Axminster AT406WL or Record Power Coronet Herald?

[gog64]

That’s pretty amusing advice! There’s no hour meter and it’s a lathe rebadged all over the world by 101 different vendors. Axminster are covering themselves, making it crystal clear that it’s for light hobby use only, not trade so that people don’t abuse their (in my experience excellent) 3 year warranty. I wouldn’t expect to use it all day on heavy items. To be fair, if you get that hooked, you’ll soon realise it’s limitations and know what you really want. My current lathe costs a lot more new (I was very lucky to buy it second hand) and would happily work all day every day. Horses for courses!

 

[Sideways]

That probably tells you that the motor isn't rated for continuous duty (it'll get hot and need to cool off after half to an hour's use) and the bearings in the motor and lathe are all "undersized" and have a design life in that application of about 300 hours.
Bearings are cheap so if you are mechanically minded enough to be able to replace them, that's a £50 ish repair for 2 in the lathe and 2 in the motor.

 

[Blister]

Re the 3 year guarantee on a Record lathe, You may find that applies to the construction and 1 year on the electronics , best check that with them.

 

[akirk]

As many other I have the RP Coronet Herald.
It is a great lathe and works well -very good value for money. It is quiet, the digital controls are great and it will take me a long time to outgrow what it is capable of doing... I can understand the point above ref. controls on the headstock if you are disabled, but outside that I see no reason to have it. When I received mine last year it was the updated version with the self-ejecting tailstock, but the live centre in there didn't eject as it was still the old model live centre - one call to RP and a new free live centre was in the post to me... very good customer service.

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

Hi
I am looking for some advice on buying a new lathe!
I am new to this forum and also new to wood turning!
I have recently retired and I am looking for a new hobby!
I have been keen on carpentry for many years and have a fairly well equipped workshop, I have plenty of space accommodate a lathe and it is my intention to bench mount it.
Whilst researching a suitable lathe I have narrowed down my search to the Axminster and the Record Power, I have read numerous reviews although a lot appear to be linked to the manufacturers!
It may seem a bit of a strange comparison as the lathes are very different!
I am able to purchase the Axminster for £1500 and the Record Power for £900.
I have been looking at second hand lathes for about a month but it appears that anything halfway decent sells for close to the price of a new one!
I am looking for something to grow into as I progress but I don‘t have enough experience to know if the extra £600 for the Axminster is a good investment!
Any views would be much appreciated.

For updated prices I suggest you look at both the Axminster and Record websites. Two years ago I did a detailed spreadsheet of the Axminster AT406WL with leg stands and the Record Maxi1 which were similar prices and capacities. I opted for the Axminster as it has an extension which can be fitted both ends with the rear end one being fitted lower for much larger diameter plates or bowls. I was making standard lamps and the extension both ends give a huge turning length should you need it. Axminster lathes are not made in China. There are made by The Kingscraft Machinery Co Ltd, Taichung City, in Taiwan. It is only China if you agree with President Xi Jinping of the CPC. The difference is that it would have most likely benefitted from American investment. My lathe over the last two years has worked faultlessly. I have made spindle items but mainly plates up to just under 16" diameter and smaller stuff like kitchen cabinet knobs. I do use both Axminster and the small Record chucks together with their accessories. To date the lathe has not limited me in anything I wanted to make. Accessories do come up on eBay and I have bought woodturning tools and recently some heavy duty second hand gouges not made by current manufacturers. All of them are Sheffield made in England tools. In my experience Axminster offer good customer service and I recently bought an additional banjo, not shown in their catalogue, for a 1.5m tool rest. If you have room in your work shop and the resources get a band saw, the biggest you can afford. I do admit that all of the essential kit like the bandsaw, dust extraction, sander etc are Record from Yandle's in Somerset. My lathe and the bandsaw have the optional wheels to be able to move stuff around. Our local turners society use a smaller Axminster AT350WL with a leg stands which is about £1150. For smaller items it is excellent and works well. Axminster also sell Jet lathes and if you are the chap who recently won the big one on the Euromillions they sell the top end American Beauty starting at £9000. Anyway good luck because I have found woodturning rather addictive. My wife's regular comment is, "and what have you bought now"!