Time for a new lathe.

Well my old HAFCO WL20 lathe is finally coming to the end of its days in my shed. It has done a good job for a basic, cheap lathe, but has required repairs on an increasing basis to the point where I have decided to upgrade - and I have decided to never again go down the path of variable speed via a "reeves drive" pulley arrangement.

I've had a good run with Hare & Forbes, so my first stop was to look at what they had, and have decided on the WL52 variable speed lathe they list on their web-site. I was also looking at the cheaper WL46a but my wife convinced me to spend the money and buy the one I like. I have retired from work and will be spending more time in the shed, so might as well have the lathe I will be happy with. Unfortunately there are none in Australia at present, but I have placed an order and H&F Perth are expecting to receive three in early January - so I'll have to keep using the old clanger until then. Timberbits list the same lathe as the WL520A and have stock in Australia, but still up to 4 weeks delivery time. Unfortunately their version of this lathe does not come with the outboard tool rest and platform that is on the H&F lathe, and their price is higher. By the time I add freight to Kalgoorlie, I would be looking at about $500 more for the Timberbits unit (freight on H&F purchases to Kalgoorlie is free if I order through a mining supply business which is an agent for them in town).

So I'm looking forward to my combined Birthday / Christmas present to myself and turning on a lathe that does not rattle and clang like a freight train passing by.

The old Attachment 532722 and the new Attachment 532721

The WL20 was my first lathe had it for about 4 years did a few mods. But as you say a good lathe to begin with. Lol the reeves drive, yes I remember that as well in the end I fitted a 3 phase motor and VFD to mine made a word of difference. Like the look of the new one, looked over the specs its got just about everything you need great choice.

As primarily a faceplate turner (bowles, etc.) I do almost all of my turning on that outboard rig.

The toolpost doesn't move quite as readily as the inboard banjo, but you get used to it... that is one of the best outboard setups in my experience... Woodfast have always used that design and my back loves it!

I expect you will also love the 1.5kW power and smooth running.

One of the main features I like about this one is that the electric motor is in the cabinet beneath the lathe. I turn a lot of salmon gum which generates a lot of fine dust that gets into everything. I'm constantly having to blow out the motor on the WL20 as it gets full of this dust and I'm worried about it catching fire one day. Having the motor below inside a cabinet should eliminate this problem.

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Originally Posted by NeilS

As primarily a faceplate turner (bowles, etc.) I do almost all of my turning on that outboard rig.

The toolpost doesn't move quite as readily as the inboard banjo, but you get used to it... that is one of the best outboard setups in my experience... Woodfast have always used that design and my back loves it!

I expect you will also love the 1.5kW power and smooth running.

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Looking forward to having a go at outboard turning. The WL20 I have now will allow outboard turning in front of the lathe - the head spins and it came with an extension to the banjo. I've never been game to try it though - I'm just not confident of the strength of the banjo extension. In the very early days of owning this lathe, I snapped the one inch post of the toolrest and that frightened the hell out of me when the toolrest nearly hit me on the foot.
I also do a bit of faceplate turning, but so far have never turned any bowls large enough that they did not fit inboard on the lathe.

Have you considered this one 510mm (20") x 915mm (36") Heavy Duty Wood Lathe WL520A by Woodfast

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Originally Posted by NeilS

As primarily a faceplate turner (bowles, etc.) I do almost all of my turning on that outboard rig.

The toolpost doesn't move quite as readily as the inboard banjo, but you get used to it... that is one of the best outboard setups in my experience... Woodfast have always used that design and my back loves it!

I expect you will also love the 1.5kW power and smooth running.

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100% back Neil's comments. I have an Aussie made 1992 Woodfast MC908 with the OB turning retrofitted with the M910 EVS etc. They were the basis for the clones now offered.

One advantage of the Woodfast OB setup is that it runs clockwise as the turner faces the blank so is a far more natural stance for a "rightie."

It does require LH faceplates or LH inserts for faceplates and chucks and has the potential safety hazards of "spinning off" a blank + chuck / faceplate if the deceleration settings on the EVS are too aggressive.

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Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

Have you considered this one 510mm (20") x 915mm (36") Heavy Duty Wood Lathe WL520A by Woodfast

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I did ring Timberbits about this lathe Jim. They quoted 4 weeks before they could ship it, and the freight was going to cost me nearly $500 on top of the purchase price. They did not have the outboard turning post included in their price. It appears to be exactly the same lathe as the WL52 from Hare & Forbes, probably out of the same factory in China. Hare & Forbes has an agent in Kalgoorlie (a local mining tools & equipment supplier) and by ordering through them, I pay the listed H&F price and there is no freight cost - I just pick up the lathe from their premises in Boulder. I bought my current lathe, band saw, table saw and belt sander through them and they have always given me good service to date.

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Originally Posted by Mobyturns

100% back Neil's comments. I have an Aussie made 1992 Woodfast MC908 with the OB turning retrofitted with the M910 EVS etc. They were the basis for the clones now offered.

One advantage of the Woodfast OB setup is that it runs clockwise as the turner faces the blank so is a far more natural stance for a "rightie."

It does require LH faceplates or LH inserts for faceplates and chucks and has the potential safety hazards of "spinning off" a blank + chuck / faceplate if the deceleration settings on the EVS are too aggressive.

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While I have ordered an adaptor to allow me to use my existing chuck (the basic one supplied by Hare & Forbes with the WL20 and other lathes), I will probably also buy a new chuck to go with this lathe. I've seen that there are reversible chucks available (eg. Nova G3-D) and thought that might be an option, as this lathe can run in both forward and reverse direction. Not sure what makes a chuck "reversible" - I'm assuming a grub screw or similar that locks the chuck onto the spindle.

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Originally Posted by BMKal

While I have ordered an adaptor to allow me to use my existing chuck (the basic one supplied by Hare & Forbes with the WL20 and other lathes), I will probably also buy a new chuck to go with this lathe. I've seen that there are reversible chucks available (eg. Nova G3-D) and thought that might be an option, as this lathe can run in both forward and reverse direction. Not sure what makes a chuck "reversible" - I'm assuming a grub screw or similar that locks the chuck onto the spindle.

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I'm not a fan of using "reverse" on a lathe for turning, even for sanding, as it presents numerous additional hazards, some of which I mentioned above.

The original Aussie Woodfasts have a RH spindle thread inboard and a LH thread out board. When I pestered Bronte Edwards for the M910 EVS package they point blank refused to fit reverse to their lathes EVS package due to valid safety concerns. The LH thread was originally intended for use with specific LH thread faceplates. In fact, using a large chuck OB on the orig Woodfasts restricts the depth of a bowl that can physically be turned due to the length of the supplied OB banjo.

The hazards of "reverse turning" or more correctly running the lathe in the opposite direction to convention and to the design specs of the lathe will always be present.

That applies to using standard chucks or any accessory etc that employs a RH thread in its spindle thread / insert design, and to the new "quick change chucks" which should never be used to turn in reverse mode imo! - due to the design of the jaw retention system as well as the other hazards mentioned. NEVER! despite what some turners, manufacturers and vendors claim! Thankfully most of the "quick change chucks" have now disappeared from the vendors shelves, hopefully never to return! However, those that are out in the wild now will always present a far higher hazard profile than a standard chuck to the unwary for decades to come. Far too high imo!

Using a typical scroll chuck with an insert, face plates, and accessories when running a lathe in “reverse” still present potential hazards unless they have been specifically designed and manufactured to do so!

The best system that I have seen so far is Vicmarc’s design. It employs a split collar to secure the chuck insert to the lathe spindle and a set screw through the back of the insert to the rear face of the chuck body. Unfortunately, it requires a modified spindle to house the collar, so not really viable on non-Vicmarc or older Vicmarc lathes. Will turners always use those additional safety features??? I very much doubt so!

Chuck Inserts VM120/150 | Vicmarc

You can get this locally out of Perth. Beyond tools are the importers of the Woodfast Machinery so good local backup.

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Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

You can get this locally out of Perth. Beyond tools are the importers of the Woodfast Machinery so good local backup.

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Thanks Jim. I'll keep that in mind for future reference.

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Originally Posted by BMKal

One of the main features I like about this one is that the electric motor is in the cabinet beneath the lathe. I turn a lot of salmon gum which generates a lot of fine dust that gets into everything. I'm constantly having to blow out the motor on the WL20 as it gets full of this dust and I'm worried about it catching fire one day. Having the motor below inside a cabinet should eliminate this problem.

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Shoot down to Bunnies and get some of that soft foam for sealing doors and go around the enclosure with that. It wont be 100%, but it will greatly lessen the dust and for a few $$$