PDA

View Full Version : Willy's New Lathe - Vicmarc VL 300S ASM EVS



Willy Nelson
6th December 2016, 06:21 PM
Good Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen

Got a couple of days off and have gotten on top of Christmas orders.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaay, got a new lathe, after years of lusting, researching and saving, I can afford a new lathe, a Vicmarc VL300 S (short), ASM (adjustable Stand mount) EVS ( electronic variable speed).

The lathe was despatched from Qld last week and arrived in Perth at the Toll depot. I took the day off and towed the trailer up, this saved me $800 by collecting it myself. Toll were really organised, gave them my invoice, and they used a forklift with tine extenders to load the pallet straight into the trailer. I was a little underwhelmed with the size of the bow, given that it was meant to contain a big lathe, bed extension, and outboard turning rig, as well as they other smaller bits and bobs. I did notice that the pallet weighed 445 kilograms, so it must all be in there.
I arranged for a couple of friends to assist me with the move. In the mean time, I unpacked and inspected as much as I could by myself.

Here is a photo of the lathe on the trailer at the workshop, the pallet, and a picture of my old lathe, a Durden Top Turn 400, still for sale at $1600.

More detail and a comprehensive review to follow
Cheers
Willy
Jarrahland

Willy Nelson
6th December 2016, 06:28 PM
Removing the cardboard box reveals an awesome, brand new Vicmarc!

All the boxes and other bits and bobs were well packed, preserved and transported in such a manner that no damage occurred, happy days.

The lathe was bolted onto a pallet. I removed all other items, needed a hand for the lathe bed extension which I think weighed 70 kilograms.

Being a fit strong young fellow, I have been in demand for years moving lathes, so I planned to use a mates home made piano trolleys, they work well.

Willy Nelson
6th December 2016, 06:42 PM
All preparations ready for the lathe to be moved, all I need now are some big mates
Willy

Willy Nelson
6th December 2016, 07:04 PM
Prior to my friends turning up, I moved the 70 kg extension bed, the extension bed legs, a box containing instructions and a Vicmarc hat!!!!!!
Next was the box containing the Vicmarc Shark jaws, a 300mm sanding disk, outboard turning leg and tools.

Willy

Willy Nelson
6th December 2016, 07:25 PM
The lathe was moved later in the day with the assistance of John Scarfe, a well known WA turner and demonstrator. He is still in the Navy, and so keen to assist a mate, that he came straight from work in uniform to help me. What a good hand.

The lathe was bolted to the pallet, so instead of using the piano trolleys, we simply slid the pallet to the ramp and then slid it down the ramp. We then lifted the lower side of the lathe/pallet and inserted a piano trolley. We then moved the lathe a bit further down and then installed the other trolley, the lathe probably weighs about 300 kgs as I had removed the tailstock and banjo in an attempt to make it more manageable

We then wheeled the lathe though the work shop and simply lifted (huh, simply lifted, we need 3 men and my daughter!!!) the lathe and positioned it on the floor.

Cheers
Willy

smiife
6th December 2016, 08:02 PM
Hi willy , who, s a lucky boy then, santa was very
kind to you , I just knew it would be a vicmarc
Happy days and i hope it serves you well:cool:

dai sensei
6th December 2016, 09:01 PM
Looking good mate, the bed extension is a great idea. Keep the photos coming, love to see it all completely set up

Christos
6th December 2016, 09:07 PM
Really nice to read the unboxing of the lathe. Still waiting for the rest of the bits to be attached and the first turned piece.

I cast my vote for a tool handle. :U:U

Willy Nelson
7th December 2016, 07:17 PM
We lifted the lathe into the space I had anticipated and measured as being suitable. Some changes will have to occur such as the movable lighting, dust extraction and tooling. As stated earlier, the lathe stand is height adjustable. I stood on the pallet to get an idea of working height, and I was pretty happy with the factory setting. I am 187cm, I will use the lathe for a while and see if this height suits me, and raise it if required. It should be too hard to raise, just jimmy up one end, remove the bolts, extend the legs and continue for the remainder.overall, the lathe is higher, bigger and wider than my Durden, and it does slight block a door way, but not significantly.Sorry about the orientation of the photos, they looked correct prior to posting but then for some reason, they rotate. Bugger

smiife
7th December 2016, 08:50 PM
Hi willy,
Is that it, s final resting place ? I just asked cos I had
mine up against a wall and found it a bit restricting .
I am now totally jealous , it looks a real beauty :2tsup:

powderpost
7th December 2016, 09:39 PM
Actually I prefer to have the lathe about 650mm out from the wall and work between the lathe and the wall. Very handy having calipers, face plates and chucks handy but out of the way.

Jim

bueller
7th December 2016, 09:41 PM
Actually I prefer to have the lathe about 650mm out from the wall and work between the lathe and the wall. Very handy having calipers, face plates and chucks handy but out of the way.

Jim
That's something I wouldn't have thought to do, great idea. Will keep that in the back pocket for my upcoming shed rearrange!

Willy Nelson
8th December 2016, 12:05 AM
Hi willy,
Is that it, s final resting place ? I just asked cos I had
mine up against a wall and found it a bit restricting .
I am now totally jealous , it looks a real beauty :2tsup:

Hello Mate
Yes, I have always had my lathes reasonably close to the wall. I always mounted tools, chisels and accessories nearby for ease of reach. This lathe will be off the wall by about 600mm, furthest by far. It may look closer in the pictures. Another issue is the grinder. It needs to be near the lathe. This lathe is longer, the grinder is wall mounted so they interfered with each other. Having the lathe off the wall more will de-conflict these.
When I do outboard turning in the future, I will have to move a few other things. Also, there is a another permanent lathe also mounted in the turning room (or Main Machinery Room No 1 (MMR1).
Oh yeah, no need to be jealous, just do what I did and sold my first borne child. Simples:p:p
Willy

Willy Nelson
8th December 2016, 12:18 AM
Hello
This may give you a better idea of the relationship with the wall.
I spoke earlier about the working height of the lathe. If you are unsure, a good place to start is to the tip of the drive spur at the height level with your elbow.
Looking at the photos, it appears as though my lathe needs to be higher, but as stated earlier, I will try it first. I may used to the lower height of my old lathe, time will tell

Component review to come next
Willy

Edit. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, sick of the computer rotating the photos, so I stopped using the Ipad, have emailed the photos to the computer. They are correct, until I upload them!!!!!
I have pre rotated a photo to see if that helps

Willy Nelson
8th December 2016, 12:41 AM
Hello
I am quite with familiar with Vicmarcs, I teach on them at Dwellingup, we have them at our club and I have used them elsewhere. I intend going through the components now, the good and the bad.

Firstly, I did something that no man has done before, something that I am loathe to admit here, but I will. After all my mates were gone, I sat down, with a Coopers Mid, and I read every instruction manual!!!!!!! Yep, who does that???? Not the beer, the reading part!
I do, I love technical manuals, and I learnt a thing or two as well. Who'd have thought that?

At this stage, the bed extension is fitted, whilst I had hired muscle, but not tightened or secured, just easier with one lifting, one aligning and one person installing bolts.

Anyhoo, The Tool rest.
Older tool rests and my Durden had cast tool rests which were kind to tools, but prone to nicks which require filing to allow smooth turning. The new Vicmarcs have a new high tensile (4140 grade) steel round bar welded to the top. This is way better that my last tool rest which was held to the shaft with a roll pin. It was quite loose and annoying. The Vicmarc tool rest will be bullet proof!!!

The banjo accepts a 30mm shaft, which is a shame in a way. Everything else from the Durden fits the Vicmarc (chucks, faceplate etc, except the tool rests which are 25mm. Oh well, I guess I will have to buy a curved rest and possibly a long rest (I like the sound of that :rolleyes: ). Looking at the photo, it is very clear that the old chuck fits straight on the new lathe, should have put the new chuck on.


The Banjo is camlock operated and is very simple, robust and positively locks in place, Solid! When the banjo is required to be moved, it glides effortlessly. One thing I forgot to mention is the machined bed arrives with a coat of preservative grease. I removed it all with Mineral turps and then applied a liberal coat of Sieber glide (Silver Glide, expensive, but great stuff).
Cheers
Willy

PS, At least this photo is right, sigh

bueller
8th December 2016, 01:05 AM
Cheers for the pics and write up, looks like you've got a fun Christmas ahead of you! What do you usually make?

Making me excited to get my VL200 up and running so I can start learning to turn 😊

Paul39
8th December 2016, 04:05 AM
Willy,


The banjo accepts a 30mm shaft, which is a shame in a way. Everything else from the Durden fits the Vicmarc (chucks, faceplate etc, except the tool rests which are 25mm. Oh well, I guess I will have to buy a curved rest and possibly a long rest (I like the sound of that http://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/standard/rolleyes.gif ). Looking at the photo, it is very clear that the old chuck fits straight on the new lathe, should have put the new chuck on.

You could have a sleeve made, or make one yourself with 30mm outside diameter, and 25mm inside diameter, with a hole to let the grub screw through to bite on the 25mm shaft.

Sometimes one can get lucky and find a piece of tubing or pipe with the right ID, then chuck it in a lathe and sand down to the right OD.

Congratulations on the new lathe.

As to the photos flopping over. There is information embedded in the file that tells it which way is up. If that is removed it should stay the way you put it. How you accomplish that is above my pay grade.

Kidbee
8th December 2016, 10:08 AM
Willy, congratulations on your purchase of a great Australian made lathe. I am sure it will give you much satisfaction over the coming years. Also it is good to see another person with a VL300s. I got a few arrows fired at me when I criticised Brendan Stemps Youtube video on selecting a lathe where he gave his reasons for not buying a lathe of that size.

Did you also invest in a tail stock swing away?

Willy Nelson
8th December 2016, 03:28 PM
Cheers for the pics and write up, looks like you've got a fun Christmas ahead of you! What do you usually make?

Making me excited to get my VL200 up and running so I can start learning to turn 

Hello Mate
I usually make a big mess.
Nah, seriously I produce a lot of turned burls, platters and bowls etc. I supply a lot of shops and galleries in WA. I also normally photograph and post the piccys in this forum
Cheers

bueller
8th December 2016, 03:40 PM
Good stuff, look forward to seeing what you make with it!

turnerted
8th December 2016, 04:11 PM
Willy
A great Xmas present to yourself .Reading this reminds me that my VL240 is two years old about now and I think my posting of it's installation is the last posting similar to yours .
Ted

Willy Nelson
8th December 2016, 11:10 PM
Willy,



You could have a sleeve made, or make one yourself with 30mm outside diameter, and 25mm inside diameter, with a hole to let the grub screw through to bite on the 25mm shaft.

Sometimes one can get lucky and find a piece of tubing or pipe with the right ID, then chuck it in a lathe and sand down to the right OD.

Congratulations on the new lathe.

As to the photos flopping over. There is information embedded in the file that tells it which way is up. If that is removed it should stay the way you put it. How you accomplish that is above my pay grade.

Hello Paul
Yes, I have had the issue of the photos, and a fix, but I am better at woodturning than photography

As for the shaft, yes, I could, but a bit of mucking around, plus it would deprive the new owner of my old lathe, my old toolrests
Cheers
Willy

Willy Nelson
8th December 2016, 11:12 PM
Willy, congratulations on your purchase of a great Australian made lathe. I am sure it will give you much satisfaction over the coming years. Also it is good to see another person with a VL300s. I got a few arrows fired at me when I criticised Brendan Stemps Youtube video on selecting a lathe where he gave his reasons for not buying a lathe of that size.

Did you also invest in a tail stock swing away?

Ha Ha. I have done tool reviews previously and am very wary of negative comments.

I did look at the Swingaway, and would have purchased one if I didn't get the bed extension.
Good point though and worthy of consideration
Willy

Willy Nelson
8th December 2016, 11:39 PM
Hello

The Headstock.

I have lusted after a Vicmarc for many years, and one thing which convinced me to purchase a vicmarc was something that manufacturers couldn't influence, but is Gold for them. In just about every magazine about wood turning, there would be a featured turner explaining a procedure, a process or some newly turned item. Quite often, in the background was a Vicmarc. Doesn't matter whether it was the USA, England or Australia, Vicmarcs featured prominently with professional turners. This understated marketing speaks volumes for me. I looked at all sorts of Lathes, but the Vicmarc, with it's durability, ruggedness, power and capabailities won me!!!

Anyhoo, the head stock
Apart from installing my grubby old chuck (I knew I should have put the new chuck on), the headstock comes with lots of features. A big one for me is the hand brake. I mostly turn large burls (read jagged edges, spikes and voids) which normally takes a few seconds to wind down to inspect my progress. The hand brake allows me to quickly slow the lathe and get back to turning. The hand brake is fitted with a safety lock to prevent the wheel from reversing off.

The lathe also came with a small faceplate of approximately 150mm, more for initial turning until a spigot or dovetail can be turned, then a chuck would be employed.

Indexing is achieved through a 24 point system and for spindle locking. The new Vicmarc has a new microswitch to prevent accidental lathe start with the spindle lock engaged.

The spindle (M30 x 3.5 thread IIRC) uses heavy duty taper roller bearings. Good for both radial and tangential forces. . Some vids I have seen of VL300's turning extremely large logs are impressive, I won't be doing that, but it nice to know that the bearings and shaft are heavy duty and capable of handling those forces.

The lathe has 3 pulley positions. They come from the factory mid range (max speed 2040 rpm). The other pulley choices are max speed of 938 rpm and 3000 rpm. The factory setting is perfect for me. Pulley changes are quick and easy via a hinged access door at the back of the headstock. At low speeds the torque is fantastic. The motor and electronics can be very quickly dialled up from very low RPM to 2040 very quickly, with minimal noise and vibration. In fact, you wouldn't believe the lathe was running at 2040 RPMs it is that quiet. A digital readout displays the current speed. When turning and taking heavy cuts, the lathe maintains the set speed very accurately, with discernible slowing or pausing. This model has a 2.2 KW motor, which equates to 3 horsepower in the old money. Tons of POWER!!!!!!! as Jeremy Clarkson would say.

Cheers
Willy

Mobyturns
9th December 2016, 08:05 AM
Quite often, in the background was a Vicmarc. Doesn't matter whether it was the USA, England or Australia, Vicmarcs featured prominently with professional turners. This understated marketing speaks volumes for me. I looked at all sorts of Lathes, but the Vicmarc, with it's durability, ruggedness, power and capabailities won me!!!

Cheers
Willy

I feel the same way about Vicmarc's and the original Aussie made Woodfast M908 & M910's that were pretty much standard equipment in most school manual arts wood shops. When you also see VL200's and VL100's that have also stood the test of time and abuse from over 20 years of use in club's workshops, then that also speaks highly of their longevity. The Vicmarc's are rugged, dependable and built like a brick outhouse. Well worth the extra dollars as they will outlive any of the competition in any turning scenario.

turnerted
9th December 2016, 02:24 PM
Yep the handbrake is great .My old vicmarc had that but the the newer vicmarcs have electronic brakeing too which is even better just watch out when slowing down a heavy blank, that the chuck doesn't start to screw off. This can be fixed by turning the speed down a bit before hitting the stop button or having the tailstock in position .
Ted

torchwood
9th December 2016, 02:32 PM
401664Everything you described happening on Tuesday happened to me on Tuesday, spooky. Picked up the my new VL200 long bed SM EVS from freight depot, saved a bundle picking it up, had 2 mates handy to unload from trailer, used crowbar not piano wheels to move lathe across shed on 2 planks. Had taken head off to lighten load and used a block and tackle to hoist head back up.
One question please, where do you mount the inverter securely?

bueller
9th December 2016, 03:05 PM
You guys have motivated me, just enquired on handbrake price for my VL200 from Vicmarc. Probably going to get the sanding disk too, strangely my lathe had the sanding table but no LH threaded accessories to use that side.

Nubsnstubs
10th December 2016, 12:12 AM
401664Everything you described happening on Tuesday happened to me on Tuesday, spooky. Picked up the my new VL200 long bed SM EVS from freight depot, saved a bundle picking it up, had 2 mates handy to unload from trailer, used crowbar not piano wheels to move lathe across shed on 2 planks. Had taken head off to lighten load and used a block and tackle to hoist head back up.
One question please, where do you mount the inverter securely?

If it was me looking for a place to mount the inverter, it would be on the wall near the tailstock. About 95% of my work is conducted between the chuck and tailstock. Why do most manufacturers put the controls on the headstock where a person has to "cross the line of fire" when turning the machine on or off?

Another reason for mounting it off the lathe. There are numerous tales of solder joints breaking on switches and circuit boards because of vibration and out of balance work pieces. Mounting it to a wall will prevent that unless the electronics were defective when made. Get a remote, and you're in business.

Both you guys, get those lathes dirty. Need to see some new stuff........... Jerry (in Tucson)

Christos
10th December 2016, 07:20 AM
.....Both you guys, get those lathes dirty......

And don't forget to clean them after you have taken the photos of the dirty lathes. :U

Willy Nelson
13th December 2016, 12:05 AM
Hello ladies and Gentlemen

Vicmarc do not make a VL300 now in the long bed configuration. I believe this to do with ease of shipping. As a conseqequence, they offer a bed extension.
I don't do a lot of spindle work, but I found the standard bed too short, unless you are only doing bowls, and I reckon the bed extension at 1000mm (plus the parent bed) is just a little too long.

Anyhoo, one of the first things I noticed along with my Vicmarc owning buddy was the difference between the parent unit and the bed extension. It would only be a cosmetic difference, as the difference will not alter the operation of the lathe, but the beds are different. I thought very un-Vicmarc. I tightened up all the bolts and tried passing the tail stock over the joint. Hmmm, bit of stiction. I used a straight edge to try remedy it, no luck. After lifting lathe all day, I thought it better to email Vicmarc and have a rest.
I asked them;
1. About aligning the beds together
2. Is the difference in dimensions normal?

Firstly, yes they are aware the beds look different, but that will not effect the operation of the lathe or interfere with anything, as I expected.

Secondly, to get the beds to align, bring up the tail stock to the joint in the beds, and lock it in place. Tighten the bolts. This worked a treat. I have a little stiction, but this may decrease with use. Or I may have repeat the alignment process again. There are two alignment bushes, or pins to assist with this process.

Yaaaaaay, some other good news, I have sold the Mighty Durden, I have a deposit, and I will assist the new owner re-locating him to a new workshop.

Cheers
Willy
jarrahland

torchwood
13th December 2016, 03:38 PM
Thanks for that Jerry, make more sense to have it on the right.

lithro
13th December 2016, 03:57 PM
How much did the mountain of a lathe go for? I saw you list it in the marketplace. But i am both lazy and after conversation.

Is this 3 phase or regular power? I get confused when you read 3 HP on regular

Willy Nelson
14th December 2016, 10:00 PM
How much did the mountain of a lathe go for? I saw you list it in the marketplace. But i am both lazy and after conversation.


Is this 3 phase or regular power? I get confused when you read 3 HP on regular

The motor is a 3 hp, or 2.2kw, and uses 240V, single phase power
Cheers
Willy

Willy Nelson
14th December 2016, 10:27 PM
Good Evening ladies and Gentlemen

The Vicmarc lathe comes with a magnetically attached remote control to control functions such as Start, Stop, Speed and Direction of Rotation. The controller has 4 very powerful magnets which allow you to position the controller in any convenient location on the lathe.

Our wood turning club has a Vicmarc with a remote control box. Typically, people attach the controller to the head stock. I have an issue with this as it means I may place my head or body in the line of fire when I start the lathe. Many years ago, at the WA wood show, a mate of mine was demonstrating on a lathe for a company. He stopped the lathe to talk to a customer, he turned his back and while he did so, another demonstrator showed a customer how the EVS worked by rotating the controller (lathe is still off), but when he finished showing people how easy to change speed, he left at Max Revs. When my mate turned the lathe on, it raced up to full speed and the platter shattered, with a big bang. Luckily, no one was hurt. I insisted he keep the pieces of the platter, and write on them "Check Lathe Speed!', which he did and mounted them above his lathe.

Secondly, the lathe controller at my club is looking worse for wear and is quite damaged. I am not sure what has happened to it, but both these examples determined where I intended mounting my controller. I drilled 4 screws with large 25mm washers into the wall on my tool shadow board midway between the head stock and the tail stock. Using the magnetic qualities of the washers, I was then able to mount the controller a safe distance from the headstock and out of the line of fire. Alternatively, a sheet of ferrous metal or similar would also work. Should I turn between centres, I shall locate it elsewhere. This is a good location for me, as I do not need to bend down and it is very convenient at this height.

The controller appears to be made from a very robust plastic, with easy to operate buttons and controls. The cable is quite long and can be located a good distance from the lathe if required.

Reverse is used at times to achieve a better finish when sanding. I have never tried this, not sure whether I will. Any one got an opinion on this?

Cheers
Willy

Nubsnstubs
15th December 2016, 02:07 AM
Willy, reverse sanding is great. If you do try it, a must have is a set screw in the adapter and chuck to prevent the chuck from unscrewing off the spindle.

I actually remove at least 90% of wood in the inside of hollowforms in reverse. Reason is I broke my neck back in '09 and to try and turn the inside of something that requires an awkward positioning of my neck causes it to start hurting after awhile. As long as you keep the chuck secured onto the spindle, it's not an issue. I have had to make swan neck tools that sweep to the right instead of the left as all commercial tools are made. ................ Jerry (in Tucson)

rtyuiop
15th December 2016, 07:21 AM
I am a big believer in using reverse while sanding - aside from making it easier (depending on the piece) in terms of hand position and dust collection, I think it makes a difference in terms of how quickly it cleans up the surface. I think because sanding in one direction isn't very efficient for fibres that are pointing that way?

Given it's a vicmarc (assuming your chucks are also vicmarc), you can use the clamping collar rather than set screws to stop them unwinding.

Phily
15th December 2016, 01:24 PM
Nice one Willy. I was very fortunate when looking for a new lathe a few years back when a barely used VL300 (long bed) came up for sale. The best investment ever. A beautiful piece of kit. Also the Vicmarc folk are fantastic to deal with. Enjoy!!!

bueller
15th December 2016, 01:40 PM
Nice one Willy. I was very fortunate when looking for a new lathe a few years back when a barely used VL300 (long bed) came up for sale. The best investment ever. A beautiful piece of kit. Also the Vicmarc folk are fantastic to deal with. Enjoy!!!
The staff at Vicmarc really are fantastic to deal with. I'm restoring a VL200 and they've been super helpful with all my annoying queries.

Hors
15th December 2016, 01:44 PM
The staff at Vicmarc really are fantastic to deal with. I'm restoring a VL200 and they've been super helpful with all my annoying queries.
Marco is the man.

Willy Nelson
15th December 2016, 11:34 PM
(The staff at Vicmarc really are fantastic to deal with. I'm restoring a VL200 and they've been super helpful with all my annoying queries.)

I think I have been following your thread, it has been an excellent thread and a great read, and I admire your skills.

Funny, can't ever imagine some one restoring a GMC or Ryobi lathe in 10 years time, but a Vicmarc, yesssssssss
Willy

bueller
15th December 2016, 11:44 PM
Appreciate the kind words mate! It's been a good bit of work but I enjoy it and I'll have a tool for life when I'm done.

Willy Nelson
19th December 2016, 01:41 PM
I am a big believer in using reverse while sanding - aside from making it easier (depending on the piece) in terms of hand position and dust collection, I think it makes a difference in terms of how quickly it cleans up the surface. I think because sanding in one direction isn't very efficient for fibres that are pointing that way?



In a latter report, I will describe how the lathe went when turning the first few bowls. But in the mean time, I would like to comment on reverse sanding. If I sand at the 4'O clock position, then alter my stance and sand at the 7 O'clock position, am I not then reverse sanding?I can do this without the need to stop the lathe and can be more efficient??
Cheers
Willy
Jarrahland

Willy Nelson
19th December 2016, 01:57 PM
Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen

As discussed earlier, I have had a chance to use the lathe in anger and will provide a more detailed account of that towards the end of the component reviews.

The Tail stock.
Well I have just managed to sell the Mighty Durden. During the process, I was able to demonstrate the operation of the Durden tailstock to the new owner, which I was always happy with, thinking it was robust, smooth and well engineered. I then operated the Vicmarc tailstock. It was chalk and cheese. Obviously brand new, but I had forgotten how well they operate. The action is unbelievably smooth, the tail stock just reeks of quality engineering, robustness and strength. The quill has a stroke length of the tail stock is 75mm. There is even graduated marks to allow you to measure the length of travel for drilling.

The cam locks operate very easily,with a handle which is sufficiently long enough to lock the tailstock stock into position solidly. The factory supplied live centre and drive dog are also top quality and appear to be heavy duty, thus I expect they will serve me for many years of solid turning, noting that the majority of timbers I turn are desert burls, Wandoo burls and Jarrah, noted WA tough, hard timbers, unlike those soft weeds from the Eastern states. I may purchase a large cone centre later for doing such items are brew mugs etc.

Cheers
Willy

rtyuiop
19th December 2016, 02:03 PM
Bearing in mind I am a rank beginner by the standards of this forum, I don't think that'll do the same thing...

If you think about it in terms of what you would be doing if you wanted the same sanding action with the lathe stopped as you have while it's turning - you would take your piece of sandpaper and (let's say it's the inside of a bowl) rub it in a circle around the piece clockwise, right? No matter where you put the sandpaper, you'd still be sanding clockwise, so any wood fibres would be pushed in a circle clockwise.

But if you then started sanding in an anti clockwise circle, the paper would suddenly be going the other direction in relation to any wood fibres.

At least this is my best guess as to how it works...

I think it does have an effect from my experience, but it's only an impression! I've never actually tested it - my habit is to stop the lathe between grits and have a look at the surface, so going into reverse occasionally doesn't take any extra time!

Danny

Willy Nelson
19th December 2016, 02:34 PM
Bearing in mind I am a rank beginner by the standards of this forum, I don't think that'll do the same thing...

If you think about it in terms of what you would be doing if you wanted the same sanding action with the lathe stopped as you have while it's turning - you would take your piece of sandpaper and (let's say it's the inside of a bowl) rub it in a circle around the piece clockwise, right? No matter where you put the sandpaper, you'd still be sanding clockwise, so any wood fibres would be pushed in a circle clockwise.

But if you then started sanding in an anti clockwise circle, the paper would suddenly be going the other direction in relation to any wood fibres.

At least this is my best guess as to how it works...

I think it does have an effect from my experience, but it's only an impression! I've never actually tested it - my habit is to stop the lathe between grits and have a look at the surface, so going into reverse occasionally doesn't take any extra time!

Danny

Hey Danny
Just to qualify my statement, I am referring to power sanding only (who sands by hand?????? Ha HA), when sanding at the 4 O'clock position, I angle the sanding arbour in a trailing position to prevent catches with the velcro backed paper. When at the 7 O'clock position, I am also in a trailing position, therefore, I believe I am sanding the fibres in a different direction.
Cheers
Willy

rtyuiop
19th December 2016, 02:56 PM
Ahah! Got you - yeah, I think that would have a similar effect because the combined rotation of the sanding pad and wood would change direction. I go back and forwards between hand sanding/rotary unpowered/powered sanding. Can't make up my mind.

Oddly enough I think I use reverse more when doing rotary or power sanding, just because it's easier for me to sand at 10 o'clock than 7 o'clock, and my dust extraction setup works better that way!

Kidbee
20th December 2016, 06:47 AM
Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen

As discussed earlier, I have had a chance to use the lathe in anger and will provide a more detailed account of that towards the end of the component reviews.

The Tail stock.
Well I have just managed to sell the Mighty Durden. During the process, I was able to demonstrate the operation of the Durden tailstock to the new owner, which I was always happy with, thinking it was robust, smooth and well engineered. I then operated the Vicmarc tailstock. It was chalk and cheese. Obviously brand new, but I had forgotten how well they operate. The action is unbelievably smooth, the tail stock just reeks of quality engineering, robustness and strength. The quill has a stroke length of the tail stock is 75mm. There is even graduated marks to allow you to measure the length of travel for drilling.

The cam locks operate very easily,with a handle which is sufficiently long enough to lock the tailstock stock into position solidly. The factory supplied live centre and drive dog are also top quality and appear to be heavy duty, thus I expect they will serve me for many years of solid turning, noting that the majority of timbers I turn are desert burls, Wandoo burls and Jarrah, noted WA tough, hard timbers, unlike those soft weeds from the Eastern states. I may purchase a large cone centre later for doing such items are brew mugs etc.

Cheers
Willy

I agree the Vicmarc is a beautifully engineered lathe. The cam locks are superb and you can feel the quality of lathe just by gripping the handle and turning them. Where I work, they have Nova lathes and after using the Vicmarc and then using the Novas, it's like driving a Rolls Royce and then hopping into a Datsun.

My lathe sits under the house, which is not that far from the coast, in an open position and there are no walls on three sides and I am gettting a bit of rust showing up on the lathe itself. In my case, I wish that Vicmarc would have done several layers of undercoat and made the paintwork a bit thicker, as on my lathe its appears to be one quick coat that was applied. Also the magnetic switch magnets have ripped the paint layer off where they have been sitting on the lathe which is a pity. I also contacted Vicmarc for some matching paint spray but they could not guarantee the colour would match, so I decided to not apply anything as I did not want a brindle coloured lathe.

Optimark
20th December 2016, 04:33 PM
The action is unbelievably smooth, the tail stock just reeks of quality engineering, robustness and strength. The quill has a stroke length of the tail stock is 75mm. There is even graduated marks to allow you to measure the length of travel for drilling.
Willy

If my memory is correct from a couple of VL175 lathes I have used, one revolution of the tail stock handle equals 1mm. Eventually, I think you may find the markings on the tail stock quill go through a severe ageing process from the handling they sometimes are subjected to, thereby becoming unreadable.

Knowing that one revolution is 1mm, is a handy thing to know.

I would be interested to know if one revolution on your tail stock, equals 1mm of travel.

Mick.

Willy Nelson
20th December 2016, 07:39 PM
If my memory is correct from a couple of VL175 lathes I have used, one revolution of the tail stock handle equals 1mm. Eventually, I think you may find the markings on the tail stock quill go through a severe ageing process from the handling they sometimes are subjected to, thereby becoming unreadable.

Knowing that one revolution is 1mm, is a handy thing to know.

I would be interested to know if one revolution on your tail stock, equals 1mm of travel.

Mick.

Hi Mick, I reckon that would make sense, in theory, and I agree with your concept, but it may be 10mm per revolution. Now, I must know, so will check next time I am on the lathe. Had a good session today, what a lathe
Willy

Willy Nelson
20th December 2016, 07:55 PM
Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen

The lathe has four feet, plus another two for the bed extension. I have always done two things with my big lathes.

1. Always put rubber under the feet or base for a number of reasons. It assists with the levelling on the lathe by providing a resilient mount which can compensate for minor differences in floor levels or high points in the gravel of the concrete. It assists with reducing vibration and also with noise reduction. Lastly, I have never been a fan of placing steel on concrete as the concrete will absorb and hold moisture, and is also acidic. This may cause rust and I guess over a long period, may cause a lot of damage.

2. I have always........ intended bolting my lathe to the floor, yet never have!!!!!! The Vicmarc will be very easy to do as the concrete can be drilled, bolts fitted etc without moving the lathe, the feet have holes ready for this. My old Durden had mounting points on the internal of the stands, what a bugger that would have been.

Anyhoo, I bought some brand new rubber from Clark Rubber (well offcuts) and cut them to shape. I used a long peice of timber and I was able to prise the lathe up myself and insert the rubber pads (1.8mm thick, NBR) under all six feet. The lathe now really sat rock solid. There are also bolts fitted to the feet to assist with levelling, a nice touch by Vicmarc (refer to photo).

What I also found interesting was the Vicmarc lathe manual stated to put some thing under the feet and that this is really important to do, I think this is often overlooked by people, is it? I know none of our lathes at the club have rubber under the feet.

Secondly, Vicmarc recommend using sheet rubber or carpet. I am shooting from the hip here, but I wouldn't use carpet as any moisture will be trapped and held and may start to rust the legs.

Lastly, refer to the photo and you can also see the lathe height adjustment holes.

Next write up should be the Commissioning run
Cheers and Merry Christmas to all
Sincerely
Willy

bueller
20th December 2016, 08:06 PM
Loving the updates mate, looking forward to seeing the commissioned pieces!

Willy Nelson
21st December 2016, 12:17 PM
Something I forgot to add.
If Vicmarc state that it is very important to place carpet or sheet rubber under the feet, I reckon it would be a simple matter to either supply them, or have them as an optional extra.
I might suggest this to them
Cheers
Wily

pommyphil
21st December 2016, 04:47 PM
Just checked my VL175 s Both the 1990 and the 2001 are 2.5mm per revolution. Phil.

Willy Nelson
1st January 2017, 12:31 AM
Well how did the lathe perform?
In a word, it is magnificent!!!

What I liked best.
The first item I turned was a large jarrah Burl platter,approximately 400mm across, didn’t want to start too big.
I usually hold the bowl blank between the fully open jaws ofthe chuck and the tailstock. This is how I have mounted bowls for about 10years, no problems. As this was a new lathe, I thought I would try somethingdifferent, and possibly safer. I drilled a hole into what will be the top ofthe bowl and mounted the blank using a screw which comes with the Vicmarcchucks. This provides a very strong coupling, and there is no slippage like Iused to experience, a very positive outcome, will do this more. I may cut/grindthe screw (I have some spares, somewhere) down a little shorter as some of myblanks are reasonably shallow. Also, winding the tailstock up reminds of thestrengths of the Vicmarc, the action is very smooth and reeks of quality.
I turned the dial toa slow speed and commenced turning operations. I started at 400 rpm, andquickly trued the blank, incrementing up the speed to finally 1200 revs, when Iturned a spigot and shaped the outside of the platter for some scraping. Lovely, I experienced a safer cut at thehigher speed, and achieved a better finish. Additionally, as a consequence of the higher speed and infinite control,I reckon I have increased my efficiency and output.
In another threadlabelled ‘Providence warning’, some turners experience bowl shattering momentson start up. I believe this is a consequence of shock loading as the lathestarts from a full stop and tries to get to full speed immediately. The Vicmarc has a ‘Soft’ start which shouldreduce, or eliminate this danger. Big plus for me!
Years ago, whilst studying at Uni, I studied Taylorism. Ithought I would apply this new found knowledge to my woodturning. I found,amongst other things, that the single biggest impediment to efficiency waswaiting for the lathe to stop, checking my work and then waiting for the latheto run up to speed again. The Vicmarc solves this as well. It has the soft start,but quickly gets up to speed and has dynamic braking which bring the lathe to astop very quickly. But not so quickly as to cause the chuck to unwind......... yet. It is such a delight tooperate the Vicmarc. There is also the handbrake which assists with slowing the lathe

I reversed the bowl and turned away the inside. Using my bigP & N bowl gouges, the 2.2kw motor showed no sign of slowly, and of course,I shouldn’t be looking at the spindle speed whilst turning, but I am sure ithardly moved from the set speed. Shear scraping was a pleasure with a verysolid toolrest and appropriate speeds. Wow, love the Vicmarc.
Next I turned a smaller natural edge York Gum Burl bowl withwings. Again, what a delight to use and the finish off the tool is better thanbefore.
I was wary of the knee bar (or emergency stop) as I haveexperienced many inadvertent shutdowns when I accidently lent against the bar.This did not occur on my lathe, no problems other than it is a little low forme. I may look at jacking the lathe up another 75-100mm in the future; thiswill solve the knee bar height issue.
The last items I turned for the morning was a Cosmic Cloudbowl (or Black Matter platter I call them) in Jarrah. Final speed was about1600 rpm for a bowl which is approx. 270mm across.
Not overly happy with the transition of the tailstock acrossthe joint between the parent bed and the extension bed. I will have anotherlook at that soon and maybe talk to Vicmarc.

In summary.
I spoke to a mate who also owns a VL300 and I stated that Iwas annoyed that he hadn’t told me to buy a Vicmarc years ago. I sincerelybelieve that the Vicmarc will allow me to grow as a turner, definitely turninglarger items, but with speed control, safer and more efficiently. All componentsare rigid, robust and engineered beautifully. What a machine!
I used to apply sealer to bowls whilst on the lathe, butthis lathe is still too new and beautiful, I don’t want it to getstained!!!! I am applying finish off thelathe at the moment. Lastly, when I was done for the day, I dusted down thelathe, this is normally an annual event for me, not daily.
Some photos to come and a few minor components to commentupon
Cheers
Willy
Jarrahland
Home to the Mighty Vicmarc

Willy Nelson
1st January 2017, 12:32 AM
Well how did the lathe perform?
In a word, it is magnificent!!!

What I liked best.
The first item I turned was a large jarrah Burl platter,approximately 400mm across, didn’t want to start too big.
I usually hold the bowl blank between the fully open jaws ofthe chuck and the tailstock. This is how I have mounted bowls for about 10years, no problems. As this was a new lathe, I thought I would try somethingdifferent, and possibly safer. I drilled a hole into what will be the top ofthe bowl and mounted the blank using a screw which comes with the Vicmarcchucks. This provides a very strong coupling, and there is no slippage like Iused to experience, a very positive outcome, will do this more. I may cut/grindthe screw (I have some spares, somewhere) down a little shorter as some of myblanks are reasonably shallow. Also, winding the tailstock up reminds of thestrengths of the Vicmarc, the action is very smooth and reeks of quality.
I turned the dial toa slow speed and commenced turning operations. I started at 400 rpm, andquickly trued the blank, incrementing up the speed to finally 1200 revs, when Iturned a spigot and shaped the outside of the platter for some scraping. Lovely, I experienced a safer cut at thehigher speed, and achieved a better finish. Additionally, as a consequence of the higher speed and infinite control,I reckon I have increased my efficiency and output.
In another threadlabelled ‘Providence warning’, some turners experience bowl shattering momentson start up. I believe this is a consequence of shock loading as the lathestarts from a full stop and tries to get to full speed immediately. The Vicmarc has a ‘Soft’ start which shouldreduce, or eliminate this danger. Big plus for me!
Years ago, whilst studying at Uni, I studied Taylorism. Ithought I would apply this new found knowledge to my woodturning. I found,amongst other things, that the single biggest impediment to efficiency waswaiting for the lathe to stop, checking my work and then waiting for the latheto run up to speed again. The Vicmarc solves this as well. It has the soft start,but quickly gets up to speed and has dynamic braking which bring the lathe to astop very quickly. But not so quickly as to cause the chuck to unwind, yet. It is such a delight tooperate the Vicmarc. Additionally, the lathe is also fitted with a handbrake to assist with the slowing.

I reversed the bowl and turned away the inside. Using my bigP & N bowl gouges, the 2.2kw motor showed no sign of slowly, and of course,I shouldn’t be looking at the spindle speed whilst turning, but I am sure ithardly moved from the set speed. Shear scraping was a pleasure with a verysolid toolrest and appropriate speeds. Wow, love the Vicmarc.
Next I turned a smaller natural edge York Gum Burl bowl withwings. Again, what a delight to use and the finish off the tool is better thanbefore.
I was wary of the knee bar (or emergency stop) as I haveexperienced many inadvertent shutdowns when I accidently lent against the bar.This did not occur on my lathe, no problems other than it is a little low forme. I may look at jacking the lathe up another 75-100mm in the future; thiswill solve the knee bar height issue.
The last items I turned for the morning was a Cosmic Cloudbowl (or Black Matter platter I call them) in Jarrah. Final speed was about1600 rpm for a bowl which is approx. 270mm across.
Not overly happy with the transition of the tailstock acrossthe joint between the parent bed and the extension bed. I will have anotherlook at that soon and maybe talk to Vicmarc.

In summary.
I spoke to a mate who also owns a VL300 and I stated that Iwas annoyed that he hadn’t told me to buy a Vicmarc years ago. I sincerelybelieve that the Vicmarc will allow me to grow as a turner, definitely turninglarger items, but with speed control, safer and more efficiently. All componentsare rigid, robust and engineered beautifully. What a machine!
I used to apply sealer to bowls whilst on the lathe, butthis lathe is still too new and beautiful, I don’t want it to getstained!!!! I am applying finish off thelathe at the moment. Lastly, when I was done for the day, I dusted down thelathe, this is normally an annual event for me, not daily.
Some photos to come and a few minor components to commentupon
Cheers
Willy
Jarrahland
Home to the Mighty Vicmarc

Paul39
1st January 2017, 04:53 AM
Willy,


Not overly happy with the transition of the tailstock acrossthe joint between the parent bed and the extension bed. I will have anotherlook at that soon and maybe talk to Vicmarc.

Considering Vicmarc's reputation and commanding top dollar for their stuff, the tailstock should glide across the joint without you noticing.

If they don't solve your problem, I have some thoughts about making the transition better.

I'm happy for you. You could get apiece of rubberized cloth that is used to put under babies overnight to put over the lathe bed to apply finish. I have bought only "experienced" lathes, so getting finish on them does not bother me.

I bought a barely used EZ Finisher with the round carbide tip. I kept it in the plastic container and kept it all pretty until one day when I was working close to the tail center on an interrupted cut, it got grabbed and flung into the tail center, chipping the carbide and putting a scratch on the pristine shaft. It now gets placed with all my other tools. I sharpened the tip on a diamond card, rotated the chip to the back, and it continues to hog out the insides of hard abrasive bowls.

Mobyturns
1st January 2017, 07:18 AM
Willy there is a trick to aligning the bed and extension bed - place the tailstock across the joint with the joining bolts just firm, then clamp the tailstock down tight. Tighten the joining bolts - should solve your problem. Marco actually fitted my extension bed to my VL150 in the factory and faired them so my tailstock glides across the joint without a glitch.

Good to hear that you are happy with the VL300.

You know why its so good - just ask Billy Moore. :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpim4HKHq3k

Woodturnerjosh
1st January 2017, 01:15 PM
To get the tailstock sliding smoothly you might need to file the inside edge of the extension bed ways. Marco told me to do this on my VL240 and I needed to do it on my VL300 extension as well. It only takes a very slight step to cause it to bind up a little and you'll probably be able to feel it with a finger nail.

I hope that makes sense.

Josh

Willy Nelson
1st January 2017, 02:07 PM
Willy there is a trick to aligning the bed and extension bed - place the tailstock across the joint with the joining bolts just firm, then clamp the tailstock down tight. Tighten the joining bolts - should solve your problem. Marco actually fitted my extension bed to my VL150 in the factory and faired them so my tailstock glides across the joint without a glitch.. Yes, that is exactly what I did after talking with Vicmarc when I first encountered the problem, I may have to do it again in the future.

Good to hear that you are happy with the VL300. Who wouldn't be?

You know why its so good - just ask Billy Moore. :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpim4HKHq3k Yeah, Yeah, the lathe is made in queensland, which is unfortunate, luckily, Vic is from Switzerland.
Cheers
Willy
Part time Blues supporter

Willy Nelson
1st January 2017, 02:08 PM
To get the tailstock sliding smoothly you might need to file the inside edge of the extension bed ways. Marco told me to do this on my VL240 and I needed to do it on my VL300 extension as well. It only takes a very slight step to cause it to bind up a little and you'll probably be able to feel it with a finger nail.

I hope that makes sense.

Josh

Yes, it makes sense, but I wouldn't be too happy to do this, will try re-aligning again and see how I go
Cheers Josh
Willy

Phily
1st January 2017, 06:04 PM
With you 100% Willy on the quality of the VM300. As mentioned earlier I was fortunate in getting hold of one of the old long beds which I love if for no other reason than being able to slide the tailstock well back. I've lost count of the number of times I forgot to remove the Center on my old lathe only to be reminded by yet another deep scratch on the back of my arm! :oo:

smiife
1st January 2017, 07:59 PM
Sssoooo !!.....we can assume you are happy with it then !:roll:

Willy Nelson
1st January 2017, 09:17 PM
Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen
The proof is in the pudding, here is a photo of the lathe after seeing some action. For those with an eye for detail, you may notice some Cosmic platters, mentioned beforehand, but I forgot about the one in Jacaranda.

The second photo is of a natural edge York Gum Burl. Neither are finished yet, but have of couple of coats of sander/cellulose sealer. I will set these aside for a month or two to stabilise, then turn the bums off in the big coles jaws.

After this photo was taken, I blasted all the dust off and wiped it down, looks new again http://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/happy/biggrin.gifhttp://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/happy/biggrin.gif
Yes, Virginia, extremely happy with the lathe http://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/standard/biggrin.gifhttp://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/standard/biggrin.gif

Sincerely
Willy

bueller
1st January 2017, 10:56 PM
That burl looks gorgeous Willy! Glad to hear you're enjoying the lathe.

Willy Nelson
13th January 2017, 08:48 PM
Hello
A friend of mine insisted that I demonstrate how long the bed is on the new lathe, I am 187cm (or 5 foot 14 for the older generation)
Cheers
Willy
Jarrahland

george mavridis
13th January 2017, 10:31 PM
Anyhoo, I bought some brand new rubber from Clark Rubber (well offcuts) and cut them to shape. I used a long peice of timber and I was able to prise the lathe up myself and insert the rubber pads (1.8mm thick, NBR) under all six feet.

Willy, what is NBR Rubber?

Nubsnstubs
14th January 2017, 12:14 AM
Hello
A friend of mine insisted that I demonstrate how long the bed is on the new lathe, I am 187cm (or 5 foot 14 for the older generation)
Cheers
Willy
Jarrahland

Never heard it put that way, and took a couple minutes to figure it out with the aid of a 30cm ruler, but got it now. Thanks for the early morning laugh.......... Jerry (in Tucson)

Chief Tiff
14th January 2017, 09:14 AM
Hello
A friend of mine insisted that I demonstrate how long the bed is on the new lathe, I am 187cm (or 5 foot 14 for the older generation)
Cheers
Willy
Jarrahland

I sincerely hope that Vicmarc never use that photo.

I quite like firms who advertise their machinery by draping scantily clad young things over them; an elderly partially shaved gorilla only really appeals to a highly specialised market sector...:D

Glad to hear the new toy is meeting your expectations; looking forward to seeing more of your creations!

bueller
14th January 2017, 01:46 PM
Hahaha that got me laughing Willy, nice work 😂

smiife
14th January 2017, 06:23 PM
Hi willy,
Good to see you relaxing there mate !!!!
Now get back to work.........:q

Willy Nelson
14th January 2017, 11:33 PM
Willy, what is NBR Rubber?

Hello mate
sorry about that, I used to be a design Engineer for torpedoes, NBR is Nitrile Butadiene Rubber, Buna-N rubber. I used to have to know all the polymers and their characteristics to ensure their compatibility.

Cheers
Willy

Willy Nelson
18th January 2017, 11:17 PM
Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mate and I managed to get a large trailer load of Camphor Laurel each. We milled it at my place, straight away, we could see awesome grain, and a little bit of colour. CL doesn't have much colour of here in WA due to our impoverished soils.
Anyhoo, I put it all through the band saw and onto the new racks to dry. Old mate says he was cracking already after a week. I check mine, yep same. It was cracking in an unusual fashion, as though the cells internally were collapsing.
Right, I could leave it and see what I was left with, or turn it wet, something I don't usually do.
So, this afternoon, I turned some other wet blanks, all very large and heavy. The Vicmarc excelled it self, so much power, so smooth and EVS is awesome.
The grain is stunning, so I may have to wet turn all of them to try to save them
Cheers
Willy
Jarrahland

bueller
18th January 2017, 11:32 PM
Lovely grain! Looks like the new Vicmarc is working out nicely.

Paul39
19th January 2017, 03:21 AM
Willy,

Wow, nice figure!!

I have had good luck with rough turning, wrapping in newspaper and waiting several months. Does not work well with red oak, prone to crack.

Rough turning and soaking in 1/2 hand dishwashing liquid - 1/2 water for a couple of months, air dry and wrap in newspaper and wait, takes longer to dry than above.

Rough turning and putting in a slow cooker overnight, wrap in newspaper, this is faster than soaking in dishwasher liquid as it drys quicker.

There is a guy who swears by roughing as soon as you get it home, and boiling for two hours, wrap in newspaper, etc. I do the slow cooker as a substitute.

With all of the drying tricks, as Richard Raffan has written, "some crack and some don't".

Willy Nelson
19th January 2017, 12:15 PM
Hello Paul
Good post.
I don't normally wet turn as it can limit what I can use the blank for.
When I do, I usually roll the bowl in the frypan and coat it with molten wax on the outside, I then fill the bowl with wet shavings and next them up in an area out of sun, but where a small amount of air movement will assit with the drying process. To save these bowls, I am going to do a heap more wet turning, got about 50 to do
Other methods I have heard of involve the use of PEG, there are heaps of different methods, but as you and Richard Raffan say, sometimes, they just crack.
I estimate I would lose only 1-2% of blanks with my main method which involves the molten wax coating
Cheers
Willy

Paul39
21st January 2017, 04:23 AM
I estimate I would lose only 1-2% of blanks with my main method which involves the molten wax coating

With that little loss, you don't need to do anything differently.

I lose more than that with all the thrashing around I talk about above.

NeilS
26th January 2017, 11:20 AM
With all of the drying tricks, as Richard Raffan has written, "some crack and some don't".

He's right!

And, some woods much more than others.

I accept a percentage loss, up to 25%. Any more than that and I don't bother with that wood.

Blackwood, my favourite, is a dream and I rarely lose one.

Having tried most methods, I still use the Raffan method of packing the pre-turned pieces with the wet shavings in cardboard boxes. If the wood is prone to mould it can take some extra management, but otherwise I have found it to be the most effective method; ie, it gives the highest return for the least effort/cost.

But, if I was only turning a dozen or so pieces a year, or had some particularly valuable wood, I might find that some of the other methods might be worth the trouble.

Anyway, that's my take on this. Other very experienced turners have settled on the various other methods.

If you are experimenting with any of the coating methods include some that are only coated on the outside and the lip and see how that goes. Cracks that develop during the pre-turned stage usually start on the outside (like popping your shirt buttons after too much Christmas dinner); if the drying starts from the inside surface the wood will be in compression rather than tension, which causes the cracking.

In my experience there is no remedy for cracks that are allowed to develop before the wood is pre-turned, no matter how fine. Cracks will only grow once pre-turned. That is why I find getting to the freshly felled tree ASAP and immediately cutting to length and ripping it down the pith line, then wrapping the half lengths until they are pre-turned, to be the most critical step with this method.

Apologies for the long post.

Stay sharp!

Neil

Willy Nelson
5th May 2017, 06:39 PM
Wow
Been a few months since I bout the Vicmarc, here is an update
I have just turned a massive 500 mm Jarrah burl bowl on the lathe, started at about 200 rpm and as I trued it up, was eventually turning at 1100. The lathe is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The bowl is the largest and heaviest I have turned and the Vicmarc turned it incredibly easy, couldn't believe the ease with which I was able to turn.

Next, a wandoo burl bowl, what a joy to use the Vicmarc.
Of course, photos to come soon (ish)
The lathe has now turned about 200 bowls and platters and a sundry of other items, should have bought one sooner
Sincerely
Willy

Mobyturns
8th May 2017, 02:17 PM
... should have bought one sooner
Sincerely
Willy

That about sums it up. My VL150 is a dream to use.

Kidbee
8th May 2017, 08:54 PM
I saw Brendan Stemp turning on a Laguna Lathe at the Vermec exhibitors stand, at the Maleny Wood Expo.

I have heard the Laguna being well spoken about but standing there looking at it in operation I could not help thinking that my Vicmarc was superior.

Willy Nelson
9th May 2017, 09:49 AM
Interesting point you make there Kidbee.
I did my research looked at all lathes available at the time here in WA, then decided the Vicmarc was for me.
Went to the WA wood show and Gregorys had brought a Laguna over from the East. I had never seen one, but for the money, I thought they were very well engineered. This made me re-evaluate my decision for a week or two.
There were a couple of things I didn't like about the Laguna, but for the money, I thought they were good value.
I am 10000% positive the Vicmarc is the right choice, and is also Australian!!
Sincerely
Willy

A Duke
9th May 2017, 10:19 AM
The quality remains long after the price is forgotten.
Regards

Woodturnerjosh
9th May 2017, 08:43 PM
Interesting point you make there Kidbee.
I did my research looked at all lathes available at the time here in WA, then decided the Vicmarc was for me.
Went to the WA wood show and Gregorys had brought a Laguna over from the East. I had never seen one, but for the money, I thought they were very well engineered. This made me re-evaluate my decision for a week or two.
There were a couple of things I didn't like about the Laguna, but for the money, I thought they were good value.
I am 10000% positive the Vicmarc is the right choice, and is also Australian!!
Sincerely
Willy

Vicmarc's have much better bearings, you definitely made the right choice!