"Clone" lathes

[Tazmaniandevil]

Looking at the vast number of very similar lathes on the market with the same variable speed control as the Axminster AWVSL1000, I'm wondering why there is such a vast pricing disparity.

Draper, Clarke, Fox, Delta, to name a few - all seem to manufacture a very similar range of lathes.

Is there a difference in the quality of these lathes, or are they (as I suspect) all from the same factory in China and re-badged by the various re-sellers?
Are we, the general public, being sold a particular badge at higher/lower prices?

 

[themackay]

Hi Tom I think there is a difference in quality between the clones it seems to be a basic design. My first lathe is a Fox and mine is better made than the clones at my woodturning club .I have no complaints about the Fox accepting what it is.I would aim a bit more up market if your repacing your record

Alan

 

[RogerP]

It's the same for most woodworking machinery it mostly comes from Asia and is badged and painted for/by the sellers.

If you look around the web the same machines can be bought all over the world under names we never see in the UK.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

spot on. There are physical differences in some cases and usually from the "better" stables. Record Power for example, apart from the green paint and yellow transfers, invest in tooling in the Chaiwanese factory to add the parts to their bandsaw range which are unique to them. For example, Fox, SIP, Axy etc may all sell the same frame with different badges but only the RP variant has cast iron bandwheels, a cast fence mount, different guide assemblies etc etc. So not all the clones are made equal although in my experience I've pretty much never seen any variation between the models badged by the usual brigade of cheapies ie Fox, Charnwood, Clarke, Draper etc. They all seem to be just a paint job.

But anyone not buying a "European" machine in all walks of tools would be well advised to look very closely at the features/pricing/warranty data before jumping.

 

[CHJ]

Quite often the pricing difference reflects the selection point in the Quality audit after individual component manufacture.

The Old Perform (Yellow Paint) Range from Axminster were 'less choosy shall we say' on finish of castings etc, and I suspect an assembly of such could be bought in cheaper.

Another factor is that although components like lathe beds tail stocks etc. may look on the surface the same they could be made thousands of miles apart as the drawings and mold pattern copies for 'generic' castings could be spread over hundreds of small back street workshops and find their way into a collective assembly concern.

 

[ajmw89]

Most of the lathes similar to the axi seem to have a 1mt headstock and 2mt tailstock, whereas the axi has 2mt in both and a bigger 8tpi x 1" spindle. Other than that, they all seem to be the same machine, with slight variables in speeds or in charnwoods case a rev counter

 

[Richard Findley]

I guess it's a bit like 'are all VW Golfs the same?' To some people they are, but when you look closer, some have a better stereo, some have alloy wheels or go faster stripes. Yes, essentailly they are all the same, but each company will specify certain elements within their budget to make them slightly 'unique'.

Richard

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

I would aim a bit more up market if your repacing your record

Alan

Indeed I would love to. Unfortunately financial constraints drive my purchasing.
I was intrigued, as I have seen an SIP variation of the Axi machine on sale at almost double the price and wondered how much of a difference there is in the manufacture to warrant the increase.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I suspect the different lathes are fundamentally similar with companies adding a paint job to differentiate their product from the rest.

Some companies also add some "superficial" custom parts - typically those which impact the assembly stage not the fundamental design - eg: holder for chuck keys, spanners, hex keys and knock out bars, better blade guides and wheels on bandsaws, shelf rather than frame under lathe etc. Some may also come fully assembled rather than in major component parts which may take 1 or two hours.

In the case of the Axminster lathe the clones have similar capacities, similar sized motors, similar beds, similar variable speed mechanism etc. Axminster have a generally very good reputation for parts back up and customer service (which I would happily endorse) and it is unlikely in my opinion to be worth paying siginficantly more for a clone.