Grizzly H8259 Bench-Top Wood Lathe, 10-Inch

This lathe was a gift for my son and grandson. They have both used it and extol it's virtues of being well made, solid, and stable.

This is the first lathe that I've used, and I've used it for small projects such as pens and small bowls. I'm not an expert, but I am familiar with motors and very technically savvy.There are only two problems with the lathe as I received it: First, the motor gets hot, and what I mean is that you can touch it, but not for longer than 2-3 seconds. That's not right, but I've used this lathe alot and haven't encountered any trouble. When it gets hot after prolonged use, I simply let it rest for a minute, but that's me. The second thing that's squirrelly is that the tailstock doesn't lock down extremely tight. There is a lever on the side that you press down to lock it in place...sometimes when you're tightening your workpiece into the lathe, you'll notice the tail stock slipping back as you tighten. It may be designed this way so that you don't over-tighten the piece, but I usually just press the lever, which is solid steel, down harder and finish tightening my work piece.Neither of these things adversely affect the operation of the lathe in a significant way. It's very solid construction and seems to be made out of good metal. It functions very well--quiet, no vibration.Two last details that may be overlooked: to change speeds, one must manipulate the belt onto a different .pulley, and this is common for tools residing in lower price brackets. I have a drill press that works the same way. I usually leave it in the middle speed because changing the pulleys could take a minute. Ultimately what sold me on this unit was that the manufacturer has been around for awhile and they provide a parts catalog should anything wear out or break. Since the foundation of the tool is so solid, you should be able to order a worn out part (haven't had one yet..not even close) and keep it alive for a long time. When I bought it, it sold for $240, and it's been worth every cent.

I like it, and recommend it for a light use.I noticed that the motor get very hot and too fast... I don't know if it affect useful life.The belt pulley seems to be fragile, and again, I'm concerned about useful life...There is only 1 tool rest and it's too small.However, In general, it is a well finished product and have 18" between centers (above average for a mini lathe).In the other hand, Swing over bed is only 10" (bellow average)I think, for the price, it is OK.

Good tool, great return service

Good machine!!

A great buy. Always happy with my grizzly. Only wish it had a dial to digitally adjust the speed.

my son & i are using this & finding it fun to work with/on

It's a solid piece of machinery. However, the motor gets extremely hot in a very short period of time.