# Lathe question



## TonyW (Jul 10, 2011)

I've decided to start wood working as a hobby. I've watched lots of YouTube videos and read a couple books and recently I ordered the mini jet lathe - I'm lost . I'm looking at chucks and such but have no idea what if anything is interchangeable. I believe that MT1 means a chuck can fit in a 1" spindle.... I really don't know though. I would like to know what chucks will fit various lathes. I want to know what the best turning tool is and should I think high speed steel or carbide? What do i call the thing (chuck?) that I can use as a drill or boring tool? Lots of questions few answers. I look forward to any reply.


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## New Yankee (Oct 31, 2010)

Here's the best turning tools, Doug sells 10v or 15v.
http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/


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## sprior (Aug 31, 2008)

The headstock generally has two attributes - the morse taper on the inside and the thread size on the outside. A chuck generally screws on the threads on the outside. The hole in the headstock is tapered in such a way that the drive centers wedge in there and there Morse Taper #1's and 2's. So when buying a chuck you do not care which morse taper you have, you care about the thread size. It is when you are buying a drive center or tail center that you need to know which morse taper your lathe takes. The exception is a jacobs chuck which is what you're used to as a drill chuck. These do come with a morse taper so you can use them for small items or drill bits.

Hope this helps.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Here are some drive centers with the morse tapers that Sprior spoke of .
These are for the headstock/ end of the lathe.









And these are revolving 'live' centers for the tailstock end 











And this is one of a range of self centering scroll chucks along with it's allen key


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## Glidden (Dec 2, 2010)

Did you buy the Jet 1014 minilathe? If so it will have a MT-2 headstock and tailstock taper, and the headstock will also have 1"-8 tpi threads for attachments like faceplates and chucks.


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## NCPaladin (Aug 7, 2010)

Hi,
Since others touched on the Morse taper and other items….
Chuck: Most take an insert but some are direct threaded. The insert allows you to use it on different lathes (or if you upgrade to a different size at some time). The direct threaded matches you spindle size (such as 1X8tpi or 1-1/4Xtip). Better quality chucks have a wide range of inserts available.
For the drill chuck (Jacobs chuck) it is attached to a taper and is inserted in the tailstock. It is a chuck but not in sense of a lathe chuck (4 jaw scroll chuck) which mounts on the threaded spindle, it is simply like the chuck on your hand drill.
I think decent quality HSS steel is the tools you need. There are tools with carbide tips but they are more specialty tools and will not do all that you will need them to do. If you let us know what type turning you are looking at doing (spindle, bowl, or both) you may get a more definitive answer as to suggestions.


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## wildwood (Jan 25, 2011)

Why not just read sales literature for tech specs for the jet mini you bought! Not sure there is a Jet mini with MT1 taper unless talking about their old pen lathe. Depending upon type of turning you want to do may not need a chuck right away. Would get some turning individual turning tools to match the type of turning you want to do. Inexpensive tools from Penn State Ind (PSI) or Harbor Freight okay just starting out. 

http://www.pennstateind.com

http://www.harborfreight.com

You will need to sharpen your tools, bench grinder or belt sander will work. I prefer a bench grinder with sharpening jig. Have the Wolverine system, but PSI has a clone, not sure which is better on price. 

For drilling on the lathe will need an inexpensive drill chuck and a scroll chuck with proper jaw set to hole your wood. Would not worry about either type chuck right away.


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## TonyW (Jul 10, 2011)

New Yankee said:


> Here's the best turning tools, Doug sells 10v or 15v.
> http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/


What are your thoughts about the tools you can buy from Ebay (for example) that cost less than $100 for around 8 turning chisels that are made from HSS?


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## TonyW (Jul 10, 2011)

Glidden said:


> Did you buy the Jet 1014 minilathe? If so it will have a MT-2 headstock and tailstock taper, and the headstock will also have 1"-8 tpi threads for attachments like faceplates and chucks.


I ordered the 1014, but it's not in my possession yet. So if I order a chuck, I should say it connects to a 1" 8 tpi ?


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## TonyW (Jul 10, 2011)

NCPaladin said:


> Hi,
> 
> For the drill chuck (Jacobs chuck) I think decent quality HSS steel is the tools you need. ... you may get a more definitive answer as to suggestions.


Your post was very helpful. I was thinking about getting a block of wood and just trying to turn it - into anything at first. I like the thought of turning bowls, vases, and even table legs.


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## TonyW (Jul 10, 2011)

wildwood said:


> Why not just read sales literature for tech specs for the jet mini you bought! Not sure there is a Jet mini with MT1 taper Inexpensive tools from Penn State Ind (PSI) or Harbor Freight okay just starting out.
> 
> .


Thanks for the feedback. I looked at some literature but wasn't sure want the MT1 and MT2 stood for. I thought stood for 1 inch and 2 inch. Is that what it means? Whats the MT?


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## sprior (Aug 31, 2008)

Google "Morse Taper", but MT1 and MT2 does refer to the size, but it's not a simple 1" vs 2" and since they're tapers there are actually 2 different diameters involved.


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## Glidden (Dec 2, 2010)

TonyW said:


> I ordered the 1014, but it's not in my possession yet. So if I order a chuck, I should say it connects to a 1" 8 tpi ?


Correct, you would want a chuck with 1" 8 tpi fittings. I have a Nova midi chuck that has worked very well for me for doing small projects and bowls. The 1014 comes with a faceplate, but I find having a second faceplate handy is nice too.

As for tool sets, they really aren't the way to start, you'll probably want to start with just a couple of quality tools instead of a set of so-so tools. A spindle gouge is a good start for spindle work, along with a roughing gouge and a parting tool. For bowls you'll want a 3/8" or 1/2" bowl gouge and a round nose scraper to start with. 

One of my best investments was a book Learn to Turn by Barry Gross, it covers a lot of the basics of turning as well as tool sharpening and finishing your work.

Good luck!


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## New Yankee (Oct 31, 2010)

TonyW said:


> What are your thoughts about the tools you can buy from Ebay (for example) that cost less than $100 for around 8 turning chisels that are made from HSS?


Pretty much what I started with, they're ok for learning to turn and to hone your sharpening skills. Those look like Benjamin's Best. Here's a good source http://www.pennstateind.com/store/woodturning-tools.html I also have the Jet mini 1014, bought it used, it is a 1" 8 tpi, great lathe.


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## NCPaladin (Aug 7, 2010)

For practice a lot of people use 2X4 ripped down square and cut 8-12 inches long. Sections of green limbs 2-3” diameter also work very well since they are softer and sorta round to start with. The limbs allow you to rub the bevel sooner (compared to ripped 2X with square corners) and maybe get the hang of it sooner.

When you start looking at chucks you may want to consider a reconditioned Nova Midi or G3.
http://novatoolsusa.com/Reconditioned-Products_c10.htm
I would rather have a reconditioned quality chuck than a new cheaper chuck. You would need an insert for the G3 to fit your lather ($25? more). The Midi should be direct threaded for 1X8tpi.


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