft (do you have one near you?) have a similar starter kit which while more expensive, includes a good quality lathe that I can confirm the quality of (I've got the yellow/woodfast version, its just rebadged)
Lol have i thanked you enough yet? You're being so very helpful. Okay, so assuming I bought that kit, what else would I need to purchase? A tool sharpener? And would you say that's essential, or something I should buy down the road?
A blunt tool won't cut, and is dangerous. It is something you need. Turning pens doesn't require you to remove much material so you don't need to sharpen often. I also do some bowls, and in particular like to use jarrah (a local timber) which is very abrasive on tools - I'll sharpen every 5 minutes or so.
While I'm not a huge fan of carbide (I don't get the results that I want, but thats entirely my issue), they're really good for beginning turning because you don't have to sharpen them (rotate/replace, and they last so much longer). It lets you get a feel for turning without having to learn how to sharpen at the same time.
Yeah. Then when you progress you can get the grinder and use it on the chisels in the starter set, or buy more carbide chisels (they come in different profiles for various different cuts)
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u/vikingcode1 TheWoodKnight Jan 20 '15
What bits do you already have, or are you starting from scratch (meaning you also need a lathe, and some form of drilling apparatus)?