PDA

View Full Version : Is this any good?



Evanism
23rd June 2013, 11:04 PM
There seems to be a new lathe at H+F called the Record Power dml36s selling for $428

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/R800

I'm an absolute beginner but can see myself easily using it a lot over the years.... So I need to balance good vs cost.

I'm getting a new one as every second handie I've found is seriously in need of work or simply somewhere that won't ship. Being in Canberra the 2nd hand market is quite small.

There are a few mini and midi ones around, but they almost all have one deliberate deficiency or another to force you up the value chain.....which I can't really afford!

So, is this any good?

RETIRED
23rd June 2013, 11:45 PM
Nope.

Elaborating.

It has #1morse tapers. Hard to get normal accessories.

The 3/4 x 16 spindle nose limits other accessories. The standard is 30x3 in Australia.

Twin bed bars will limit fitting jigs to it without a lot of trouble.

Motor is too small for that size lathe.

Speed range is too high for size of bowl that can be turned.

Sorry.:C

turnerted
24th June 2013, 05:09 PM
Evanism
Go and visit your local woodturning club and see what they are using then you will have a much better idear of what to look for.
Ted

Evanism
24th June 2013, 05:32 PM
I've purchased a great deal of gear with recommendations from this fabulous group of forumites.

:)

There are the rather nice looking mini and midi lathes from Carbatec and H+F. Each makes a very nice looking lathe but as per my first post and those recommendations AGAINST the English one, I keep running into brick walls.

Every time I see one that I might like, there's a blockage... Wrong morse taper, bed too low, rickety, underpowered.... You know the list!

Perhaps the fine men and women of the forum can guide me?

I'm thinking I need a lathe for small jobs. No big bowls (but I KNOW this will be the 3rd thing I'll want to do...). I have a dozen projects listed that need parts that are turned. I have one project in particular that needs many many parts turned the same (so maybe a copy mechanism, I've watched a few videos).

Sorry to be so needy. I went through the same agonies choosing my TS, thicknesser and jointer and I've been very happy with the recommendations. Store sales guys are OK, but the experts/enthusiasts here are more honest. :)

Budget? $500 ish or less is my target. I'm willing to go higher, I'm a skilled woodworker, but beginner lathe turner (?).... My budget is only as tight as SWMBO and my conscious will allow... So maybe $700 (????)

(I'll reiterate that I have had out the feelers for a second handie for about 2 months with very little success. I don't mind tidying up a machine, but those I've seen so far are in need of more than a "tidy up")

RETIRED
24th June 2013, 07:08 PM
Don't buy a copy attachment. The finish is generally from bad to really really bloody awful.

For good ones you have to sell the wife and the house.

Depending on what size between centres you need a Woodfast 305 Midi is an excellent lathe that is reasonably priced.

orificiam
24th June 2013, 07:34 PM
Don't buy a copy attachment. The finish is generally from bad to really really bloody awful.

For good ones you have to sell the wife and the house.

Depending on what size between centres you need a Woodfast 305 Midi is an excellent lathe that is reasonably priced.

I agree,274010274013 and better still with an extension bed.

Cheers Tony.

Gra
24th June 2013, 07:47 PM
For that sort of budget you could get the generic MC900/1100, its bigger but it would mean you could turn bowls as well. I think I saw one recently on sale for about 550 so money left over for chisels and chucks

mick61
25th June 2013, 01:21 AM
I think was saying that's no. I have a woodfast that is the earlier model of the m305 still going strong after 10 or more years or buy a vicmarc vl100? and enjoy yourself. Mick:D

Evanism
25th June 2013, 06:29 PM
Just had a chat with on the phone. He should be a woodfast salesman :)

The 305 was on my list, but I think it's now at the top.

BTW canberrans, is coming up for the show, so we can get together for more beer and bangers! Will contact you all.

Ev

Tim the Timber Turner
25th June 2013, 08:12 PM
[QUOTE=;1664688]Nope.

Elaborating.


The standard is 30x3 in Australia.

Cough! Cough! M30=30x3.5 please.

I just love it when I can correct .
Cheers Tim :D

RETIRED
25th June 2013, 08:35 PM
Oh, the shame. :C

powderpost
25th June 2013, 08:37 PM
[QUOTE=;1664688]Nope.

Elaborating.


The standard is 30x3 in Australia.

Cough! Cough! M30=30x3.5 please.

I just love it when I can correct .
Cheers Tim :D
Bugger I was too slow. :D I go for the small Woodfast as well.
Jim

Sawdust Maker
27th June 2013, 05:08 PM
There's a little jet for sale in Melbourne - maybe that's a reasonable start

_fly_
27th June 2013, 05:48 PM
But all this is good.
I have a large record lathe which gives me no troubles at all.
I don't like that I can't put a push rod thru the motor end of the lathe.
I usually need to order mt1 stuff when I need it.
I'll be able to get the stuff at H&F now.

Isn't a major issue the chisels work on both.....
It came with rests and chucks and extension.

And Morse Taper 1 parts are ALWAYS orderable. Pops shed have got in for me anything MT1 I needed.

But would I order another 3/4 x 16 tpi lathe?

Peter

nz_carver
27th June 2013, 09:09 PM
Don't worry sold me on the wood fast 305
Till I got a go on the 305x with has EVS and bigger bearings in the head stock and its got a lot of wight to it

Paul39
28th June 2013, 12:25 PM
If the bed, head stock, and tail stock are not made of nice thick cast iron you will regret the purchase.

I have a made in Germany Hegner lathe with two square steel tubes for the bed, much like the Record. This was a roughly $2000 lathe when new, with West German fit and finish. It is my daily driver and the motor, headstock, and tailstock are wonderful. But it rings like a bell, vibrates, and the bed flexes.

Several years later I bought a used and neglected 1995 short bed Woodfast. Cast iron everything bolted on a stout steel cabinet. After a week end of refurbishing, tuning and polishing of rusty places it is smooth, quiet, no flex at all. A joy to use.

The Hegner, not mine: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDI5WDY0MA==/$T2eC16N,!zEE9s3!WpO7BRCMwh(Tfw~~48_20.JPG

My Woodfast:

Evanism
30th June 2013, 12:40 AM
Thanks for all the assistance and advice, there are many here that really love the sport. I feel very comfortable with purchase now.

It would be rude to name any one person as there are quite a few, but I do feel a special thanks to he actually rang me to talk it over.... more than that, I missed his first 2 calls and he rang AGAIN. Persistence plus.

Now, I have two problems!

First, what to buy to accessories the beast and which tools to get first.

Second, I have to wait for my finger to heal. I absolutely smashed it to hell fixing my bandsaw. The drive belt let go and it jammed the bird flip finger between the wheel and the drive. Puffed, blackened nail and inflamed. Man o man is it painful. Might be a bit before I can use my tools again!!!!

RETIRED
30th June 2013, 09:07 AM
I normally do not recommend sets but if you have no turning tools buy the Sorby set.

All the right tools at the right price. CWS Store - Robert Sorby 67HS Starter Set | Carroll's Woodcraft Supplies

The descent starts. :D

(http://www.cws.au.com/shop/item/robert-sorby-67hs-starter-set)

nz_carver
30th June 2013, 10:03 AM
Good lathe pick mate
Id say the same as the Sorby starter set is the way to go Sorby tools are a good start point.

Paul39
30th June 2013, 10:46 AM
If you can afford the Sorby set, that will do fine. If that strains the budget something like this: Set of 6 Benjamin's Best WOOD Magazine "Best Value" HSS Lathe Chisels at Penn State Industries (http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LXWM1007.html)
will do very well.

They are from Asia and I am sure someone in AU sells the same set or close with a different name.

I have a PSI 1/2 inch bowl gouge and 1 1/2 inch bowl scraper and they are the equivalent of my Crown, Thompson, and Henry Taylor chisels.

I would not go this far down the food chain, unless someone had them for $20:

8 Piece High Speed Steel Wood Lathe Chisel Set (http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-high-speed-steel-wood-lathe-chisel-set-69723.html)

Maybe they are HSS, maybe they have not been heat treated correctly and may snap off, or dull very quickly.

One or two days at a turning workshop or being around turners at a men's shed will save you 6 months of trial and error.

Do a search in this forum and on Google about grinders, chucks, and beginning turning. All subjects have been thoroughly covered.

Evanism
2nd July 2013, 03:29 PM
I normally do not recommend sets but if you have no turning tools buy the Sorby set.

All the right tools at the right price. CWS Store - Robert Sorby 67HS Starter Set | Carroll's Woodcraft Supplies

The descent starts. :D

(http://www.cws.au.com/shop/item/robert-sorby-67hs-starter-set)

Woodfast midi and Robert Sorby starter kit ordered. Many thanks to for another fine suggestions. Thanks to all others for the very useful and helpful comments and alternatives.

I'm itching to get going now!

No doubt I'll be spending a small fortune on more chisels, chucks and "doo dads" in the coming months.... What is it that i feel a bit doomed now ????? :)

pommyphil
2nd July 2013, 05:10 PM
Men's sheds, mates and clubs will give you the chance to "try before you buy" there's lots of

unnecessary stuff out there for the turner, most of us have embarrassing impulse buys hidden

in a draw somewhere and never used. :rolleyes: Phil

Paul39
3rd July 2013, 05:44 AM
Men's sheds, mates and clubs will give you the chance to "try before you buy" there's lots of

unnecessary stuff out there for the turner, most of us have embarrassing impulse buys hidden

in a draw somewhere and never used. :rolleyes: Phil

I absolutely agree. My recent Packard catalog has 22 pages of chisels, many with 'Famous Turner" endorsements. They at least imply that if you buy one of these tools you will be as good as "Famous Turner".

After you have spent 100 hours in front of the lathe and have exhausted all the possibilities of the starter set, you may find you need a special tool or two.

Pat
3rd July 2013, 06:43 AM
At the start, the basic kit is all you need. Gaining proficiency with gouges (Bowl, Spindle, Spindle Roughing), scrapers and the Skew will serve you longer than the latest toy. Every tool has it's learning challenges. Grab a boot load of Pinus Crapiatus and play. Once you can get a good "off the Tool" finish with Pine you can turn nearly anything. Start small and spindle and work your way up in size and complexity. Dibbers, Foot Massagers and Fish Knockers are good starting projects.

Paul39
3rd July 2013, 10:50 AM
I wanted to mention one of my heroes, Bob Stocksdale in my post 23 above but his name would not come to mind.

He is reputed to use only a 1/2 inch bowl gouge, a scraper, and sandpaper to do the below:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=853&bih=484&q=bob+stocksdale+bowls&oq=bob+stocksdale+bowls&gs_l=img.12...1555.8602.0.11317.20.9.0.11.11.0.108.935.1j8.9.0....0...1ac.1.19.img.EOZ17m2l8IA