Thread: Looking at a new lathe

It really comes down to what size bowls you want to do. What you have now , these may not be a very big jump in quality or features. The carbatec one has a limit on its slow speed is not slow enough at times and has no torque at low speed for a decent bowl. It is al right for spindle turning as that is what they were really designed for. It is a mechanical variable speed which has its limitations. The woodfast is a good little lathe and can easily do a 300mm bowl or 400mm spindle, then add the bed extension and go out to a metre. Easy belt change as well. The next step up is the variable speed woodfast which is very good.

Woodfast !!!

I agree with the last 2 posts,

I have the Carba-Tec( H&F WL 318), while a good hobby lathe with a turn over the bed of 300mm , and an outboard of 400+ mm ,it is light, especially if the blank is not in balance,.

For spindle turning it is fine with the top end speed, but 500rpm at the bottom for bowls , when the blank is o/s or out of balance , the light weight and high rpm are really against you. The rotating head stock has it's advantages, but the clamping leaves a bit to be desired, again with out of balance blanks, and alignment with tail stock.

I am speaking here from experience as I have a similar machine , these are a basic MC900, and are available, from a number of companies under their own labels.

While I appear critical of the MC900, it does what I need and I can live with the short comings, as I do mainly smaller turnings , and some spindle work.

I would look at the WOODFAST or BEAVER', especially for what you propose to do.


Jeff
vk4

The generic range of wood lathes will always have thier draw backs as they are made to a price often at the exspense of manufacture.

I owned one for several years and found the design was not the problem but rather loose tolerances during manufacture.

As a result I made some mods to mine to correct some of these issues and got very good results.

I've got the Carbatec lathe and find it adequate to my needs. As others have said it does have its short comings. My two main gripes are the lack of slow speed, a heavy bit of out of balance wood is scary. Second is it has no index or lock for the headstock spindle. But it does the job for the right price for me at the time.

I also have the carbatec and agree with all of the above, just don't forget there are some good solid older used units out there worth looking at, just don't worry to much about the paintwork.

Originally Posted by APD

I also have the carbatec and agree with all of the above, just don't forget there are some good solid older used units out there worth looking at, just don't worry to much about the paintwork.

AU made Woodfast, Tough.

Look for cast iron, big castings, and weight.

Yea thanks every one, have been looking at the NOVA 1624-44, it seems like a sturdy lathe, just saving up the money.