If you’re the kind of person who wants to move beyond woodworking or maybe try building a small steam engine or IC (internal combustion) engine, chances are you’re looking for a metal lathe. Choosing a metal lathe is somewhat intimidating, especially for the first time buyer. A simple web search will throw up all sorts of opinions and options. One thing you quickly learn is that there can be fierce loyalty to brands, country of origin, size, and sometimes even color!

So I can also get in the fray and present my ideas. Be careful though, I have some dogs in the fight. In the last 20 years I have had American and Asian lathes, in fact, right now I am on my fourth lathe. I hope that over the last 20 years you have been able to collect some data that may help you in your choice.

First, let me break tradition. Most people will tell you that “any lathe is better than no lathe”. However, I don’t necessarily agree with that. I think a worn lathe is nothing but a problem, ESPECIALLY for someone who has never used a metal lathe before. So before you start talking about size, heritage, or color, if this is your first lathe, look for a lathe that is in at least “good” condition, not a worn-out hunk of cast iron.

Next, let’s look at the sizes. The size of lathes in the United States is measured in terms of the diameter and lengths, in inches, of the material that can be turned. For example, you will see lathes that are sized 6 X 18, 7 X 14, 12 X 36, etc. That means a 6 X 18 lathe can theoretically turn a part that is 6 inches in diameter by 18 inches long. It will actually be a bit smaller since you need to leave a bit of room for the lathe tools. By the way, our English friends would measure the same lathe 3 X 18 since they measure from the center of the lathe spindle (3 X 2 = 6). One last thing about size: get one big enough. I have seen and met people who buy too small and then have to upgrade in a year or two.

The next critical decision is whether to go with the manual gear shift or the quick-change gearbox. I have had both and believe me a gearbox with usable speed changes is a tremendous time saver. However, the keyword here is usable. I have seen (and owned) lathes where low speed was good but high speed was too slow and vice versa. Also, I have had manual gear changes which, although it takes about 5 minutes to change gear, the speed selection is perfect. Advantages and disadvantages, like life. After 20 years, here is my conclusion. If you can live with the gear selection on the quick shifter, go for it. Don’t let that be a deal breaker though, the lathe I use the most these days is a manual change and I really don’t miss (most of the time) quick change as much as I thought.

Now the big question: America or Asia? What a box of worms is this. Once again, I have had both. Bottom line: today’s Asian lathes are not a bad tool. For a long time, people thought of them as a kind of “kit” that, once purchased, would take the machine apart, clean everything, smooth out the casting marks, usually replace the bolts with American stuff, and put it back together. Things are very different today. The last lathe I bought was a Lathemaster 9 X 30. All I needed to do was unpack, wipe off any shipping grease, and start turning. It took less than an hour from the back of the truck to power up and be ready to go. And the Lathemaster is really a fine machine and a joy to use.

Final thoughts: Find a solid machine, ask a lot of questions on the many home supply store forums out there, and make your decision. Like life, nothing is perfect or easy, and the same when choosing a metal lathe. However, cheer up. Choose one that suits your needs and after a year or so has passed, then you will make a better decision next time.