Pen Turning Lathe

The pen-turning lathe is a typical benchtop model of a lathe with a higher upper-speed range. It is compact and is ideal for smaller workshops. You can use this kind of lathe for pen turning and other small spindle projects. Most pen-turning lathes are less expensive than the other kinds of lathes, but their small size does limit the kind of work you can do with them. (source)

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Pen Turning Lathe companies worth checking out:

• Shop Fox

• Delta

• Nova

• Grizzly

• Wen

• Jet

• Rikon

• PSI

• Powermatic

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Midi Lathe

Midi lathes are considered as a relatively new innovation in the woodworking and turning industry. Midi lathes are a combination of the power and performance level of a full-size lathe but are smaller in size. They often have optional bed extensions and can provide the turning capacity of a full-size floor model. Midi lathes often save space and are less expensive compared to full-sized ones. They have an average of 12″ to 14″ swing over the bed (SOB). Some midi lathes have an electronic variable speed control as well as a forward to reverse directional control. (source)

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Midi Lathe companies worth checking out:

• Jet

• Grizzly

• Rockler

• Turncrafter

• Rikon

• Delta

• Wahuda

• Laguna

Mini or Benchtop Lathe

A mini or benchtop lathe likely has the distance between centers (DBC) of 20 inches or less. Mini or benchtop lathes typically have a swing over the bed (SOB) of around 12 inches or less. The DBC refers to the maximum wood length, while the SOB refers to the maximum wood diameter that you can spin on your lathe. The mini or benchtop wood lathe is smaller in size than the full-size and midi wood lathes. Hence, it is a good choice if you want work in smaller woodturning projects or if you have a smaller workspace. Some of these lathes do offer bed extensions you can buy if you want to work larger pieces. (source)

​Mini or Benchtop Lathe companies worth checking out:

• Rockler

• Grizzly

• Jet

• Wen

• Laguna

• Powermatic

• Delta

• Rikon

• Shop Fox

Full-size Lathe

The full-size lathe has a powerful motor. It also takes a lot of space in the workshop because of its size. It can be as tall as 4 feet, allowing you to have easy access to your project. It also has wide distance between centers (DBC), ranging from 45″ in length with a swing over the bed (SOB) of 15″ or more in diameter.  You can use a full-size lathe for almost any woodturning project. You can also make detailed table legs and even baseball bats. Nevertheless, since it is more powerful than the smaller ones, it is also more expensive. (source)

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Full-size Lathe companies worth checking out:

• Powermatic

• Wahuda

• Jet

• Grizzly

• Rikon

• Shop Fox

• Laguna

• Nova