Thread: Midi Lathes Currently Available in Australia

I recently purchased the Record and I’m very happy with it. One very useful attribute is the sliding headstock meaning that I can slide it into the middle of the bed and swivel it round for bowl and platter turning while remaining standing at the front of the lathe. From what I can see the Laguna needs you to move around to the end of the lathe. I will admit the motor and control panel look and feel cheap but the overall design is well thought out. The bed extension would be worth considering if you think you might ever need the extra spindle capacity.

You listed the bench feet in your pricing; these are only necessary if you mount the lathe onto your own bench. If you are using the included legs they’re unnecessary; and I don’t think proprietary steel lathe stands need them either.

Where you’ve stated “centre height”, that should should read as swing or you need to divide the swing dia to give you the centre height

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

I recently purchased the Record and I’m very happy with it. One very useful attribute is the sliding headstock meaning that I can slide it into the middle of the bed and swivel it round for bowl and platter turning while remaining standing at the front of the lathe. From what I can see the Laguna needs you to move around to the end of the lathe. I will admit the motor and control panel look and feel cheap but the overall design is well thought out. The bed extension would be worth considering if you think you might ever need the extra spindle capacity.

You listed the bench feet in your pricing; these are only necessary if you mount the lathe onto your own bench. If you are using the included legs they’re unnecessary; and I don’t think proprietary steel lathe stands need them either.

Thanks Chief
Yes the Laguna turns outboard off the left side of the headstock with a short bed extension and tool rest set up. I want to bench mount so I would need the bench feet for the Record Power for it to meet my needs.

Originally Posted by DJ’s Timber

Where you’ve stated “centre height”, that should should read as swing or you need to divide the swing dia to give you the centre height

Thanks DJ. You're right of course but they seem to use the terms differently to differentiate between inboard and outboard/swivel head turning. The "centre height" is the swing over the ways and the "Swing" is the maximum that can be turned outboard. The actual centre height - distance from ways to spindle centre - is half the number they show as "centre height". I note that Vicmark hasn't adopted the same system and when it states "centre height" it is the actual height above the ways. Just more to confuse us mere mortals.

Swing is always the maximum diameter over the bed, and if maximum swing is stated, that is usually the maximum diameter that it can safely swing over the bed, at end of the bed when slid to the end with tailstock removed or when the head has been rotated.

My Vicmarc VL300 can swing 600mm over the bed, the 300 in the model name is the centre height.

Think of it this way, if you have a length of rope that is 300mm long, it will always be 300mm from the bed to the spindle which is the centre height, but if you hold the end and swing it above your head like a lasso it is now 600mm in diameter which is where the swing measurement comes from.

Hey Mate
Don't overlook the Vicmarc midi.
Some consider them expensive, but I guess you get what you pay for.
After sales support and advice is brilliant
Willy

How are we defining "Midi". I thought the VL150 was a Mini lathe and the VL240 in the Large/Maxi category but I may well be behind the times with my terminology. Midi to me suggests mid-size; somewhere in between the Maxi and Mini.

No I didn't overlook it Willy and I'm well aware of the Vicmark quality (and the fact that it is Aussie through and through). It's just that I want to be able to do more than I can with my present lathe and the VL150 wouldn't let me do that. The lathe I have now is my first and although it is a very cheap Chinese machine it has done a good job for two years and got me to the point where I want to do more such as larger bowls and platters. Also, I'm a home garage guy and have very little workshop space so my lathe has to be a bench mount. My bench also has my table saw built in so I occasionally need to move the lathe when I want to cut larger pieces. The Vicmark weighs in at a hefty 73 kg which would make it very difficult for me to move on and off the bench. If I had the space and was looking for a larger free-standing lathe Vicmark would be my choice.
Thanks
Chris

Mounting a lathe to the bench means you will need access to stand at one end if you get the Laguna unit to do your largest turnings. Also, the Laguna would almost have to be close to the bench side to allow you to attach the rear turning kit, which is compromised of the 254mm extension and a tool post riser. As a bonus, you can attach the small extension to the bed at the other end to give you an extended bed if there is enough room on your bench that is.

The Laguna unit has a quite different tool post locking unit, it is a clamp type of thing, not a locking bolt arrangement that is almost universal on this size of lathe. I have the big Laguna lathe and the tool post is a 25.4mm clamping unit, it is rock steady and rivals the 30mm Vicmarc tool post units in rigidity. I would suggest that the Laguna has the more rigid tool post of the two lathes you mentioned as well as the Nova lathe I’ve mentioned.

The Record Power unit will swivel to where and when you wish, either at pre-set levels or anywhere that takes your fancy for the job at hand and where you feel it will be best for you to turn. This will require the lathe to be attached very close to the front of the bench to allow you to turn large stuff.

My immediate previous lathe was the Nova 16-24-44 with a swivelling head, very much like the Record Power unit, but a belt change model, which was quite frustrating. You may wish to consider the Nova DVR Saturn variable speed lathe, but the base model is right at your price limit and you would need to spend some money to allow side turning with the outboard rigger. I think without any bed extension, you have about 540mm between centres using a spur drive and the tailstock. It does have one drawback, the spindle thread is 1¼” x 8TPI. While not an outright issue, I had issues buying accessories anywhere, except the USA.

You mention space and having to move the lathe off of the bed for doing some things, do you have room for a lathe on wheels? The Laguna does have a wheel kit, which is excellent. I know this as the wheel kit is the one designed for their bandsaw units and certainly does allow you to move it around with ease. As a side note, my Laguna lathe has the wheel kit and even though it is around 300kg it moves it with ease; relatively speaking. If you were able to store the lathe in some nook or cranny, then you could wheel it out to turn then wheel it back in when finished.

For turning bowls and larger stuff, two methods of getting there are a swivel head and the end of a lathe. I turned with a swivel head for 5-7 years with my Nova lathe as well as Vicmarc swivel heads at my turning club. The Vicmarc units are rock steady compared to the Nova, but I really wondered about standing at the end of the lathe and turning bigger stuff.

I eventually took a gamble and opted for the big Laguna unit, where I slide the head to one end, stand at the end and am square to the lathe for turning. There are some advantages to turning at the end of a lathe. If you are able to lock the faceplate or chuck to the spindle, then you can turn in reverse, which, if you are left handed, could be a good thing. You can also do this with a swivel head, but it is easier standing at the end of the lathe, I don’t know why, but it is for me.

One thing you may wish to consider is making your own tripod type of tool rest mount, completely independent of the lathe and positionable anywhere in front of the swivel head or end of the lathe. This will allow you to turn anything in a circle down to the floor, it is a very viable solution to save space as you could store the tripod wherever. Even hang it from the roof of the garage above the car, eh.

Mick.

Thanks Mick
I’ve been doing my homework on the Laguna and the Coronet Herald and I think I have worked out how both would work from my bench. Luckily the bench is mobile so access to either side is relatively easy.
Yes, I noted the tool post arrangement on the Laguna and the reviews I looked at all commented on how good it was. I have a number of existing 25.4mm rests as well as some DIY tool rests that are “roughly” 25.4mm so I’d be interested to see how they would go given my tolerances are probably not up to the Laguna standard.
I think that access to the end of the lathe would actually be easier than front “outboard” just because, as you say, the lathe would have to be very close to the bench edge for it to work.
I looked at the Nova DVR Saturn but it is outside the price envelope by the time you get it set up for outboard turning. Also it has a 1 ¼ X 8 TPI spindle and I have chucks and other bits and pieces which fit M30 X 3.5. Given the Laguna has M30 X 3.5 it is a bit more attractive because I’m better set up for it already.
I’m already jammed in for workshop space so even a wheeled stand-alone would be a problem.
Yes, I have seen some discussion on the forum on free-standing tool rest assemblies and it’s an option. I’ll see what I actually get to turning once I have the new lathe and try to fabricate one if I want (and I’m actually game) to try to turn something larger.
All in all it’s looking like the Laguna Revo 12/16 with the uotboard turning kit and a new 100mm chuck (like the SC4 or Super Nova) at this stage. I should be able to do this for around $2100.
Thanks for your advice.
Chris

Chris, the Laguna tool post hole only works with tool posts that are 25.4mm exactly. If they are a smidge over, they won't fit, slightly under they just wobble. This is true for the 18-36 and the 24-36 tool post holders. It is to do with their clamping system.

As for chucks, what brand is your existing chuck? I ask as chucks are a system and the systems while they all do the same thing, there are differences.

Vicmarc chucks run a small U shaped extension, with an identical one on the spindle. This allows you to use their clamp to ensure the chuck will not move if running the lathe backwards. They call it a safety collar, or safety ring which directly mates to either their chucks or various direct spindle thread accessories. I believe this is the best system by far and I am now working out how I can do this to my Laguna lathe as I use Vicmarc chucks.

Lathe Accessories: Safety Collars

Other methods usually require some kind of grub screw that locks onto a flat part of the spindle, which is fine and a very good alternative. I've just looked at a quick clip of the 16/16 Laguna, there appears to be enough meat on the spindle and the outboard turning extender to allow some machining which would allow one to use the Vicmarc safety collar system.

Whichever chuck system you go for, see if you can ensure you can safely run the lathe in reverse without fear of things becoming undone.

Mick.

Yes Mick I'm well aware of the problem as my current lathe runs in reverse but has no chuck or faceplate lock. In fact it was such a problem that the manufacturers did a free electoric modification which gave it a soft change to reverse. I had to chase a couple of bowls plus chuck around the garage but, since the mod, no problem. I'm trying to find out what the situation is with the Laguna 12/16 and I'll have to make some enquiries about suitable chucks.
Thanks mate
Chris