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View Full Version : Vicmarc vl175 dimensions



slopech4
14th April 2009, 12:23 AM
Hi Fellow turners,

Its time for a new lathe and I have chosen the vl175 Bench mount.

Yes, that means I will be constructing a bench for the smooth beast. I don't have the lathe yet and I lost the dimensions I took from Carbatec :doh:.

Could I bother one of you who own a vl175 to measure:

a. The length between the spindle center and the base of the lathe. Base meaning the foot of the lathe, not all the way to the floor.

b. The entire length of the lathe (not including the motor).

Your help would be much appreciated as I would like to start construction, but a bit difficult without the proper measurements :?.

Cheers.

DoctorBobski
14th April 2009, 07:06 PM
Great choice of lathe. I've been nothing but happy with mine!
Spindle centre to foot 478mm
Length from edge of left foot to right foot (or vis versa) 1517mm
Depth of feet 324mm

If it helps I've got the vicmarc base which is 694mm from groundlevel to the foot of the lathe. Centre are thus 1172 from ground level. I'm 175cm tall and this height works well for me.

skot
14th April 2009, 07:31 PM
DoctorBobski,
I am the same height as you but I found that I needed to build a 75mm high platform in front of my VL175 (with vicmarc base) to get my elbow up to centre of the drive. I find that a perfect height for me.

brendan stemp
14th April 2009, 08:41 PM
320 wide x 1520 long x 480 from spindle centre to base

slopech4
14th April 2009, 10:54 PM
Many thanks Doc and Brendan. :2tsup:

Will post some photos once I am all done.

Cheers.

new_guy90
15th April 2009, 09:18 AM
the VL175 is a beast what kind of bench are you going to make for it? wood or metal?

thats a great lathe i want one in a million years :p

Patrick

slopech4
15th April 2009, 11:06 PM
the VL175 is a beast what kind of bench are you going to make for it? wood or metal?

thats a great lathe i want one in a million years :p

Patrick

I am planning on building one out of timber. Wooden frame with MDF top.

Paul39
16th April 2009, 04:42 AM
I have a Hegner 175 on a wide bench at the moment. When I do a lot of cutting, the shavings and chips pile up on the bench over the bed rails. I am going to build a stand with nothing under the bed so that the shavings go all the way to the floor.

That way I can shovel out the pile at the end of the hollowing and not have to be searching for the other chisel I just put under the lathe.

You might consider that.

slopech4
16th April 2009, 09:06 AM
I have a Hegner 175 on a wide bench at the moment. When I do a lot of cutting, the shavings and chips pile up on the bench over the bed rails. I am going to build a stand with nothing under the bed so that the shavings go all the way to the floor.

That way I can shovel out the pile at the end of the hollowing and not have to be searching for the other chisel I just put under the lathe.

You might consider that.

Thanks for your suggestion Paul, Actually I have considered this because it was a problem with my old lathe. However space is a real issue in my little workshop and I need storage space, which will be built in this bench. The MDF top will be several layers giving it plenty of weight, plus MDF has fairly good vibration dampening qualities.
:2tsup:

Cheers

new_guy90
16th April 2009, 10:29 AM
I am planning on building one out of timber. Wooden frame with MDF top.

you going to fill it with sand? for that beast i would make it very heavy. i suppose getting the bench mount you save about $600 so if you make a better one for less than that thats a save :2tsup:

Patrick

Paul39
17th April 2009, 06:25 AM
After I posted, I looked up the VL 175 - very nice lathe.

It has a lot more room between the top of the bed and the bench than mine, so you will have much less of a chip problem. Mine also has the tool rest banjo adjusting lever under the bed. It gets crowded under there with chips and chisels.

When you design the cabinet, think about setting the doors back 25 to 50 mm behind the front of the top so that the chips fall to the floor rather than sifting into the cabinet.

I think you will love that lathe.

slopech4
12th July 2009, 11:05 PM
Ok, its been a while and I didn't post any progress pics. but here it is..

Sorry for the image quality, it was taken on my phone. Took it for a test turn today and it is totally sweet. Everything I hoped for and then some.

:2tsup:

Cheers.

RETIRED
12th July 2009, 11:08 PM
Nice set up but the upper shelf needs a lip around it to stop tools from rolling off.

hughie
12th July 2009, 11:27 PM
.
I am going to build a stand with nothing under the bed so that the shavings go all the way to the floor.



Very good advise. I never have anything under the bed of any stand I build. I make every effort to give the chips etc room to fall on to the floor.


That way I can shovel out the pile at the end of the hollowing and not have to be searching for the other chisel I just put under the lathe.

I have a portable rack on wheels that I can move to any where I choose and the chisels go back and forth from it.

rsser
13th July 2009, 07:43 AM
Far too clean. Needs christening with sprays of green wood juice ;-}

Suggest a diagonal brace at the rear though ... when you get a big unbalanced lump swivelled out to 45 degrees ....

keithkarl2007
13th July 2009, 07:47 AM
sweet set up, i was looking at getting one of them with the stand only there are no suppliers in Ireland, it costs 3190 euros to get one shipped over from England, this includes the stand and shipping, wish i had the money to get it

Paul39
13th July 2009, 01:34 PM
Nice set up but the upper shelf needs a lip around it to stop tools from rolling off.

Naa, tools don't roll off buried in 100 - 200mm of chips.

Very nice stand!

issatree
13th July 2009, 04:05 PM
Hi Slopech 4,
Many moons ago I built a wooden bed for my "Tough ", & it did not take to long for it to get sloppy.
My suggestion is to put your Lathe on Steel Rails, so that all your shavings fall through, where as a wooden bed top, you are all the time cleaning the dash thing. You are bound to put something on the wooden top & loose it in the shavings. Pounds to peanuts it will happen.
I have also used sheet lead between the Lathe & the Bed, & the Bed & the Floor, at where the bolts go through.
Regards,
issatree.

slopech4
13th July 2009, 11:03 PM
hi rsser,

I am not sure what you mean by diagonal brace, would bolting it to the wall have the same effect?

And Keith, it has been a long wait to get this lathe. save up, its well worth it.

Cheers.

slopech4
13th July 2009, 11:11 PM
Hi Slopech 4,
Many moons ago I built a wooden bed for my "Tough ", & it did not take to long for it to get sloppy.
My suggestion is to put your Lathe on Steel Rails, so that all your shavings fall through, where as a wooden bed top, you are all the time cleaning the dash thing. You are bound to put something on the wooden top & loose it in the shavings. Pounds to peanuts it will happen.
I have also used sheet lead between the Lathe & the Bed, & the Bed & the Floor, at where the bolts go through.
Regards,
issatree.


Thanks for the suggestion, but I had my heart set on a wooden one. I hope my care in the construction would negate any future sloppyness. Also that bench top is nearly 10cm (4inches) of solid MDF to help with absorbing vibrations and the base frame is 9cm square blackbutt (very dense). Awesome suggestion about the lead sheeting, I guess it transmits the vibrations very well between lathe and bench..

Cheers.

rsser
14th July 2009, 07:01 AM
Visualise the stand from the rear. It is a rectangle, yep? Now imagine a line from the top left corner to the bottom right. This is where a board or bit of 2 x 4 should be bolted.

That makes the rear of the stand two triangles which are stiffer than one rectangle.

You have to prevent the rocking movement that an unbalanced lump will want to induce in your stand when the head is swivelled out .... and the moment the rocking creates some slack in your joints it will get rapidly worse.

If it were mine I'd be adding braces to the sides as well.

But if you're always going to use balanced lumps ....

issatree
14th July 2009, 08:19 PM
Hi Slopech4,
The Lathe Bed I made was of 4 x 4in. Xarms, as I worked on the State Electricity Comm.Of Vic. SECoV. You know, Safe Easy & Comfortable. So it was quite easy to get the odd Xarm. Bolted together with 1/2in bolts, braced, you name it I did it, and it still wobbled.
I still say rails are by far the best, & the sheet lead DEADENS the vibrations.
Had to square the ledger. Hughie had it right, as did 1 or 2 others.
It is your call anyway, but learn from those who have been there, & I'm not trying to tell you how to suck eggs, just trying to be helpfull. I still like My Tough Lathe, but I could put up with a 175.
Regards,
issatree.

slopech4
14th July 2009, 10:48 PM
Visualise the stand from the rear. It is a rectangle, yep? Now imagine a line from the top left corner to the bottom right. This is where a board or bit of 2 x 4 should be bolted.

That makes the rear of the stand two triangles which are stiffer than one rectangle.

You have to prevent the rocking movement that an unbalanced lump will want to induce in your stand when the head is swivelled out .... and the moment the rocking creates some slack in your joints it will get rapidly worse.

If it were mine I'd be adding braces to the sides as well.

But if you're always going to use balanced lumps ....

Thanks Ern, sounds like a great idea. Will make it happen. Probably will use some MDF sheets on the back and sides. Turn the whole cavity into a cabinet of sorts.

Cheers.

slopech4
14th July 2009, 10:53 PM
Hi Slopech4,
The Lathe Bed I made was of 4 x 4in. Xarms, as I worked on the State Electricity Comm.Of Vic. SECoV. You know, Safe Easy & Comfortable. So it was quite easy to get the odd Xarm. Bolted together with 1/2in bolts, braced, you name it I did it, and it still wobbled.
I still say rails are by far the best, & the sheet lead DEADENS the vibrations.
Had to square the ledger. Hughie had it right, as did 1 or 2 others.
It is your call anyway, but learn from those who have been there, & I'm not trying to tell you how to suck eggs, just trying to be helpfull. I still like My Tough Lathe, but I could put up with a 175.
Regards,
issatree.

Cheers for the suggestions, when I am up for a new bench (sounds like a matter of time :no:) . I will look into building one on rails like yours. I know I am biased but Vics are the best and maybe stubbies also. Can't comment on the Tough, never really seen one. Dont think they exist here in Aus.

Cheers.

issatree
14th July 2009, 11:50 PM
Hi again,
The Tough was made in W.A. & was at some time hard to buy 1. I bought mine from "The Woodsmith" who was then in Ivanhoe, Vic. Paid $ 1010.oo back in 1991. This Lathe spins at 3000rpm. most days all day, & has never missed a beat in all that time.
I'm about to go to the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, 3 Days. I have approx 400 pieces to sell to most of the Ladies. So you can see that it has done quite a bit of work over the last 12 months, making stock. I believe it is a Top Lathe.
I have now put Variable Speed on it, By SEW. EURODRIVE, for $450. It is not the greatest.& not as powerful as the Vicmarc, but it suits me fine. Have fun on your new Vicmarc.
Regards,
issatree.