What is the advantantage of a variable speed lathe?

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WoodKnot

WoodKnot

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I've been looking for information to choose my first lathe. I've noticed that variable speed is a preferred feature. I'm wondering how changing speed applies to pen turning. Why would the speed of the lathe need to be changed? The variable speed lathes have speed ranges so changing a belt is still required. I'm trying to determine how useful variable speed is.
 
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WoodKnot said:
I've been looking for information to choose my first lathe. I've noticed that variable speed is a preferred feature. I'm wondering how changing speed applies to pen turning. Why would the speed of the lathe need to be changed? The variable speed lathes have speed ranges so changing a belt is still required. I'm trying to determine how useful variable speed is.
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Immensely useful. I never change my belt for pens. Drill at 500-600, turn at 2000-3000, sand at 1000-1200, ca at 300...

Love it.
 
I started with a variable speed (Shopsmith Mark V), then bought a midi lathe that was not variable speed to use on smaller stuff (pens, bottle stoppers, pendants, etc.), but soon wished that I had bought a variable speed. I ended up spending more money to get the variable speed conversion kit from PSI and mounting it to my Delta. I'm very pleased with the variable speed kit.
 
Agree with all said above. But want to temper that with "it depends" on what you intend to use the lathe for. Since this is a pen maker's site, gotta assume it's primary use is for pens (duh). If you were going to just do spindle work, a pulley lathe might work fine, but for pens and bowls a vs seems more appropriate.

My first lathe was pulley drive. Spent much time changing speeds. Rough at one speed, fine tune a bit faster, sand a little faster, slow way down to finish. Variable speed makes life so much sweeter. My first vs was a "Reeves drive". Don't care for it. I have electronic vs now. Time is going to tell if it is better.
 
Its the ability and convenience to reach over and twist a knob for a better suited speed as your work progresses. Yes you can stop all the time and change belts but you wont. If your going to make 1 pen over the course of a week no problem switching belts while the pen sits. If your trying to get it done in short order it will become irritating.
 
Absolutely worth saving up to get the Variable speed right off. Some of the projects I do, I change speeds 10-12 times...would be a pain with belts.

Brad
 
mredburn said:
Its the ability and convenience to reach over and twist a knob for a better suited speed as your work progresses. Yes you can stop all the time and change belts but you wont. If your going to make 1 pen over the course of a week no problem switching belts while the pen sits. If your trying to get it done in short order it will become irritating.
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Well said. I'm a purely recreational wood turner and in the seven years I've been using my non VS Jet mini I've never wished that it was the VS version. For wood pens I'll use three speeds- 500 for drilling the blank, 1800 for gouge, skew and parting work and 840 for sanding. In my limited experience with acrylics I find that the same speeds work but I increase to 2630 for fine mm sanding and polishing. I'm not familiar with other lathe brands but on the Jet it takes me a total of ten/ fifteen seconds to move the belt. Not a whole lot time when it takes me a solid hour plus to drill and turn a pen:eek:
 
That's a really good question!!
For pens, it really only matters on sanding. I have, and this is JMHO, turned pens at 3k on my Jet 1014 for 8? years, sanded, finished and sold. Others will have a different experience. As you either grow or move on to bigger turnings, the speed must slow down! I do 16" platters weekly and you do not want that stuff in your face at 3000rpm!!! Sanding bigger items needs to be done slower...many studies have been done on this and I'll leave it to them to argue. VS is a really good thing, and as you gain experience...reverse is great to! Now drilling is a different story!!!....
 
If you have never had a VS you probably won't miss it. I change belts on mine lowest range for drilling highest range for everything else. But I sand much slower than I turn...I adjust turning speed fairly often to match the speed to the way the material is acting.

Could I get along with a single speed? - Sure. Do I want too? - No.
 
Thank you for your replies. I'm starting my lathe experience with pens and other similar projects. You all probably know that I might expand my skills with projects other that pens (but I don't know that yet). Thanks again for the info.
 
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I have a King Industrial VS lathe , which I'm going to trade in for a nova DVR 2024 . I recently purchased the Nova Comet II midi lathe , it is excellent for pens , small bowls , pepper mills and other small stuff . The Comet II is a variable speed 250 to 4000 rpms and it is reversible . I would recommend getting a variable speed pay a little extra now you won't be sorry .
 
Lathes are generally very durable. Whatever you get as a beginner will likely still be with you many years later.

The slight additional cost for variable speed will end up being less than a dollar a month…you get a fair amount of convenience for that tiny incremental cost.

If you've never had it, you won't miss it. If you've turned both with and without, you know you can survive without but likely would prefer not to go without.

My advice for buddies looking for their first lathe: Life is too short not to have variable speed.
 
Go for a VS!!! Changing belts when completing a project (turning, sanding, finishing, etc.) is a real drag and time consuming!!! The difference in price compared to convenience is a VERY minor point. I you ever consider selling your lathe to migrate to a larger, VS lathe, good luck in selling non-variable speed lathe as compared to a VS lathe which sells almost immediately, no matter what size! A VS is just much more convenient, and much better buy that a non variable... I wonder if they will even mfg a non-variable speed lathe in a couple of years...DON'T buy a dinosaur unless you are never going to change speeds!!!
 
If you had used both, it would be an easy decision, but as several have said you won't miss it if you never had it. Like Smitty, I change my speed depending on how the material is behaving. The slight extra cost is not really lost -- have you tried to buy a used VS lathe? They sell fast, at close to the original price, if you can get one.

Harry
 
I have a Rikon 70-100 lathe and to be frank changing speed without VS is still a piece of cake. Easy access to the belt make changing pullys a snap. In this case VS does add over 50% to the cost of the lathe and you have to do the change yourself.
 
plano_harry said:
If you had used both, it would be an easy decision, but as several have said you won't miss it if you never had it. Like Smitty, I change my speed depending on how the material is behaving. The slight extra cost is not really lost -- have you tried to buy a used VS lathe? They sell fast, at close to the original price, if you can get one. Harry
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I think you nailed it. If you've not had a vs lathe, not really a big deal maybe. Once you get one, you just don't go back.

Although it's okay to have one of each. :)
 
I have owned two VS lathes, there is one disadvantage. That is long term reliability. I had to work on the VS controller 3 times on my first (junky) lathe.

I love the VS, but I am not looking forward to the day when it needs work. It will fail eventually. With just pullys and belts, you only have to worry about a broken belt.
 
carlmorrell said:
I have owned two VS lathes, there is one disadvantage. That is long term reliability. I had to work on the VS controller 3 times on my first (junky) lathe. I love the VS, but I am not looking forward to the day when it needs work. It will fail eventually. With just pullys and belts, you only have to worry about a broken belt.
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Well, there's different kinds of vs lathes.

Reeves drives can be okay but have more moving parts and potential issues there.

For an EVS lathe, the electronics are obviously the other piece. But there's aren't many other 'moving parts'
 
I think if I had it to do over I wouldn't bother with the VS. 6 speeds on the pully's is really enough and with a proper design changing the pully is easy. I also think the AC motor provides more power than the DC.
 
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