Thread: Vicmarc VL100

Slyfer, congratulations and thanks for sharing that good news, always encouraging to hear reports on equipment, helps us all to make wiser decisions in the future, does your "Vic" have variable speed control? Amos

good one

Slyffer,

Great to hear you are happy with your VL100, they are very much a precision machine. I run a few Vicmarcs and they have never failed me. It is a shame that you have had problems with the Carb-a-tec mini lathe. I have one that will be 20 years old in July and it has run smooth and true all that time. Can't say what the newer versions of the Car-a-tec minis are like, they look a heavier built machine to the one I have, but i think i will stay with it till it dies.

Originally Posted by bdar

I run a few Vicmarcs

SKYTE, Showoff

Originally Posted by Slyffer

something magical happened. It spun and spun with not even the slightest bit of wobble. I also noted that with two live centers inserted, they matched up exactly spot on.

Can I touch you?

I got the same shakey feeling with my Jet mini lathe. I can only make pens on the lathe because when I try to make bowls, because it dosen't turn true it always catches on the inside of a bowl.

A neighbour has a Vicmar, so I go over there to turn the insides of my bowls. The Vicmar is next on my shopping list.

Remember - "You get what you pay for", and "once the price is forgotten the quality remains".

Originally Posted by Calm

SKYTE, Showoff

Sorry David but I use to demonstrate for a wood working supply business and I guess i was spoilt. Yeah may have got them a bit cheaper but had to save just as hard for them. They are the only big lathe that I would look at here in Australia apart from the Stubby. The only 2 other lathes that i like outside of Australia and they are Oneway lathes from Canada and the Silverdrive lathes from England.

Congratulations Slyffer

Ok now lets see some of these new turnings

Good on you Slyffer. If the wife is worried now, just wait until you set it up in the bedroom!

Originally Posted by dlim2986

I got the same shakey feeling with my Jet mini lathe. I can only make pens on the lathe because when I try to make bowls, because it dosen't turn true it always catches on the inside of a bowl.

Don't understand. Wouldn't your pens come out somewhat oval shaped if it's not true? And most of a bowl can be turned on headstock only. Just can't get thru this thick skull of mine.
Here lately we read a lot about the same type of problems on all kinds of lathes, especially Jet. And not only on this forum, but 2 other ones I read daily. Could it be more turners out there & the companies are trying to compete/keep up, that they've laid off the "quality control" personal? And how many companies actually manufacture their own lathe, probably very few. Especially mini lathes. Probably sublet out & made to their specs. $250.00 - $400.00 isn't pocket change to anyone just to have a piece of equipment end up as a door stop or dust collector. Maybe if we all raised more cane with mfgr's. they'd turn out more precision stuff.

Mobil Man, I have Jet mini, it does not run true, but a quality live centre helped greatly, and when I get down to the last bits if turning I stop and turn the blank on the mandrel 1/2 a turn to make sure I turn it evenly, not ideal but practical. Amos

Lucky....



Yes I too am a victim of a dodgy Jet Midi...

I had a Carbatec midi lathe for about 1 week and sent it back after my first pen. It almost lasted the whole pen. results were a mostly finished wobble pen (oval), a broken tail stock cam lock lug. This was after a quality live centre replaced the wobble "clickity click" live centre that came with the lathe from new. That's the noise it made when turned by hand, clickity click click click. Did I mention it was not centred (should have been called a live "off centre". I have a vicmarc vl 100 on way and plan to put a 2hp on it (already had one laying around, just need to build the cabinet to house it and the extra drive pulley to reduce the speed by half (idles at 2840rpm) . hmm.

Originally Posted by Woodenink

Mobil Man, I have Jet mini, it does not run true, but a quality live centre helped greatly, and when I get down to the last bits if turning I stop and turn the blank on the mandrel 1/2 a turn to make sure I turn it evenly, not ideal but practical. Amos

One thing I noticed on the Jet I bought was the centers were really dinky little things. They saved some money there.

The Rikon, as much as it never ran true for me, was a very solidly built lathe, much more so than the Jet, and it came with much better centers. If it only ran true.

I may have to eventually upgrade to a proper lathe.

Congrats Slyffer!