Features:

  • Perfect for pens, chess pieces, and other small workpieces
  • Soft start variable speed motor adjusts anywhere from 750 to 3200 RPM
  • Includes a 5-inch face plate for turning non-spindle workpieces
  • Fits workpieces up to 12 inches long and 8 inches wide
  • Features a 2-amp motor, an MT1 spindle and tailstock taper, and two interchangeable tool rests
Fantastic for me, a beginner.

I saw the reviews stating that this lathe is low-powered, so I went in ready to return it if it wasn't suitable. I couldn't resist trying it for the price, and I'm very happy. I have never used a lathe before, and so far it has been great. I work on resin and wood hybrid blocks, about 5" diameter by 6-8" length. I see what some have said about the lathe stopping when too much force is applied, as on first use when I started rough-turning the block it would freeze if I pressed the tool too hard. I found that removing the spindle and mounting the block directly to the face plate greatly reduced this. The spike in the spindle is very long and not very suitable for my purpose. The build of the machine seems very solid. It was very quick and easy to assemble. I'll be interested to see how it will handle with different attachments.

It is a great lathe for someone that wants to try turning but ...

I have had this lathe for a few months. It is a great lathe for someone that wants to try turning but does not want to spend the money for a larger lathe. I have turned out 35 tops, 5 hair pins, 4 small vases and one ring bowl. I had to force my self to walkaway with all the time I was spending in the garage. I would recommend to all my friends and family.

Would definitely buy again.

I was looking for a benchtop lathe for making pens, small bowls, short spindles, etc. HF was selling out all of their inventory and everything at WC was way too expensive for my budget. One of the pros of this machine is the variable speed that you won't see on some of the other brands, especially at this price point. If you look really close, most of these machines are made by the same manufacturer or at least share very very similarly designed and built components. Thus far I've had no problems out of this lathe other than some walking while turning a larger piece but that is due to a personal choice of not bolting it down. With something smaller diameter like a pen blank I've had no problems. One item to consider is how much you plan on using this tool and what size work you are planning on doing. One thing I don't like is the plastic knob on the tail piece, wish there was a direct replacement with a steel or aluminum hand crank type wheel.

Such a great lathe. Use it to make pens

I love this lathe it's small and such a amazing lathe im looking at buying new WEN tools because im so satisfied with the tools and quality. I made several pens and other things already.

Great for a Beginner

For the price, this lathe is super hard to beat. It does exactly what I want it to do, and I have taken up an enjoyable new hobby. I'm not an expert woodworker, so I can't speak to some of the potentially missing bells and whistles, but for a beginner, this is the lathe for you.

Great for bench top duty.

This suited my needs perfectly as a bench top tool. It is light enough to stow when you’re done with a project. This also means you will have to clamp or bolt it down when in use. So far I have used mine to turn mallet heads and handles as well as a few minor projects and it has worked fine. The motor is only 1/3 HP which means it can stall out easily if you load it up. This is a trade off for the price and portability. This also makes it safer for beginners. And is an effective means to encourage you to keep your tools sharp. For my unit when I flip the switch the motor takes a few seconds to start turning. I am not sure if this is due to the variable speed function or if the control unit is faulty. This is another price trade off and for me isn’t a big deal. The tailstock will extend slightly, but it doesn’t crank out easily and so is not suited for horizontal drilling. I give the rubber end of the tailstock a whack with a mallet to set it into my work piece before clamping the tailstock down (a not uncommon alternative to cranking it). As with most lathes it doesn’t come with cutting tools or personal protective gear, other than that it comes with the equipment you need to get started. With all that it is still a great tool for the price.

Great little lathe, if you read the instructions..

Have seen mixed reviews on this little gem, I assure you that most if not all of the bad reviews are because of user error. This is a cheap lathe, because you have to have a bit of common sense to get it to operate properly. The tailstock design is what throws people off, but it is solid and works great if you read the directions.. I can get more than enough pressure out of mine. The trick is to have the small tail piece center lock, slightly tightened about an 8th turn or so in order to engage the handwheel which moves the center back and forth. You have to make sure it remains slightly tightened as you adjust the center forward and backwards. If you can handle that, then you just got yourself a $500 lathe for $160. I have turned 30 spindles so far, various hardwoods from white oak to bocote, starting at 3 or 4 inch stock, and this thing has more than enough power. The variable speed control is great. Very happy with my purchase.

maybe some people on here got some bad seeds out of the bunch but I would say ...

Took ten minutes to set up. Works perfectly, maybe some people on here got some bad seeds out of the bunch but I would say generally it’s a great lathe and this has convinced me to go ahead and buy the web bandsaw as well, if it’s anything like the lathe I’m confident with the purchase.

Great lathe for a beginner

Great lathe for a beginner! I've had it for a few months with no problems. Great for making things like bottle openers, pens, ECT.

quite pleased with product

Very simple to set up, quite pleased with product. The jump at the beginning is a bit annoying, but not enough for me to buy a different make/model. Have turned several items already. I am not easy or "nice to my tools and after a little over a month and quite a few hours of use, this thing doesn't miss a beat. Would absolutely buy again. Very compact, my work area is a 4' squared table to which I have several other tools mounted to and this tool doesnt take up unnecessary space.

Full Reviews