Thread: Value of old woodfast lathes

Yes. It looks to be in good shape too. I have one just like it.

Hi,
Absolutely, they represent good value in my opinion good solid cast iron beds and head/tail stocks great basic start convert to variable speed if desired for a reasonable price compared to new if desired. How many speeds do you need?
Regards Rod.

Originally Posted by Rod Gilbert

Hi,
Absolutely, they represent good value in my opinion good solid cast iron beds and head/tail stocks great basic start convert to variable speed if desired for a reasonable price compared to new if desired. How many speeds do you need?
Regards Rod.

Exactly, I find the 4 on my woodfast more than adequate for a lathe of that size.

Originally Posted by LanceC

They generally list for around $400-$500 dollars with some tools thrown in. Is this a reasonable price range?

Yes, v. good value, especially if in good condition like that one.

Unlike some of the modern cheapies, it will hold its value at that price should you decide to sell later to upgrade to get features like variable speed, larger swing and swivel head that those vintage lathes don't have.



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Thanks all for the responses. That particular one is asking for a lot more ($800), but knowing that they do come about from time to time at the $400-$500 mark, I'll bide my time. When I do find one though I will jump on it, rather than dithering as to whether it's good value or not.

Kind regards,
Lance

It’s worth remembering that Woodfast took over Hyco and this lathe of theirs is identical to the Hyco.
I gave a Hyco lathe away a year or so ago here on the forum and a mate in Canberra kept his after advertising it for about $100 for a year or two.
Come to think of it I gave another away about 5 years back but I kept the cast legs for my Ewheel.
H.

They are a great lathe . Well above the average later cheaper stuff around. A lathe like that covers just about everything you can see on furniture construction when it comes to turnings . Longer things like one piece bed posts and Lamp columns are about the only things that cant be done . They can be done in parts though .

That Woodfast has a hollow spindle for through drilling . Plus an Indexing head.

When you go for one check that the indexing attachment is all there if you can . Some buyers have found them to be missing and its a fiddle to have to get one re made . The indexing feature is a very good thing . Its a spring loaded pin that rotates and locates into one of 24 (I think ?) holes that have been drilled into the large end of the upper pulley under the top cover.

Do you know what indexing does for you ?

Ive used it for plenty of leg decoration like reeding and fluting on My Woodfast.

Rob

I’ve never heard of indexing on a lathe, but then that’s not surprising...

Originally Posted by LanceC

I’ve never heard of indexing on a lathe, but then that’s not surprising...

It lets you hold a turning at 24 or 12 or 4 , or any number that divides evenly into the whole number of holes on the indexing plate or head . The Woodfast could be 48 holes I think.

So for legs or columns you can hold and use a Router in a box mounted to the lathe . And create Reeds or fluting in straight or curved legs or columns .

Pictures here.

fluted and reeded legs - Google Search


In the first pictures in this thread I had a leg being Reeded in my Woodfast with a box and router after I had turned it On My Wadkin .

Some Leg pictures and a bowl turning question or three



Rob

More bragging . Here's the finished Legs on the table .

Here.

Wow, that's very clever. Thanks for the heads up though, as I will be sure to check that the indexing head works if I find a suitable Woodfast.

I'm getting a little excited about this. While I've wanted to do some turning for a little while, it never made it over the threshold of "ok, spend the money" until out of the blue two of my kids commented how much they enjoyed turning on the school lathe last term. So now I wait like a lioness in the long grass of the Kalahari for a suitable unit to pop up, and then I strike!

Kind regards,
Lance

Originally Posted by auscab

It lets you hold a turning at 24 or 12 or 4 , or any number that divides evenly into the whole number of holes on the indexing plate or head . The Woodfast could be 48 holes I think.

So for legs or columns you can hold and use a Router in a box mounted to the lathe . And create Reeds or fluting in straight or curved legs or columns .

Pictures here.

fluted and reeded legs - Google Search


In the first pictures in this thread I had a leg being Reeded in my Woodfast with a box and router after I had turned it On My Wadkin .

Some Leg pictures and a bowl turning question or three



Rob

More bragging . Here's the finished Legs on the table .

Here.

does a Symtec do sort of the same thing?

Originally Posted by LanceC

Thanks all for the responses. That particular one is asking for a lot more ($800), but knowing that they do come about from time to time at the $400-$500 mark, I'll bide my time. When I do find one though I will jump on it, rather than dithering as to whether it's good value or not.

Kind regards,
Lance

Might be worth a bit of haggling over it Lance.
Turners are more of a dying thing than a new craze these days.

Thanks Brad.

I did try, but he wasn't interested in negotiating. He has my contact details should he reconsider. Something else will come along. About four months ago there were two Woodfasts and a Tough (looked to be the same thing) that sat around for several weeks in the high four hundreds, so expect it's just a waiting game at this stage. I have my budget, and know it should cover what I'm looking for.

Kind regards,
Lance

Originally Posted by Tonyz

does a Symtec do sort of the same thing?

I don't know about that.
I'm pretty sure any lathe can be fitted with an indexing plate and some way of locating the holes with a pin .


The Woodfast with the 48 holes (I checked ) comes all set to go, and boxes for Reeding or fluting change with every leg or column Ive done , so its a new one for each job with those.



This leg required a box with two runs for the router . One for that upper section and another for the Reeding below.
rob 1111 071.jpg



The Woodfast set up .
The pin can get abuse from people using it as a spindle lock for getting a chuck off.
Don't be tempted Its to fragile for that and wont last long .
IMG_2329.JPGIMG_2330.JPG

And the Hole through the spindle for drilling things like Lamp columns for the electric cord. Another good feature.
IMG_2331.JPG

Something Ive not done a lot of is the drilling . We had a Woodfast long drill on a rod with a wooden turned handle on the end for the lathe at another workshop . A different Woodfast lathe.
Just thinking now , for that to work the spiral flutes and cutting edge of the drill would need to be the opposite direction of a normal drill . Or the lathe would need to be run backwards if not ? I never checked the drill out . Probably lucky if it is a three phase lathe for that. And a VFD if you only have single phase power.

Rob