Thread: Lathe upgrade at last.

A new lathe at a used lathe price. And you weren't even holding a gun.

Congratulations!!

Yeah, but there goes my number one excuse for crappy turning.

nice score! if I had not already bought shed stuff I may have joined you!

Originally Posted by Osbojo

Yeah, but there goes my number one excuse for crappy turning.

Looking forward to seeing some non "crappy turnings."


Peter.

I'll swap you for my Nova 3000


Dave

The Turning Cowboy

Originally Posted by Sturdee

Looking forward to seeing some non "crappy turnings."


Peter.

You've seen the best of mine at show and tell Pete, not in the same class as your schmick stuff. Hopefully having a lathe with a bit of power, weight and a tailstock that actually lines up helps a bit.

Originally Posted by Osbojo

You've seen the best of mine at show and tell Pete, not in the same class as your schmick stuff. Hopefully having a lathe with a bit of power, weight and a tailstock that actually lines up helps a bit.

No guarantee they will line up. Mine didn't.

If your tail stock happens to be low put me onto a real good and easy fix. Mine is sweet as now.


Dave

The Turning Cowboy

Originally Posted by Osbojo

You've seen the best of mine at show and tell Pete, not in the same class as your schmick stuff. Hopefully having a lathe with a bit of power, weight and a tailstock that actually lines up helps a bit.

I know a better lathe helps and no doubt you will turn better but more and more practice and learning techniques is what makes an improvement.

Don't forget that I turn most of my stuff on the Hare & Forbes MC 900 or MC 1100 clones. I regularly check re alignments with the headstock and the tailstock using a special MT2 double edged alignment bar.


Peter.

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

No guarantee they will line up. Mine didn't.

If your tail stock happens to be low put me onto a real good and easy fix. Mine is sweet as now.


Dave

The Turning Cowboy

I think the Novas have a pretty good system of adjustment on the tailstock. I tried everything on the MC (well that I could think of anyway) but to no avail. I could never drill a really accurate hole size as the bit wouldn't go in dead stright.

Originally Posted by Sturdee

I know a better lathe helps and no doubt you will turn better but more and more practice and learning techniques is what makes an improvement.

Don't forget that I turn most of my stuff on the Hare & Forbes MC 900 or MC 1100 clones. I regularly check re alignments with the headstock and the tailstock using a special MT2 double edged alignment bar.


Peter.

Yeah, I know what you mean peter. I was just getting so frustrated that it was hard to get motivated to go out to the workshop and get into it. Hence I get most of my turning on a Wednesday and Thursday arvo on the VL100s at the club. I know it's not the lathe that makes the turner (Jeez, it's all one of the club's open turners uses for his brilliant stuff). The MC was a great lathe to start off with but I want more power, accuracy, swing, stability, etc. so upgrade was the answer. I'd have loved to go to a VL175 or similar but the budget wouldn't stretch so had been thinking of a Nova DVR XP. Given the huge price drop the 2024 came in cheaper so it was a fait a compli.

I know it's not your cup of tea, but I've been getting a lot of good stuff out of the Monday night sessions but you have to have broad shoulders!!

Originally Posted by Osbojo

I think the Novas have a pretty good system of adjustment on the tailstock. I tried everything on the MC (well that I could think of anyway) but to no avail. I could never drill a really accurate hole size as the bit wouldn't go in dead stright.

I was able to adjust mine side to side to get the points to align. Was not till was here a couple of weeks ago that a simple solution for up and down (height) alignment was given me that did not involve re-machining bed and or headstock/tail stock

Hopefully yours will be sweet out the box. Haven't thought about coming to my woodworking weekend over Australia Day weekend at all have you. I'm only just over the Murray


Dave

The Turning Cowboy

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

I was able to adjust mine side to side to get the points to align. Was not till was here a couple of weeks ago that a simple solution for up and down (height) alignment was given me that did not involve re-machining bed and or headstock/tail stock

Go on, tell us the secret

That would be very tempting if i already didn't have the XP

Originally Posted by Colin62

Go on, tell us the secret

Very simple. If your tail stock is low just get som brass packing shim and cut a strip or strips to go on the weighs under the tailstock. Then just fold the ends up 15 mm or so at each end.

You can buy a multi pack of shims in a variety of sizes.

Mine lines up perfect now.


Dave

The Turning Cowboy