Does size matter?

[duncanh]

- quite a bit of weight to be lugging around regularly.

That's an interesting point of view. I must admit I often take off the tailstock on my 1642 to get it out of the way and never thought of it as being particularly heavy or much of an issue. It's fitted with a round clamping washer which means it comes off and goes back on without any bother.

Jon

I often take my tailstock off as well when I'm hollowing or want to put my banjo onto my swing-out bed. I guess in the grand scheme of things it's not excessively heavy but given the lack of space in my workshop I generally store it out of the way on the floor towards the headstock. I'm fairly fit and generally in good health but it's not something I'd want to be moving regularly if I had a bad back or weak arms/hands. Given the age of most of the turners in our club I see that this could well be an issue.

 

[SVB]

Only downside of my Vicmarc 300 short-bed - tailstock is f.heavy lifting up n down but I suppose it is good for me (sort of!)

S

 

[Sheptonphil]

Just to muddy the water, also consider the Axminster at1628vs with legs and extension.

A package that will give you 16" standard swing, up to 30" swing with extension in lower position, rotating and sliding headstock, 42" plus length with extension if higher position. 2hp motor, soft switching with a remote placeable unit for all controls.

The remote power button on the 3520 is nowhere near as clunky as the headstock one.

I've had the 1628, just swapped it for the 3520 purely because I could and always really wanted it even as I was paying for the 1628. I don't think I would have been vastly restricted by the capacity of the 1628, but I have access to some larger lumps and want to try some off centre, different turning.

Buy the one you want, not the one you can justify to yourself. Cry once, enjoy it every time you turn it on.

Phil

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I bought the Woodfast model (vintage 1990) last year which is the model now badged by RP as the Maxi 1. Mine was still made in Australia and though we don't generally consider Australia in the bracket of "European made", because they're not famous for metal bashing type manufacture, I can vouch for the fact we should.

It is a beautifully made machine and here's a few things I would throw into the mix.

Though heavy which is good for vibration damping and stability its a pig for moving but......the way the beds dismantle make it an absolute doddle to move around and even transport if necessary. Mine's an M33 too which is apparently the original Woodfast spec. it was Record Power that specified the far less common 1" 8tpi dimension (think it was that, if not similar). Always though that was odd of them to cling to an outdated spindle spec when clearly M33 3.5 has won the MT2 lathe hearts and minds.

The swivelling headstock mechanism is a joy to use with a really robust 10mm thick steel plate on which it swivels with detents for common angles and gnarled heavy gauge steel pins to locate. Easy access to the belts and the thing is bullet proof.

I confess to liking the jets too and our club also has the mid range machine. But the Woodfast is a well engineered and well thought through machine. It is made in China now but I had a very close look at a new one in John Davis last week and compared it to mine and they have saved money here and there but in general it's pretty much the same. I rate it very highly. When I win the lottery I think the only place for me to go is a Wivamac or Vicmarc or I also rather like the big Jet with the short beds and the integrated vacuum chuck. That's in the £4k region so will have to hang on a while!

 

[Grahamshed]

The tailstock on the 3520 and most other big lathes is certainly heavy and moving it about is something you can do without as you get older but all it takes is a smallish wheeled cupboard next to the lathe with a couple of strategically placed bits of 4x2 on the top exactly level and in line with the bed ways of the lathe. The tailstock then slides off the lathe onto the cupboard and back without any lifting at all.

 

[duncanh]

The tailstock on the 3520 and most other big lathes is certainly heavy and moving it about is something you can do without as you get older but all it takes is a smallish wheeled cupboard next to the lathe with a couple of strategically placed bits of 4x2 on the top exactly level and in line with the bed ways of the lathe. The tailstock then slides off the lathe onto the cupboard and back without any lifting at all.

As long as you have enough space to do that then yes, it's a great idea. Unfortunately I'm stuck in a 12x6 shed which is fairly restrictive -I have a bandsaw, bench, shelves and dust extractor and stool in there as well as a DB6000. One day I'll find the money and time to expand...