Lathe choice again?

[SVB]

Steve,

Well - an innocent question but I may set the cat amongst the feathered fiends with the reply!

First - cards on the table. I have a 300 Viccy and think it is the Canine's important bits!

I have turned on Hegner, Jet and the Viccy 175. IN MY opinion (not shouting here, just an important qualification!) the choice is between the Jet and Viccy. The Hegner's tool rest is a disaster - try to turn anything smaller than 1" dia is impossible without a mod - and to ask for extra cash for 1hp is a joke. Also the hassle to remove the tailstock, which if you turn deep bowls / hollow forms you will need to do is a real PITA! Added to this it is only a couple of bits of 2" sq tube welded up - not great IMHO for the work I do which is mainly out of balance / wet / hollow forms when weight counts!

Therefore, you have the Jet and Viccy. I found the Jet a bit light and bouncy to use BUT is was on a first floor workshop and just stood on lightly supported floorboards so may not be a fair reflection.

In contrast, I have found Vicmarc's nothing but a real pleasure. I notice you are in North Yorks - I would really suggest a couple of tanks of fuel being well worth it there and back to go to Phil Iron's and have a go. I am sure you would not regret it. I would have no hesitation in buying the same again tomorrow. HOWEVER - I am not sure if Vicmarc was the subject of the previous post, but they are cast iron and Australian. Therefore, if not in stock they have to come from the other side of the world therefore not instant (although Phil does have a room full of spares and accessories so back up is not a problem not that I have ever needed any!).

Well, I hope I have not offended anyone but my 2hp worth.

By the way, no connection to Phil or Vicmarc, just a happy owner.

 

[big soft moose]

gasman - just muddying the waters further i know but you could do worse than one of the big old heavy lathes like the union graduate or the wadkin.

see the bottom two here http://www.gandmtools.co.uk/cat_branch.php?sub=15 (750 for the graduate , 550 for the wadkin)

both are three phase but converting them to single phase would not be that difficult / expensive.

come to that i believe blister has a short bed single phase graduate for sale for £1k

if you dont want to spend that much the poolewood supalathe also on the link (325 notes) could well be an option

i would buy the graduate myself but swimbo would nail me up by the dangly bits if i spent that much on a lathe this close to our wedding day.


( just to be clear i have no connection to g and m tools )

 

[gasmansteve]

Many thanks chaps for all the helpful replies. Its becoming harder than choosing a ruddy car this :? . I was looking at maybe upto a grand and half which gives me a fair choice but I`m still very tempted to hang on until the Harrogate show. We recently got an excellent price on a caravan (yes I`m one of em you shout at on the road ) purely because of it being bought at a show mebs the same for lathes ????.
Regards
Steve

 

[Argee]

Its becoming harder than choosing a ruddy car this :? I was looking at maybe upto a grand and half which gives me a fair choice but I`m still very tempted to hang on until the Harrogate show.

You're making it hard for yourself, Steve. This is your second thread on the topic and you're no further forward. What you should be doing is getting out to see and try a couple of different models, then another couple. You won't get any idea of whether a lathe suits you until you try it. If that first time is going to be after delivery, you may just as well toss a coin between the top two contenders now, whatever they currently are.

You're not very likely to be able to try one at Harrogate, nor are you likely to get much of a deal either, due to the current economic climate, Internet competition, etc. If you want to buy one untried, you've already got enough info for further narrowing-down and pricing research. Otherwise, join a club or two, get some hands-on time, it's the best way, as has already been said, many times. That sounds a bit blunt, but I don't see any urgency, so you should try some first.

Ray.

 

[Bodrighy]

As Argee says, the only real way to decide is to try for yourself. If like me when I started money was a problem thn fair enough go on recommendation but the budget you have will cover most of the better ones. Every turner has a favourite based on his or her experience and the lathes within your budget are all excellent machines. A good turner can create beautiful pieces with a Black & Decker drill attachment so gou out and test drive before you drive yourself crazy trying to decide.

Using the car example I have driven Astons, Jags, Bentleys and Lexuses (driven not owned) and still prefer driving series 2 Landrovers or lightweights.

Pete

 

[gasmansteve]

I`m not sure but think I`ve had my wrists slapped here .Never been to the Harrogate show and somewhat naively (is that a word?) thought I`d be able to try all the lathes on show, obviously not ! I was looking for a lathe which would last me a good few years. I do belong to Jorvick club at York which has a Hegner for speakers demos etc and I`ve had a go on it and indeed do like it. I have found if you ask people that actually use the equipment rather than salesmen you get a better evaluation. If maybe a hundred turners said avoid lathe B like the plague but 5 diy`ers said buy it that you might agree could help with choice even before seeing it. Obviously the final choice is mine but unbiased opinions are very helpful. I know noone who owns the Jet so who would be my next contact for that? a local dealer who would obviously say its the dogs whatsits ? and perhaps after many positive comments I would .I think most of us buy things not just lathes by seeing/using or being recommended by others. Maybe its just my way of going about things as I do go into great detail when buying stuff. Hope that explains my reasoning. :wink:
Regards
Steve

 

[Bodrighy]

Trh some of the ameican forums for Jet users as they are quite popular in the States. I have a Jet mini which is generally good but the big ones are a different ball game.

Pete

 

[Argee]

I`m not sure but think I`ve had my wrists slapped here

That wasn't the intention, Steve!

When you've got so many different things to pick from (lathes included), the best way is to see and try two, then you can probably eliminate one of those two. Now move on and try a different two and so on, until you've reduced your field to some really strong contenders. Along the way, you may find something that causes you to re-evaluate your requirements. Then you can make a fully-informed choice that you know will suit you.

Ray.

 

[Paul.J]

I don't think you get a really true picture of any tool/machine using it just for a few minutes.You can look all you like but looks aren't everything.
I felt just the same when deciding which lathe i wanted,i didn't want to make the wrong choice,but with me not been able to drive i didn't really get to see any lathes so just sought advice from members and it was down to the Hegner or the Nova in my price range.
I would love to have bought a Wivamac or a Vicmarc which both seem to have really good reviews,or a VB36 :lol:
But i was impressed with the Hegner DVD and the 30 day trial period,plus recommendations from forum members, that that was the one i decided to go with,and now the only problem i am having is with the banjo on it,which goes back to what i said at the start,problems will sometimes occur no matteer how long you look

 

[gasmansteve]

Point taken Ray. My point being if you don`t know folk who have the lathe you want to try or might be interested in then how do you try it?. Which brings me back to the reason for my original post in asking more experienced turners than I for their views to maybe narrow my choices down. BTW Just noticed on the Harrogate woodworking show web site that Warco seem to be resurrecting Graduate wood lathes.
Regards
Steve

 

[TobyB]

Vicmarc I used on a course was very nice - but I'd not get one into my basement workshop ... and I liked the idea of a rotating head lathe. I did buy a Wivamac after looking at them at Harrogate - and very very happy with it in practice, and a nice bit of engineering - not sure my skills will ever be up to its potential though.

Briefly looked at the Hegner - seems to be an overly specialised bit of kit for most turners ...

Cheers

Toby

 

[gasmansteve]

Briefly looked at the Hegner - seems to be an overly specialised bit of kit for most turners ...

Toby

Hi Toby
Wonder if you could expand on that please?.

Regards
Steve

 

[TobyB]

I haven't used one I admit - but looked at one or two for real (in the steel?) as well as their web site etc. I suspect it's THE thing if I wanted to make 2-3' bowls and vast artistic hollow forms to display in big galleries and sell to corporate headquarters. I suppose I might want to do that at some point ... maybe. It didn't look like a tool you could easily make small boxes, table lamps, etc on ... and looked pretty cumbersome for making small, simple, "everyday" bowls (that I have the skills, tools and wood for). I think one of Richard Raffans books made similar remarks. So ... perhaps it's like an F1 car or a military-spec HumVee ... very good for its specialised field ... I prefered to get a more versatile everyday workhorse estate car ... I'm sure delighted Hegner owners will now tell us otherwise however!

Oh yes - I also dismissed the Hegner on grounds of cost, size and weight ... never get that into my cellar workshop!

Cheers

Toby

 

[Argee]

I haven't used one I admit - It didn't look like a tool you could easily make small boxes, table lamps, etc on ... and looked pretty cumbersome for making small, simple, "everyday" bowls (that I have the skills, tools and wood for).

Having a swivelling headstock, that you can position anywhere that's comfortable is "cumbersome"? Turning pens and lace bobbins is about as small as you need, isn't it?

Ray.

 

[TobyB]

Ah ha ... never seen that before! The only Hegner lathe I'd seen on the web or for real was the VB36 bowl-turning thing, and for that matter all the discussions of Hegners I'd read seemed to relate to this too ... didn't realise they made this. So all my comments related to the VB36 monster. Looked further on the web - seen that a HDB200XL exists ... looks like a very reasonable bit of kit you've got there Argee.

I like my Wivamac head that both rotates and slides up to the centre of the bed - definitely not "cumbersome".

Cheers

Toby

 

[cornucopia]

Ah ha ... never seen that before! The only Hegner lathe I'd seen on the web or for real was the VB36 bowl-turning thing, and for that matter all the discussions of Hegners I'd read seemed to relate to this too ... didn't realise they made this. So all my comments related to the VB36 monster. Looked further on the web - seen that a HDB200XL exists ... looks like a very reasonable bit of kit you've got there Argee.

I like my Wivamac head that both rotates and slides up to the centre of the bed - definitely not "cumbersome".

Cheers

Toby

you seem to be confused #-o hegner u.k manafacture the best lathe ever (in my opinion) the vb36, they also sell the hdb200xl as well as many other top quality things.
you are also misinformed if you belive the vb36 is not capable of turning its hand to anything asked of it- trust me it is it can be used to make a thimble or a 3' tall vase, it is trully superb




disclamer: I have no ties with hegner u.k nor am i related to anyone who works for hegner u.k. - the above statement is my unbiased opinion based on being a vb36 owner for several years.

 

[Argee]

... looks like a very reasonable bit of kit you've got there Argee.

And so it is, but it's nothing compared to a VB36, which I would have bought if I could have justified it. As I'm not a professional or a production turner, I went with what I consider to be the next best (and "standard format") lathe.

Ray.

 

[gasmansteve]

Just a small thought Ray. Would I still be able to use my Supernova 2 chuck with the Hegner HDB obviously with the correct threaded insert?. I really like that chuck and have a few different jaw sets for it.

Steve

 

[Argee]

Would I still be able to use my Supernova 2 chuck with the Hegner HDB obviously with the correct threaded insert?

The Hegner comes as standard with a 33mm x 3.5mm pitch thread. In the table on this page (fourth row down), Peter Childs lists it as "Code MC22 - Special- please enquire."

I'd like to be able to confirm it's possible for you, but it seems you'll either need to check with Peter Childs or Hegner for a definitive answer.

Ray.

 

[CHJ]

I think you will find that the supernova has to be a solid threaded body model for the Hegner, the insert versions outer thread diameter is not big enough to accommodate a 33 mm insert.

PaulJ has Hegner and supernova2 chuck and I know for certain that is a solid model.