WEN 3420 Review in 2024: Don’t Judge A Lathe By Its Price!

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Last Updated on October 22, 2024 by Larry Edwards

What makes Wen 3420 the go-to mini wood lathe for the small woodturning projects while the full-sized lathes are the woodturner’s first choice lathe? What makes it stand out, and how? Let’s give you the answer.

The Wen 3420 is a unique mini-lathe to target only small turning projects from bowls to table legs. The “2a motor” with a speed range of 750 to 3200 RPM is just enough to turn anything that is 8″ wide and 12″ in length. Offering you to lose nothing but gain so much at a low cost, it’s a winner.

Think about the money and workspace you are saving here—total win-win for someone who is just starting woodturning.

That’s how it’s still holding its head high in the competition, even in 2024!

So today, I am going to share some facts about the Wen 3420 and how it’s built to handle small projects.

Now let’s go to the main part.

The WEN 3420 8″ by 12″ Wood Lathe Overview

There are hundreds of wood lathe present in the market. But not all will be as good as you desire. I have personally used a few of the wood lathes in the market.

Today, I will demonstrate the Wen 3420 model, which will ease you from the trial and error that you have to face while finding the desired wood turning machine.

Construction

The construction of the Wen 3420 is of solid cast iron, which gives the lathe a perfect durability feature. You can easily place it on a benchtop as it has a decent fit for it.

Weighing around 44.1 lbs, it has a dimension of 26 x 10 x 12 inches. The work area is estimated to have an 8-inch swing across the face of the machine. The movable tailstock has a wood clearance of 12 inches of length for functionality.

The overall construction of the machine has a wow factor when you are going to see it in person.

Altogether, it can be addressed as a compact size lathe for working in DIYs to small projects.

Enormous Power Delivery of The Motor

One of the main characteristics of a perfect wood lathe is its ability to deliver power output to do the job. How amazingly the Wen 3420 handles the work will surely blow your mind away.

The lathe features a motor with a 1/3 horsepower within the motor size of a 2 amp one.

To avoid unwanted mishaps or damage to the engines, the motor eventually starts its operation with a gradual start.

Don’t go expecting too much from the motor if you put a slab of wood, which is thick, as the motor is not as strong as its industrial counterparts.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, this amazing machine can get work done pretty fast, saving you loads of time, and as the saying goes, “Time is Money.”

Adjustable Speed Control

The Wen 3420 owns motors that any beginner woodturner can control.

Generally, the lathes at this price range in the market give very choppy regulators. But for Wen 3420, has two types of speed; a fixed-rate speed and a variable speed for better accuracy.

Not only that, but the regulation of the speed control also has a sturdy built that can stay stable while you are working on it intensely.

Versatile Spindle and Tailstock

The Spindle and the tailstock are two components of the lathe that vary from product to product. Herein, the Wen 3420 features an MT1 kind of spindle and tailstock which is a great performer, according to my observation.

There is a functional knob that is in the tailstock, which helps put the tailstock mandrel further away by two inches. Nonetheless, as it’s a machine, the mandrels can get jammed.

But not to worry because it has an included punch-out tool that will pop out the mandrels.

The size of the MT is suitable for carving out small projects such as pens and bowls.

Accessories That Come With The Device

Wen, the company’s vision is to provide the customers with the rate of customer satisfaction in mind.

One who is just starting woodturning might not have all the necessary things of woodturning.

Not to worry, the brand will be providing some of the accessories within the package of the Wen 3420.

Accessories you will receive are; a flat wrench, a headstock spur center, two tool rests, a faceplate, tailstock cup center, knockout rod, and some other few accessories for the consumer’s use.

Hey, want to read about one of the expensive wood lathes in the market? Almost 8000$! It was fun to write about it.

Unboxing and Setting Of Wen 3420

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Does the Wen 3420 have reverse thrust capabilities?
No, it does not have reverse motor functions. It only supports forward thrust motor function.

Question: Does the WEN 3420 comes with a Mandrel in the box?
Yes, the Wen 3420 features a Mandrel out of the box.

Question: Can the Wen 3420 craft bowls and smaller cups?
Yes, the Wen 3420 is a perfect machine that can help in the making of small DIY cups and precise bowls.

Question: What is the power of the motor included with the Wen 3420?
The Wen 3420 features a motor that has a 1/3 horsepower but within the motor size of the 2 amp.

Notes to Remember

A good lathe is a vital machine for producing your creative ideas to come to life.

But here is the catch, not every lathe in the market can serve your purpose. It is a tough job to find your desired lathe.

As a woodturner, I tried your match for your woodturning desires. It is none other than the WEN 3420. Not only will it serve your purpose, but it is also quite cheap to buy.

That’s all for our Wen 34200 review folks.

See you next time!