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Robust AB tilt-away

Peter Vines

Peter Vines

Joined
Dec 22, 2019
Messages
32
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22
Location
Earlysville, VA
I’m curious about the tilt-away, is it worthwhile?
When tilted away, does it interfere with turning while having the headstock all the way to the end? Seems like it could be a knee knocker.
Thanks.
 
I have a swing away on my ONEWAY
I’ve demonstrated on the AB quite a few times
An demoed on the powermatic a lot.

Based on ease of use and non interference I rate
Robust #1, ONEWAY #2, Powermatic a distant #3.

The AB Swing away is an engineering marvel. So easy to lift back in place
I have never found it to be in my way. If you do reverse Turing and want to stand on the backside of the lathe it might not work for you. Few people do that.

The powermatic requires me to lift the tailstock back in place. It swings down at a 45 degree angle so you get some mechanical advantage it still a heavier lift than I want.

The ONEWAY swing away keeps the tailstock in the same plane. Out of the way for everything I do no lifting

Is it worth the money? If you use it, it is
If you don’t use it it isn’t
 
I've had a Powermatic and now have a Robust, both with swing away. I've turned on a Oneway with swing away and seen that the Vicmarc swings with similar geometry to the Oneway (horizontally).

My opinion is similar to @hockenbery (except I prefer the PM to the Oneway) - both the Robust and PM swing the tailstock down below the level of the bed. Oneway swings horizontally so the tailstock is still above the bed ways (no lifting, but an awkward place IMO).

The Robust swing away (with the gas shock assist) was a no-brainer when I bought my American Beauty earlier this year. Beautifully engineered. Shipped installed, perfectly aligned, and ready-to-go. Easy to use - almost one-finger to raise or lower it. The tailstock goes below the bed ways, so not going to get in the way of tool handles etc.

I am often standing at the end of my lathe (hollowing, etc) and the swung tailstock isn't in my way.

If you stand at the back corner of the lathe (where all swing-aways put the tailstock in one fashion or another) it will probably be in your way.
 
I do have the Robust, with gas assist. You can raise and lower it almost without any effort. I rarely need to use it, but given the weight of the tailstock, it's great to have available when you need it. It stays well out of the way.
The PM swing-away is poor in all respects. Hard to handle, you definitely feel the weight when raising it, the screw locking mechanism is a poor design, alignment for sliding the tailstock onto the swing-away can be finicky, and it doesn't entirely get the tailstock out of your way. Given the weight of the tailstock, it's better than nothing but that's the best I can say. I've owned a PM -- it was essential to have the swing, however problematic -- and frequently turn on them away from home. I've never used a Oneway swing.
 
The Robust is a thing of (American) Beauty.

I haven't used one, but it seems to me that the horizontal Oneway and Vicmarc swingaways would be problematic for some hollowing operations where the rear end of the hollowing rig needs that space. I have a Oneway 2436 with short extension tables at either end. For most work pulling the tailstock back onto the extension gets it out of the way. When I need to remove it I can slide it onto a cart or pivot and place it on an adjacent sander table without much exertion.
 
I use mine on the AB constantly for HFs and wouldn’t want to be without it. I had one on my prior PM 3520b and I prefer the way it works on the AB. The gas shock is also well worth it, and for me the tool rest sits on the ways that rotate up into place when the tail stock is out of the way
 
In my use of my 3520b for 20 years the best thing they ever invented is the swing away. Swing away vs lifting tailstock off, no contest. I've timed removal and putting it back 7 seconds removal and 16 seconds putting it back up vs back and groin injury removing tail stock by hand. I have the bed extension low on the back of the lathe and the swing away in down position does not interfere with 39" turning capability off the end of the lathe. My total cost after buying the 3520b brand new in 2005 and the addition of the swing away $2,650 and she is still going strong.
 
The tilt-away on the AB is a remarkable piece of engineering and manufacturing. I use it almost every time I turn. It is easy to use with the gas shock. When turning off the end I have not found any time that it constrained the use of gouges or that I bumped my knees. Certainly a very desirable option for the AB.
 
The best thing about the AB tilt-away is because you have it and it’s so easy to use, I am always using it. There’s life with a tailstock being there (in the way) and then there’s not!! When Brent sold me the lathe, he said I could send the tilt-away back if I didn’t like it…yeah right…it’s that sliced bread thing again…the best!!
 
I got my AB before they had the shock assist set up on it, but it was no problem pivoting it away, My AB is so old, they had 3 speeds on it and the lock down for the headstock used wrenches instead of the lever.... The only problem I did have was getting the bed on the tilt away to match exactly the bed on the lathe. I have a Vicmark 240 with the pivoting headstock. It does have a "pivot" away tailstock option, or maybe it is standard. While it does put the tailstock bed on a parallel axis, the tailstock is still kind of in the way. I have seen a couple of PM variations, and they kind of angle/pivot away. While the tailstock is angled away, and out of the way, I just don't like it as much as the Robust one.

robo hippy
 
After twelve years with the AB I honestly don't know how I turned without the tilt-away. I use it on nearly every project. For me, it's a little like ordering that new car you've been jonesing on for a few years - don't scrimp on those options that only add pennies to the cost per month, get it all. Speaking of which, if you're going to go for the Tilt-away, make sure you add the gas shock. It makes the operation a one-finger deal.
 
While many good comments I don't believe I've seen one item in particular. There is a small length of ways on the underside of the tailstock and when the tailstock is in 'swing away' mode, the short length of ways is perfectly aligned.
 
Peter Vines said:
I’m curious about the tilt-away, is it worthwhile?
When tilted away, does it interfere with turning while having the headstock all the way to the end? Seems like it could be a knee knocker.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Just piling on here……. I’m surprised at how much I use and like this feature. Even though it’s very easy to remove the tailstock live center, I use the tilt away now all the time. It’s that easy to get the live center point away from my elbow but also gets the tailstock out of the way as a bonus. When I want the live center again it’s an easy pop up to get the tailstock up with the live center ready to go. It’s a real luxury.
 
I had the PM 3520b before getting the Robust and purchased their swing away and used it all the time (same as I do on the Robust). It’s different, in that it swings away diagonally (back and down) as opposed to rotating and presenting “replacement ways”, but you can definitely get one and I always thought it was one of the best purchases I made after buying that lathe. I recommend it highly, you just need some room behind the lathe for it to swing away.
 
I also have the Powermatic swingaway for the tailstock-on my 3520C. That tailstock weighs around 50 pounds so the swingaway is almost a necessity. However, I find that, on this model, it is in the way a little when I am hollowing and have moved the headstock so that I am standing at the tailstock end. The legs were also redesigned on the 3520C and that contributes t o the problem.
 
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