Thread: Buying a New Lathe

Hei Lee,
I've never used the Delta Lathe but I swear by my MC900.
I guess the thing to find out is where the Delta is made - if it's made in China you might as well get the MC.
In terms of the 900 or 1100, do you ever envisage turning anything 1100mm long? If not you might as well save a few bucks and get the 900.
Carbatec are doing a deal at the moment - the MC900, plus a chinese chuck and a set of half decent chisels for $459.
I notice that you live in Kelmscott, you may like to come over to the Liddlelow turners group in Kenwick, they've got a couple of MC900's so you could have a play on one and quite a few of us have the chuck and chisel that Carbatec are offering so you could get some decent information.
PM me if you want contact details for Liddlelow.
Cheers
Paul
(AKA Smidsy)

Leighd


I personally will not spend the extra on the more expensive lathe. It smells and looks like the MC900/MC1100, however the ultimate choice is yours.
You are right on the comparison between the 900 & 1100. The 900 has 3/4 hp and 150 centre height, 900 centre to centre. the 1100 has 1 hp , 175 and 1100 respectively. The 1 hp does make a difference if you turn large diameter bowls and platters but not much on spindle work. Both have a swivelling headstock.
I have used a 900 from Carbatec with the M30 x 3.5 spindle for some years since I came to Australia until I bought a Vicmarc 175 in June. However I have not disposed of my MC 900. Obviously it is not the ideal lathe ( neither is the Vicmarc ) but it is good value for the price. I received two specials flyers in the post and Carbatec is $100 cheaper than the opposition on exactly the same MC 900, Turning tool set and Economy chuck.
It is woodshow from tomorrow till Sunday , here in Perth, why not check out the specials at the show.
Good luck

Another feature of the 1100 is that the headstock not only rotates but slides - this makes outboard turning easier by providing more scope to position the toolrest.

And the MCs are not all the same - like bandsaws, the manufacturer only sources the parts and assembles them, so components like motors, bearings and belts can vary. This accounts for some of the variation in price.

That said, Carba-tec sell reputable stuff and for your budget you can get a solid setup that's terrific value; it will feed your addiction until you can't live without a bigger hit ;-}. Like Gatiep, my habit took me from an MC900 to a Vicmarc 175.

All

My missus has had a windfall, and most kindly offered to upgrade my late, so I have been looking around. Anything would be an improvement, as I have been turning since I started in 1998 on an old patternmaker's lathe, which my grandfather reconditioned from scrap in the 1930's, and used to make bagatelle sets during the depression. I recovered it when in HSC, had 1 try, 1 massive dig in, and left it in my dad's garage for 30 years, before trying again after his death.

The monster is solid cast iron, and has a hulking great motor about the size of a 20L bucket. Will turn 1000mm between centres, and swing a 600mm platter over the bed. The tailstock is fabricated from sheet steel, and 2' plumbing fittings!

Pretty it is not; smooth it is not; strong it is. On it I have turned from pens to 600 mm bowls. Extensive mods have been done, but the bugger is just so rough, that the diminishing returns have cut in.

Enough history; I have been looking around, with a view to the replacement.

At TAFE we have used the old GOLDIE, as well as VICMARC , but all industrial, and no longer current. Our Guild has the short LEADY, which I find nice but limited. I am beyond the MC's, as I have been spoiled by the capacity of the beast. In addition, I wanted to stay with brands supported locally, so ignored the UK and USA. To my mind that left VICMARC and TEKNATOOL. While I drooled over the VL200, the tag of $2500+ (and $3000+ for the 175) was beyond what I can justify.

Ultimately I am led back to the NOVA 3000. I don't like the concept of the integral motor on the DVR, and question the relationship between speed and torque they claim.

So I will probably get the 3000, wth one extension bed, and mount it on the cast iron stand of my old 'monster'. I will keep the old guy in the back room, in case I need to do something ridiculous.

Now I just need to get the cash in hand, and make the trip out to TREND --------!

Thanks

I feel much better for sharing that!

Alastair

Alastair,

It's obvious that the old and solid has served you well, but if you're going Teknatool go for the DVR!!!. And I speak as a Vicmarc owner ;-}

Search the rec.crafts.woodturning newsgroup for posts about it, in partic from Lyn Mangiameli

Direct digital control drive is the way to go.

(Carrolls Woodcraft have them for $2550).

Alistair
As a proud DVR owner, I suggest you twist Adrian's arm at Trend & get him to let you turn something on one of his DVR's so you really can see how smooth it is - & the claims of torque are not exaggerated.
I did a 1 day workshop at Trend last weekend - & was on one of the Nova 3000's - nice lathe - but I really missed the minute speed control of the DVR.
Anyway - that's my 2 bobs worth
Peter
Happyinsydney

About eight months ago I laboured over both the Vicmarc and Woodfast. I was working to a budget of about $2500 and the variable speed Vicmarc was out of my league. The VL200 and Woodfast without stands but including fixed speed motors were both in the $2,500 price range. The Teknatool DVR was suggested as an alternative and I settled on that machine after some extensive research.

Eight months down the track I would have to say I am extremely pleased I listened to the advice given. Firstly the DVR delivers 2.3 HP at the drive spindle – no belts therefore no slippage which I understand accounts for a twenty per cent loss in power on belt drive lathes. The lack of belts and pulleys eliminates vibration from the drive train. As the chisel works the wood, torque is applied to maintain the speed within a few revolutions of that selected by the operator.

Its other major attribute over the VL200/VL300 is the swivel head capability.

Positives:

Variable speed control – no belts.
100 – 3,500 RPM
Swing 400 mm over bed and 740 mm with headstock at 90 degrees
2 MT
Never under-powered
Wide range of accessories including chucks, outrigger, vacuum coupler, tool-rests, revolving centre systems, bed extensions and cast iron stand.
Excellent manuals and support over the internet – in English!
Smooth operation
Warranties – 5 year limited (2 year on electrical parts)

Negatives:

Slow speed change – but faster than changing pulleys!

Price
Currently selling for $2,399 including free Super Nova chuck at http://store.yahoo.com/gpwoodturning/tekdvrlat.html
Or $2,550 at http://www.cws.au.com/

Hi Leighd,
From all that I have seen on this forum the MC900 is a good machine and when I went to get my lathe I was intending to get one of them. However once I saw them side by side I decided on the Delta.
This was a couple of months ago and I am really pleased with it.
At the time I looked at them, I thought that the legs on the Delta looked a little better and I that the Delta generally looked of heavier construction and with a better finish. I also think that the tool rest on the Delta looked more versatile.
Rsser mentioned that the 1100 has a headstock that not only rotates but slides, this is also the case with the Delta.
When I got my Delta the MC900 was $379 plus the cost of the legs of $129, this made the price difference only $141. At the time I thought that the extra was worthwhile and I still think that I made the correct decision.
If you can, maybe you should go to Carbatec and have a look at the two together and decide from there.
I hope that this helps.
Wayne.

Just to clarify.
The MC900 comes complete with a set of pressed steel legs, the legs Wayne mentions for $129 are cast iron legs which are an optional extra.

I have the standard legs and I have turned 200mm square 100mm thick lumps of jarrah that were badly out of balance - and my lathe is not even bolted down.
Given what I have done with my lathe I think the standard legs are more than adequate.
Cheers
Smidsy

I put a shelf on the rails of the standard legs and then a 40kg bag of cement on that - helped damp things down a bit }

Hei Ern,
I think if you are turning peices that are massively out of balance that you will get vibration & walk no matter what legs you have. In some respects the steel legs could be better because they would have a little bit of give in comparison to the cast legs.

As I said, mine isn't bolted down and it seems fine - a little bit of walk when a turned a massively out of balance blank, but that blank was so far out of balance nothing would have made a difference.
The other day I turned the head to 45 degres to turn a blank that was about 340mm and the lathe was rock steady.
If I thought it needed the cast iron legs I would buy them but so far I don't think they are necessary.

One thing I have thought of doing, is instead of bolting the lathe down use two anchor bolts in the floor attached to the lathe via a heavy springs - this would secure the lathe but also allow a certain amount of give under extreme conditions.

Cheers
Paul

I could buy a good chuck with $250

I can save yourself some big bucks by getting a slab of beer and drink it all in a few hours. You'll have a good chuck for around $30.

With that second hand radiator water that you Victorians call beer I bet you could have a good chuck for $30.
Cheers
Paul

I have an MC900. It is fairly sturdy & reliable.
Has had the usual sticking problem with the variable speed. It also has noise and vibration in the variable drive.
Cleaning up the dags on the pulleys & shaft and lubrication fixed the sticking. The vibration appears to be from the join in the v belt. Replacement belts give noticable different vibration levels. As to the clatter; I have found it to be wear in the drive dogs. One day I will try & make up some new split pulleys out of better quality material. Or maybe some new cone pulleys with multigroove belt. The belt changing inconvenience would be still better than noise & vibes.

On a different slant; finally really put the Jet mini to use today. 2" redgum spindle work & a pen blank to try out the new mandrel spacers. Absolutely fantastic. Leaves the 900 for dead.

Ken