You want weight. A heavy lathe absorbs vibration, which leads to cleaner cuts and less frustration.
Woodturning requires different speeds for different tasks (slow for roughing out heavy logs, fast for sanding and finishing). buy wood turning lathe
Lathes are generally categorized by their "swing" (the maximum diameter you can turn) and "between centers" (the maximum length): You want weight
A basic set of chisels (gouges, skews, and scrapers). buy wood turning lathe
You physically move a belt between pulleys. It’s reliable and cheaper but slows down your workflow.