Thank you for taking the time to show your introduction to wood turning using the Parkside lathe, I found it very interesting and will soon start into the hobby.👍
I've been watching most of your parkside reviews, and they are so good! The calm and reflected way you present the item in review, also that you take a good amount of time to thoroughly test it makes the presentation very informative. Keep them coming!
I purchased one lathe like this about one month ago, but didn't use it as it is still quite cool weather in my country and I do not have yet any heating means in my workshop. Your review was very helpful for me and I appreciate the fact that you've been very honest. It's hard to find tutorials for beginners as almost all people posting such, are having in view more or less experienced workers. So, thank you again for the review.
Just bought mine yesterday. I a pole lathe that needs a lot of leg muscle and really fancied an electric lathe so when hubby spotted this one he got it for me. Can't wait to have a go. Your review was very helpful and honest. Thank you x
Thank you for your honest review , I saw one at my local store this evening , i hummed and harred at getting it but seeing how it struggled for power I don't think it's for me . Many thanks for your time in making this video.
For someone who said he had never done any wood turning before this is a really good video. I really rate him for his work in learning as much as he could before completing the video. Saying that. The machine quality and noise I think would tend to put beginners off. It seemed to be well above 80 decibels. I bought a cast iron belt driven one as my first lathe and I enjoy using it because it is very quiet and rock solid. He is also right about getting a head stock and tail stock chuck for this machine. Also as was said a pen making mandrel also needs a Morse taper which this doesn't have further limiting its use. My advice would be to get the best quality lathe you can afford either new or used and then build up the tools as you can afford them.
Hi William, I do agree with everything you say ( thank you for the kind comments) however I also think that this machine is worthy of consideration for absolute beginners on cost alone, better still try to find a second hand one. A few hours on this will tell you if it is the hobby for you, then buy a good lathe! Cheers
A fair and thorough appraisal as usual Steve, thanks. As for finding the chisel use to be a 'scary and daunting experience', well, none of us is as young as we were yesterday. At least we can call ourselves wise now.
i've had the C3 version of this lathe for a couple of months, and despite every single design element being as cheap as legally possible, it's a great lathe to learn on, expecially for teaching you to use the tools correctly because in one way it's very unforgiving, but in another way it's a generous teacher, the slightest thing being off demands immediate attention - the slightest vibration sources, anything coming loose while you work, applying the tool at the wrong angle, tool edge gone dull etc etc - any errors and you'll get a catch or the peice stops turning, whining noises emanate etc. but it's forgiving because it's underpowered - you only get whining noises and catches from mistakes that would flick the peice out uncontrollably on a lathe with a more expensive levvels of torque. and if i do buy a lathe i know EXACTLY what to look for because it'll be everything that this falls short on this one bare minimum, but that's all it needs to be. great value for money and i've already got some nice handles, honey drizzlers, porridge stirring sticks, candlesticks etc
Hi Steve, I just bought one of these last week. That’s a nice little review, and coincides with my first opinion, though I haven’t had time to try it out yet. You can buy an 18mm/1 1/8” adapter which will fit a bowl clamp or chuck. My thought was to produce a few items I currently have to beg my bowl turning mate to make for me, rather than become a wood turner myself. We’ll see about that...
Thank you dear sir I really bought it just for fin works not as a craft, it is good for extra tool in my personal workshop, I learned alot from you thanks again🙂🙏🙂
I just left Lidl and was thinking of buying the last one they had for £65. I am watching your video to help make up my mind on whether to go back and buy it or not
Very useful. Thank you for taking the time to make this. A very concise and interesting video. Going to get one tomorrow to see if it is something I wish to pursue.
Good video, appreciated the focused, concise style. Would love to see another video about if you furthered your study on this machine or whether it inspired you to buy a better lathe.
Hi, I have not been able to do any workshop stuff for a few months and it will be a bit before I am back out in my beloved workshop. But when I do I intend to do more on this machine to see how much can actually be done on it. The jury is still out on whether I will buy a better machine and continue with wood turning, so many things I want to try! All the best!
Great video! I enjoyed your review of this lathe. I like your tool reviews but also like watching you work the stones as well. Maybe you can continue doing the reviews and intersperse them with some stonecarving videos. I've thought about purchasing a lathe, but I'm not quite ready to go there yet. Maybe one day. I'm in Texas and I'm not sure how easy it would be for me to find a Parkside tool, but I'm sure there are similar tools out there available in the States. We have a chain of stores here called Harbor Freight that might have something equivalent. Anyway...thanks for another great video. I'm always looking forward to seeing your videos. Keep 'em coming!
Hi Larry, I have a whole load of stone carving vids planned but life and the grandchildren keep interfering in the video making! They will come soon I hope. Cheers!
Just picked one up great review, i don't like ghe chisels they gave but i have my own gouges i use for carving as a hobby but since my left arm doesn't work very well since an accident in a stone wall collapse on me , but im into trying all new things went from been a chef to stone mason now woid carving so much lighter
Thank you so much for this demonstration. It’s really helpful. I can’t Deen to fond that amazone link for the chisels. Would yiu kind sharing that (again)?
Much respect for your honesty review. These are on clearance at the minute and I pondered about grabbing one. You've scared me away now, it looks in reality a nasty piece of kit. Unstable, vibration, juddering etc. I think when it comes to this kind of machine.. get it right or don't bother. I think I'd spend more thanks to you. Cheers
I saw this in my local lidl, im now spending time watching reviews of it to see if i should get it, or go get a different tool. Btw, i couldnt see if youdnt clamped it/screwed it to your bench, perhaps thats why it was wobbling? Just a thought. Nice video though, ive jusy subbed 😊
Hello again Steve.. amazing little lathe you have there. I used to have an old lathe back in the stone age when I was doing just wood working.. This is a great little 'Lets see what wood turning is about" lathe. Kind of shaky and a little weak.. but as you say a good buy. Especially with that underpowered motor.. some of those better lathes are less forgiving and if they grab a chisel out of your hand something bad is gonna happen. I have had my daughter and her kids here for the last part of the summer.. they moved back to Washington state from Florida so my little shop had been turned into a small dresser and storage area.. I don't mind though I get my grand babies with me for awhile.. until they get there place.. Which I am afraid will be soon now.. Good to see you looking well my friend.. take care.. good informative video!
Hi Richard, soon after making this video I had a few health issues and have not used the lathe since, so I truthfully cannot say if this is an issue. I am fully back in the saddle now and may start using the lathe again though I am currently concentrating on stone carving. Sorry I can't be of more help.
sorry I don't know the answer to that! From the pictures I have seen the newer version has the speed control dial moved to the left a bit more out of the way but apart from that I can see no difference. best of luck!
Hi This is the Amazon link where I bought my chisels. The same set is available from other amazon sellers. amzn.to/3xuSjIr best of luck with your turning, I hope to be back in the workshop soon and make more videos about this machine.
I have one of these and it is annoying that you can’t have drill chuck on the tail stock. I’m wondering if it’s possible to salvage a tail stock from another lathe one that’s for spares or repair and somehow fit that tail stock spindle attachment onto the parkside lathe?
They are only as good as the bench they are fixed to, I bolted my base to a 300mm x 100mm rectangle steel section, makes the whole machine a lot more rigid and accessible.
This is a rubbish lathe full stop. Do not buy its a total waste of money it is a flimsy under powered pice of junk. There old lathe was OK to start woodturning on I don't know why they changed it for this junk. I have been a preduction turner for 20 years and believe me when I say!! this has no place in your woodturning journey!!!!
The main downside that I see with this is that it can't be easily set up for pen/stopper turning because that would be something that this might be good for. The lack of power and instability make it unsuitable for turning anything with much mass but it is more than I was expecting considering the price. If I had the room I would consider getting one just to use for sanding and polishing things that I turned on my other lathe because that can be kind of messy. Just a little FYI the tool rest holder thingy is called a "banjo" 🪕 Thanks
