PDA

View Full Version : australian made lathes



morgo90
25th November 2010, 05:53 PM
hey guys im just looking into buying a new lathe, i want, if possible a high quality australian made lathe just for general turning

RETIRED
25th November 2010, 06:13 PM
Vicmark VL 175.

wm460
25th November 2010, 06:37 PM
Vicmarc VL300

Mr Brush
25th November 2010, 06:58 PM
Vicmarc VL175 for weekdays, plus a Vicmarc VL300 for weekends?? :D

(since we're dreaming here.....)

Tony Morton
25th November 2010, 08:43 PM
Hi Morgo

Go for a Stubby 750 as a weekender and for the serious stuff the 1000 for during the week,yes they will cost a few bob ut well worth the expence.

cheers Tony

morgo90
26th November 2010, 10:22 AM
the vicmarcs look good, how much would i expect to pay for a Vicmarc 175SH?

Mr Brush
26th November 2010, 10:58 AM
Are you sitting down???? :D

rsser
26th November 2010, 11:14 AM
Just got a VL175 with factory stand and outrigger. Delivered to the shed was ..... PM me.

Could've saved $150 by picking up from the freight depot but why bugger your back when you can bugger someone else's.

I really like this lathe. We divorced some years ago but are now together again. True love ;-}

dr4g0nfly
28th November 2010, 09:13 AM
Buy the best Vicmarc you can afford and don't worry about a few dollars delivery charge - just be thankful you don't live in the UK we get shipping (real ship) charges to pay!

Willy Nelson
28th November 2010, 10:32 AM
Vicmarc, Vicmarc or Vicmarc
Although having said that, I own a Top turn, made by Durden. I have had it since 1996, it have travelled from Melbourne to Perth, to Sydney and back to perth. It has many thousands of hours, no problems. So I would highly recomend a Durden (I think they trade under Hercus. Made in South Australia. If my Durden died, I was going to buy a Vicmarc that day, but I reckon I would try to fix my Durden first, if that makes sense?
Sincerely
Willy

kcam
28th November 2010, 11:13 AM
If considering a VL 300 Vicmarc compare the short bed to the long bed depending on the room you have and what will be your main turning projects. I have the long bed and if I had my choice again I would go for the short with a swing away extension.:rolleyes:

Paul39
28th November 2010, 12:56 PM
Morgo,

If new lathe prices make you weak kneed. Woodfast made several models of good stout heavy lathes.

I have a 1995 Woodfast 410, short bed, 20 inch swing, I bought several months ago. It has had DC variable speed added along the way. Sweet lathe, a bit dirty and rusty but everything cleaned up, and it runs well. US $900.

Do a search for Woodfast in this forum. Much discussion about them and a person who refurbishes and resells.

hughie
28th November 2010, 04:34 PM
I have a 1995 Woodfast 410, short bed, 20 inch swing, I bought several months ago. It has had DC variable speed added along the way. Sweet lathe, a bit dirty and rusty but everything cleaned up, and it runs well. US $900.

Yep go along with that, I've got a '87 model, all good. :2tsup:

rsser
28th November 2010, 05:19 PM
Here's some things to consider when looking at buying a lathe:

1. What kinds of turnings do I want to do now and what might I want to do in the future?
2. What lathe capacity do I therefore need now, and may need in the future?
3. What level of lathe safety, convenience and accuracy would I be satisfied with? How much fettling and fiddling can I tolerate?
4. Given my answer to 3., what seems to be the best value proposition around?
5. Have I budgeted for chucks, tools and sharpening gear?

For a beginning turner, getting good answers to these questions is difficult.

You need expert advice.

Followed by financial counselling :oo:

Possibly followed by marital counselling :C

Paul39
29th November 2010, 05:58 AM
Ern's advice above is perfect.

With all contemplated purchases, the first question should be, "what do I want to do with it?"

Of course things usually don't progress in a rational way. My start down the path of turning came with a pawn shop purchase of a Chinese 7 X 12 metal mini lathe. I used that until I had a catch, broke a belt, replaced belt, had a big catch, broke a gear. Replaced gear.

I was given a much used 10 inch swing Delta with zinc headstock, which served for a while, but the headstock to stamped steel bed mating became worn and floppy with use.

Then came the used Hegner with 350 mm swing, which has served nicely. But I have lots of big timber that will not fit on the Hegner.

I saw an article in the local paper about a local hardware taking wood working tools on consignment. I went to see what arrangements could be made to dispose of duplicates of band saw, drill press, table saw, etc. I keep finding better or bigger at auctions at give away prices.

There was a used Woodfast 410 with 20 inch swing on the floor, so instead of selling, I bought another lathe.

Probably the best way to start turning is to join a turning club or have some group or private lessons. One can discover the direction of turning that appeals and acquire the proper equipment only once.

I was immediately attracted to making bowls and twig pots. My only interest in spindles is to make tool handles the size of baseball bats to hold chunks of unknown sharpened steel in order to hack shavings off large chunks of timber.

I learned a lot by trial and error with the little lathe, then joined a turning club for the demonstrations, bought some books, and kept turning.

I would think the most efficient way to turning is some instruction, the best appropriate equipment one can afford, and hours and hours in front of the lathe.

If you pick up a chink of timber, think "hmm what is in here", and stagger out of the shed grinning 5 or 6 hours later without having eaten, drunk or peed, you are LOST.

Sawdust Maker
29th November 2010, 09:15 AM
Paul39, great comments

If money was no option I'd look at one of Enzo's tricked up Stubbys

kcam
29th November 2010, 09:26 AM
If you live close to Brisbane Paul39 Enzo (Vermec) are having open days this weekend with great demos etc you can check out Vicmarc and Stubby and get some good advice along the way :U

Solutions Aust
29th November 2010, 09:26 AM
You are very restricted with lathe that are completley manufactured in Australia so what ever lathe you end up purchaseing I would suggest you make sure you are going to get good back and after sales service should you require it
Graham :U

rsser
29th November 2010, 10:06 AM
Yeah, there are a number of happy Woodfast users on the forum so excluding the WF just because they're not Aus-made is perhaps not sensible.

Otherwise the choice is between VM and Stubby (or Enzo's adaptation of one).

hughie
29th November 2010, 12:32 PM
Some thoughts on choosing your lathe



Positive features to look for:



A Cast iron headstock and tailstock.
A Cast iron bed.
Pivoting or rotating headstock with solid mounting, positive clamping and convenient means of returning the headstock to the original position, ie pins etc
Solid bowl turning banjo which does not flex, this is to accommodate the swivel head stock. Only really available on quality lathes
Secure and convenient locking, clamping and repositioning of tool rest, tailstock and barrel.
Well shaped tool rests not light weight or poorly made. Also tool rests that can be adjusted at least 10-12mm ( ½”) above and below centre height.
At least four speeds ranging from 500 r.p.m. to around 2000 rpm or higher. But ideally speeds of around 2-300rpm would be better and if possible a variable speed set. Today most are electronic, some of the older lathes have mechanical nothing wrong with mechanical adn they are not hard to repair.
Check vee belt for quality and condition. This can be a good indicator on how the lathe has been used
If you can, have a look at the pulley system for rough machining or casting and or sharp edges. This sort of thing will shred your belts in minutes
If second hand don’t be too concerned if the tailstock and headstock are not 100% aligned, not all lathes can do this from day one. But check the bearings in the headstock for sideways or vertical movement. It’s a good idea to give the chuck a pull to see if there’s any forward and back motion. This may indicate worn bearing housing which is fatal. Also don’t forget to check the quill on the tailstock for side movement
Mechanical or electronic variable speed system will save on having to fiddle with pulleys and belts. Otherwise a belt and pulley arrangement that is easy to get at and change or move the belts.
Also look at how easy it is to change your belt if it breaks, some lathes you have to remove head stock shaft and bearings. This could be a extra cost if your not confident to do it your self.
Dust proof induction motor of 1/2" H.P. minimum for small mini lathes or 1hp for the rest. Try and avoid motors with brushes as it will add to the maintenance bill. Should have capacitor start and centrifugal switch for high starting torque.
Push button switch with "no-volt-release• ie safety switch sealed against dust. That is, if you remove the power from the lathe when its running and restore the power the lathe should not start
Heavy duty ball or roller bearings not solid or sleeved bearings [these are rare these day mainly applies to old lathes].
Widely spaced bearings which preferably support both ends of the spindle.Ideally a three bearing set up is the way to go.
Morse taper in headstock spindle and in tailstock barrel plus convenient means of ejecting taper fitted accessories. Number 2 Morse taper is better than number 1.
Easy spindle locking (so you can unscrew the faceplate or chuck easily)
Standard headstock spindle thread to enable you to buy chucks from a wide choice of suppliers not just the lathe maker, you don’t want some weird diameter and thread pitch. This will make it very difficult to get chucks, face plates etc to fit and of course they wont be cheap either.
Register or step on the headstock spindle nose for true running of chucks, ie normally there’s a little step on the shaft that the chuck screws onto and up to,it acts as alignment.
Tail stock with hole right through enabling you to drill cable holes in lamps or any long drilling jobs for that matter
Long tailstock travel [at least 50mm or 2"] for drilling and good sized hand wheel which is easy to turn. Preferably not plastic but cast iron or aluminium
Good reliable make. Well known makes have better resale value and have a reputation to up hold and there fore will have a better finish, design and QC. OK you pay a bit more for it but quality rarely comes cheap. But don't deterred if the lathe is a well known brand and old some of these lathes will be going long after you.
Good dealer backup and spares availability. This is important on the modern vari-speed lathes as repairs are often beyond average turner.

Features to avoid or watch out for:
· Light sheet metal construction especially the legs.
· Tubular bed set up of light weight pipe
· Tail stock with threaded barrel which rotates in the housing when you tighten it.
· Rough castings – sharp edges poor machining. These all indicate a lack of quality control and you will most likely have problems down the track
· Weird or unknown brands
· Weld repairs to the tool rest can indicate severe usage
· Exposed belt drive
· Poor electrics ie switches, frayed and damaged cabling, DIY wiring and domestic type plastic switches.
· Flimsy motor mounts ie light weight pressed steel
· Check where the motor is situated. Some have the motor high up in line with the chuck and can interfere with your turning capacity
· Can you access the belts easily for speed changing
· Small foot print for the bed mounts onto the stand. All good well designed lathe will have strong wide mounting feet configuration
· Basic ergonomics ie handles and locks are easy to access and use
· Hows the height for you?No point in struggling with a height issue, although it can fairly simple to fix.





<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]-->

Safety issues


Get your safety advice from a experienced turner. Much of it will seem to be common sense.But If you’re new to turning it won’t be obvious, so seek advice .

Here's a few things to consider



Loose clothing, long hair, dangling jewelery and any other object which could get caught up in the revolving machinery.
If your in the habit of slowing down the by placing your hand on the chuck, remove your wedding ring. As most lathes are set up for the right hand turner and the left hand does the slowing down. Better still change the habit find another way to do it.
Make sure that the lathe and other power tools are properly guarded and that the guards are securely in place.



Never attempt to change the speed of the lathe, or to adjust any part of the work piece while the lathe is still is up and running, even if it is 'only' freewheeling to a stop'.
Ensure that all items such as chuck keys, Tommy bars etc. are removed before the lathe is started.
If you have to use extension leads try and bring them down from over head and from the tail stock end.
Spend some time looking at your lighting requirements. The basic rule is you cant have too much light, just make sure its in the right place.




Always stand to one side when you start the lathe so that if anything does fly off - loose bits of bark, for instance - you will be out of the line-of-fire. It’s not hard to do; it’s just a matter of getting into the habit




When mounting a new job, rotate the job through 360 degrees by hand, then start the lathe at its slowest speed to allow you to check that everything is secure. Only when you've done this, test it, if its safe to set the lathe to the normal turning speed.




Always check the lathe speed and have it in low before switching the lathe on to avoid the risk of starting it at too high a speed. A good idea is to leave the lathe on low speed especially if you have finished job and don’t plan on starting a new one any time soon.




If all else fails read the instructions!? Actually read them instructions first, when you understand them fully. Then start to use the machinery.




Wear protective clothing ie no floppy or long dangling sleeves, ideally have well fitting clothing in one piece down to perhaps the waist. But a must would be safety glasses or Safety Shield.




With the increased awareness of the potential harm which can be caused by wood-dust most turners now wear an approved dust mask ( P2 minimum), especially when sanding. Ideally, wear a powered respirator with integrated visor and know that you're safe. But good cross flow ventilation can achieve this as well. Good cross flow can be achieved from open doors and windows etc or extraction fans. However you achieve it, it doesn't matter as long you do, do it. The cheap fans that are available over the summer in various stores work well and can save you a lot of money. In Australia now all wood dust is considered toxic and dust collection and PPE are required for all commercial operations.

NeilS
30th November 2010, 12:30 PM
Helpful piece of writing, Hughie.... :2tsup:

has also written some sound words on lathes, somewhere?

.

jimbur
30th November 2010, 02:08 PM
Absolutely Hughie - before all else fails RTFM
cheers,
Jim

arose62
30th November 2010, 09:45 PM
Never attempt to change the speed of the lathe, or to adjust any part of the work piece while the lathe is still is up and running


Do you really mean this? On my MC900, the manual is clear that speed changes MUST be made whilst the lathe is running.

I thought there were quite a few lathes with variable speed, implemented one way or another - Reeve pulleys or electronics.

Cheers,
Andrew

RETIRED
30th November 2010, 10:02 PM
Helpful piece of writing, Hughie.... :2tsup:

has also written some sound words on lathes, somewhere?

.This? You have reminded me that I must finish it.:-
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/tips-beginners-91317/

hughie
30th November 2010, 11:52 PM
I thought there were quite a few lathes with variable speed, implemented one way or another - Reeve pulleys or electronics.



Andrew,

You got me. :U I should have been more clearer vari-speeds not included. Reeve set ups most definitely need to be turning. :2tsup: