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Post by sulvarbir on Mar 30, 2020 15:07:50 GMT
Hi All,
thanks to the Interweb and not having a four hour daily commute I’ve been researching for a new lathe. I’m 12 months into Woodturning and use a Perform CCBL lathe that was a flea bay purchase. It’s a big lump that sits on a stand/bench I made.
its done the job by getting me into Woodturning but I’m thinking it’s time for a new lathe. I want a variable speed with reverse available on an electronic adjuster. I’m fairly competent at bowl turning and would look to turn bigger bowl blanks. Would 12” over the bed be enough. Alternatively look at something with out board turning being an option. I also enjoy spindle turning (actually HP wands) so 16” between centres is a minimum. I’m building up to turning a folk flute for No. 1 son hence the distance between centre need. Also own an SK100 Chuck 2MT which is also a factor.
I’ve looked at the Laguna 1216 and at the top end of my budget an Axminster AT406WL. I think Axminster customer service is brilliant so that’s a major plus. This by the way is a long term purchase. Once it’s in my garage it’s not getting upgraded.
So anyone have any opinions/thoughts that can assist me on my wood turning journey.
Kind Regards
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Post by Pete on Mar 30, 2020 21:28:03 GMT
BIG MACHINE SHOPPING, Excellent fun :-)
Lathe's are best if they are capable of a lot more than you do today, as you say it is a long term purchase. I upgraded last summer from my Ebay purchase Myford Mystro which served me well with the outboard capability and quite a long bed. I spent a long time looking at options and for a long while I was looking for a second hand Vicmarc VL300, but my workshop is 6m x 3m and I wanted a lathe that I could use across the 3m, which the Vicmarc only sort of did, plus the Vicmarc even second hand was at the top of my budget and a bit beyond it.
I looked at a number of different exotics, Laguna and Wivamac amongst them, lots of money but they are nice, but one thing kept bugging me, they were imported by agents as as at that time the Vicmarc agent had packed up so nothing could be bought unless imported, I decided to go for a bigger UK footprint, eventually I chose the Axminster AT406WL complete with leg kit and extension bed.
Make no mistake there are shortcomings with this lathe:
It is a bit short! I often need to remove the tail stock as it gets in the way. I worked round that by making a chest of drawers (all my workshop is now drawer based, and on casters so I can move it, I kept losing things in cupboards) this one is the width of the tail stock and has a drawer each for MT bit's chucks and faceplates, it is also the height so that when tailstock is on the 2x2 rails I built for it the top of the tailstock is below the lathe bed height so completely out of the way, is I had the room I would just leave the extension bed on all the time. BUT if I had the room I would have the Vicmarc or maybe the AT508... etc...
The inverter fan noise can be annoying, needs a bigger fan at lower speed to quieten it down a bit, it isn't loud when the lathe is turning, and the tool is cutting, it is during those stop and inspect moments it annoys me a bit, I will one day take it apart see if I can improve it.
The tailstock quill seems a bit haphazard it moves OK but not with the same silky-ness I have felt on other lathes.
Other than those gripes, I love it have used it extensively with a bowl-saver so it has the power, and used it to make beads and other small things so it has the speed.
Only problem you have is you can't go around stroking machines in tool shops at the moment, which I find one of the pleasures that must be had when spending money in large chunks.
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Post by sulvarbir on Apr 1, 2020 16:03:09 GMT
Hi Pete,
I’ve just checked the Axminster site again and noticed that the product video for the AT406wl is something called the AT1628vs. I know they often change their model names. Do you know if it’s the case with the 406.
Not keeping up with the changes me thinks.
Kind regards
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Post by Pete on Apr 1, 2020 16:08:52 GMT
Yep same product, not even a name change just an imperial / metric over the bed is a 16" or 40cm near enough throw so what is a 40 here is a 16 in the USA and you will see it referred to under either or both name/s in various Axminster product reviews and videos
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Post by sulvarbir on Apr 7, 2020 11:12:34 GMT
Pete,
the Easter Bunny may be making a delivery from Ax next week once they have eaten plenty of chocolate.
at the moment I’ve not ordered the stand/legs mostly due to cost. I have a fairly robust stand I made for the CCBL lathe some I’m hoping it will work.
difficulty is there is a 15mm difference between my stand and the Ax one. (Stand is lower)
Any thoughts? Or anyone else that would like to chuck in please.
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Post by Pete on Apr 7, 2020 15:39:22 GMT
The main advantage of using the the cast legs is that at extra cost again! you get the extension bed which when mounted to one end of the lathe gives you more swing / other end extends the bed to "full sized" lathe, When you have the cast legs it can mount lower giving you the full 42cm swing i.e. an 80cm platter, bowl or whatever! But that is always an option for the future, just keep an eye on things to see if they are ever on discount. I suspect that you will find the shorter bed means you will want to remove the tailstock more often, so make a place to put it so that it is easy to do. Other than that it is a superb machine, as I said IF I had a bigger workshop I would go bigger again and either have the same model as Martin uses or go for the Vicmarc with the swing away tail stock that I was really keen on but just couldn't justify. But there is nothing I have thrown at this lathe that it has struggled with, in low or high range the variable speed starts at 0rpm and turns up on the dial so out of balance work can be tested for secure mount from the end of the cable! I just need more chucks now... Oh and... damn I need to go to a toolshop and touch stuff I can't afford!!!
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Post by sulvarbir on Apr 18, 2020 9:28:03 GMT
Hey Pete, continuing the theme of extra bits and I haven’t got a clue. Any thoughts (anyone else can chuck in) on what this is? It came with the lathe and is heavily greased/oiled. Nothing I can see on the parts list, manual or video on Ax. Chris Attachments:
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Post by Pete on Apr 18, 2020 9:39:38 GMT
That is a head alignment tool, as the headstock can be swivelled and although it has positive click points it can get slightly out of line with the tailstock. to fix that you loosen the headstock insert that into the tailstock and bring the 2 together lock down the tailstock screw it in until that is held tight and tighten the headstock and everything is accurate again.
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Post by sulvarbir on Apr 18, 2020 9:43:55 GMT
Top Man - time to turn.
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Post by percytheturner on Jul 16, 2020 20:05:40 GMT
I’m new, no very new to woodturning and haven’t even got a lathe. I’ve sorted out my workshop to be and I was looking for a British made lathe? I have scoured the net but have conceded defeat so I am going for the Record Power Coronet at £999, one dealer is actually including the legs for free any thoughts on this lathe? It does annoy me that Record Power advertise as British but the lathe is made in China. My question will I be getting a decent lathe for my money, and is the guarantee worth the paper it’s written on?
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Post by Pete on Jul 18, 2020 14:52:24 GMT
Hi PercyTheTurner Yes Record Power have a good reputation for both the quality of the machines they make and also the customer service they offer. I am pretty sure that there are no 100% British made woodworking machines any more, even those that are assembled in the UK often source the castings motors etc from other countries principally China. Plus of course even if it is made in the UK the steel foundries here are foreign owned these days. But yep Record are a good company, obviously not as good as Robert Sorby who do still make a lot of stuff in the UK.
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Post by billisretired on Oct 26, 2020 21:36:07 GMT
How about a Nova dvr p latest model...it has it all...check it out. Had one for e years...no trouble, and with the revolving head, I have turned a we” bowl.
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Post by billisretired on Oct 26, 2020 21:36:56 GMT
Meant 24 inch bosl...last message...sorry
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Post by ricksp65 on Mar 15, 2021 0:57:41 GMT
I wound up getting the Laguna 24/36 with the bad extension set up it’s a beast but I love the machine .
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Post by Pete on Mar 15, 2021 2:26:58 GMT
Seen a couple of Laguna's in dealers, build looks excellent sure it will give you many years of pleasure
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