Oh it was expensive, something like $5,000 when I bought it. It's just that with the right inclination you get it for free and then some. Plus you get close to 75% of what you paid for it when your kids have to sell it.
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Lathe Upgrade Discussion/Suggestions and Good Used Lathe?
- Thread starter Mike Sooley
- Start date
Thanks Marvin! The pictures always help. I almost never use a face plate. My chain saw accuracy is not always perfect. I rough the bowl between centers and sometimes adjust the blank to get a better balanced grain pattern. Once I like it I cut the spigot and reverse the blank for hollowing. Question: how easy is it to fit the banjo and tail stock back on the ways? They seem to be rather substantial and heavy.
The higher the quality of lathe will equate to the longer hours you will enjoy turning on the lathe. Once you spend some time on a quality engineered machine you will have a hard time going back to a lesser quality machine. If you have a marketable item and a viable market in your area, you can usually make the machine pay for itself.
I'm 70 Mike, may be in better shape than some but by no means a big guy. I grab the banjo and slip it on, the tailstock hangs on its own rack and is a little harder but no issue for me yet. I don't have enough room to put a swing-a-way on and think it may be in my way now working off the end.
It's going to be a hard choice for you, there are so many great lathes out there. On occasion, one hears a horror story such as yours about many great lathes, others never have an issue. Good Luck!
Did you buy your lathe through a dealer? Sometimes contacting the dealer to help motivate your manufacturer has helped some of the guys:
1. We don't care....
2. Dust is proof that we actually use the tool.....
3. Paint is cheap. If you must, find a "wood color" paint, and re-pain your lathe....
4. Just joking with you - all in good fun.
My Oneway started out to be a nice white color.
Then, I started using it. Wet wood, WD-40, dust, sap, etc. I could spend the time to really clean it........but why? It would just get dirty again and the time spent cleaning would take away from turning time.
Mike - The main control switch on the Oneway is on a swing arm. With a little work, it could be moved to the other side of the lathe.
Maybe you should move your car outside and just take over the whole garage?
Get the best lathe that you can afford and enjoy turning on. It will pay for itself. You sell enough of your turnings to pay for it.
The Oneway is here. Come and try it.
Then, I started using it. Wet wood, WD-40, dust, sap, etc. I could spend the time to really clean it........but why? It would just get dirty again and the time spent cleaning would take away from turning time.
Mike - The main control switch on the Oneway is on a swing arm. With a little work, it could be moved to the other side of the lathe.
Maybe you should move your car outside and just take over the whole garage?
Get the best lathe that you can afford and enjoy turning on. It will pay for itself. You sell enough of your turnings to pay for it.
The Oneway is here. Come and try it.
Having turned on many 3520 Bs and Cs, I would buy a used 3520B before I would buy a new 3520C.
With my Robust, I don't worry. I brush off the shavings and worst of the dust, but that's it. I don't have a compressor in my shop area, but I wouldn't use it for lathe clean up -- I don't want all the dust it puts into the air. A brush raises less. I do little finishing on the lathe, so drips are not a real problem, but when finishing on the lathe makes sense I do it and don't worry about possible drips and cover the bed. I don't turn wet wood often, but don't fret about it. As for the color of the lathe, it's irrelevant since I use a back drop if I need contrast. In any event, I'm not looking down at the lathe bed. I'm not that aware of the color of the lathe when I'm turning -- I'm focused on what I'm turning.
The readout on the VFD (back of the headstock) is not rpms. I believe it is hertz and there might be a way to convert to rpms, but mostly it's just useless info. You can get an after-market rpm sensor-readout for not much money if you can't turn without that data.
Though I do look at the RPM's, I feel the vibration of the turning piece even on my heavy 3520B. It's not like the harbor freight that moved across the floor, more of a feel you develop. How you have the piece mounted, kind of wood, wet or dry, all of that together let's me know if the speed is okay. It's kind of my double check that everything is fine. I would fix the indicator if it was broke but believe if I never had it, I could sense the speed pretty close. It is a nice security blanket...even spinning smooth I don't like to exceed 1000 RPM, but that is just me.
As far as cleaning the mustard monster, I scrub it down real good every 16 years whether it needs it or not...
As far as cleaning the mustard monster, I scrub it down real good every 16 years whether it needs it or not...
If you spend the money you will have weight and adjustable legs for the height. With lathes, you do get what you paid for. I would not even consider buying a lathe without adjustable legs.
I bought a DVR XP (16" swing) new, but purchased the 2024 (20" swing) used from a friend who was moving. I love the rotating head stock; the 20" swing; and the 2.3 HP DVR motor. There are a few things I don't like, but have learned to live with them (other than a lathe that is not working...).
Thanks Hugh! The double bay would make a great wood turning / wood working space... This week is busy. How about early next week?
Thanks for the update Dean. The lathe was close to a wall and I could not get a good look at the backside of the head. A friend said he bought an inexpensive rpm sensor that he used to "calibrate" his speed dial and then got rid of it. I am used to the pre-set speeds and digital readout on the DVR motor, but I expect I could turn more by feel now after 10+ years of turning. Could you post a photo of the backside of the head stock? There were several other buttons there that I thought we on/off; rotation direction; and speed buttons, but I did not study them well.
One thing to remember these days we are seeing a large number of used machines hitting the market with the early baby boomers finding their way to the retirement homes in growing numbers each year. Many of these boomers bought good quality machines and acquired plenty of tools and accessories for their hobbies. Estate Sales, CraigsList and Facebook Marketplace is a good place to look at each week for these bargain deals when they come up. Monthly turning clubs usually know of lathes and accessories that are coming onto the market from people they know.
Mike,
Read the entry above this from Mike Johnson. Pay attention.
I am around next week as far as I know. Let me know what day works......then I can check with the social secretary. Mornings are best. After 9 AM as I get home from my walk about then.
Hugh
Read the entry above this from Mike Johnson. Pay attention.
I am around next week as far as I know. Let me know what day works......then I can check with the social secretary. Mornings are best. After 9 AM as I get home from my walk about then.
Hugh
Have you looked at the Harvey lathes? (harveywoodworking.com). The T60 is a beast it is 24"x48" It has a rotating head, the tailstock is swing-away so you can turn off the end as well. You can get an extension that to mounts below the bed and turn even larger. If you're not familiar with Harvey, they make many lathes for other companies to include some Grizzly...I don't want to assume which other brands. If you are familiar with with the Grizzly G800 that was discontinued around 2019...Harvey basically took that from grizzly, made some upgrades and rebranded it at the T60. They also make the T40 which is 14x24 but you can swivel the head and turn outboard to 18". They are out of China but their US office is in California. I wish I could provide hands on experience but I can't...not yet anyway. I've ordered the T60...now I wait. Good luck.
All that's on the back of the headstock (besides the motor and clamp) is the VFD. The buttons and dial and readout are on the VFD. They are disabled, so they don't do anything. It's also possible that the VFD would be a different brand than the one I have. There's a reason the lathe is up against the wall and the user can't see the VFD. It doesn't have anything to do with your turning and you can totally ignore it.
Great insights, Mike! I am still sorting through the feature/price issues. I am starting to eliminate some options.
Bummer! I thought I might have a good solution for my left handed back side of the lathe turning option.
I started to look at the Harvey, but don’t know much about them. I will take a much closer look at them! Thanks!
And I believe I mis-spoke...the T40 head rotates; I don't believe the T60 does....but you can put the bed extension off the front to get different tool rest angles I guess...initially made me think the head swiveled as well.
Ah! Need to look at both.
It looks like I need a T50! Where is it?
You could reprogram the VFD so that the controls would be the Run-Stop-speed dials on the VFD, but reprogramming opens up a whole, family sized can o' worms. Unless you're an electronics technician or EE, I can't recommend it. Also, you wouldn't have Forward-Reverse from that side.
If that's the way you'd like to go, putting the controls in a mobile control box with a couple strong magnets on it would be much easier, more flexible, and safer than messing with the VFD. I have not done this, but others have and apparently, it's not too hard. More just wiring than electrical engineering.
For “backside” turning, make a list of lathes that have speed control on a pendant that can be located on the backside. I’m sure members here can help with that, I’m not familiar enough with all the models to help.
I find it best to list features in order of priority ( pendant, swing, length, hp, pivot or sliding HS, etc) and then create a list of lathes and put it into a matrix so you can see it all - easily done in a spreadsheet like excel.
I find it best to list features in order of priority ( pendant, swing, length, hp, pivot or sliding HS, etc) and then create a list of lathes and put it into a matrix so you can see it all - easily done in a spreadsheet like excel.
Mike, it seems that the first item on your priority list is to comfortably turn left handed in your own style. And you seem to be working hard at trying to figure out how to use a lathe backwards (i.e. contrary to the design intent). I just want to point out that even if you succeed in reversing the controls the lathe spindle will still be a right hand thread. If your chuck has a set screw you can certainly get away with backside turning for a particular operation, but to set up to reverse turn continuously is to invite being screwed (or should I say unscrewed).
On the other hand you do have a style that works well with a rotating headstock. Given that the perfect machine does not exist (that machine would have the headstock on the right and tailstock on the left), maybe the compromise you should be looking at is to settle for less swing and keep the rotating HS. After all you can still turn larger diameters off the bed.
Here is a list of all the manufacturers that I know of that do or did make rotating HS lathes. Some will be available new but others you may find new.
Nova,
Record Power,
Rikon,
Vicmarc,
Grizzly,
Jet,
Colt-Stratos,
Magma-Titan,
Axminster
Harvey
Edit: I forgot Harvey.
On the other hand you do have a style that works well with a rotating headstock. Given that the perfect machine does not exist (that machine would have the headstock on the right and tailstock on the left), maybe the compromise you should be looking at is to settle for less swing and keep the rotating HS. After all you can still turn larger diameters off the bed.
Here is a list of all the manufacturers that I know of that do or did make rotating HS lathes. Some will be available new but others you may find new.
Nova,
Record Power,
Rikon,
Vicmarc,
Grizzly,
Jet,
Colt-Stratos,
Magma-Titan,
Axminster
Harvey
Edit: I forgot Harvey.
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Doug - Thanks for the thoughtful comments. I pretty much have been doing what you said and adding to it when I hear of another option. I have also been eliminating options once I research them better. I have also concluded that most of the lathes are not designed for left handed turners. (Mark's comments support this conclusion.) I am ready to concede that I need to get better at right handed turning. I can do it, but I fall back to my left hand for fine finishing cuts. When I was little I wanted to be a catcher in baseball, but had a hard time finding a left handed catcher's bit. I played first base instead. A position well suited for a left hander. There were plenty of left handed first baseman gloves. This time I think I will need to learn to "throw" better right handed. ;-)
I will be buying a used Vicmarc VL300!
Thanks Mark. Great list. I have studied several on the list and eliminated several. Some are new to me! Then, out of the blue, came an opportunity to get a nice used Vicmarc VL300! I will be getting it and trying to adapt my turning style to fit the lathe. I hope I can do that. It is such a nice lathe.
Now after thinking about it, and being a Vicmark 240 owner, I am wondering if another banjo would fit so I could use 1 inch posts.... I have had a couple of conversations with Brent on how he needs to make a pivoting headstock lathe. He doesn't think it is worth it.
Best headstock design is the Vicmark, hands down. Main reason is that the headstock spindle allows you to mount your chuck maybe 2 inches closer to the headstock tower than the other lathes like Robust and Oneway, and the Laguna lathes, oh, Jet and PM in here too. Not really familiar with Grizzly. Major advantage for less vibration.
Best banjo set up is the Robust and 3520C with the locking wedges to secure the tool rest post. It doesn't slip like the others do with just the set screws. Don't like the soft metal handles to lever the posts down since they are softer and will wear out, when, not if they wear out.
Best motors? Well, I don't know, all seem to work pretty well as long as you have variable speed. I do prefer 3 speed ranges on the headstock pulleys. I have an early AB which had 3 speeds, and prefer that. My 240 also has 3 speeds, and I believe the Oneway has 3 speeds. Main advantage, as a bowl turner, with 2 speeds, I prefer to have speeds up to 2000+ for bowl turning, which means high speed range for turning. The problem is that with 2 speeds you would have to drop down to low speed range for coring, since all coring systems don't like high speed ranges.
Other than that, if you are doing recreational turning, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference which lathe you use since they can pretty much all do the same job. If you are a production turner, then you want big, heavy, and powerful.
robo hippy
Best headstock design is the Vicmark, hands down. Main reason is that the headstock spindle allows you to mount your chuck maybe 2 inches closer to the headstock tower than the other lathes like Robust and Oneway, and the Laguna lathes, oh, Jet and PM in here too. Not really familiar with Grizzly. Major advantage for less vibration.
Best banjo set up is the Robust and 3520C with the locking wedges to secure the tool rest post. It doesn't slip like the others do with just the set screws. Don't like the soft metal handles to lever the posts down since they are softer and will wear out, when, not if they wear out.
Best motors? Well, I don't know, all seem to work pretty well as long as you have variable speed. I do prefer 3 speed ranges on the headstock pulleys. I have an early AB which had 3 speeds, and prefer that. My 240 also has 3 speeds, and I believe the Oneway has 3 speeds. Main advantage, as a bowl turner, with 2 speeds, I prefer to have speeds up to 2000+ for bowl turning, which means high speed range for turning. The problem is that with 2 speeds you would have to drop down to low speed range for coring, since all coring systems don't like high speed ranges.
Other than that, if you are doing recreational turning, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference which lathe you use since they can pretty much all do the same job. If you are a production turner, then you want big, heavy, and powerful.
robo hippy
Thanks RH! I really wanted to get a VM 240, but did not get very far when a great opportunity came up for a used VL 300. I hope to learn how to adapt to the new "features" on this great lathe. If not, I guess I will be out there looking again in a year or so or maybe a 240 will fall in my lap like the VL 300 did (unlikely - I know).
You can use any banjo of the correct height with a custom clamp block. Oneway I use a Oneway banjo on my General 260 which is a huge upgrade. Does the Vicmarc 30mm/1" sleeve not work for you?
Mike, how will you turn left-handed on this fixed headstock lathe? Or will you learn right handed? I find it easier to turn with either hand facing the spindle on the outboard end of my lathe, but the stubby extension table facilitates that. I think anything longer than 16-17" would be awkward.
Kevin - I already turn between center when I am roughing. I do it both left handed and right handed. When I am final turning I still turn in line with the centers to finish the outside of the bowl when it is in the chuck. The part where I like to rotate it out 22.5 degrees is when I am final hollowing it. Many times I cheat and use a carbide finishing scraper, turning in reverse, to create a nice transition from the sides to the bottom. I have been turning seriously for more than ten years (after I retired) and think I can make it work. The deal was just too good to pass up! Time will tell.
I don't care for the Vicmark straight tool rest because it does not have the hardened drill rod on it. Since I was making my own bowl rests, I did some with 30mm posts and I turn mostly bowls.... I did get a 30 mm post from Woodworker's Emporium, but it is too big to fit into the standard Vic banjo. No clue as to why. I will turn it down some time, but for now, I turn bowls on the Vic, and core on my AB...
robo hippy
robo hippy
@Reed: It seems the hard steel rod is standard now: https://vicmarc.com/product-page/lathe-accessories/toolrests-detail
Mine does have a steel rod on it, but it is not hardened drill rod, a file leaves marks, and it doesn't 'slide' like the A2 drill rod does. I got it maybe 3 years ago at the last Oregon Woodturning Symposium, which will be happening again next year!
robo hippy
robo hippy
My bad, assuming that they would use a hardned rod.
I had my old type rests fitted with hardned rods that seem to have been glued on.
What a pleasant change in user comfort.
I had my old type rests fitted with hardned rods that seem to have been glued on.
Handauflagenoptimierung | Joachim Mader
jmader.de
As far as I know, the first one to put out hardened drill rod tool rests was Brent at Robust. Don't know if Steve Sinner did that before him or not. The first ones were glued on. I did drop mine on the floor, and of course it hit on the rod and the rod popped off. A little JB weld and it was good as new. When I made my bowl rests, I experimented because it costs far more to harden the whole top of the tool rest than it does just the rod. We welded one hardened piece up to cherry red to see if it would bother the tempering of the drill rod. I could only get scratch marks with file and hack saw blades. For production, all the rod was hardened first.
robo hippy
robo hippy
@Reed: Still enjoy your tool rests every time I use them!
Mike, sorry to hear you have had bad experiences with Teknatool. I've been turning on my DVR-XP for 7 years and have had good experiences with their support. (Our club has a DVR-XP also) However fortunately my last need for support was several years ago. Anyway, I think you've got plenty of advise from others here. I'll say hi to your brother when I see him at our next meeting.