Should I buy this lathe?

[35remington]

Someone is my neighborhood is selling this for $100. Lightly used. I know NOTHING about lathes. I like wood working. Making a bowl would be cool. Can I do that with this? What else can I do? Lady says table legs and baseball bats. Lol I don't want to make those.

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-x-33-3-8-eighth-inch-wood-lathe-with-reversible-head-34706.html

[mmoses]

Might be good to see if you like turning. Id imagine it would be easy to get your money back if you decide to upgrade at that price.

Your chisels are important!

[ramrod]

Turn ink pen bodies, turn duck/varmit call bodies

[Medina19]

Yes it will work for what you want

[35remington]

Turn ink pen bodies, turn duck/varmit call bodies

Zero interest in making those.

How big of a bowl could I make with this lathe?

[macguyverberry]

What's so special about bowls?

[mmoses]

Zero interest in making those.

How big of a bowl could I make with this lathe?

how big do you want to go?

The spindle swivels

[Jack S.]

buy it, there is a high chance you will love it, turning is a great thing to be able to do and can enhance many wood working projects

[Wylde E]

I think you can do up to a 10” diameter bowl with that setup and possibly 12”.

[35remington]

What's so special about bowls?

Hahah idk MacGuyver I just have some cuts I made with my chainsaw that would be good for bowls.

[35remington]

how big do you want to go?

The spindle swivels

What does "the spindle swivels" mean as far as size is concerned?

I think I have some tree trunk cuts that are 18" that would make cool platters.

[Cooper]

Slow and easy.....it will work!!

[txhunter007]

For $100 just buy it and play with it and see if you like/use it.

[mmoses]

im not expert on turning. But this might help you.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/34000-34999/34706.pdf

If the head did not swivel you would be limited to twice the distance between the spindle and the rails.

I don't know how big you can go on that unit though,

[soonerdg]

You're going to need a different chuck to turn bowls. For that you'll need a 3 or 4 jaw chuck. Or you could use a base plate that screws to the bowl blank. That's a less expensive option but a little more difficult since you can put the bowl in and out of the chuck. The chuck will likely cost more than the lathe unless that lathe comes with one.

***Edit...I clicked the link and it shows the lathe with the base plate to turn bowls. So as long as the current owner still has it and sends it with the lathe you'll be good to go for bowl turning.