Considering buying a Woodfast Australian made lathe
As a newcomer to woodturning, I'm considering purchasing an Australian made lathe and exploring the possibility of buying a "good oldie" for my first lathe. Having just refurbished a 24 inch Italian bandsaw - refurbishing a lathe is not a big issue - providing parts can be found eg bearings.
Woodfast appear to have made some excellent lathes in the past and are well regarded, but finding out which models are the pick, even which models Woodfast produced is a challenge.
(And yes a used Vicmarc is even more desirable - but much harder to find. If someone wants to sell their VL200 at a good price please let me know!)
I notice the the Woodfast website seems to avoid the rich history of the company and focuses pretty much on the new Asian imports that do not seem to favour particularly well in reviews - see last edition of Australian Wood Review on midi lathes.
For people trying to discover some Woodfast product history it's hard to find any information at all on previous wood lathes.
Yes I know it would be easier to just buy a new Teknatool, Woodfast or Jet and these modern lathes seem good value for money on the surface... but I have discovered that older machines can provide more substance, build quality and ultimately woodworking satisfaction - even if some hard work is required to restore their former glory.
I would interested if this forum could advise which Woodfast lathes were the pick for general purpose turning, ie a bit of spindle turning , the occasional bowl and their specification and availability of spare parts. :)