The Best Wood Lathes for Woodworking

Jul 02, 2023

Benchtop wood lathes typically come with very high speed ranges because these smaller lathes can only be used to work on small pieces of wood stock, which require high speeds for effective wood-turning. However, the Delta Industrial Midi Wood Lathe has a low speed range from just 250 RPM to 1,725 RPM, which is ideal for the wide wood stock capacity of 16½-inch DBC and 12½-inch SOB, letting you work comfortably on larger projects.

This 1-HP midi wood lathe also has a reversing function that allows you to switch the direction the wood is turning with the flick of a switch, because as most experienced woodworkers know, to produce a smooth finish you must sand a turned piece of wood against the grain. The wood lathe weighs 97 pounds and is made of durable cast iron. It also comes with a 3-inch faceplate for non-spindle applications and two interchangeable tool rests measuring 6 inches and 10 inches.