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Wood Lathes

Mini, midi and full-size wood lathes compared on swing, distance between centers, motor, speed range and spindle thread, plus brand reviews and used-lathe advice.

Buying guides

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Lathe for Bowl Turning (2026): Swing, Low Speed and Mass Compared The best lathe for bowl turning, from a 12-inch starter to 20-inch floor lathes: JET, Laguna, Powermatic and RIKON compared on swing, low speed and mass. Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Lathe for Pen Turning (2026): Mini and Midi Picks for Pen Makers The best lathe for pen turning: JET, NOVA, RIKON, Laguna and WEN minis compared on taper, top speed, speed control and room for a mandrel, for every budget. Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes NOVA Lathe Review (2026): Comet II, Neptune, Nebula and the Older DVR Models Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes WEN Lathe Review (2026): LA3421, LA3424 and 34035 Compared Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Wood Lathe Stands (2026) and DIY Lathe Stand Plans Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Laguna Lathe Review: Revo 10|14, 12|16, 15|24, 18|36 & 24|36 Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Wood Lathe with Tools: Starter Packages and Kits (2026) Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes RIKON Lathe Review: 70-105, 70-1516VSRK, 70-1420VSR & 70-3040 Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Wood Lathes (2026) Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Mini Wood Lathes Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Wood Lathes for Beginners Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Jet Wood Lathe Review (JWL-1221VS & 1440) Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Powermatic Wood Lathe Review Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Midi Lathes (2026) Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes VEVOR Mini Lathe Review Read the guide

Buying guide · Wood Lathes Best Wood Lathe Duplicators Read the guide

How-tos & comparisons

Comparison · Wood Lathes RIKON vs JET Lathe: Mini, Midi and Floor Models Compared Read the guide

Comparison · Wood Lathes Laguna vs JET Lathe: Revo vs JWL Models Compared Read the guide

Comparison · Wood Lathes Powermatic vs JET Lathe: Which Wood Lathe Brand Should You Buy? Read the guide

Comparison · Wood Lathes Wood Lathe vs Metal Lathe: Differences, Uses and Which to Buy Read the guide

Comparison · Wood Lathes Benchtop Lathe vs Floor Lathe: Which Size Wood Lathe Do You Need? Read the guide

Comparison · Wood Lathes JET Mini Lathe: JWL-1015VS vs JWL-1221VS (and the Old JML-1014) Read the guide

Comparison · Wood Lathes Harbor Freight Mini Lathe vs Others Read the guide

Comparison · Wood Lathes Used vs New Wood Lathe: Buying Guide Read the guide

How-to · Wood Lathes DIY Wood Lathe: Is It Worth Building? Read the guide