New (to me) lathe options

[bogmonster]

Not in a rush but started thinking about upgrading my lathe, a Poole Wood 28-40. Money is tight as I work part time due to ill health and a long way from retirement. Anyway, thinking about what options are out there. I mainly turn bowls and sometimes quite large ones. I have turned some hoofers on the Poole Wood, probably far bigger than sensible for the machine. I have a custom large bowl attachment that allows me to swivel the headstock and work without leaning over the bed. This arrangement works well for me and don't want to lean over a bed. I fancy the idea of a large chunk of cast iron and while a Wadkin RS appeals the turning position does not. Many of the older lathes have outboard turning but I don't think I could manage with the bowl turning in the opposite direction. I could have a reversible motor but then there is the issue with the chuck and faceplates unscrewing and messing with grub screws on all of them sounds a faff. I would like variable speed as well. I must be able to easily fit a scroll chuck - preferably one that uses the Axminster jaw system as I am already invested in that direction. Also I want something I can maintain easily and if needs be get spares for. The Poole Wood has a 6 pole 1HP motor and that struggles on big bowls - well, medium sized ones as well, so I find myself needing to back off when roughing out. So what are the options....

EDIT - I also want a hollow headstock shaft so I can use a vacuum chuck easily - kind of view a vacuum chuck as vital equipment now....

Record Maxi 1
Jet 1642
Jet 3520B
Short bed graduate (or similar, maybe Viceroy) with inverter.

I know all the above are totally different beasts but all might meet my needs. Of the above I actually fancy the idea of the graduate. Prices need not be too spendy and they hold value well. My issue is not really cash flow. I know it would be too low for me but blocking it up would be easy I would think. Capacity is a bit limited - 18 inches I think. I do now have a bandsaw so at least I can get a round to start with whereas up to now I needed additional capacity for odd shape lumps of tree. Is a Graduate going to be up to the task of an 18 inch by 9 inch bowl or am I asking too much of it? What size motor can be shoe horned into that pedestal?

The thing that puts me off the Graduate is that I do the odd hollow form and have a hollowing jig - not really sure that can work on a short bed lathe without some seriously hokey arrangement.

Any other ideas I can put into the melting pot?

BM.

 

[chipmunk]

Dear BM,
I have a Jet 1642 which is a great lathe but I honestly wish I'd held on and bought the 3520B with the outboard bed extension. I've tried to replicate the capability with an outboard extension of the AWVSWL1200 but it's not as robust as the real thing.

So for me there's a head and shoulders winner on that list, and it's the 3520B.

HTH
Jon

 

[bogmonster]

Jon, Yeah, I think that maybe you are right, it is the best lathe there but it's also the spendy option Lots of grovelling to Ms BM.

Just noticed that the Graduate has a stock 3/4 HP motor. That's not very impressive. I do wonder how much power is lost in the Poole Wood through the mechanical drive, maybe they are on a par? Ideally I think I want at least 1.5hp. The lowest speed of the non-variable Graduate is 425RPM which is too fast for a sedate person like me when working on a large lump of wood.

My gut feeling is that there is another cheaper option out there I am missing.....but maybe I delude myself. The Poole Wood was cheapish so bang for buck is a hard act to follow. I have certainly had my value out of it.

BM.

 

[KimG]

I too have a 1642 and find that so far I have not needed more than the current swing over the bed, but do need to have access face on to large bowls and hollow forms, the sliding headstock serves admirably in this and the build is truly excellent. So unless you are fully determined to turn 15" plus bowls (you can in fact turn a 16" over the bed of a 1642, but it would have to be perfectly round) then it is surely the best value for money costing half the 3520B, beautiful piece of equipment that it is.

 

[bogmonster]

I have just measured up some bowls. The largest bowl I have turned is 18 inches by 9 inches and quite frankly it is too big. 16 inch bowls are probably fine but not the leaning over the bed. I started out turning like that but don't think I can go back. Standing in front the bowl allows much more freedom of movement. I also get terrible neck ache working over the bed.

 

[KimG]

Well why would you need to lean over the bed BM? the headstock slides right to the end of the bed, set it so it is just short with enough room for the tool rest and stand in front of the bowl from the end of the lathe, that is what I was trying to convey as the essential advantage of the 1642 providing you turned sub 16" bowls, no need to lean over the bed.

Assuming that you meant that of course, I am truly amazing at misunderstanding, it is a real talent!

 

[bogmonster]

Ah, no, it's me. Didn't realise the headstock could be slid down the bed

 

[renderer01]

Unless I miss something there is a real possiblity of this, there is another lathe to throw into the pot slightly cheaper than the jet its the AT 1628 vs Ax I have just finshed weeks of research here and other places and bang for buck it was the best machine for me.
Dont take my word, go to ax site and check the spec. I bought mine this morning will be here in a couple weeks.

Rend.

 

[woodfarmer]

Unless I miss something there is a real possiblity of this, there is another lathe to throw into the pot slightly cheaper than the jet its the AT 1628 vs Ax I have just finshed weeks of research here and other places and bang for buck it was the best machine for me.
Dont take my word, go to ax site and check the spec. I bought mine this morning will be here in a couple weeks.

Rend.

I will be looking at one (1628) reserved for me in axminster on tuesday the 5th . the other two lathes i want to see are the 1642 and the 3520 can't buy off the net, really need to see and feel it before committing the cash. The 1628 is same price as the 1642 including the bed extension and legs.

 

[bogmonster]

The only thing that puts me off an Axminster branded lathe is that they do tend to switch models frequently. I worry about parts availability in the future. Might be that this is unfounded but a nagging concern. Would be interested in other people's views on this?

BM

 

[Sheptonphil]

The only thing that puts me off an Axminster branded lathe is that they do tend to switch models frequently. I worry about parts availability in the future. Might be that this is unfounded but a nagging concern. Would be interested in other people's views on this?

BM

But Jet has just been hived off to a private equity firm, so who is to say what continuity there will be with either product or quality then?

At least with UK owned or based Axminster or Record, you have a fighting chance of continued spares availability.

I too want to upgrade to the Axi 1628.

Phil.

 

[bogmonster]

OK, still fancy a Union Graduate I just love the asthetics of them - I know, silly way to choose a lathe.....

Anyway, a bit more research and it appears that the short bed has many flaws. Anybody tried lowering the bed on a standard one? Apparently the bed can be lowered by 6 inches without too much hastle. I am gessunbg a riser for the toolpost, a riser for the tailstock, angle grinder to the leg that supports the rear of the bed :shock: Are there lower mounting holes already?

Anybody actually tried this, is it really easy?

BM

 

[nicguthrie]

Another +1 for the Axi 1628. I made eyes at the thing for ages while choosing my lathe, but as a beginner I couldn't justify the spend to SWMBO.

I have its little brother, the 1416vs. The variable speed system is very good indeed and the overall build quality was great, especially considering it was one of the cheapest options available for the stats it has. The only things not perfect with it were a couple of the sheet steel parts (mounting plate for the electronic bit) were a bit out of shape from being manhandled, but all fixed in 5 mins with pliers B-)

I've gotten to know a bit about Axminster from chatting with their staff (I talk a lot - you may have noticed) and I'm assured that most items that they stop stocking, they'll continue holding parts for, for several years.

I hope you find exactly what makes you happy. Enjoy the hunt, it's fun too

Nic.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

 

[graduate_owner]

Hi Bogmonster.
About a year ago I bought a graduate because I don't like the outboard turning set up on my other lathe - a Myford ML8. My graduate is a bowl turning version, so has the usual outboard arrangement but nothing inboard. I'm going to make up a free standing rest so as to give plenty of capacity - all the way down to the motor housing 'bulge'. I haven't fully decided on a design yet though, so I'm currently turning outboard only. That sort of arrangement might suit you, although there is still the motor capacity to consider.

I had read that the short bed was not a good design so I saved money by getting just the bowl version (from ebay - cost me £150 including a 14" faceplate and disk sander - I've seen the sanders going for about £100 on ebay).

I have bought an Axminster evolution chuck for it, which fits both sides of the headstock. That means I can turn inboard say, then fit the chuck outboard and get reverse rotation effect without risk of the chuck unwinding.

It's a solid lump of cast iron and I haven't bolted it down yet. I need to raise it a few inches first. I'm pleased I bought it and I think I had a good deal - the chuck cost more than the lathe.

If you do buy one, check out what comes with it because new spares can be silly prices (as in £103 + Vat for the curved arm that holds the tool rest, and a further £51.75 for the pin that holds it to the base) so make sure you factor this in when considering. Used spares do come up on ebay, but obviously you can't rely on them being available when you want them.

K