Power wood lathe is a woodworking tool used to shape wood by using a rotating abrasive disc or belt. The wood is placed on a bed, and the lathe is turned on. The disc or belt rubs against the wood, sanding it or shaping it as the lathe rotates. Power wood lathes are available in both benchtop and floor models. They are powered either by electricity or by a gasoline engine. Some of the renowned brands are Grizzly, Jet, Rikon, Shop Fox and Woodtek.
Choosing the right power wood lathe is difficult as there are many factors to consider such as the type of wood, the size of the wood, the budget and so on. To make it easier to find the exact power wood lathe you’re looking for, we rounded up the best power wood lathes on Amazon, according to thousands of customer reviews.
Check out our favorite power wood lathes in the list below, and keep reading for our buying guide.
Our Editor’s Best Power Wood Lathes Reviews
- Attack workpieces up to 18 inches long and 12 inches wide
- Switch between five different speeds: 520, 900, 1400, 2150, or 3400 RPM
- Includes 3-1/8 inch faceplate for turning bowls, cups and other non-spindle workpieces
- MT2 tailstock and headstock tapers allow for compatibility with a wide variety of lathe accessories
- Features a 4.5A motor, an MT2 headstock spur center, an MT2 tailstock live center, an 8-inch tool rest, and an onboard accessory holder
- 🗜Easy to make your small wooden decorative gadgets🗜 beginners or DIY hobbyists with a little experience in woodworking lathes can easily make their own small wooden gadgets by following the instructions we provide.
- ⚖Multi-purpose woodworking Power lathe ⚖can easily achieve turning, cutting, grinding, fine grinding, polishing, 96W high torque motor, low noise, 7 adjustable speeds (3500 rpm - 11000 rpm)
- 🛠 Exquisite woodworking lathe tools 🛠 Professional micro woodworking lathe turning tools, turning tools extra hard wear-resistant steel (HSS), durable within 1 year without worrying about the tool will be dull, multi-purpose chuck easy to use.
- 🛠Wide range of processing🛠Mini woodworking Power lathe set of accessories, you can process wood, ceramic, metal polishing, pens, beads, etc., bring your children to enjoy the fun of woodworking
- 🎞 Beginner Support 🎞 If you need support with Power wood lathe machining, you can interact with us and we will update you with the videos you need.
- Perfect for turning pens, bowls, cups, chess pieces, and other small workpieces
- Features an 8-inch swing over the bed and a 13-inch distance between centers
- Soft-start 3.2-amp motor starts gradually to prevent damage to the motor and maximize safety
- Adjust the variable speed anywhere from 750 to 3200 RPM
- Includes a 2.3-inch face plate, an MT1 spindle and tailstock taper, two interchangeable tool rests, and a two-year warranty
- Professional DIY: Our benchtop wood lathe is designed with an 18-inch workbench and powerful capabilities, meeting the needs of professional woodworkers and providing a convenient solution for your woodworking projects.
- Sturdy & Stable: Featuring a high-quality aluminum alloy base and a solid steel headstock, our wood lathe minimizes vibrations, ensuring precise and stable operations.
- Powerful Motor: Equipped with a 370W high-frequency motor, our wood lathe offers a maximum speed of 3200RPM. Users can easily perform high-speed cutting and planing on bench wood lathe, which improves work efficiency and processing quality.
- 5-Speed Control: Choose from five adjustable speeds ranging from 680RPM to 3200RPM, easily accommodating different cutting requirements and enabling precise control over your woodworking projects.
- Professional Accessories: Complete with 1 x rod injection, 2 x wrenches, 4 x foot pads, 1 x faceplate, and more, our wood lathe provides a comprehensive set of accessories to meet all your DIY needs. Enjoy the convenience and embark on an unlimited creative journey in woodworking.
- 【5 Variable Speed】To change the speed simply loosen the belt and change it to a different pulley for this benchtop wood lathe, there are 5 variable operating speeds available, you can choose 500, 750, 1150, 1800, or 3200 revolutions per minute for turning different workpieces
- 【Large Work Capacity】Distance between Centers: 18 in/45.7 cm; Swing over Bed: 10 in/25.4 cm; Face Plate: 3.15-1/8 in; You can adjust the distance between centers by revolving the hand wheel to move the tailstock; Include 6-5/8 inch reinforced tool rest with the feature of 360° rotation, which could be fixed by a whole steel handle. With an detachable protective panel and goggle will protect your eyes during work
- 【Powerful Copper Motor】This wood turning lathe equipped with high speed 3.4 Amp 110V 60HZ pure copper motor, 1/2HP powerful motor that provides ample power for all your turning needs, with spindle threads measuring in at 1 inches by 8 TPI,attaches An MT2 headstock spur center and MT2 tailstock live center
- 【Rugged Construction】The body of this wood lathe made from heavy-duty cast iron, with all-steel revolving handle hand, durable and solid construction provides long years of reliable service; 4 rubber feet ensures the smooth and quiet running of the machine. This scaled-down mini wood turning lathe is suitable for limited space, it's a great little lathe for turning pens, bowls, cups and toys or other small projects
- This Variable-Speed Wood Lathe provides 12" of turning radius and spindles up to 16-1/2"
- The two speeds range from 300 to 3700 RPM so you can find just the speed you need to finish whatever job your heart desires
- This lathe was also made in an ISO 9001 factory and includes a digital spindle speed indicator
- Powerful Wood Lathe: This 0.54 HP benchtop lathe is engineered for serious woodworkers, providing a robust 14" x 20" workspace for all your wood turning projects
- Versatile Speed Options: With four adjustable speeds (1040, 1480, 2130, 2980 RPM), this wood lathe machine allows you to choose the perfect speed for every project, from intricate details to larger workpieces
- Complete Tool Set Included: Our wood lathe comes with a full set of lathe tools, ensuring you have everything you need to get started on your woodworking journey right out of the box
- Compact Benchtop Design: This mini wood lathe is designed for space efficiency, fitting perfectly on your workbench while delivering professional results for all your wood turning needs
- User-Friendly Operation: The intuitive controls and sturdy construction of this wood lathe machine make it easy to use for both beginners and experienced craftsmen, enhancing your woodworking experience.
- 15-1/2" between centers
- Integrated 24-position indexing
- Three variable-speed ranges (200–1,050/300–1,750/600–3,600)
- Wider bed ways for increased stability
- Improved tensioning system with easier access to belts
- 【Infinitely Variable Speed 】: Our lathe machine 's speed can be infinitely controled within 650RPM -3800RPM, And it can be divided into 3 levels: Low Speed (650-1450 RPM ), Mid Speed (1250-2800 RPM ), High Speed (1600-3800 RPM ).You can choose suitable speed to achieve the effect you want
- 【18" Distance Between Centers & 12" Swing Over Bed】 : With its large working capacity, our wood lathe can be used for various sizes of workpieces—the scope of use is 18 inches in length & 12 inches in diameter. Freely adjustable tailstock for optimal precision
- 【Upgraded Function 】: The benchtop lathe is upgraded with a high definition digital display, which can clearly show the RPM. You don't need to disassemble lots of srews any more to adjust the belt's position with the upgraded function. You just need to easily open the cover down to adjust the lathe drive belt for different digital speed levels making sure that the lathe belt always keeps in a right positon and the wood lathe machine runs in good condtion at any time. Besides, a button on the top can fix the faceplate offering more convenience
- 【Enjoy Woodworking & Keep Safe 】:CXRCY woodworking lathe can meet your different demands, which is enough for you to create a great wood world and to be a excellent woodworking artist. It comes with a original lathe dive belt for spare and a quality goggle. It is safer to wear a goggle to prevent woodchips from flying in your eyes as well as a LED lamp can light up your woodworking area. With a strong magnet, it can be attached to the lathe machine body closely. Besides, the organizer will help you to store your common tools
- 【Wide Applications&Easy Operation 】: This woodturing lathe works great for woodworking, like making wooden wine glasses, wooden bowls, wooden plates,wooden vases,pens, rings, etc. Besides, it can be easily operated by not just professionals but also wood lathe beginners. It will be a good choice for both of them and a great present for friends and families
- Effortless DIY: The ArtyMaster Mini Wood Lathe Machine caters to the needs of home DIY, providing a convenient mini lathe woodworking solution. Its sturdy design featuring a solid steel base and headstock, minimizes vibrations and ensures precise and minimizes noise <65dB. The sleek and elegant design with shoulder-width golden-ratio size enables flexible and easy handling with both hands.
- Strong Capability: Empowered by a 96W high-torque motor, Power Lathe WM101A offers exceptional processing versatility. With a 0.4-inch spindle through-hole, MT1 spindle interface, and a versatile tailstock, it excels in handling high-hardness woods, POM, copper and more materials. The 3in-diameter and 8in-length processing range allows diverse DIY projects such as wooden bowls, vases, bracelets, rings, pens, etc.
- Simplified Operation: the ArtyMaster Wood Turning Lathe offers infinitely variable speed control to meet different cutting speed requirements, allowing users to effortlessly cut through various materials. The adjustable position, height, angle, and stationary length of the tool rest provide precise control, enhancing efficiency and processing quality for a wide range of woodworking projects.
- Full Set of Accessories: This benchtop lathe comes with a set of versatile tool accessories, including professional turning tool combo(round, square, and diamond-shaped tools) with changeable cutter heads, a 2-inch chuck set (with a clamping range of 0.1-2.16 inches and support range of 1.18-2 inches), a drive center, a live center, a centering ruler, and 3 adjustment wrenches, catering to a wide range of applications such as turning, cutting, drilling, rounding, grinding, and polishing.
- Safety and Reliability: The 96W (24V/4A) power supply is UL certified to ensure your safety during use the small lathe. The customized high-torque motor, premium bearings and high-strength steel plate construction have passed rigorous testing, guaranteeing a high-quality processing life with over 2000 hours of continuous full-load operation.
Best Power Wood Lathes Buying Guide
Before choosing the best power wood lathes you should consider following options:
1. Power Source: The first thing to look at when choosing a wood lathe is the power source. Electric, gas, and oil-powered models are available.
Electric models are portable and are easy to maneuver. They are affordable but lack the power of other models.
Gas-powered wood lathes are costlier but offer more power. They are suitable for intense woodworking projects. Oil-powered wood lathes are a cheaper option but are less powerful.
2. Speed Capacity: The speed capacity of a wood lathe indicates how fast you can use it. Faster speeds are suitable for cutting and shaping wood.
A higher speed capacity also means that you can make cuts with greater detail. Slow speeds are ideal for precision carving.
A higher speed capacity is suitable for roughing, turning, and carving. A lower capacity is ideal for finishing and detailing.
3. Headstock Design: The headstock is the part of the wood lathe that holds the drive train.
It determines the speed and capacity of the lathe. The headstock design can be gear-driven, spindle-driven, or hybrid.
For woodworking projects, a wood lathe with a higher speed capacity is essential. Therefore, you should opt for a model with a headstock that is gear-driven or hybrid.
What else you should know about power wood lathes
1. What are the best power wood lathes for the money?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on your specific needs and budget. However, some of the best power wood lathes for the money include the Jet JWL-1015, Delta Industrial 46-460, and Grizzly G0602.
2. What are the best power wood lathes for the home shop?
Some of the best power wood lathes for the home shop include the Delta Industrial 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe, the Jet JWL-1440VSK 14-Inch by 40-Inch Variable Speed Wood Lathe, and the Powermatic 1352001 Model 3520B 20-Inch Wood Lathe.
3. What are the best power wood lathes for professional use?
The best power wood lathes for professional use are the ones that offer the most features and the most power. There are many different brands and models of lathes on the market, so it is important to do some research to find the one that best suits your needs. Some of the best brands of lathes include Delta, Powermatic, and Jet.
4. What are the best power wood lathes for beginners?
There are a few different types of wood lathes that are well suited for beginners. These include the mini wood lathe, the benchtop wood lathe, and the midi wood lathe. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your needs.
5. What are the best power wood lathes for advanced users?
Some of the best power wood lathes for advanced users include the Delta Power Tools 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe, Grizzly G0462 18″ 3/4-HP Single-Phase Open Stand Wood Lathe, and Shop Fox W1704 1/3-Horsepower Benchtop Wood Lathe.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best power wood lathes. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best power wood lathes will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.