WEN LA3424 4.5-Amp 12-Inch by 18-Inch 5-Speed Benchtop Wood Lathe , Black

I call this a midi lathe instead of a mini because it has a 12 inch swing instead of the 10in found on most lethes in this category. I've turned 11 inch sepele and cherry bowls on this lathe and with the available extension bed you have a 12 x 38 inch machine that can handle turning most table legs and balusters. The motor has adequate power and the price point can't be beat. Would definitely recommend for someone not ready to shell out a couple of thousand dollars for a 14 inch machine but still wants to turn a variety of different projects.

If you can't afford or simply don't have room for a full size wood lathe, this is an excellent starter tool. It's heavy, so very stable (as long as you have a stable benchtop). All adjustment functions are smooth. The motor provides enough torque for most jobs. The pulley system is okay, but it really would be nice to have a variable speed unit. However, even with the pulley approach, it gets the job done. Great value and quality build. Recommended.

Unit works very well for it's size. Changing speed by moving the belt to different hubs is awkward.

This lathe is solidly made, with heavy metal fittings to adjust tool rest, tail stock and such. It's quiet but powerful. I've not yet had it stall while turning a piece. I like it. It replaces an ancient Craftsman lathe that had what looks like pot metal for the bases of the adjustment rods, most of which just broke. This lathe is SUCH an improvement.

I'm newer to wood turning, so I wanted to step my way into it without spending a lot of money. Prior to this, I owned the WEN Mini Lathe, which I liked a lot. I was torn between this one and the larger, variable speed model. Ultimately I selected this lathe. PROs: This lathe is larger than I expected and solid. It has good power and is compatible with the majority of lathe accessories on the market. Critiques: This is not a variable speed speed lathe so you have to change the belt position during each stage of your project (actually much less of a hassle than I was concerned with). Oddly, the spindle belt door is on the back? Being on the front, like most lathes, would make things easier. The belt doors are very thin plastic so I'm wondering if that will be a problem down the road. All in all, this is a good lathe for the price and I'm glad I bought it. I bought the WEN lathe stand along with it, which I highly recommend. As long as the quality and durability remain, I'll be using this for a while. UPDATE: My concerns unfortunately came to fruition, ended up returning this model twice due to a bad headstock bearing. I purchased the next size up WEN and it's a world of difference.

A great lathe at a reasonable price. If you are thinking about getting into wood turning this is a great choice. I purchased the head stock chuck and tail drill bit chuck with this. The first time I used it the tool rest broke in half. Called customer service and they immediately sent out a replacement, no questions. Was likely just a bad casting. No problems with the new one. If there were a negative, I would say I wish it had more power for dense hard woods. For the price, it's it's more than adequate for small to medium bowl turning. I'd definitely purchase this again.

Our grandson makes duck calls and things of that nature and he has been using this and enjoying it very much.

You get what you pay for. It’s a relatively inexpensive lathe that works all right. I had to replace the motor in the first two months of owning it as a bearing was going out and making a lot of noise. Support was just all right. They sent out a new motor after a few emails back-and-forth of me, providing videos of the motor making noise. Motor arrived about a week and a half later two weeks later. I asked if there was any special tools needed in order to install this and they told me no. What they didn’t say is that you do need a pulley removal tool in order to get that soft aluminum pulley off otherwise you can bash it off of there, but you damage the pulley at the same time. Overall, it’s a good starter lathe and I’ve enjoyed using it. My advice would be to spend a little extra money and get something nicer. Unless you’re relatively handy and you can make repairs on your own.