Thread: For Jim Carroll. A question.

This is an open ended question which has many answers.

The first is how deep are your pockets, how much can you afford to spend.

The Vl300 lathes have the advantage of being able to spin large peices easily and the new VL300 2hp version can do this easily.

You can work inboard and outboard easily. Use the 500mm extension inboard to give you 1m between centres or move it outboard and no need for a free standing toolrest and gives you a swing of 600mm. If you need to go bigger then you will need a floor stand.

You can start with the VM100 chuck and work with this and get larger jaws as needed.

If you find you are doing heavy work all the time then upgrade to the VM120.

The basic Robert Sorby starter set will get you going and buy bigger or smaller chisels as you need, this will allow you to do spindle and bowl turning.

This will help you get to understand and use conventional tools and progress from their.

Going for a swivel head lathe is handy as you are not leaning over the bed when working. This allows you to be more upright so not stressing your back. the disadvantage for this is if you turn a larger peice and want to dress the bottom of the bowl you dont have tailstock support if needed.

There is a lot of tools out there with great advertising that they will be the last tool you will buy so steer away from those. Learn to turn properly and there wont be any need for them.

The only variation from this is the lathe as you go smaller they get cheaper so if $5500.00 is too steep for lathe and tools then look at the other Vicmarc lathes.

Dont compromise on quality.

Stubby?

Link

Yeah nick at around $8500 I don't think anyone's just starting out has pockets that deep
id go the Vicmarc vl300 or maybe have a think about the vl175.

as for chucks I'd go with out thinking the Vicmarc 120 as you can't make a small chuck to to bigger work. But you can make a big chuck do small work.

tools Sorby starter set hands down.

if I was to turn back time and change what I got when I first started I'd go Vicmarc from the start there grate lathes and chucks the hold there price if at any point you think woodturning is not for you. You will get close to your money back.
I mean its a name that's well known and people trust.

yes I am a fan of stubby but looking at the new Vicmarcs the prices is a lot less.

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

Stubby?

Link

wash your mouth out.

Nice to see that Stubby has a decent website at last with contact details

I prefer the sliding headstock to the pivoting one. The idea with the sliding headstock is that you have both a bowl lathe, and a spindle lathe. With the headstock moved down to the other end of the lathe, you can stand up straight, and keep the tools close to your body. With a long bed lathe, you have to either extend your arms out a bit, or bend over which will be hard on your back after a very short while. The pivoting headstock can accomplish the same thing, however there can be a problem with the tool rest. You need an extension, which can vibrate because it is 'extended', or you need a tool rest that goes down to the floor. You can still stand up straight though. There used to be some alignment problems when pivoting and moving back, but I think they have mostly been taken care of. Best pivoting headstock I know of is the Nova lathes. Nice enough, but I don't really care for the very slow ramp up and ramp down speeds. The 3 phase converters with a dial-a-speed works more efficiently.

robo hippy

In my defence the original question seemed to me to describe the attributes of a stubby

Thanks for you thoughts everyone.
For me, there are two main reasons for looking at the larger VL300. Quality and user friendly.
I've been quietly looking through the threads for years (feels like it anyway) trying to figure out way to go, cost Vs quality etc. I am sick of buying cheaper tools only to find year or two down track I have to upgrade as I've either killed the tool or it isn't heavey enough etc. As I mainly work with RR Gum, it tends to bugger anything lightweight. I have a ton of RRG burl and burl slab harvested, from what I can see the cheaper light weight lathes will not hold up. (From a $$ point of view I wish they would so If I'm wrong please sing out)
I have been buggering round with an angle grinder, polyflap sanding discs and Arbortech gear and have produced some bloody nice bowl (well - bowl looking anyway) pieces but it's just too bloody hard, time to upgrade.
Several people have commented going to top of line first up is perhaps not wise as I may not like it etc, fair call but highly unlikely.
Way I see it, the VL will last me literally a life time. That's how I'm justifying it anyway, please feel free to add comments as I need all the ammo to get past the minister of finance and terror.

thanks for the suggestion on starting pack for chisels, what would you all suggest for chucks. I have some bloody big burls to do but that will be down the track once I workup to them etc.

Also sharpening jigs, I got lost in the threads trying to sort good from bad etc. I need to buy a bench grider and jig so thoughts be appreciated.

Thanks for taking time to read this, look forward to reading your thoughts.

Also sharpening jigs, I got lost in the threads trying to sort good from bad etc. I need to buy a bench grider and jig so thoughts be appreciated.

A good quality 8" Grinder (Abbot and Ashby is my choice), an 8" CBN wheel 80# and a trugrind jig will do all you need to do for life.

Bear in mind that there is a learning curve with all new toys.

I would not worry about chucks yet as for that sort of work I think face plates and sacrificial blocks are a better alternative. You can do both sides without re-chucking.

If you refer to my original reply it really is up to you which way you go with the lathe and chuck.

If you can organise with the ministry for finance a one of buy of the 3hp VL300 and the VM120 chucks with a couple of extra jaws then give me your plastic number and we can get under way for you

The sharpening as eluded to is the easiest way to go, no fancy 8" bench grinder with the CBN wheel and the tru grind jig will cover most of the sharpening needed.

Originally Posted by kiwiatgundy

Hi Jim
have been looking and thinking for some time re lathe purchase. While many have suggested I start "small" I am not really one for doing that as in the past, I have spent good money to find out the obvious - good gear costs good money.

It does indeed and it makes sense if you know you'll take to turning to buy well and cry once.

You're talking about big bikkies so maybe go to your local club if there is one, or go to turning events and shows, or buy something modest and take lessons. You may not take to turning; many don't. It's a high adrenaline game.

In other WW disciplines often you take the wood slowly to a spinning fixed cutting edge. In this, the wood is spinning and the cutting edge is not fixed; it's in your hands. I've had students completely spooked by that difference.

One more vote here for the Trugrind jig. Easy, quick, repeatable results.

I like the Tormek system - on the spark grinder

Anyone can do all they need with tools on a platform with mitre guide.

If swept back wings are wanted on a gouge, all but an expert will need a jig.

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

If you refer to my original reply it really is up to you which way you go with the lathe and chuck.

If you can organise with the ministry for finance a one of buy of the 3hp VL300 and the VM120 chucks with a couple of extra jaws then give me your plastic number and we can get under way for you

The sharpening as eluded to is the easiest way to go, no fancy 8" bench grinder with the CBN wheel and the tru grind jig will cover most of the sharpening needed.

Jim's right, don't procrastinate anymore; get the plastic out and do the deal. You won't regret it and besides they hold their value well anyway.