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trover
23rd May 2006, 01:14 AM
I also am in the market for a better lathe, while I am no turning expert, far from it, I do know that good tools are a joy to use, and my supercheap lathe - well what did I expect for $100.

With much interest- at the Brisbane wood show, I watched a demonstration on a Leady lathe, working quite slow speed, and also turning oval shapes.

Is there an owner of one of these lathes, and can you give an indication of cost, and any comments, please?

hughie
23rd May 2006, 01:21 AM
[Is there an owner of one of these lathes, and can you give an indication of cost, and any comments, please?[/quote]


Trover have a look at this post for some info on prices etc
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=31319

and this one for detailed info on Bruce Leadbetter and his lathes etc

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~kjeeves/leady/leady1.html

hughie

trover
23rd May 2006, 01:42 AM
thanks for the quick reply.
Hmm I wonder who I was talking to at the wood show?
However, that was an easy choice, I'll give him a call.

p.s. I seems I`m not the only one still awake

hughie
23rd May 2006, 01:45 AM
p.s. I seems I`m not the only one still awake
[/QUOTE]

no worries :D By the way, currently Bruce is out of lathes But you can give him a ring here in sydney. Hes a real obliging sort of fella.

hughie


Bruce Leadbeatter
59 Turton Avenue
Clempton Park
NSW 2206
Australia

Telephone: (61 2) 9718 5395

trover
6th July 2006, 01:21 AM
WellI took your advice, flew to Sydney, caught the bus out to see Bruce Leadbetter, and my wife and I were honoured to spend the morning and lunch with Bruce. His years of patient tuition certianly show, as he demonstrates the lathe, and all his tools. We came away having ordered a lathe, the ring cutter in the bag, and a couple of Bruce's chisels in the bag - how could I not? My ownderful wife paid for the trip and the lathe. I look forward to delivery in a few weeks.

Cliff Rogers
6th July 2006, 09:33 AM
Good stuff.
Some pictures & a report as soon as... ;)

hughie
6th July 2006, 10:59 AM
WellI took your advice, flew to Sydney, caught the bus out to see Bruce Leadbetter, and my wife and I were honoured to spend the morning and lunch with Bruce. His years of patient tuition certianly show, as he demonstrates the lathe, and all his tools. We came away having ordered a lathe, the ring cutter in the bag, and a couple of Bruce's chisels in the bag - how could I not? My wonderful wife paid for the trip and the lathe. I look forward to delivery in a few weeks


Trover glad it turned out well for you. Bruce is a real gent and very fine company. I have on doubt you will throughly enjoy his lathe. How about the price? Not bad huh?

hughie

trover
23rd October 2006, 01:17 PM
Unfortunately - still waiting for my Leady lathe. Bruce did ring and offer me a refund, but this lathe is still my choice, so still waiting.

hughie
23rd October 2006, 02:01 PM
Unfortunately - still waiting for my Leady lathe. Bruce did ring and offer me a refund, but this lathe is still my choice, so still waiting.


Trover,

Sorry for the disappointment. I believe he orders enough parts for about 50 at a time and sells about 30 per year. Last time I spoke to him he had back orders for about 15 and found the build up a bit daunting.I suppose at his age every thing takes a little longer.

The only advice I can give is to keep in touch with him on a regular basis.

If you like pm me your details and I could have a chat to him on your behalf next time I am there.

trover
24th October 2006, 02:49 PM
No need to apologise on Bruce's behalf. He has already rung me and done that himself. We had a most enjoyable morning with Bruce when we went down to Sydney to see him.
I'm didn't mean to show any lack of understanding, quite to opposite in fact. I was not aware of where and how the casting and machining is done.
I felt the need to give a progress report, as some pictures were requested, and I still look forward to having my new lathe.

Doughboy
24th October 2006, 03:19 PM
Trover

It is times like these that we need to remember the old saying....

All good thing come to those who wait...


I am sure it wont be long and you wont remember how bad the supercheap model you have at present really is, and every time you turn the missus will have to turn off the lights because of the bright shining smile on your face.

Patience is a virtue and you have it in spades.

Pete

BTW what price for the lathe???

hughie
25th October 2006, 01:27 AM
I'm didn't mean to show any lack of understanding, quite to opposite in fact. I was not aware of where and how the casting and machining is done.
I felt the need to give a progress report, as some pictures were requested, and I still look forward to having my new lathe.
[/QUOTE]

No worries, thought as I live a bit closer I might be of some help. I do go over from time to time.

trover
20th December 2006, 12:15 PM
Thanks for the offer to enquire hughie.
If the offer still stands, I'd be grateful for an update, because I'm still waiting and the year is nearly over.

hughie
20th December 2006, 01:49 PM
]

Thanks for the offer to enquire hughie.
If the offer still stands, I'd be grateful for an update, because I'm still waiting and the year is nearly over.
[/QUOTE]

Trover, Got a mate coming over who has one and is always chatting with Bruce. Will see what is the go is there.
Pm me some of your details etc

TTIT
20th December 2006, 02:22 PM
I was talking to Bruce last week and he was still waiting on castings to arrive from Asia apparently! Doesn't help you any Trover but I'd say it's out of his control.

Jack Plane
22nd December 2006, 10:26 AM
Spoke to Bruce last night. Castings have arrived but assembly factory is closed until 15 Jan.

trover
24th December 2006, 05:38 PM
Thanks for asking - maybe I'll start the lathe stand.

trover
26th January 2007, 10:10 AM
With much joy I am pleased to announce:"The new Leady lathe is in the building".:2tsup:
The lathe came complete with hand written instructions for assembly from Bruce, and each carefully packed piece was encased in pieces of styrofoam wrapped in cardboard and tired up with string.
Had a brief play yesterday, and I think this lathe will be a joy to use, and worth the six month wait.

GC
27th January 2007, 08:02 PM
awesome,

any pics on setting up, or your new addition positioned in your workshop?

GC

TTIT
28th January 2007, 12:28 AM
With much joy I am pleased to announce:"The new Leady lathe is in the building".:2tsup:
The lathe came complete with hand written instructions for assembly from Bruce, and each carefully packed piece was encased in pieces of styrofoam wrapped in cardboard and tired up with string.
Had a brief play yesterday, and I think this lathe will be a joy to use, and worth the six month wait.Look forward to a review and some piccies - very nearly went for one myself.

rodent
29th January 2007, 11:12 AM
As a question what prices are we talking about .oh and arnt you glad married her now.

trover
7th February 2007, 11:36 PM
Well I can finally offer photos of my new leady lathe.

I looked at many lathes at wood shows and other places, many much larger and more expensive - this is my choice.
The many years of experience of the designer become apparent, when you start to actually use this lathe, it is simply a joy to use.
No spanned is required, for example, for moving the rotating headstock, or the tool rest - for example.
The photos also show a ring cutter, for making bowls out of board size stock. Bruce also supplied one of his automatic chucks.
We had a most enjoyable mornig with Bruce, six months ago now, sharing soup on a cold winters day. I suggest, if you are in the market for a new lathe, you do the same.

trover
7th February 2007, 11:59 PM
I'm apparently missing a step here
Ive uploaded the photos, smaller than 100k then they wont preview or appear in the post

Rum Pig
11th February 2007, 01:11 AM
I am looking at getting one of his lathes from what I hear it is the best value for money and if he has designed it for schools it should be strong enough to tolerate the use from a beginner. For those of you living near him do you know if it is easy for him to freight it to Darwin and what sort of weight are we looking at???:)

lubbing5cherubs
11th February 2007, 02:01 AM
Gidday if you don't have any luck go to Jim Carrols website (http://cws-store.yahoostore.com.au/), He does ship anywhere in australia. I don't think he sells leady but he sells good lathes and he will get you started right. He quick for me and I am central west qld and he gets lathe to me for economical freight prices.
Toni

hughie
11th February 2007, 08:14 AM
\
I am looking at getting one of his lathes from what I hear it is the best value for money and if he has designed it for schools it should be strong enough to tolerate the use from a beginner. For those of you living near him do you know if it is easy for him to freight it to Darwin and what sort of weight are we looking at???:)[/QUOTE]

RumPig Have a chat to SawDustSniffer
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/member.php?u=13575

He's just up the road from you in Darwin, does a fair bit of movin stuff round by road

trover
11th February 2007, 11:11 PM
Bruce shipped me my lathe at cost. The freight Sydney Brisbane was $80 which was cheaper than driving down to Sydney thats for sure. Each piece was carefully wrapped. Bruce admits he does not freight many lathes, but , seemed happy to do so. I imagine that the freight Sydney/Darwin will be two or three times that. The lathe will now cost about $1500 I think. I do believe it compares favourably with others costing a lot more, its certianly a joy to use, as I have already said.

lubbing5cherubs
11th February 2007, 11:17 PM
I do believe it compares favourably with others costing a lot more, its certianly a joy to use, as I have already said.


Where the proof. Need some piccies what you been doing on that new toy??:p :D
Toni

trover
12th February 2007, 11:45 AM
I have tried to upload the photos many times, even had them on the preview, but they dont appear - but after five tries I gave up.

lubbing5cherubs
12th February 2007, 04:10 PM
mate often thst is because the file to big.
Try this
go here...
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx)

find the link on the right hand size to the Image Resizer & down load it & install it.

It loads as a menu item on your right click button so all you have to do is piont to the pic where you stored it on your hard drive, right click & choose Resize.
It will ask you what size you want to make it, pick the smallest.
It is very good, it will knock out all the hi-res info & leave the picture at the same viewable size on the screen.
Most pics end up smaller than BB 100Kb limit.
Now all you have to do is up load the pic with the word (small) behind it.
Easy. ;) :D
__________________

trover
12th February 2007, 11:28 PM
One more try with the photos

lubbing5cherubs
12th February 2007, 11:40 PM
what you made on her? I know I am nosy
bye
Toni

trover
13th February 2007, 12:06 AM
I have only had it set up for a week, and have made a few pens, and the pins for a hatrack out of the iron bark in my yard. The lump of huon pine I bought at the wood show before the last wood show, I have laminated some rosewood in, it is bound to be a macadamia nut cracker bowl. The completion may take some time, it was too hot to do anything last weekend, roll on autumn.

Doughboy
13th February 2007, 07:48 AM
Well done mate sounds like you have it all worked out. Now just play and enjoy your new lathe mate, yes I am in lathe envy right now. I think I just might see me getting one for x-mas this year but we will have to see.

Pete

TTIT
13th February 2007, 09:10 AM
Good to see you're finally under way Trover. I'll bet there's some nervous looking trees around your place now!!! :2tsup:

trover
13th February 2007, 10:30 AM
Well done mate sounds like you have it all worked out. Now just play and enjoy your new lathe mate, yes I am in lathe envy right now. I think I just might see me getting one for x-mas this year but we will have to see.

Pete
Suggest you order it now Christmas is only ten months away. The casting and machining are not done in his shed, but try to picture of Bruce putting these together in his shed, and carefully packing each piece to send, and you have it. There is a lead time.

rodent
13th February 2007, 11:56 AM
MMMM toys christmas is to far away . nice i think a chainsaws on your list now ,im going to look at a oak thats fallen down oh well i hope its not to checked . have a good day every one .

lubbing5cherubs
13th February 2007, 01:19 PM
you mean the shopping list ever stops?
Toni

Frank&Earnest
16th February 2007, 12:12 AM
Being in the market for a lathe, I had a long chat with Bruce on the dog and bone (probably cost me as much as a GMC lathe) and he is indeed very helpful. The bare lathe now comes for 1350 + freight.
Looking at the specs though, they seem to ignorant me to compare unfavourably with commercial ones in the $700 range (e.g the MC1100VB).
On the other hand, I do not see what justifies the jump to the $3000+ range (Woodfast and VL175) either. Does it come down to precision?

What am I missing ? :?

TTIT
16th February 2007, 08:54 AM
Being in the market for a lathe, I had a long chat with Bruce on the dog and bone (probably cost me as much as a GMC lathe) and he is indeed very helpful. The bare lathe now comes for 1350 + freight.
Looking at the specs though, they seem to ignorant me to compare unfavourably with commercial ones in the $700 range (e.g the MC1100VB).
On the other hand, I do not see what justifies the jump to the $3000+ range (Woodfast and VL175) either. Does it come down to precision?

What am I missing ? :?Precision is only part of it. Versatility and reliability are big factors, especially with lathes like the Leady. You think it's hard to justify a $3000 jump? - I haven't used many lathes but jumping from my $350 MC900 to a $6500 Stubby was like going from a tut-tut to a Rolls Royce - yeah, they'll both get you from A to B but the journey can vary from nagging pain to absolute pleasure!:U

From all the research I did before buying the Stubby, you couldn't go wrong with the Leady and the price is very fair. It was 3rd on my final list regardless of price.

Frank&Earnest
16th February 2007, 11:44 AM
Thanks TTIT, you seem to confirm my gut feeling (by precision I meant all the intangibles you allude to). After discovering that for $160 I could get 27 hours access to humongous lathes and professional tuition at a local TAFE, my requirements for the home lathe's capacity have reduced substantially and now I look only for the most pleasurable experience (eg. wouldn't variable speed be much better than mucking around with pulleys?). To follow your car analogy, now I am looking for a small series A Mercedes, not for a Rolls Royce. May I ask what was at #2 and #4 in your list and why? Thanks.

TTIT
16th February 2007, 12:59 PM
May I ask what was at #2 and #4 in your list and why? Thanks.#2 Was the Nova DVR XP. I like the idea of a combined motor/headstock and the controller would have some advantages over most lathes. ( It had some downsides but if I mention them here, Baxter will be breathing down my neck again unless I find supreme court certified documentation to prove it.:tapedshut: )
#4 was the Jet 1642EVS. Would have been a goer if it had a swivel head rather than having to slide the headstock to the far end of the bed for outboard turning - not feasible in my small shed.

All good lathes in their own right but the configuration of the Stubby left the others for dead. I'm still discovering benefits I didn't know I'd have. For example, how many lathes are short enough to work over the end of the bed while hollowing but still allow 1000mm between centres when you need it?:2tsup: (without bolting on bed extensions)

hughie
16th February 2007, 04:16 PM
Frank,

At the end of the day. All the lathes have the basics, head stock, tail stock, bed, tool rest etc but........

Many of the dearer one will have a lot more in design, quality of material, Innovative mod cons. They all should have superior manufacturing and quality control as they are made to a standard.

Whereas the MC900 or 1100 are made to a price and very quickly at that. The chiwanese make copies, nothing else, and they do so for a very good entry price.

It took me several months to modify my MC1100 to get it to perform some where near the quality makes, such as Teknatool, Vicmarc, Stubby etc.

Its much better, but... :~ :U It will never be anything like the above lathes.

By the best one you can afford, what ever it is. The Leady is very good place to start from. His price reflects the fact there are no retail middle men.

have fun :2tsup:

Frank&Earnest
16th February 2007, 05:32 PM
Thanks for your help guys.
TTIT, now that the new Jet's "Headstock swivels 360 degrees with positive stops at 45 and 90 degrees, and can be positioned anywhere along the bed ways for optimum turning flexibility and comfort" and the retail price is $1450, would this put it up to #3 in your evaluation?


Hugie, you expressed exactly my perplexity with the Leady. Being it a chiwanese product, albeit made on excellent local design, would not the lack of economies of scale counterbalance the lack of middlemen as a cost factor?


My apologies for my professional bias: as an accountant by trade and a woodie by hobby I feel obliged to do a cost/benefit analysis ( luckily affordability is not the issue :) ). I tend to agree with TTIT that the "best I can afford" appears to be the Stubby, but keeping in mind that my love is carving and the lathe for me is just a tool like a bandsaw (I am looking for one of these also) I wonder whether I will ever be able to appreciate the finer points of the instrument. Like a Stradivari violin for a learner....:D

Cheers
Frank

ss_11000
16th February 2007, 09:52 PM
hey vern..was a vicmarc ever on your list? around christmas next year, i was thinking of getting either a vicmarc (prob vl200 or 300 ) or a stubby ( 750 or 1000 ).

TTIT
17th February 2007, 12:12 AM
....TTIT, now that the new Jet's "Headstock swivels 360 degrees with positive stops at 45 and 90 degrees, and can be positioned anywhere along the bed ways for optimum turning flexibility and comfort" and the retail price is $1450, would this put it up to #3 in your evaluation?
..... I tend to agree with TTIT that the "best I can afford" appears to be the Stubby, but keeping in mind that my love is carving and the lathe for me is just a tool like a bandsaw (I am looking for one of these also) I wonder whether I will ever be able to appreciate the finer points of the instrument. The changes to the Jet certainly would have moved it up the ladder but I'd still have gone for the Stubby :shrug: If you go the Stubby yourself, you might find yourself doing more turning than carving Frank :;


hey vern..was a vicmarc ever on your list? around christmas next year, i was thinking of getting either a vicmarc (prob vl200 or 300 ) or a stubby ( 750 or 1000 ).Nah! For some reason they just don't do it for me - all the basics are there and the quality but nothing to set them apart from the rest except the price (IMHO)


.....At the end of the day. All the lathes have the basics, head stock, tail stock, bed, tool rest etc but........
........ By the best one you can afford, what ever it is. The Leady is very good place to start from. Agreed Hughie - and it's the extra innovations that attracted me to the Leady, the Nova and the Stubby - something to set them apart from the standard offerings. :U

baxter
17th February 2007, 09:16 AM
#2 Was the Nova DVR XP. I like the idea of a combined motor/headstock and the controller would have some advantages over most lathes. ( It had some downsides but if I mention them here, Baxter will be breathing down my neck again unless I find supreme court certified documentation to prove it.:tapedshut: )

Thanks for that TTIT. I've been off the board for a few days and this was a good way to get a smile :D :D :D early on a Saturday morning when I couldn't get to golf because of other commitments:(( .

On the general question what which lathe to choose. For my two bobs worth, I think that a major consideration should be back up service - not necessarily warranty, but the ability to contact the manufacturer direct or at least through a knowledgable/reputable supplier.

This is probably where the likes of Stubby, Leady, Vermec have the personal touch. I have had good experience with Teknatool (no I am not going into detail:D - but all good and favourable with respect to upgrades). I have no reason to doubt that similar service would be provided by Vicmar and Jet (retailers), but I have no personal experience with respect to them for lathes.

In Australia, this really only leaves the generic Chiwanese manufactured - but not including the locally designed/assembled etc. - ones to consider. Probably the better known of them is the MC900 etc. My first lathe was an MC900 and while the local supplier (a large hardware chain) was supportive, their staff obviously could not give any technical support. They are obviously a very good first lathe, but if you can't do it yourself, or don't have the time [or aren't on this forum:D ], then this can be a problem.

It is like anything, personal choice, requirements and finances are the main criteria and be happy with what you select. These were the factors when I chose my lathe, however I now realise that backup service is certainly something to consider.

P.S. Try to ensure that the MT, thread sizes etc. are in the common/ standard variables as this can save money for chucks/inserts if you move from one lathe to another:( .