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WEN 12 in. by 16 in. Variable Speed Multi-Directional Cast Iron Wood Lathe with 16 in. Capacity Bowl-Turning Back Plate
$489.00
Transport your tools from one project to the next by using this WEN by Variable Speed MultiDirectional Cast Iron Wood Lathe with Capacity BowlTurning Back Plate.
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Remember when you could turn heads with your woodturning.Boasting a 4.5-amp motor, take on wood up to 16 in. long and 12 in. wide. If that’s not enough space, mount your workpiece and tool rest onto the back faceplate to turn bowls up to 16 in. in diameter. Adjust the variable speed anywhere from 500 to 2500 rotations per minute with the onboard digital speed display illuminating the current RPM. Change the rotational direction of the lathe from forward to reverse as needed with the simple flip of a switch. The WEN Variable Speed Multi-Directional Wood Lathe features an MT2 spindle and tailstock taper to tightly grip workpieces and a 7-7/8 in. tool rest to provide needed support for chisels and tools during operation. The additional rear support provides a separate place to install your banjo and tool rest for better access when chiseling bowls and other round projects. The easy-to-use lever clamping system makes adjustments to both the tool rest and the tailstock simple and precise. Soft startups prevent damage to both your workpiece and your motor. For additional length, the WEN 34027EX Bed Extension can be purchased separately to increase the maximum capacity from 16 in. all the way up to 39 in. . And, because it’s a WEN product, your lathe comes backed by a two-year warranty, a nationwide network of skilled service technicians and a friendly customer help line. Remember when you could turn bowls, cups, chess pieces, table legs and more.Remember WEN.
- Adjust the variable speed anywhere from 500 to 2500 rotations per minute in either direction
- Attack workpieces up to 12 in. wide and 16 inches long
- Exterior back plate turns bowls up to 15.75 in. in diameter (see figure 3)
- Featuring a digital speed display, a 7-7/8 in. tool rest, a soft start 4.5-amp motor, a face plate, a center spur, and a live center
- Increase the capacity to 12 x 39 inches with the WEN 34027EX Table Extension (sold separately)
- Backed by a 2-year warranty
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including arsenic, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
| Weight | 72.1 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 35.40 × 13.80 × 17.90 in |
| Bench & Stationary Tool Type | Lathes |
| Color Family | Black |
| Condition | New |
| Maximum Speed (rpm) | 2500 |
| Minimum speed (rpm) | 500 |
| Model | 34027 |
| PT Horsepower (Hp) | 3/4 |
| Portability | Bench |
| Tools Product Type | Power Tool |
23 reviews for WEN 12 in. by 16 in. Variable Speed Multi-Directional Cast Iron Wood Lathe with 16 in. Capacity Bowl-Turning Back Plate
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Nicole Haley (verified owner) –
this is the best starter lathe on the market.I plan on using it for a very long time.
Vance Toy (verified owner) –
A serious woodworking friend of mine recommend this lathe to me as a good starter. I wanted to try my hand and turning wood but didn’t want to sink too much money into the project. A key feature according to him is the variable speed feature, and I must say it makes working with this lathe very simple. I was worried about not being able to control the spin but this makes it easy.
Arnold Wuckert (verified owner) –
I got this lathe as an upgrade to my WEN 8 x 12 lathe. I needed my power and size capacity to turn larger bowls. I am very happy with this lathe. It was easy to setup. The motor has plenty of power for turning bowls. 8″ diam is the largest bowl I’ve turned on this lathe. I had no issues with the motor being bogged down. The speed adjustment is easy and convenient. It is nice having the digital display of the rpms however you are not able to read it without bending down. The tool rest & tail stock lock firmly in place. The tool rest has plenty of vertical adjustment below center for larger gouges. I use up to a 5/8″ bowl gouge without issue. The quill extends out about 3″ from the tail stock. I used this to drill a hole in a red pine blank using a 2″ forstner bit and did not have any issues with it. I selected this unit over the less expensive one because this unit has the outboard faceplate to mount larger pieces. I have not used it yet, but have it just in case. It seems that you can mount a chuck on it as well. The instruction do not mention the use of chucks anywhere for the product. I do use Nova & WEN chucks on the inboard side which work very well with this unit. I also purchased the optional bed extension.The only issue I experienced, after about 4 hrs of use (not continuous) I turned the machine off. I tried to turn it on and there was no power. I experienced this with the 8 x 12 lathe and the fix for that was to blow out the motor & brushes. On this unit the motor is sealed and you cannot get to the brushes. I contacted customer support via email. While waiting for a response I turned the unit on it’s side since I saw there was a sensor listed in the parts diagram. I blew air around the sensor and also pushed on all of the electrical connectors. After that it worked so I don’t know if a connection was loose or the sensor was dirty. WEN did respond to my email & stated that they thought a part needed to be replaced. They were going to send me the new part, but I had stated that I got it to work and would let them know if I had any other issues so they could replace the part. I have not had an issue since.WEN customer service as been very good so far. It may take a while for a response via email, 24 hrs in my experience.
Alivia Weber (verified owner) –
Everything I expected
Garrick Fahey (verified owner) –
Lathe was easy to assemble. It work for what I need
Mae Greenfelder (verified owner) –
Overall, I am quite pleased with this benchtop lathe. I am new to turning, so this review should be taken in that context. But I’m not sure what else I could ask for out of this machine. Out of the box it was pretty quick and painless to set-up. I did have a problem with the digital speed readout not operating, but WEN customer service very quickly resolved the issue. I could not have been happier with how they handled the situation.The machine runs great and has plenty of power. You can buy an extension to make longer pieces, but the standard size is perfect for most hobby projects (razor handles, pen blanks, bowls, etc).I cannot say enough how much fun this thing is! Unlike most other wood working tools where most of the time is setup, here you spend most of your time shaping wood and sending chips flying! The only thing I will say as a newbie is I didn’t realize how much time I would have to invest in learning to sharpen tools even before learning to cut wood. This is not the simpliest hobby to get into. But it sure is fun!I would definitely recommend this particular lathe.
Bianka Kerluke (verified owner) –
The lathe came in several pieces but was very easy to assemble and had good instructions provided. The variable speed is a very cool feature without having to change belt pulleys. I’m very happy with this WEN lathe and my 10 year old daughter is using it to make Christmas ornaments.
Leatha Kohler (verified owner) –
This Wen variable speed multi-directional wood lathe takes spindal wood working to a whole new level for me. I have had experience working with wood lathes but on a minature scale Dremel lathe. The making of minature furniture…Compared to what this fine piece of percision equipment can produce. I had no woodworking/turning chisel tools full scale so I have had to purchase them here and there at flea markets as I have so far not found a set of tools that I like from any hardware shop. Home Depot does not have any turning tools in my local store. I checked them 1st On line and they have one set which is Brand Proxxon Turning Tool Set (5-Piece) at around $52.00. They are under 8 inches long overall and shorter than what I wanted to use so I have opted to look for used. I have found a few pieces and have been able to work with them on this lathe. I am little by little becoming familiar with its operation and love what it can do. My shop/shed has limited space to work making this unit perfect in that it does not need to be mounted permanently on a table but rather can be moved and set atop a work station and then removed and stored when not in use. It weighs about 89 pounds so it does stand in place when in use. It is heavy yes but can still be moved without straining your back. It has a large Digital display for reading RPM variable speed and turns forward and reverse. This is one professional lathe built to last and operate for a very long time. I am able to also run this lathe from my solar power station making it even that more rewarding when turning out a project from this Wen lathe. Extremely easy to set up and run. Built in storage in back of unit for 4 misc tools to keep close when needed. Included with this unit. I love working with wood but by no means am I a professioanal. When operating a fine tool such as this one I feel like I am. My next mission now will be finding a place to get wood that I can make a few projects that I wanted to try and create. It is February right now and not the best time of year to search for materials. This is a great unit and I love it. It is also set up to be expanded if in need of a longer project. That I am not interested in at this time to do but it is good to know that it is possible if I choose to do so down the line.. I am extremely happy with this unit. Two thumbs up on this great Wen product. I highly recommend this lathe.
Jackson Dicki (verified owner) –
Packaged well , seems like it will do the job…. wish it had a stronger motor
Keagan Padberg (verified owner) –
Within 2 weeks 3 projects are complete. The unit is still new so time will tell, But cost vrs quality = good. cost vrs features = good. cost vrs performance = good. I am happy with the unit. I only have minor nit picky things like the tool rest should be longer. The tool rest is soft steel, it gouges too easily.
Ebba Boyle (verified owner) –
For what I needed this for it works great. Very easy to setup and use.
Mafalda Runolfsdottir (verified owner) –
Good starter lathe. Spindle was off center, but quickly replaced by WEN. Minor quality issues, overall good value.
Marquis Bahringer (verified owner) –
There are many things to like about this lathe, but build quality may keep you from buying. I have turned several bowls and pens on mine with no problem (but see below). It runs smooth and quiet with enough power for the types of turning I do (maximum size bowls I turn is about 10″, all kiln dried wood).The key features are:- Variable speed control (500 to 2500rpm) without having to move a belt to a different pulley. Great feature.- Reverse: great for sanding.-Digital readout: Not as useful as I thought it would be. The main problem is you cannot read the display while standing right at the lathe, you need to back up a little. But I set the speed by ear and feel–increase it to a comfortable speed with no vibration.-Built-in accessory holder on the back side of the headstock. Holds the spur center, knockout rod, and Allen wrench.-Hand wheel is a faceplate. You can attach a blank to the outboard (left) side of the headstock because the handwheel is a removable faceplate. The lathe also comes with an outboard tool rest support for mounting the tool rest on the left side.-Tool rest has a wide range of vertical travel. With my old lathe, I could just get the tool rest low enough for use with carbide tools. With this one, I drilled out a block of wood to fit the tool rest post so it supports it in the lowest position I need. ProblemsWhile the tailstock is self ejecting (retract the quill and the live center pops out), this does not work if your center is a little shorter than the one that comes with the lathe. For example, I have a pen mandrel with the mandrel saver. The mandrel save is too short to self eject. The real problem is that you cannot use the knockout rod because of the hole in the end of the mandrel saver–the rod gets stuck. The solution I found was to put a bolt in the end to block the hole so the knockout rod can be used. But this means you can slide the mandrel saver too far over the mandrel, so you need to use more spacers so it doesn’t have to slide on so far. This may sound confusing, but if you try using this mandrel, you’ll see what I mean.Lastly, the biggest issue is build quality–two problems:First, the treads on the spindle were not finished very well. There were burs and the treads were very rough. They worked, but they just weren’t finished/polished like you’d expect. If you rub your finger along the thread, you’ll cut it up.Second, on my lathe, the spur drive center and live center did not line up. See photos. the problem was actually that the spindle was not installed centered in the housing. Wen support sent my issue to their engineering department and it seemed to enter a black hole. You can call support and they seem responsive, but for a problem like this, they let the ball drop. I returned my lathe and ordered another Wen. I will give it one more try to get one that’s built correctly. If the next one is not satisfactory, I’ll spend the extra money (almost double the price) and buy the Jet-1221VS.
Karley Jones (verified owner) –
Excellent product exceeded expectations
Andres Schaefer (verified owner) –
This wood turning lathe was very easy to assemble. It does everything I expected it to do. I added the extension for longer pieces which makes it even better for me. I recommend this machine for anybody that is looking for a good dependable turning lathe.
Donnell Mayert (verified owner) –
The WEN 12 in. x 15 in variable speed multi-directional wood lathe is a great machine. It does everything that I need it to do. You are able to do spindles up to 19 inches and you can also do bowls with the 2 face plates. If you need to make longer spindles there is an optional bench extension that lets you make spindles up to 39 inches. The motor speed is variable for the job at hand. The motor has the ability to rotate in either direction. This lathe has heavyweight construction and is easy to use. The tool rest locks solidly into position. Easy to use and easy to set up.I am happy having this new lathe in my shop. I would recommend this product.
Carey Dare (verified owner) –
I’m very happy with it so far.
Beatrice Bartoletti (verified owner) –
Note that this is my second lathe so this review is really just an update. See my previous review to sense out of this.I received my second Wen 3427 lathe on May 15. The spindle was centered correctly in the headstock, however, the tailstock casting was very badly done and should not have passed quality control. It had a protrusion on the bottom which kept it from sitting flat on the ways (the ground surface of the bed on which the tailstock travels). Also, there was a small crack where the handle that tightens the tailstock in place enters the tailstock.The good news is that I contacted support and they immediately agreed to send me a new tailstock. I asked that they inspect it before shipping, and apparently they did. It took them a few days to ship it, but I did receive the tailstock and it works perfectly. I finally have a fully functional Wen lathe.
Joanny Kling (verified owner) –
This is my second lathe, my first being an old Craftsman with a longer bed that is mostly for spindle work. I got this Wen because it has a somewhat larger swing, and it has variable speed (the craftsman relies on step pulleys, and I usually just run it at a medium speed). I wasn’t sure what to expect, as Wen has a kind of spotty reputation, but so far, I am really pretty impressed with this lathe. It is plenty powerful enough to do work on medium sized bowls. The variable speed mechanism is very smooth, and the display clearly shows the RPM you are running at. I have had one bad catch since owning this lathe, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it has a function that shuts down the motor when it detects that the lathe suddenly stops spinning. Generally speaking, the lathe is a real pleasure to use. There are a couple of minor drawbacks. The set-screws for the banjo and tailstock feel a bit flimsy, and it’s a bit awkward to spin the lever to allow proper clearance in certain situations. The locking mechanisms for the tailstock and the tool rest really need to be muscled down to be sure that they don’t move while you work. And the mechanism for driving the live-center on the tailstock is a bit wonky–you have to generally the live center with one hand and screw it in with the other to keep the screws engaging. But those are pretty minor concerns, and don’t really detract from the workability of the lathe. With this and a few basic chisels and something to sharpen your chisels on, you can be making some very nice round things very quickly. Just FYI, if you want to swap chucks or centers or what-have-you, the threads on the headstock are 1x8tpi, and both ends accept Morse Taper #2.
Robin Kuphal (verified owner) –
God timing and works great.