Oneway 2436 Coming Up For Auction Near Me

John Foster wrote:

I have been looking for a good wood lathe for a while now. I currently turn on an old metal lathe with moderate success. I see that a Oneway 2436 is coming up for auction near me. I tend to turn small items (small bowls, Christmas ornaments, chess pieces, fancy drawer knobs etc.) so the capacity of this lathe is way beyond what I need, but there is also the possibility of getting a premium machine at price that compares to lesser new models. If I were buying new I would probably be looking at a Oneway 1224. Does anyone here have a 2436? how does it work on small objects?

https://hibid.com/lot/318259192/one-way-2436-lathe-and-accessories?ref=lot-list

Thanks
John

It will work just fine ...  even better in IMO.  I don't have a Oneway, but an old 20" swing General.  Remember -  you can turn small things on a big lathe, but you can't turn bigger things on a small lathe.  If the price is right and you have the room ... go for it!

Thanks Tom

My other option is a 260 general with riser blocks that is for sale on FB Marketplace , also near me.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1691745964924274/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A0a867926-5046-4998-a84c-7b86203f3fff

A big lathe's size certainly does not preclude turning small pieces. In fact, the large mass of the lathe, especially a quality lathe like the Oneway, will reduce vibrations.  This reduction allows for a smoother surface finish apart from reducing annoyance.
I turned my first pen on my 20" lathe, looked a bit silly but worked real well!
I have a General 260 20" lathe (without riser blocks) and it is a good lathe but it is not in the class of the Oneway 2436. Also, General is no longer in business so some accessories and parts are not available but apart from castings everything else likely can be sourced from 3rd parties. My lathe is electronic variable-speed - is the one you are looking at electronic. Generals also sold a Reeves Drive (mechanical variable speed) model and the electronic is superior. OTOH, the General Reeves Drive was a well-engineered, quality mechanism, not to be confused with the el-cheapos currently found on cheaper lathes.

There is a lot of talk about trying to get the "last lathe" which meets your needs forever. Not easy to do when you are starting out but the Oneway 2436 is very likely to be all the lathe you will ever need. If your budget agrees, go for it.

Added later 14 h 46 min 52 s:

I neglected to mention that the lowest speed the lathe will run is important if you are going to turn bowls, not just spindles. Bowl wood might be green (wet and heavy, out-of-balance) compared to typically dry, narrow diameter spindles. If the slowest speed is too fast, the lathe will not just vibrate, it will shake and dance all over the shop floor. The slowest speed for bowl turning, is best under 400 RPM but that number is dependent on the diameter and degree of out-of-balance. Electronic variable speed usually handles this best. Not so modern lathes tended to be designed with spindle turning in mind so low speed may not be available.

John Foster wrote:

Thanks Tom

My other option is a 260 general with riser blocks that is for sale on FB Marketplace , also near me.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1691745964924274/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A0a867926-5046-4998-a84c-7b86203f3fff

My lathe is a 1996 General 260-VD (electronic variable speed) with riser blocks.  I think General was transitioning to larger swing bowl lathes (20") but wanted to use up their castings from the 12" spindle turning lathes - hence the 4" riser blocks.  I haven't had any problems with it at all - electronics, bearings, etc., all original.  My lathe looks a little different than the one you show.  I don't see a VS pot so I assume it is a Reeves Drive (as Bill H. mentions).  The speed adjustment wheel on the front (Reeves) on my machine was re-purposed to lift the motor base to change the belt position on the 4-pully set-up.  I rarely change the belt/pulley position because the speed dial (pot.) gives a  wide range of speeds.  For that reason I would pass on the Reeves drive (but that's just me).  Also, it might only have a 1 HP motor (my lathe) whereas the Oneway is probably more.  However, I rarely wished or needed more HP than that for the work I do.  BTW - my lathe with VS, riser blocks, and gap filler was $3,042 USD in 1996.