Thread: Midi Lathe suggestions.

One of the variable Woodfasts was maybe 3-4mm out. The guy couldn't figure out what the hell was going on until we shimmed the tailstock. The turner was working to one of Ken Wraight's templates for a box and couldn't get it centred with tail stock support in the jam chuck. Not good enough IMO. I've had 3 blue Vics hit dead centre all three times. Different QC I guess.

Originally Posted by Ironwood

Hi all, looking for your thoughts on Midi sized lathes.

Some background on my question - I already have a thread running in the pen turning forum that has generated a bit of discussion, but I thought if I start one here in the Woodturning Forum I would get a wider audience - https://www.woodworkforums.com/f69/variable-speed-pen-184433

I am wanting to buy a Midi sized lathe that will mainly be used for pen turning, but will no doubt see some other work as well. My intention is to buy a lathe with the basic motor and manual belt change ( or the Vicmarc VL150 BM - no motor ) and fit a 1hp 3 phase motor I already have on hand, and get a VFD to drive it. (I have already done this to my metal lathe, so I know how to go about this )

So basically I am down to looking at 3 lathes now,

1- Vicmarc VL150 BM, Timberbits is selling this for $1027
2- Woodfast WM305 can be had for around $450
3- GPW Midi, $475

I would like to get the Vicmarc because of the tapered roller bearings, 1"toolpost, and general good quality, but at $550 extra, I am having 2nd thoughts.

Everyone with the Vicmarc speaks very highly of it, most people with the Woodfast speak highly of it, I have only just started to look at the GPW Midi and haven't found much on it so far.
Just tried to ring GPW but it seems they are not open on the weekend. I am assuming it has ball bearings like the Woodfast.

Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas that may help me with a decision .

I am open to looking at other lathes, but would like to stick with a dealer I am comfortable knowing they will provide after sales service if I need it.

Hi Ironwood
The GPW midi for $475 is our 6 speed model.
It has a 1" Tool post.
The bearings are deep groove ball bearings
It's made in Taiwan, which means that the build quality is exceptionally high.
It has a 7" centre height which is bigger than the Woodfast and the Vicmarc.
Being in the industry for over 30 years Gary has visited factories in Australia, China and USA. We feel most comfortable with our suppliers in Taiwan having a great working relationship. Any problems or spare parts are dealt with ASAP.
We also have 2 VS models in this lathe as well which have been very popular, so popular that we have sold out. We will have more in approx 3 months.

Originally Posted by Beedeejay

Hi Brad,
I have a GPW lathe but not the VS model,
and I make a lot of pens, In relation to pen turning it has been a good lathe, not great a great lathe but is has done the job. But pens are about the only thing i turn on that lathe.

but at the time of purchase it was a case of convience(1/2 drive away) and price as to why I bought it,

I have had it for a tiny bit over a year now and a while ago I had some trouble with the Tailstock, but after a phone call to GPW, Gary asked me to take it in and he fixed/ replaced the problem, so that after sales service was good,

If I had the chance again though, for price id probably go the woodfast as I have used a couple now and they are a good lathe, but I cant go back and now I am quietly looking for my next lathe and I am keeping an eye out for a Vicmarc as that will be the only lathe I will buy now, the Wood turning club that I am a member of has a few Vicmarcs that I use on weekly basis and they are brilliant,

not sure if that help but just giving another perspective and point of view,
cheers Ben

Hi Beedeejay
Just a quick observation.
The lathe Brad is comparing is our 6 Speed Midi Lathe which is a higher quality model compared to the green series model which you have purchased.

Mate, while I agree with the view that Vicmarc lathes are the bees knees, I just couldn't bring myself to spend the money. I even got the OK from Swmbo to buy a Nova !

I now own two GPW lathes and cannot fault them at all. The alignment is perfect straight from the shop and they are more than solid enough for all the turning I do. I turn things from pens to hollow forms ( would turn even more if I wasn't building a kayak). These lathes are both better than I am and the combined cost was less than $1800 new. Price now gone up a bit. These will last longer than I will !!

These are the ones I own -
http://www.garypye.com/Lathe-s/Lathe...athe-p819.html

http://www.garypye.com/Lathe-s/Lathe...athe-p770.html

Regards,
Cam

Well I spoke with Gary Pye on the phone this afternoon about the Midi lathe which he sells.
After talking at length with him about the lathe, it is now also a contender.

One slight hiccup for me is the shaft size on the existing motor is 14mm, my motor shaft is 3/4", not a huge problem, as I have a metal lathe and can bore it out to suit, though sounds like the lowest speed pulley step will be cutting it very fine at the larger bore size.
If I lose that pulley step, no big deal really with the 1hp & VFD I probably would never use it anyway.
The original motor runs at 1400rpm, mine runs at 2800rpm, so I will mainly use the 4th speed (1500rpm) which will give me a top speed of around 3000rpm if I run my motor at a bit over 100%, I can set to run higher than that and probably will set it to get 3500rpm top speed on that pulley step.

Originally Posted by powderpost

I will have a look in the morning to see if the head and tail stock line up.
Jim

Jim wouldn't it be a disaster if, all these years, you had been using a lathe that didn't line up?

Imagine how much better your work would have been if you had checked this before you started

I am going to rush out and check my lathes first thing in the morning.

I probably won't sleep tonight worrying about this.

Cheers

Tim

Originally Posted by Tim the Timber Turner

Jim wouldn't it be a disaster if, all these years, you had been using a lathe that didn't line up?

Imagine how much better your work would have been if you had checked this before you started

I am going to rush out and check my lathes first thing in the morning.

I probably won't sleep tonight worrying about this.

Cheers

Tim

On this point, whether or not the centres line up perfectly is partly dependent on whether or not there is any side play at all in the tailstock on the bed.

In my case, the centres line up perfectly in the vertical plane, but due to slight side-to-side play in the tailstock on the bed, it can be as much as about 1-1.5mm out in the horizontal plane.
It's perfect horizontally only if I hold the tailstock 'clockwise' as far as it goes before/during clamping.

G'day Hermit

Small horizontal adjustments to the tailstock can be made using the following method.

Using a centre punch and a hammer the cast iron can be swollen a small amount.

You know which way you need to move the alignment.

Lots of centre pops in to the cast iron will gradually expand the metal.

This is the method used to tighten tailstocks that have worn after years of use.

Do a bit and check, do a bit more and check again.

Caution don't punch to close to the edge or you will break out a small piece.

Steady steady is the go.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Tim

Originally Posted by Tim the Timber Turner

G'day Hermit

Small horizontal adjustments to the tailstock can be made using the following method.
Using a centre punch and a hammer the cast iron can be swollen a small amount.
You know which way you need to move the alignment.
Lots of centre pops in to the cast iron will gradually expand the metal.
This is the method used to tighten tailstocks that have worn after years of use.
Do a bit and check, do a bit more and check again.
Caution don't punch to close to the edge or you will break out a small piece.
Steady steady is the go.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Tim

Thank you for that, Tim. Guess what I'll be doing in the morning?

This is yet another 'why didn't I think of that' moment.

I 'adjusted' the aluminium 'T' bar in my bandsaw mitre guide using this method, but didn't think of it for eliminating the play in my tailstock.

Just because the two centres happen to meet doesn't mean the tailstock spindle and the headstock spindle are on the same plane.

Cheers
Tim

Originally Posted by Tim the Timber Turner

Just because the two centres happen to meet doesn't mean the tailstock spindle and the headstock spindle are on the same plane.

Cheers
Tim

That's true. The alignment could go out as the tailstock is moved to different positions on the bed.
What's the best way to check this? I thought I had a method, but it won't work.

Originally Posted by Tim the Timber Turner

Jim wouldn't it be a disaster if, all these years, you had been using a lathe that didn't line up? I find the obsession with this is intriguing....

Imagine how much better your work would have been if you had checked this before you started Is there a category better than best?

I am going to rush out and check my lathes first thing in the morning. Almost forgot to to this, one out of four, near perfect, two out of four close and one was within a bulls roar.

I probably won't sleep tonight worrying about this. That is why I almost forgot to check my lathes, probably because of a lack of sleep???

Cheers

Tim

Tim, keep to the issue at hand please

Jim

Originally Posted by Tim the Timber Turner

Just because the two centres happen to meet doesn't mean the tailstock spindle and the headstock spindle are on the same plane.

Cheers
Tim

- doesn't mean the tailstock spindle and the headstock spindle are in the same planes or collinear.

Having the centres at the same height and parallel to the top of the tool rest is a big start though and for a piece driven purely between centres that is all you need.

We introduce complexity into fine spindle work when we hold the headstock end rigidly in pin jaws or a collett chuck or std chuck jaws or even with a MT2 cut into the workpiece & jambed into the headstock and with tailstock support. Finer & more delicate spindles require higher alignment precision or no tailstock support. Same goes for any fixed or string steadies we introduce into the system. It certainly helps if the spindle turning axis, centres and steadies are all collinear. A lack of collinearity is the most likely source of whip – either caused by missalignment of the headstock / tailstock / steadies or compression of the work piece bowing its axis.

Collinearity can also be an issue when we reverse chuck bowls etc using a reversing mandrel. Anyway this is a side issue to the main thread.

Well, after a lot of thinking, and "to and fro"ing, I have decided I will be going with the GPW Midi.

This purchase, as well as all my other hobby related purchases are funded by what I can make out of them, penturning is the major source of funds coming into my hobby account.
The Vicmarc was stretching the account a bit too far.

The decision to go with the GPW was made easier, when I decided that wouldnt restrict myself to just one lathe. I will sell my Record at some stage and get a bigger lathe, possibly a VL300. But that will be a way down the road when my circumstances have changed and I have time to turn more than just a pen now and then. ( I work 7 days a week with my business )

I am confident I will be happy with the GPW, and it will be a huge improvement over what I have been using once I get it set up how I want it.

I will start a new thread when I start the setup of my new lathe, with plenty of photos and a bit of a review.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread, your input is muchly appreciated.