Thread: Technical help for legendary Symtec Wood lathe owner

Originally Posted by China

This will be a interesting thread especialy to gauge the level of interest, i.e. to see if there is more interest, as we all know lack of interest is what caused the demise of the Symtec lathe years ago

Hi:

I don't really know what the reason that caused the demise of Symtec wood lathe and it also does not bother me whether there is interests in this thread. I am only here to share knowledge and perhaps provide some technical support to existing machine owner. This thread will naturally dies off once there is no interests

A forum Search for [symtec] finds 93 threads, including this one; earliest was June 1999.

Cheers,
Joe

Originally Posted by joe greiner

A forum Search for [symtec] finds 93 threads, including this one; earliest was June 1999.

Cheers,
Joe

Wow, so after a span of about 13 years, there is still interests shown in this thread. I am surprised. It prove that good machine don't vanish

Edward

Ive used one a few times, they were great for repeative spindle turning but for anything other than that they were pretty useless as you couldnt get a decent tool rest on them for hand held tools.

Fix Steady there is a group in Australia of dedicated users small as it is they love their machines.

One of these is one of the members who would have posted PTC down in Tasmania who is selling off his gear ATM. His passion for the lathe has not faulted shame his health has.

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Fix Steady there is a group in Australia of dedicated users small as it is they love their machines.

One of these is one of the members who would have posted PTC down in Tasmania who is selling off his gear ATM. His passion for the lathe has not faulted shame his health has.

I will appreciates if you can let this group of dedicated users know that I am able to help them should they requires technical assistance Or perhaps with their approval you can also pass me their contact. I can also be reached at [email protected]

Originally Posted by Harry72

Ive used one a few times, they were great for repeative spindle turning but for anything other than that they were pretty useless as you couldnt get a decent tool rest on them for hand held tools.

No machine is perfect, Symtec wood lathe does has its limitation, the same goes with every conventional wood lathe. However, can the conventional wood lathe does copying work? Fluting process? Or it is safe? More important, why do you want to use the hand held tool when the machine was designed to be operated with tool jig? I will only use hand held chisel on the machine when I want to turn big bowl mounted on the rear end of the spindle of the head stock. Frankly, as I mentioned at the beginning of this thread that I am here to offer technical help to existing Symtec wood lathe owner and not here to discuss the pro and con of the machine. I strongly believe for every product launch, there will be people who like it and there will also be people who don't like it. It all depends on individual requirements.

Edward

Mate I didnt say it was a bad machine, for their intended purpose they are good and I happen to like using the machine... even when using a motor scooters back axle as the cutting tool!

Originally Posted by Harry72

Mate I didnt say it was a bad machine, for their intended purpose they are good and I happen to like using the machine... even when using a motor scooters back axle as the cutting tool!

My sincere apologise for making this mistake. You still have the machine? If you want I can send you a genuine cutter so that you can get your poor motor scooter back into operation as a transport tool

Edward

Originally Posted by Fix Steady

My sincere apologise for making this mistake. You still have the machine? If you want I can send you a genuine cutter so that you can get your poor motor scooter back into operation as a transport tool

Edward

Good Grief! A symtec person with an excellent sense of humour! WOOHOO and Goodonya mate!!!

Originally Posted by Christopha

Good Grief! A symtec person with an excellent sense of humour! WOOHOO and Goodonya mate!!!

Mate this is a good one! You just make my day

Let me make my point a bit clearer I'm not knocking it or supporting it, I am just interested in seeing what the support is like now given the amount of negative stuff that has been said about it much of it by people who would not know one end of a lathe from the other. One point, I ran a woodturning buisness for many years. I had several types of lathe different machines for different jobs.

Originally Posted by China

Let me make my point a bit clearer I'm not knocking it or supporting it, I am just interested in seeing what the support is like now given the amount of negative stuff that has been said about it much of it by people who would not know one end of a lathe from the other. One point, I ran a woodturning buisness for many years. I had several types of lathe different machines for different jobs.

Thank you for making clear your point of view. I have only manufactured this machine for about 2 years and all of these machines are sold in SE Asia. None of these machines were sold in Australia thus I do not know what kind of negative comments that its has received down under. From my side I have only received positive comments and have yet to received any negative comments. I can only come to a conclusion that neither the machine was very well received in SE Asia or they are just purchased for display only!

Meanwhile, you have my deepest respect for being a professional when its come to constructive comments. I must also mention that I am a design engineer by profession and I am like thousands of other seek wood turning as a kind of hobby and stress relieved.

Originally Posted by Harry72

Mate I didnt say it was a bad machine, for their intended purpose they are good and I happen to like using the machine... even when using a motor scooters back axle as the cutting tool!

Mate, come to think of it, I distinctly remember reading a thread in this forum that someone posted that he use a motor scooter axle as a cutting tool. Now I finally meet the author of this post on the forum.

Cheers
Edward

For those who are unfamiliar with the Symtec here is a photo it was manufactured 5 mins from my previous address

Hi all:

Past few days I have receviced enquriy and request from friends and members here. Instead of replying them individual I would like to post it here.

1 Is the machine show in post #13 an original Symtec machine?

No, Although its capacity and concept is the same as Symtec model 1500, the
machine shown is a newbuild. The major difference between these two is that the
machine shown in post #13 have a different machine stand which gives a much
better stablitiy to the machine during turning. The original step pulleys type for
speed change has being replaced with electronic speed controller for variable
speed control. Finally, the electric motor has been upgrade to a bigger hp size.

For photo of the original machine, please refer to the one kindly posted by our
member China.

2 Does Symtec has a smaller Bench Top version of the machine?

Altough Mr Geyer did told me that he may be developing a much more smaller and
cheaper version of the machine during his stay in my country but I have yet to see
it. Perhaps other members in this forum can advise? However, many years ago I did
make one mostly for pen and small part turning. I enclosed a photo for those who
are interested to view.

Edward