? for those of you who have sliding headstocks.....

[Odie]

View: https://youtu.be/9O5mpBVJqeE


At 3:55, it says the headstock is more stable if positioned at the end. Just wondering if those of you who have sliding headstocks find this to be true.....

-----odie-----

 

[JeffSmith]

I’ve got a Robust AB - use the headstock regularly at both ends and just about every inch of the bed in between. for the most part, its at about the 1/2 way point. Never had a problem with the headstock being anything but rock-steady. Been using it that way for over 5 years.
My former lathe was a Jet 1642 - it didn’t seem to have a problem with headstock security either even though the banjo was notoriousfor letting go just when I needed it most.

While I’m not obsessive about it, I do try to keep things clean around the bed and check the clamping plates every now and again...

 

[Bill Boehme]

I thought that the bed looked awfully lightweight for a lathe with a 24" swing. The leg castings looked really rough. The tailstock seemed like something that belongs on a much smaller lathe. They claimed that the motor is 3 HP, but the size seems way too small and I would have guessed 1½ or 2 HP. The inverter is a bottom of the line Delta S1. Finally, I don't like the tool rest clamping mechanism. I can see the possibility of difficulty removing or inserting a tool rest. I can also see the possibilities of the toolrest slipping while turning.

Given the lightweights bed, I can see why they recommended parking the headstock over the legs. I position the headstock on my Robust wherever it is the most convenient.

In summary, I think that the Laguna has way too much swing for for a lathe of its build. A swing of 16" seems more appropriate to me.

 

[Jon Minerich]

Bill,
As a “newer” woodturner don’t know if I am qualified to respond or not. As a recent purchaser or the Laguna Revo 1836, I would like to share my thoughts.

I recently upgraded from a Delta 46-460 to my new Revo. Like many turners, I dreamed about the Robust, Oneway, and Powermatics, Vicmarcs, etc. However my budget gave me a reality check. I researched quite a few mid-priced lathes-Jet, Nova, Grizzly, Laguna, etc. I talked to several turners in our local club. I also got to test drive some of their machines. For a few months I aggressively searched the internet and club websites, but couldn’t find a used lathe that fit my needs, close enough to home. (Like you I would have a hard time purchasing a lathe, sight unseen.) The Laguna was on sale and so I made my decision. It was delivered to my door for $75!

I believe the fit and finish is comparable to the other lathes I researched. The internet reviews were very good. I invited one of our most experienced turners from our club to visit and give me his honest opinion (he happens to own 5 different lathes including a big Oneway). He told me he was very impressed with my lathe, considering it’s price.

Finally, you should know that I have a small shop. I moved the headstock in so the motor wouldn’t hang out off the end of the bed, taking up more space. I experienced no vibration. Granted I haven’t turned a large, out of balance bowl, but lathe runs smoothly. I can’t remark on the electronics because I am not an engineer.

So based on my limited qualifications, I would recommend anyone looking at a mid-priced lathe, give consideration to the Laguna. It may not be the best lathe out there, but I believe you get a lot of value for the money.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[RichColvin]

Odie,

I have the Powermatic 3520B, and slide the headstock to the other end (the tailstock side) when turning bowls. Works well and makes the job much easier. As for issues, I've seen none.

Kind regards,
Rich

 

[hockenbery]

[edit the following needs to be read with Richards note]
One strong testimony for the Laguna Revo - Craft Supplies sells it.
They know woodturning and what they carry works for woodturners.

Craft supplies no longer carry Laguna lathes. I asked why and was told by them that even though they make really good lathes the customer support was not where it needed to be so they could not longer carry their lathes.

With any lathe - heavy blanks should be turned with the headstock above a leg set or close to it.
Small and medium size work will vibrate less and you are unlikely to be able to measure the extra vibration when the headstock is in the middle. You will gain a 100+ rpm with the headstock over the legs with heavy blanks which is a big deal for roughing.

90% of turners will be happier and more successful turners by
Buying a Jet or Laguna and using the money saved to take quality classes.
Robust and ONEWAY are terrific lathes however making crappy work on a terrific lathe is not nearly as satisfying as making great work on a second tier lathe.

 

[Fred Belknap]

I have a PM 3520B and my headstock is positioned pretty close to the middle of the ways most of the time. I have the ways marked with a sharpie so I can return it to the same position when I move it. I sometimes move it all the way to the end to buff larger bowls just to have more room to buff, I then move it back to the marked position. I can't notice an difference in stability any where I move it. I do a lot of off balanced NE bowls and sometimes I have to lower the speed till they get more round but that happens wherever I have the headstock positioned. I have a swing away that I use when turning the inside of bowls which gives me full access to the bowl inards

 

[Lamar Wright]

Hi Odie, headstock on my new Jet 1640 is stable any where I move it and that includes rotating the headstock as well.

 

[hockenbery]

Try an experiment.
Put a 50+ pound slightly out of balance blank on your lathe.
Check the speed you get with the headstock in the middle.
Check the speed you get with the headstock on the end.

Use the tailstock. Run the lathe up until vibration is excessive then try increasing to see if it reduces.
If it keeps increasing back off. Report the speeds. Or dial position.
To measure vibration you can put a half full water bottle on the ways and mark the height of the ripples. Be sure to get the same vibration level for the speed measure.

 

[Odie]

To measure vibration you can put a half full water bottle on the ways

Thanks for this idea, Al......will be trying this today!

-----odie-----

 

[john lucas]

Wow Al. gotta try that. I have turned pieces on either end and the middle of my Powermatic 3520A and didn't see any difference but then I didn't do a test like that.

 

[William Rogers]

I thought that the bed looked awfully lightweight for a lathe with a 24" swing. The leg castings looked really rough. The tailstock seemed like something that belongs on a much smaller lathe. They claimed that the motor is 3 HP, but the size seems way too small and I would have guessed 1½ or 2 HP. The inverter is a bottom of the line Delta S1. Finally, I don't like the tool rest clamping mechanism. I can see the possibility of difficulty removing or inserting a tool rest. I can also see the possibilities of the toolrest slipping while turning.

Given the lightweights bed, I can see why they recommended parking the headstock over the legs. I position the headstock on my Robust wherever it is the most convenient.

In summary, I think that the Laguna has way too much swing for for a lathe of its build. A swing of 16" seems more appropriate to me.

Happy Thanksgiving
Bill, a few observations from your post. I have the Laguna 18-36 and have never turned on the 24-36 or seen one other than pictures. I have turned on the Robust AB and Powermatic 4224. The 18-38 has the some of the same things as the 24-36. In regard to the tool rest clamp I find it much better as far as holding then my Powermatic 90 is that is the same as the new Powermatic 3520C. Only complaint there is location of lever. Cast iron legs "rough". Typical cast surface to me. Never crossed my mind and has no function.. The fit of the lathe was great as everything lined up and no binding during assembly. I have the Delta S1 inverter. Low end, I have no idea. Seems to work just fine and I believe it is proven on other lathes. Weight of my 18-36 base is 427 lbs. I added 280 lbs. of sand ballast between the legs using the built in cast feature. Not necessarily the same as if it were in the mass of the lathe, but it doesn't go anywhere. Laguna also has wide legs adding to stability. You really need to know the amps to determine the hp. The 24-36 can have either a 2hp or 3hp, who knows what motor was on the one in the video. 2hp seems to be plenty for me. As far as the sliding headstock I move it to the opposite end when doing bowls and keep it over the legs when not. For me there is no advantage to move it in the middle. I like to move the tailstock out of the way and do not have a swing away. The things you see as issues are non-issues to me. As a hobbiest I am very happy with my Laguna. More expensive lathes have more features, but they won't make me a better turner. I'm better off with my $2500 lathe and $4500 tooling than a $7000 lathe and no tooling.

 

[Dan Bevilacqua]

Great thread for me, because I have have some interest in eventually (need to save more $$) purchasing the Laguna Revo 18/36. Thanks for starting the thread, Odie.

 

[robo hippy]

Well, I have had a sliding headstock for 18 years or so, PM3520A and Robust. I can't really compare them to the Oneway or Vicmark lathes which have fixed headstocks because I don't have thousands of bowls turning time on them. Many noted turners claim that there are vibration issues with lathes that have sliding headstocks compared to the fixed headstocks. The first models of sliding headstocks had very small pressure plated on the bottom of the headstock that were pretty much the same size as the one on the banjo. My Beauty has one that runs full length with bolts on both ends of the plate. Pretty secure. That being said, there has to be at least some extra vibration if the headstock is in the middle of the lathe bed. When I am seating a tool in a wood handle, I pound the butt end on a work bench, and always do that directly over a leg rather than in the middle of the bench because that point is more solid. How much vibration is there? Probably minimal. I slide mine down to the tailstock end leaving enough room for the tailstock to fit onto the main part of the lathe bed, which is a foot or so from the end of the lathe, and almost to the edge of the metal flange on the leg that secures it to the lathe bed. If I have the headstock in the middle of the lathe, that is for turning spindles, not bowls.

I haven't turned on this particular lathe, but have on the 18 inch model. Impressions are that the leg splay is very minimal, and needs to be widened. This would reduce vibration. The mobility wheels and brackets are very much in the way/stick out way too far if you stand at the end of the lathe to turn bowls. Also, I do not like that cone on the headstock. 3 1/2 inches is a big lever arm, and by the time you add a chuck, your bowl is at least 6 inches off the footprint of the headstock. This adds considerably to vibration issues. When the tailstock is engaged, this problem is minimal. Take away the tailstock, like you have to do for coring with the McNaughton, and you get a lot of vibration. Same for turning out the inside of the bowl. This cone, and other variations of it seems to be for the sole purpose of getting clearance from the headstock for twice turned bowls to make it easier to turn the bottom outside of the bowl when you reverse it. I guess that is some thing to consider if you turn that way. For me, if I turned that way, when I trued up the tenon, I would finish turn an inch or so of the outside wall of the bowl before reversing so work in that spot would be minimal. I would expect the vibration issues to be more related to the cone rather than to the bed flexing, though both would contribute some.

On some other lathes, the headstock spindle extends in a bell housing. This is so that in the event where you may wear out the headstock bearings, you can unbolt the headstock spindle rather than having to take the whole headstock off.

robo hippy

 

[William Rogers]

Well as a Laguna owner I do have a difference of opinion to some of the statements made. We will all defend our lathes when necessary.
Reed you said the legs splay was too narrow for the 18-36. I don't really agree as it is 2" more than the 3520b. I have never used the McNaughton on my lathe, so no comment. I have however had a 17-3/4" out of round blank on my lathe. I really don't see the cone contributing to at best very minimal vibration. And once the the blank is rounded on the outside and turned I don't see any difference in turning the inside. Just too much mass on the cone to be of any real concern. We all have our opinions and usually different. I have not turned anywhere near the bowls you have, but have been using the Laguna for 6 months and just don't see these problems.

 

[Doug Rasmussen]

The narrator in the video says the bed is welded steel, looks more like cast iron. It has machined pads on both ends so it'd be simple to bolt a bed stiffening bar of steel to the bed, at least on the front side, maybe back side too if it also has pads.. Same with the cast legs, machined pads for wheel mounts could be used to put a bar between the legs on the back side.

Even if the pads aren't used for stiffening they're a nice feature to make adding DIY accessories to the machine.

From the video one thing I really didn't care for is the spring loaded spindle lock, a bad idea. Like on 4-1/2" angle grinders, eventually the pin or the hole gets rounded and won't lock after extended use.

 

[hockenbery]

Differences in Lathes are comparable to differences in cars.

Like cars most lathes will get you where you want to go.
Like cars they have different capacities and different power.
Like cars the “better” ones are more pleasant to use.
And high performance can make the trip faster for good drivers and dangerous for unprepared drivers.

A few are “unsafe at any speed”

 

[Odie]

Thanks for this idea, Al......will be trying this today!

-----odie-----

I tried using a sports drink about 1/4 full today, and my impression was my sense of feel (fingers on the bedway) is more sensitive in detecting the vibrations.....been doing this for years, so my sense of touch is much more developed than it was at one time. I wonder if using alcohol (or some other thin liquid) might be better at showing the vibrations.....?

-----odie-----

 

[Bill Boehme]

..... I wonder if using alcohol (or some other thin liquid) might be better at showing the vibrations.....?

Maybe you could try a Margarita in a long stemmed coupe glass.

I would say that your awareness of how to use your senses of fine touch and proprioception are what have evolved over the years. But, as we age, we have a gradual loss of these nerve cells.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Bill,
As a “newer” woodturner don’t know if I am qualified to respond or not. As a recent purchaser or the Laguna Revo 1836, I would like to share my thoughts.

I recently upgraded from a Delta 46-460 to my new Revo. Like many turners, I dreamed about the Robust, Oneway, and Powermatics, Vicmarcs, etc. However my budget gave me a reality check. I researched quite a few mid-priced lathes-Jet, Nova, Grizzly, Laguna, etc. I talked to several turners in our local club. I also got to test drive some of their machines. For a few months I aggressively searched the internet and club websites, but couldn’t find a used lathe that fit my needs, close enough to home. (Like you I would have a hard time purchasing a lathe, sight unseen.) The Laguna was on sale and so I made my decision. It was delivered to my door for $75!

I believe the fit and finish is comparable to the other lathes I researched. The internet reviews were very good. I invited one of our most experienced turners from our club to visit and give me his honest opinion (he happens to own 5 different lathes including a big Oneway). He told me he was very impressed with my lathe, considering it’s price.

Finally, you should know that I have a small shop. I moved the headstock in so the motor wouldn’t hang out off the end of the bed, taking up more space. I experienced no vibration. Granted I haven’t turned a large, out of balance bowl, but lathe runs smoothly. I can’t remark on the electronics because I am not an engineer.

So based on my limited qualifications, I would recommend anyone looking at a mid-priced lathe, give consideration to the Laguna. It may not be the best lathe out there, but I believe you get a lot of value for the money.

Thanks,
Jon

Jon,

Your real world experience is certainly worth a lot more than my opinion since I haven't actually used a Laguna 2436 lathe. I'll admit that I've been spoiled by my Robust AB.

 

[Owen Lowe]

The narrator in the video says the bed is welded steel, looks more like cast iron.

I turned on a Laguna 1836 this past summer. The bed is welded steel but the legs are cast iron.

From the video one thing I really didn't care for is the spring loaded spindle lock, a bad idea.

Totally agree here. A spindle lock shouldn’t require constant hand contact to stay engaged. There are just too many activities where I need both hands while the spindle is locked. Using the indexing pin as a lock was inconvenient as it’s not very fast to engage or disengage. I also became frustrated that the speed wouldn’t go down as slow as I am used to. As I recall, 50rpm +/- was the slowest the lathe would go. There were a couple of other frustrations, but I attribute those more to complete familiarity and a long partnership with my differently branded lathe.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

No comment on most of the experience here. Just a comment on Bill's first post. Logic would suggest that if the headstock was placed in the middle of the bed harmonic vibration would be increased, but I have no way to determine how much. Also note not everyone has that acute sense of touch Odie does so may not feel that vibration.

 

[Jon Minerich]

Jon,

Your real world experience is certainly worth a lot more than my opinion since I haven't actually used a Laguna 2436 lathe. I'll admit that I've been spoiled by my Robust AB.

Thanks Bill,
Maybe someday we will all be turning on a Robust! Until then I am saving my money for classes.

 

[Odie]

Also note not everyone has that acute sense of touch Odie does so may not feel that vibration.

Well, I don't think I have super powers, and Marvel comics just hasn't found me yet! .......however, I think my sense of feel is something that is developed, and doesn't really have mystical origins. It's a matter of learning to recognize, and concentrate on the input data. That input data is very subtle, and could be easily missed without the learning process it takes to acquire the sense.

It makes sense to me that a sliding headstock is likely to have more vibration centrally located between the legs.....and, I hadn't thought to apply that to where the best place to put you fingers on the bedways would be, in order to detect vibration. I just happened to be applying that theory by accident.......so, if I were to try and relay the process with the written word, I would say use a very light touch on a central location of the bedways.....then practice the concept.

There are other indicators of vibration on my lathe......four goose neck lamps, a couple extended arms for micro lights and a laser pointer. These things also help. Your sense of hearing comes into play here, too! if it helps, use all the sources of information available to you.

As far as Al Hockenbery's suggestion of the half full water bottle......I've done a little contemplating about that since my last comment......and, the theory may be something that can be refined a bit. I do like the overall theory. My idea of using a thinner liquid, such as alcohol might help.....it deserves to be explored. It might work, and it might not, but there really is only one way to find out. It is possible that a tall bottle might not be the best platform to detect small vibrations......and a short & wide holder might work out better.......so, that the surface of the liquid is spread out over a larger area......

Anyway, it's easy to make snap judgments about things......and not fully explore the hypothesis. ....and, I plead guilty!

-----odie-----

 

[William Rogers]

Odie, I think your approach to vibration is the most practical. Do we feel it or not. We turn wood that has voids and density differences that contribute to vibration.

 

[hockenbery]

Kelly,
I just listen and watch as I tune the speed.

I suggested a process to measure vibration for different headstock positions.
A process to measure big vibration from a 50lb blank with the headsock
1 Above a leg set
2 in the middle of the bed

you could visit someone with a sliding headstock and use your fingers with the headstock in both positions and record the lathe speed

 

[James Seyfried]

I have a PM3520B with the extension bed and it does seem more stable positioned near the end to me. I don't know if the extension makes a difference, but I did notice a difference when I first got the lathe, if I had the headstock in the center. Not much difference, but enough that I agree with the video claim.

 

[Finn Posner]

View: https://youtu.be/9O5mpBVJqeE


At 3:55, it says the headstock is more stable if positioned at the end. Just wondering if those of you who have sliding headstocks find this to be true.....

-----odie-----

Well here's my 2 cents. My last lathe was a Delta 46-756, 16" over the bed (steel ways on stamped steel legs), 2 HP with electronic variable speed. And the best part was that the headstock slid along the entire length of the bed and I used that feature quite often when I was evacuating the inside of a bowl or hollow vessel. Because the substructure was stamped steel and did not weigh as much as a cast iron PM, I added a stout shelf below the bed upon which I put about 300 lbs of concrete (in buckets). I had very little vibration.

I have since upgraded to the Laguna REVO 2436 and while I've only had it since June I'm beginning to get comfortable with it. The cast iron legs are heavier than the 1836. I know this because I helped set up an 1836 less than a year ago. The 2436 does indeed have a 3 HP motor and with two pulley selections for more torque or more speed. And everything slides very nicely. I did add my 300 lbs of concrete to this lathe as well and it's not going anywhere no mater where the headstock is located.

One additional note. Several years ago I was watching someone turn a large out of round piece on a Jet 1642 EVS. They were being very careful but it was very hard to get anything more than the minimum rotation. The owner left the room and came back with a 5 gallon bucket in which he had cast in concrete, a small length of chain and a hook at the end. He attached that hook to one of the cross members between the ways of the bed and closest to the headstock. That lathe settled down like a bronco that had just been broke. A makeshift vibration dampener!

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Differences in Lathes are comparable to differences in cars.

Like cars most lathes will get you where you want to go.
Like cars they have different capacities and different power.
Like cars the “better” ones are more pleasant to use.
And high performance can make the trip faster for good drivers and dangerous for unprepared drivers.

A few are “unsafe at any speed”

Well said Al, I like to add, what I always tell my wife when I buy the best possible tool, you get what you paid for. When I dont buy the best I always end up getting it later, not to mention that they should last longer.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Well said Al, I like to add, what I always tell my wife when I buy the best possible tool, you get what you paid for. When I dont buy the best I always end up getting it later, not to mention that they should last longer.

And, although unspoken, you automatically have given her the green light for new furniture and redecorating project.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

And, although unspoken, you automatically have given her the green light for new furniture and redecorating project.

That explains it, a few weeks ago I had to go to Costco for new couches, lol

 

[Bill Boehme]

That explains it, a few weeks ago I had to go to Costco for new couches, lol

You got off light. It could have been Neiman Marcus.

 

[egsiegel]

I have the Jet 1642 and move my headstock all the time.
I tend to put it near the left end when turning between centers and near the right end when turning on a chuck...that way I can stand at the end of the lathe to hollow.

I keep it close to the legs because it seems like it would have more support/stability...although I have no evidence.

 

[Don Bomer]

Howdy folks,
Odie, thanks from me as well. I'm seriously considering the 1836 myself.
And William, VERY WELL SAID!

More expensive lathes have more features, but they won't make me a better turner. I'm better off with my $2500 lathe and $4500 tooling than a $7000 lathe and no tooling.

Don... Living the good life in God's Country (The Texas Hill Country)

 

[Richard Coers]

Shouldn't the question be directed to owners of lathes with a sliding head and a fabricated steel bed? Everyone saying there sliding head cast iron bed lathes work fine anywhere is not an equal comparison.

 

[Glenn Lefley]

Everyone talks about the 2 - 3hp.
I believe China and Taiwan exaggerate hp all the time.
To get the real hp I believe you need to know the amps. That will give you true h.p.
I believe a 1 hp motor draws 13 amps at 50% efficiency at 115volts
Or 6.5 amps at 230 volts.
If the motor says 2 hp 18 amps at 115 volts I think it’s only a 1.5 hp motor. They play around with the numbers . But amps will always give true h.p.

 

[robo hippy]

Well, the sliding headstock vs the fixed headstock arguments seem to come from the Vicmarc owners. To me, the vibration issues on large pieces come from how far off the headstock spindle the piece hangs. With the Vic, the mount is almost right on the headstock tower, so the chuck jaws (Vic 150) would be about 3 1/2 inches off the tower. On my ole PM 3520A, it was off a bit farther, so with the chuck and bowl blank, the chuck jaws were at about 4+ inches (can't remember exactly) off the headstock. With my AB, that mounting point is about 6 3/4 inches. With the Laguna, I am guessing that the jaws move out to 8 or 9 inches. This contributes hugely to vibration issues with larger pieces, UNLESS you have the tailstock mounted and engaged. With my PM, I almost never used the tailstock, which is probably the leading contributor to having the headstock bearings wear out after about 5 years. With the AB, I use it on any bowl over about 12 inch diameter, until I am doing finish cuts on the outside, and not on the inside or for coring. Some of the early sliding headstocks just had a round plate under the headstock, similar to what is on the bottom of the banjo, which considering the load differences between the headstock and banjo, was way undersized.. My AB has a full length plate under the headstock and is very secure. No clue as to what is on the bottom of the Laguna.

With my AB, one feature it has that I prefer to other lathes, is that the spindle lock is wired into the start/stop box. This means that unless the spindle lock is totally disengaged, the lathe will not turn on. I had to call Brent up about that one because 'my lathe won't turn on!!!!' "Reed, I know you are a very experienced turner, but did you push the spindle lock all the way down???" Well DUH!!!! I never liked the spring loaded spindle locks, and how much the customers like them is obvious by how many different solutions have been posted about how to lock it without having to hold it down with your fingers..... I did have the belts squeal a number of times on the old PM....

robo hippy

 

[Bill Boehme]

To me, the vibration issues on large pieces come from how far off the headstock spindle the piece hangs. With the Vic, the mount is almost right on the headstock tower, so the chuck jaws (Vic 150) would be about 3 1/2 inches off the tower. On my ole PM 3520A, it was off a bit farther, so with the chuck and bowl blank, the chuck jaws were at about 4+ inches (can't remember exactly) off the headstock. With my AB, that mounting point is about 6 3/4 inches. With the Laguna, I am guessing that the jaws move out to 8 or 9 inches.

I don't follow what you are measuring. Is it the distance between the front and rear bearings? Probably something else, but would like clarification.

 

[Dennis J Gooding]

I don't follow what you are measuring. Is it the distance between the front and rear bearings? Probably something else, but would like clarification.

I can see two phenomena that, in principle, could increase the vibration when the work piece is positioned further and further from the head bearings. One is an increase in resonance of the shaft/workpiece combination to the spindle rpm. The other is whipping of the workpiece as the shaft bends toward the heavy side of the workpiece. As spindle turners will attest, even balanced workpieces suddenly become unbalanced when whipping occurs. I have not tried to analyze quantitatively how much whipping one would expect for typical combinations of shaft diameter, overhang length, and load unbalance, but it should not be difficult to carry out.

 

[Roger Chandler]

The casting on my 24x48 G0800 is beefier than the casting on a 3520b at the headstock bearings. The cone is just a place where the first bearing is located and it is 85mm diameter. The diameter of a baseball is 74.68 mm. The smallest of the three bearings is 80mm, still larger than a baseball, and the other one is 85mm.

The headstock on my 22x42 G0766 is thinner than the G0800, but the casting of the area around the spindle is much like the 3520b. The distance the chuck is away from the cone casting and the headstock casting on the two lathes is practically identical. I have not noticed any induced vibration on my G0800, even with big wood, so I wonder about the hypothesis on this vibration with cone shaped headstocks being more....take a look at this burl piece on my G0800 which was over 200 lbs. when I started it.

I've not noticed any difference in vibration turning on a cone shaped headstock. I've not noticed any more vibration than when I turned on my friends Robust American Beauty long bed either.........just sayin'......