• Congratulations to Phil Hamel winner of the April 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Steve Bonny for "A Book Holds What Time Lets Go" being selected as Turning of the Week for 28 April, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Do you have a Vicmarc VL300 lathe?

I have had a Vicmarc VL300 lathe for several years. I got the Craft Supply model with a 3hp motor and long bed. It is everything I hoped it would be. I have several 50+ year old American tools and the Vicmarc has that kind of quality. If I had it to do over again I would buy the same thing.
 
I don't own one yet but that is the lathe that I grew up on (I have turned on them a lot). A good friend of mine has two of them. They are awesome. His are the shortbed 3hp version. The older one has been turning about 3000 bowl blanks a year for the past 10 years. He has never needed to do anything to the lathe like change bearings. We have loaded logs on them that would make some people cringe. The lathe handled them without any difficulty. The low end speed is 50 and the torque is phenominal. Am I gushing to much.:D:D:D The short answer is that I am saving to buy one of these as soon as I can.
 
I do

I've owned the Craft Supply version 3 hp short bed for nearly 3 years and would absolutely buy it again. Except...........I should have purchased the long bed. At the time I figured I rarely do long spindle stuff so I've no need. I've had several occasions where that longer bed would have come in handy and it's not like I would have had to feed it extra, for a few hundred extra bucks I should have opted for it. When I was considering my purchase I spoke with Roger Durst at CS, he put me in touch with Mike Mahoney who owns several. After speaking with Mike I ordered mine. A Oneway with the same capacity and HP goes for at least 2K more but in my opinion the Vic is every bit the machine the Oneway.

Mike
 
I don’t own a VL300 but it is one of the lathes I have been wanting for a while. I do own 2 VL100 lathes and the quality of this small lathe is unmatched by anything else I have seen in that category. Check out the Vicmarc Owners Group on MSN. I have learned a lot from the members of this site.

http://groups.msn.com/VicmarcOwnersGroup

Mark
 
Thanks for your responses, gentlemen.....

At times, I wish I had a bigger capacity than the 16" swing on my Woodfast lathe......and that's what inspired my starting this thread. That 3hp variable speed motor on the VL300 has appeal, too.

For me, the Vicmarc VL300 would basically be a "plug and play" switch, because both Woodfast and Vicmarc have 1 1/4 x 8 TPI spindles, #2 Morse tapers in headstock and tailstock, and 1" tool rest posts......all of my existing equipment could transfer from one lathe to the other.

I could afford the $4,400 price tag of the Vicmarc, but it would be a major purchase.

Would this be a worthwhile purchase for me?

Just how often is 17" to 24" diameter, defect free, wood bowl blanks available to us? For me, the answer is......seldom. I do see them offered occasionally by wood dealers, but they are terribly expensive and very scarce.

I seem to contemplate the VL300 lathe on an "on again, off again" basis.......and at this time it's "off again"!

One thing is for sure......this Woodfast is one fine piece of machinery......It will last a lifetime......as long as I can remain satisfied with it's 16" swing. Since I converted it to a variable speed, it is one "honey" of a machine! That's :cool2:.....but, a little more horsepower would be nice, but not absolutely necessary.

otis of cologne
 

Attachments

  • Woodfast lathe with variable speed motor (2).jpg
    Woodfast lathe with variable speed motor (2).jpg
    79.5 KB · Views: 331
Last edited:
Otis, I have the Craft Supplies 3hp longbed VL300. I am extremely happy and like the others would buy it again in a minute. Keep your Woodfast if possible. That lathe is a dead ringer for the Vic except for the swing and color. You must have gotten it from Craft Supplies. I like the long bed because it gives me more options. Only you can decide long or short bed.

Good luck.
Ed
 
Ed Koenig said:
Otis, I have the Craft Supplies 3hp longbed VL300. I am extremely happy and like the others would buy it again in a minute. Keep your Woodfast if possible. That lathe is a dead ringer for the Vic except for the swing and color. You must have gotten it from Craft Supplies. I like the long bed because it gives me more options. Only you can decide long or short bed.

Good luck.
Ed
Click to expand...

Hi Ed.......

Yep, I'm the original owner, and got my Woodfast lathe from Craft Supplies in 1992.......been a happy camper since then! It's one of the Australian made Woodfast lathes, and like the Vicmarc......is made rigid and tough, with lots of cast iron "meat" on it's bones.

I feel the same about short bed lathes vs the long beds. To me, the short bed lathes still seem too long to comfortably get your body facing the spindle......and I'm guessing that is the major reason for having one in the first place (other than having a smaller "footprint"). I haven't been able to quite "get it" when considering you'll have to do something with the tailstock.....removing and installing it every time you use the lathe......a real hassle, it looks like to me......it looks like there's no way to get around it, the TS will always be in the way on those short ways like that.

If I eventually end up getting a Vicmarc VL300, I'd have a hard time getting rid of the Woodfast.......it would be like getting rid of an "old friend" that's been faithful to me for a long time!

otis of cologne
 
Vl300s

Otis,

I have had the shortbed Australian model for a couple of years and it is superb.

To get around removing the tailstock I am ordering the swing away extension plus I will use it for mounting the hollowing rig so I can swing it out of the way when I need to do some hand work.

Up here on the coast of British Columbia I get access to very large blocks, in fact I have some 30" plus spalted maple which will have to go outboard so I am thinking about filling the side stands with sand.

Which brings up the old dilemma, to bolt or not to bolt?

Trevor
 
I can't yet justify the expense of (or space for) any of these goodies, but I'm mystified that the swing-away tailstock is available only for the short-bed model. Even on the long-bed model, it'd be convenient for deep hollowing to avoid interference with the tool handle. CSUSA's illustration seems to indicate only four bolts in the end of the short bed for attachment. Does the long bed lack material for tapping the receiving holes? Or does the slot terminate before the end so as to make traverse onto the pivoting section impossible? Or some other reason I haven't considered?

Joe
 
gtwilkins said:
Otis,

I have had the shortbed Australian model for a couple of years and it is superb.

To get around removing the tailstock I am ordering the swing away extension plus I will use it for mounting the hollowing rig so I can swing it out of the way when I need to do some hand work.

Up here on the coast of British Columbia I get access to very large blocks, in fact I have some 30" plus spalted maple which will have to go outboard so I am thinking about filling the side stands with sand.

Which brings up the old dilemma, to bolt or not to bolt?

Trevor
Click to expand...

Trevor.......

Is yours the Woodfast 16" short bed? I know at one time, Craft Supplies had 2" riser blocks, but those are long since not available anymore......I know, I checked.

OK, I can see the short bed lathe in your case. If you have access to very thick pieces of wood, you may be able to work standing at the end of the short bed lathe ways.....some of the time, but certainly not anywhere close to all of the time. The base of the bowl block will still be in the same place. To me, the short bed lathes look like a compromise that might work for the intended purpose in a very limited way.....and doing something with that heavy tailstock will be necessary ALL the time. If a turner wants to have frontal access to their work all the time, I don't see how anything other than something without ways (like the VB Bowlmaster) can do that.

Anyway.......did you know that Woodfast of Australia is now producing lathes once more?

I just found that out, myself.

Here's a link:

http://www.woodfast.com.au/index.php?p=1_1

otis
 
Last edited:
Ottis

I don't know if Trevor has a Woodfast, but I doubt it.
I know he has a Vicmarc 300, since he bought it from KMS (in Vancouver), it's not one of the ones CSUSA was selling.
 
I have the short-bed (Australian, not CS) and just recently got the Vicmarc swing away extension. The lathe and extension are worth every penny. Joe, the extension does fit the long-bed.
 
Jonathon

Are you saying that with the swing-away extension on the shortbed VL300, the tailstock is out of the way when using a captured hollowing system as well as when working the interior of a large bowl?

My impression, because of the length of the ways, is that the tailstock would still be in the way, just in a different position.

Thanks,
Mike
 
Sorry Mike,
I don't quite understand the question.
I'll take a couple pics later today and post them here if you like.
Dave

I've re-read the posts and now I think I've got it.
Yes, it is out of the way.
I'll still post some pics.
 
Last edited:
jdsilwones said:
Sorry Mike,
I don't quite understand the question.
I'll take a couple pics later today and post them here if you like.
Dave


I've re-read the posts and now I think I've got it.
Yes, it is out of the way.
I'll still post some pics.
Click to expand...

It seems to me that the tailstock swings away from the ways and is placed to the right of the ways in essentially the same place but to the right. I have a mental of image of the tailstock still interfering with a captured hollowing system as well as the butt of a bowl gouge. Perhaps I'm swinging the tailstock too far around....in my mind of course.


Thanks...I need them!! I've thought of making the device that you describe but then my mental image says it won't work....I guess this is a duh moment....for me of course.

Mike
 
I have had the Australian version of the long bed for about five years now. I looked at all the various lathes an picked the Vic over the Oneway. I went with the long bed after reading a comment by Raffan about being able to move the tailstock out of the way. I have not regretted that one bit. I also like the extra mass that the long bed has. My lathe is right at 1000lbs with no extra lead shot in the legs.

I have turned up to the full capicty of the swing a number of times. We get some fairly good sized Mesquite and Pecan here so I always start with the largest and work down. Have had no problems with the lathe handeling it. I have the 2hp version and was coring some 22" bowl blanks. I noticed that on the second one, the lathe appeared to be down on power. I checked and had forgotten to change the belt from the high to the low range (mine has three). I had cored the first bowl with no problems at all.

I have used the CS version quite a bit, but don't care for their base and 1" tool post. I can work around the headstock much easier on mine than I could would the CS base. The Aussie version has a 30mm tool post and is pretty stout. I also like the emergency stop bar across the front of the lathe. I have had to use it a couple of times when I had my hands full and couldn't reach the controls. I don't care for the remote boxes as you have to find them when you have a problem, I would rather have the controls fixed so it becomes second nature.

If I were to buy another lathe it would either be another VL300 or the larger one they are working on. Have only heard that Vic is testing a larger lathe, have not found out what the swing is yet. But since they have come out with the VM160 chuck, I guess they need a larger lathe to really make use of it.
 
Vl 300

Nope they have all the meat at the end just like the short bed and you can slide the tail stock off still. I guess Vicmarc figured if you have the longbed you would not need to move the tail stock off the bed. I just puchased one of these this week as one of the local companys is blowing out 3 -2006 models. They are the 3hp models but the newer Vicmarc's have the remote stop, start switches and adjustable legs. They are trying to match Oneway.
Thats the lathe that I really wanted but could not pass up this price. $3900,00 Canadian. Wow.
I think I can put on the remote for that price.

Lin.
 
odie said:
To me, the short bed lathes still seem too long to comfortably get your body facing the spindle......and I'm guessing that is the major reason for having one in the first place (other than having a smaller "footprint"). I haven't been able to quite "get it" when considering you'll have to do something with the tailstock.....removing and installing it every time you use the lathe......a real hassle, it looks like to me......it looks like there's no way to get around it, the TS will always be in the way on those short ways like that.
Click to expand...

I know a guy with the shortbed Woodfast. He considers this lathe perfect for the hollowforms he likes to turn, which are 8-11" tall. The bed is long enough to use the tailstock while turning the outside, but short enough to allow him perfect positioning to stand in-line while hollowing with the Stewart (non-captive) tool.
 
Odie,
If you get to Albuquerque in June, We'll have a couple of Vics in the demo rooms. These are being provided by Woodworker's emporium:
woodworkersemporium.com

It is rare to find an unhappy owner of a Vicmarc, Oneway, Powermatic, Stubby, or Robust. These are all top quality machines and are being used in our demo rooms. Each one has a quirk or two that the owners happily adapt to and never notice after the first week or so.

The beauty of shopping for a lathe at the Symposium is you can determine first hand which machine best suites you and your style of turning.

All of the sympsoium lathe providers would love to find good home for the demo lathes. Other vendors will have lathes too.
We drove to Richmond last year and Sherry came home with a new lathe. saved about $700.
Watch the AAW web site for contact information on all the the demo lathes.

Happy turning,
Al
 
Odie, is your only problem with the Woodfast the swing? If so, is there any way of adapting it for outboard turning?

...

Yes, Woodfast is back in the w/working machine business. The units are made in China. I have one of their bandsaws and could not recommend it. The lathes may be better.
 
The Woodfast is now marketed as a Rikon.

The Woodworking shows and Craftsupplies provide one for the the AAW demonstrators to use at the Woodworking Shows in Tampa.

20" Rikon is similar to the 20" Woodfast we own same castings.
They have added a digital read out and a movable controller.

The machine performed well for our demonstrations.

-Al
 
rsser said:
Odie, is your only problem with the Woodfast the swing? If so, is there any way of adapting it for outboard turning?

...

Yes, Woodfast is back in the w/working machine business. The units are made in China. I have one of their bandsaws and could not recommend it. The lathes may be better.
Click to expand...

Howdy rsser......

Since I initiated this thread, I've decided to keep and continue to use my 16" Australian Woodfast. It's a superb lathe, and I have no reason to replace it......other than to increase capacity.

The once available 2" riser blocks would have brought the swing from 16" to 20". The Aussie Woodfast did have outboard turning attachments available at one time, too. I'm keeping my feelers open to some used outboard attachments......if they ever become available on ebay.......

I'm not too worried about it, though........I've come to the conclusion that I can live with 16" for the long term......probably the rest of my natural life! I've made a few bowls in the 15" to 15 1/2" range, and I'm satisfied that I don't really need to turn bowls any bigger than that.

With all the newer lathes that are 20", 24", or larger these days, I guess I was feeling a little "inadequate" with 16" swing......but I've changed my mind! :D (We all have that option, don't we?.....changing our minds! :) )

Here's a couple of bowls, walnut and ash, that I've completed in the past few months......both of these are between 15" and 15 1/2" in diameter. From what I gather from John Jordan, and a few others who've mentioned it, bowls bigger than that are not that desirable......"albatross" is the word I've heard used to describe bowls that big. Besides, either of these two bowls will hold a very very very very large salad! Heh,heh,heh!

ooc
 

Attachments

  • Ash #617.jpg
    Ash #617.jpg
    86.8 KB · Views: 30
  • Walnut bowl #621 (2).jpg
    Walnut bowl #621 (2).jpg
    96.3 KB · Views: 35
Last edited:
Nice bowls Odie. I have to agree. I haven't sold but a couple of the bowls I have over 16" in the last 1 1/2 to 2 yrs. My best sellers are from 10" to 14" so my 16" swing is plenty big enough.
 
I am a bit late here. I have a vl300, and I really like it. I thought it cost a lot when I got it, but looking at Pianos they cost a lot more.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top