Anybody on this forum have any insights or recommendations on the VB 36 Bowl Master lathe as compared to OneWay and Robust... Mainly with regard to quality durability and functionality...
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VB 36 Bowl Master comparison
- Thread starter Frank Calzaretta
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Mark Hepburn owns a VB36. The quality of all the lathes you mentioned are top notch and they're all different. It really boils down to what appeals the most to you because I can't tell you which one is best for you. I don't think that there is a magic answer unless you are really just wanting warm fuzzies to confirm what you already want.
From the first time that I laid eyes on the Robust American Beauty, I knew that is what I was going to buy. When my wife said if that is what I want then what am I waiting for, I almost broke a leg running for the phone. I caught Brent (Brent English is "Mr. Robust") on the road driving home so he pulled over and took my order right then and there. He already knew me as the person who drooled all over the stainless steel ways of the lathe every year at the SWAT symposium. Others can tell you about their lathes, but not many of use have all of them to say which one is their favorite. As you know, the VB36 is very different from the others and is basically meant to be a big bowl lathe. It is unique in that it uses plain bearings with an oil reservoir. It's a very old design and and it is also very good. You may know that a German company bought the VB36 and moved production to Germany after the English company went out of business. That's all that I know, but Mark would be able to tell you everything that you would like to know. Just get his attention with a PM.
From the first time that I laid eyes on the Robust American Beauty, I knew that is what I was going to buy. When my wife said if that is what I want then what am I waiting for, I almost broke a leg running for the phone. I caught Brent (Brent English is "Mr. Robust") on the road driving home so he pulled over and took my order right then and there. He already knew me as the person who drooled all over the stainless steel ways of the lathe every year at the SWAT symposium. Others can tell you about their lathes, but not many of use have all of them to say which one is their favorite. As you know, the VB36 is very different from the others and is basically meant to be a big bowl lathe. It is unique in that it uses plain bearings with an oil reservoir. It's a very old design and and it is also very good. You may know that a German company bought the VB36 and moved production to Germany after the English company went out of business. That's all that I know, but Mark would be able to tell you everything that you would like to know. Just get his attention with a PM.
Thanks Bill.... My interest is to supplement my Jet 1642 EVS with a dedicated bowl turning machine. What is appealing is the small footprint of the VB 36... Appreciate your insights and I will contact Mark
I checked it out before buying my Beauty. Not sure how accurate this impression is, but I think of the VB36 as a machine for turning huge, as in need a crane to get the piece on the lathe, type of tool. Most of the time it is bolted to the floor. It can be set up for doing longer pieces, but I consider the design to be more for bowls.
robo hippy
robo hippy
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My impression agrees with Reed. I have only turned on one VB.
It was a nice machine. If you want to do huge work it may be a good choice.
The ONEWAY 2416 with a 17" bed on the outboard is a sweet set up for bowls and hollow forms.
If you once or twice a year want to turn some furniture legs you can bolt the 17" bed on the mend of the inboard to make a long bed.
It is not something you want to do often.
In general use you can start a bowl between centers and then put it in a chuck on the outboard and hollow it.
The new Vicmarc looks like a great machine too. Haven't turned in one yet.
There is a nice thread on this machine in the forum.
The Robust AB is real nice machine too. For huge work it is lighter than the ONEWAY but almost as stable.
I think the motor on the head stock adds enough to stability to close the weight gap unless you going really big
The ONEWAY 2436 with the outboard table and you have close to a 1,000 pound machine.
I encourage you to see the machines and maybe turn on them.
The Symposium in Atlanta will have the ONEWAY, Robust, and some Vicmarc. Al
It was a nice machine. If you want to do huge work it may be a good choice.
The ONEWAY 2416 with a 17" bed on the outboard is a sweet set up for bowls and hollow forms.
If you once or twice a year want to turn some furniture legs you can bolt the 17" bed on the mend of the inboard to make a long bed.
It is not something you want to do often.
In general use you can start a bowl between centers and then put it in a chuck on the outboard and hollow it.
The new Vicmarc looks like a great machine too. Haven't turned in one yet.
There is a nice thread on this machine in the forum.
The Robust AB is real nice machine too. For huge work it is lighter than the ONEWAY but almost as stable.
I think the motor on the head stock adds enough to stability to close the weight gap unless you going really big
The ONEWAY 2436 with the outboard table and you have close to a 1,000 pound machine.
I encourage you to see the machines and maybe turn on them.
The Symposium in Atlanta will have the ONEWAY, Robust, and some Vicmarc. Al
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I did some checking on mu Robust American Beauty and with the tilt away and outboard tool rest and it is somewhere over 900 pounds. If I set the steady rest on the lathe, that brings it right up to 1,000 pounds. I'm planning to add the 16 inch bed extension which is around another 40 pounds or so. As for stability, I could be biased
, but I think that the "settling feature makes it at least as, if not more stable than the Oneway. Since there is no such thing as a perfectly flat concrete shop floor, ordinarily the weight distribution on the legs would not be quite equal with most lathes until a lot of time is spent with tweaking leveling screws. A feature of the Robust is "settling" the legs to the floor and then tightening the bolts that join the legs to the main body. This is in addition to the legs being able to telescope up and down several inches to accommodate the turners preference for spindle height. The Oneway and Robust both have this feature. I don't know of any others that have adjustable height adjustment. Some people bolt their lathes to the floor and others sit it on rubber pads. Personally, I don't see any difference. However, the VB36 has to be bolted to the floor because of its small footprint without the accessory tubular bedway.I did some checking on mu Robust American Beauty and with the tilt away and outboard tool rest and it is somewhere over 900 pounds. If I set the steady rest on the lathe, that brings it right up to 1,000 pounds. I'm planning to add the 16 inch bed extension which is around another 40 pounds or so. As for stability, I could be biased
The Vicmarc has the adjustable or settling legs as you refer. However the OP is inquiring about the VB36 which I have seen in person and I have watched someone turn on it. It is a very stable machine and I don't think for what you are looking for in small foot print, dedicated bowl lathe and quality that you will find a better machine for your needs. Let us know your impressions when it joins your family.
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Bill,
We can add weight to most any lathe and of course bolt them to the earth.
The manufactures web site weights
Standard bed AB 630 lbs
Vicmarc vl300 652 lbs
ONEWAY 2416 800 lbs
VB 36 w/ HD tailstock 847
ONEWAY 2436 850 lbs
Robust tilt away adds 60 pounds
ONEWAY swinger i did not find a weight- maybe 30lbs?
We can add weight to most any lathe and of course bolt them to the earth.
The manufactures web site weights
Standard bed AB 630 lbs
Vicmarc vl300 652 lbs
ONEWAY 2416 800 lbs
VB 36 w/ HD tailstock 847
ONEWAY 2436 850 lbs
Robust tilt away adds 60 pounds
ONEWAY swinger i did not find a weight- maybe 30lbs?
Thank you all for your inputs...I have sent a PM to Mark Hepburn to gain his insights as suggested. I am a few months away from making a final decision...unless a good deal for a used lathe materializes...I appreciate your insights
I'm a big fan of Oneway. I've had a 2436 since 1998, no problems or repairs since I plugged it in. Routinely turn 18" bowls on it, I have the 2hp motor. It's a real work horse that really surprises visitors on how quiet it is. Wonderful machine!
Vb36
I have owned a VB36 for 8 years. I am a working turner that makes and sells about 250 large bowls a year. The VB 36 is a high quality, solid machine that is the best lathe I have used for turning bowls. I have been a turner for 26 years and have used a variety of lathes. If you want to know more, email me at pmkappy@gmail.com. Paul K.
I have owned a VB36 for 8 years. I am a working turner that makes and sells about 250 large bowls a year. The VB 36 is a high quality, solid machine that is the best lathe I have used for turning bowls. I have been a turner for 26 years and have used a variety of lathes. If you want to know more, email me at pmkappy@gmail.com. Paul K.
When I was looking seriously three years ago the VB was on my list along with the Robust AB, Oneway 2436, Vicmark 300 and the PM 2442. I found a way to try them all over a years period of doing my due diligence. There was a VB for sale at a reasonable price reasonably near that the owner allowed a lengthy amount of time on (a couple of weekend sessions.
I tried to like it - it's a real smooth machine, built like a tank and capable of turning just about anything you can get attached. This one had all the bells and whistles. I spent four days attempting to adapt to what I found to be somewhat awkward ergonomics. In fairness, I had a similar problem adapting to the Oneway. as well.
Ergonomics were very important to me. The only lathe I found immediately comfortable to turn on, and where the machine disappeared and the turning and tool presentation seemed natural to me was on the Robust AB.
Everyone brings something distinctive to the search. I'm naturally left handed, so after years of adapting to a world of right handed tools my level of ambidexterity is pretty high. Still, I don't appreciate equipment that forces me to adapt to a design that's essentially stayed pretty much the same since the 19th century.
That's just my impression. If you're serious about dropping the kind of cash on a machine that this class of equipment demands, I would encourage you to get some time on all your candidates before writing a check to anyone. It takes time and a little research. Contact the manufacturers/distributors. If they're worth dealing with they'll help in the process. If not you learned something about the kind of support you can expect after dropping your bundle.
Besides, the search was fun. I met a lot of people, found out a lot about what was important to me. Three years into it, I'm still very happy with the decision I made. The main takeaway: we're all different and have different needs - thats why there's more than one machine on the market. Find yours.
I tried to like it - it's a real smooth machine, built like a tank and capable of turning just about anything you can get attached. This one had all the bells and whistles. I spent four days attempting to adapt to what I found to be somewhat awkward ergonomics. In fairness, I had a similar problem adapting to the Oneway. as well.
Ergonomics were very important to me. The only lathe I found immediately comfortable to turn on, and where the machine disappeared and the turning and tool presentation seemed natural to me was on the Robust AB.
Everyone brings something distinctive to the search. I'm naturally left handed, so after years of adapting to a world of right handed tools my level of ambidexterity is pretty high. Still, I don't appreciate equipment that forces me to adapt to a design that's essentially stayed pretty much the same since the 19th century.
That's just my impression. If you're serious about dropping the kind of cash on a machine that this class of equipment demands, I would encourage you to get some time on all your candidates before writing a check to anyone. It takes time and a little research. Contact the manufacturers/distributors. If they're worth dealing with they'll help in the process. If not you learned something about the kind of support you can expect after dropping your bundle.
Besides, the search was fun. I met a lot of people, found out a lot about what was important to me. Three years into it, I'm still very happy with the decision I made. The main takeaway: we're all different and have different needs - thats why there's more than one machine on the market. Find yours.
Is there by chance a VB36 users group within AAW?
I really do appreciate the helpful input from all those responding to this thread. Thank you
I really do appreciate the helpful input from all those responding to this thread. Thank you
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Not yet. The user groups have not really taken off ... I think that it is primarily lack of visibility ... out of sight, out of mind. It's easy to start one, if interested ... just go here: http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/group.php
There is a user's group on Yahoo and a facebook page for user's as well. Don't have links handy, but searching Yahoo Groups should get you there and Facebook is pretty easy to navigate with a search.
I'm a VB Owner
Hey Frank, I’m a VB owner and a friend suggested I chime in here. Have had mine for about a decade. Love the machine. I’ve never had any trouble with it other than I’ve smashed up the control box a couple times. But this was my fault (though the control cable is way to short).
When I purchased it, it wasn’t actually my first choice but because of the small footprint it is what fit in my space. Ended up that everything about it makes it the perfect machine for me and what I do. If you want to know what that is, check out my web site.
Yes, it’ll allow you to turn big stuff. I’ve done some of that, but I love turning small things on it because it is so darn smooth and quiet. I have the short bed tailstock setup, which allows me to turn spindles to 24†long. But I use the tail mostly for starting my vessel shapes between centers. This setup is wonderful for turning vessels because the tail swings out of the way and I stand right in front of the work to do the hollowing; no bending over bedways.
As for weight and mass, you can shake around any large machine if you are turning out of balance material. Even a two or three pound block that is out of balance will rattle your machine. Think how a car tire will vibrate the entire vehicle by being an ounce or two out of balance. This is of course where the variable speed becomes so useful. Anyway, I’ve bolted my VB to the concrete floor. I used it for about a year free standing before deciding exactly where I wanted it positioned in my studio. So using it that way works fine too. But having it bolted down allows me to turn the speed up. I prefer higher speed turning.
It is what I call a “whole body†machine, meaning you need your whole body’s mobility and strength to operate it. Everything about it is hefty. I lean into it to move the I-beam tool rest around. I use my chest and body to put pressure into the tailstock’s lever action. I bend my knees and use my legs when pivoting up the short bed and extending it out. But at 157 lbs I’m kind of a lightweight for my height of 6’2â€. Somebody with more body mass might not have this issue.
There are some inconveniences with the machine, as I’m sure there are with any machine. Maybe the manufacture has corrected these issues now?
1) The cable on the control box is to short.
2) The magnetic backing on the control box is poor (I replaced mine with whole earth magnets).
3) There is no convenient flat surface to stick the controller to. I made my own mounting arm.
4) The speed dial is too small. I don’t even have big fingers and it is still too small.
5) The lever action tailstock isn’t conducive to hole boring operations.
6) The spindle index locking system is cumbersome and there is no visual guide to it.
7) When turning at high speed for prolonged periods, the hand-wheel gets quite hot. This is normal but inconvenient.
8) The plain bearing design means there is always some friction on the spindle so you can’t just set it spinning freely by hand. This is inconvenient for certain functions like applying finishes or pigments by hand.
9) The bed design and tool post size are unusual and there are no after market companies making components for the VB.
Of course this machine has a lot of advantages too, but I won’t go into that. I’m not into tools or bragging about same. I just want to make stuff and I’m only willing to get a tool if it will do what I want to do. I don’t let the tool companies tell me what I want to do. If you can find someone near you that has a VB I’d recommend giving it a test drive. There is a VB yahoo users group you can message and ask. BTW, that group provides great support. The US distributors and the German manufacture keep and eye to it and respond to posts.
Best of success.
Hey Frank, I’m a VB owner and a friend suggested I chime in here. Have had mine for about a decade. Love the machine. I’ve never had any trouble with it other than I’ve smashed up the control box a couple times. But this was my fault (though the control cable is way to short).
When I purchased it, it wasn’t actually my first choice but because of the small footprint it is what fit in my space. Ended up that everything about it makes it the perfect machine for me and what I do. If you want to know what that is, check out my web site.
Yes, it’ll allow you to turn big stuff. I’ve done some of that, but I love turning small things on it because it is so darn smooth and quiet. I have the short bed tailstock setup, which allows me to turn spindles to 24†long. But I use the tail mostly for starting my vessel shapes between centers. This setup is wonderful for turning vessels because the tail swings out of the way and I stand right in front of the work to do the hollowing; no bending over bedways.
As for weight and mass, you can shake around any large machine if you are turning out of balance material. Even a two or three pound block that is out of balance will rattle your machine. Think how a car tire will vibrate the entire vehicle by being an ounce or two out of balance. This is of course where the variable speed becomes so useful. Anyway, I’ve bolted my VB to the concrete floor. I used it for about a year free standing before deciding exactly where I wanted it positioned in my studio. So using it that way works fine too. But having it bolted down allows me to turn the speed up. I prefer higher speed turning.
It is what I call a “whole body†machine, meaning you need your whole body’s mobility and strength to operate it. Everything about it is hefty. I lean into it to move the I-beam tool rest around. I use my chest and body to put pressure into the tailstock’s lever action. I bend my knees and use my legs when pivoting up the short bed and extending it out. But at 157 lbs I’m kind of a lightweight for my height of 6’2â€. Somebody with more body mass might not have this issue.
There are some inconveniences with the machine, as I’m sure there are with any machine. Maybe the manufacture has corrected these issues now?
1) The cable on the control box is to short.
2) The magnetic backing on the control box is poor (I replaced mine with whole earth magnets).
3) There is no convenient flat surface to stick the controller to. I made my own mounting arm.
4) The speed dial is too small. I don’t even have big fingers and it is still too small.
5) The lever action tailstock isn’t conducive to hole boring operations.
6) The spindle index locking system is cumbersome and there is no visual guide to it.
7) When turning at high speed for prolonged periods, the hand-wheel gets quite hot. This is normal but inconvenient.
8) The plain bearing design means there is always some friction on the spindle so you can’t just set it spinning freely by hand. This is inconvenient for certain functions like applying finishes or pigments by hand.
9) The bed design and tool post size are unusual and there are no after market companies making components for the VB.
Of course this machine has a lot of advantages too, but I won’t go into that. I’m not into tools or bragging about same. I just want to make stuff and I’m only willing to get a tool if it will do what I want to do. I don’t let the tool companies tell me what I want to do. If you can find someone near you that has a VB I’d recommend giving it a test drive. There is a VB yahoo users group you can message and ask. BTW, that group provides great support. The US distributors and the German manufacture keep and eye to it and respond to posts.
Best of success.
Thank you Scott for your detailed input.....I am doing my research....also considering OneWay 2416....if I decide on the VB it will have to be used...if I can find one. No rush cause I'm still turning on my Jet1642.