Outgrown my lathe?

[Anthony01]

Hello,

I have had an Axminster AWSL hobby lathe for 5 years and I’m starting to outgrow it. I started with pens but now enjoy bowel turning and the 240mm depth is not very flexible. I don’t have a huge chunk of change (500-600) and I like the form factor for my limited space. I was thinking something like the aw305 as it has 305mm depth from Axminster? My chuck is an 8tpi, if I change to say a m33 do adapters work?

I’d appreciate some advice

 

[alex robinson]

Hello,

I have had an Axminster AWSL hobby lathe for 5 years and I’m starting to outgrow it. I started with pens but now enjoy bowel turning and the 240mm depth is not very flexible. I don’t have a huge chunk of change (500-600) and I like the form factor for my limited space. I was thinking something like the aw305 as it has 305mm depth from Axminster? My chuck is an 8tpi, if I change to say a m33 do adapters work?

I’d appreciate some advice

Is it the length or the bench top aspect you like? Plenty of options for short bed lathes with big bowl turning capacity. If you feel you have outgrown something with a 240mm capacity, £500 seems a lot to pay for the extra 65mm.

Swivel head is a good way to go. I have a nova DVR xp that I love which is quite short without the bed extension. The nova 3000 would also be an option (same machine with a belt rather than direct drive).

Older bowl turning lathes also sometimes turn up in budget - viceroy bowl lathe or the short version of a union graduate.

 

[Orraloon]

Like alex has pointed out something with a swivel head will give you a lot more room to grow. Bowl blanks being a bit larger than the finished bowl. One thing to look out for is the minimum speed of the lathe. For big bowl blanks you need start slow while you rough it into balance.
Regards
John

 

[Anthony01]

Is it the length or the bench top aspect you like? Plenty of options for short bed lathes with big bowl turning capacity. If you feel you have outgrown something with a 240mm capacity, £500 seems a lot to pay for the extra 65mm.

Swivel head is a good way to go. I have a nova DVR xp that I love which is quite short without the bed extension. The nova 3000 would also be an option (same machine with a belt rather than direct drive).

Older bowl turning lathes also sometimes turn up in budget - viceroy bowl lathe or the short version of a union graduate.

Thanks for the reply, the bench top aspect is what I like the most. I like the idea of a speed controller if possible, although I’m sure if it’s a dc motor I can add one easily.

 

[Sachakins]

Have you considered riser blocks. Here's a diy version from wood, starts about 3 min 55sec in

 

[Owd Jockey]

Hi Anthony, I have PM'd you.

 

[alex robinson]

Thanks for the reply, the bench top aspect is what I like the most. I like the idea of a speed controller if possible, although I’m sure if it’s a dc motor I can add one easily.

I think in that case a swivel head is your best bet. They would be fine on a bench (the riser block suggestion is good to tweak the height).

The traditional bowl lathes can all have modern variable speed motors fitted, but I think they are all floor mounted.

 

[spiritburner]

I have a Record Coronet Herald, its brilliant and super powerful, it was expensive I have to admit but I didn't want a Chinese one and the Jet lathes seem over expensive for what they really are and I prefer to buy British if I can.

It has not let me down in three years, and after the first year (Covid) I purchased the extension which you bolt on and increases the size of the bed by about 30 / 40 centimetres, also I didn't get the legs for it because I have a nice solid workbench but I have purchased some additional tooling for it and a proper chuck and some other bits and bobs. I've even turned down Brass and Aluminium on it it's that good.

I don't regret purchasing it at all and I knew that if I bought a small lathe to start with, I would soon end having to upgrade so I saved up for another few months and bought the lathe outright that I wanted.
My advice is try and get the lathe that you will think you need rather than what you can afford right now if it takes a bit longer to save up it's worth it because you're only end up having to upgrade later and that will cost you more in the long run.

Make sure it has plenty of power and that you get a good chuck that you can add different jaws and plates onto. It's worth every penny and make sure you get a revolving Morse taper centre and a drill chuck for the tail stock, also very useful.

Even if you can't afford to buy the accessories you want and the ladies at the same time just by the ladies and add the accessories later, because you will always find money for those, but your biggest cost is the machine itself and my advice is invest as much as money as you can into that and add the extras later.
Here is the link to the my machine at Record,

I did manage to get it about 25% under cost because I was able to pay in cash and living in Spain cash is still very much King out here and I purchased the Lathe and all the accessories I wanted in one go and it made a big difference to the overall price. The bed extension as I said I bought a year later because I didn't know that I would need it at that time.

LINK: Record Power Coronet Herald Lathe

 

[okeydokey]

I do like the rise block idea
Just consider how much swing you need to increase as by the time youve cut the slots into the block so it fits well into the bed and head/tailstock youve lost an inch or so of potential height. Maybe have to laminate a couple of blocks to get this height without buying an expensive larger block.
Another thought - by virtue that the bowl blank will be (diameter) at least a couple of inches more than the makers intended for the size of headstock spindle perhaps extra care not to distort the spindle or damage the bearings? Its just a comment I'm not qualified to make a judgement call on this.
good luck

 

[Anthony01]

Have you considered riser blocks. Here's a diy version from wood, starts about 3 min 55sec in

I haven’t at all, is this a safe method?

 

[Anthony01]

I have a Record Coronet Herald, its brilliant and super powerful, it was expensive I have to admit but I didn't want a Chinese one and the Jet lathes seem over expensive for what they really are and I prefer to buy British if I can.

It has not let me down in three years, and after the first year (Covid) I purchased the extension which you bolt on and increases the size of the bed by about 30 / 40 centimetres, also I didn't get the legs for it because I have a nice solid workbench but I have purchased some additional tooling for it and a proper chuck and some other bits and bobs. I've even turned down Brass and Aluminium on it it's that good.

I don't regret purchasing it at all and I knew that if I bought a small lathe to start with, I would soon end having to upgrade so I saved up for another few months and bought the lathe outright that I wanted.
My advice is try and get the lathe that you will think you need rather than what you can afford right now if it takes a bit longer to save up it's worth it because you're only end up having to upgrade later and that will cost you more in the long run.

Make sure it has plenty of power and that you get a good chuck that you can add different jaws and plates onto. It's worth every penny and make sure you get a revolving Morse taper centre and a drill chuck for the tail stock, also very useful.

Even if you can't afford to buy the accessories you want and the ladies at the same time just by the ladies and add the accessories later, because you will always find money for those, but your biggest cost is the machine itself and my advice is invest as much as money as you can into that and add the extras later.
Here is the link to the my machine at Record,

I did manage to get it about 25% under cost because I was able to pay in cash and living in Spain cash is still very much King out here and I purchased the Lathe and all the accessories I wanted in one go and it made a big difference to the overall price. The bed extension as I said I bought a year later because I didn't know that I would need it at that time.

LINK: Record Power Coronet Herald Lathe

Hello, thanks for your in-depth post, does the herald have a swivel head? I’m finding specs online rather hit and miss. Country of origin is ok for me as long as the company pays tax! But that’s another can of worms. I have a good chuck for my current lathe so I’d just be looking at a bench top machine really

 

[Sachakins]

I haven’t at all, is this a safe method?

Have a search on YouTube, you can see many versions, some in aluminium.
Not going too high though is important, as the lathe power may not be enough to handle big lumps of heavy wood.

Also adding each inch increases your blank size by 2 inches on the diameter.

Just thought it might be an option to try your hand at larger bowls, with little expense. It would also be easy to remove them and restore lathe to original for later sake.

As mentioned above, I too have the Coronet Herald and think it's a superb lathe.

 

[Cozzer]

Hello,

I have had an Axminster AWSL hobby lathe for 5 years and I’m starting to outgrow it. I started with pens but now enjoy bowel turning and the 240mm depth is not very flexible. I don’t have a huge chunk of change (500-600) and I like the form factor for my limited space. I was thinking something like the aw305 as it has 305mm depth from Axminster? My chuck is an 8tpi, if I change to say a m33 do adapters work?

I’d appreciate some advice

You enjoy what?!

 

[Ttrees]

Someone here made a metal riser for their lathe, I kept the picture from a recent enough thread, though shoulda named it for reference.

 

[spiritburner]

Hello, thanks for your in-depth post, does the herald have a swivel head? I’m finding specs online rather hit and miss. Country of origin is ok for me as long as the company pays tax! But that’s another can of worms. I have a good chuck for my current lathe so I’d just be looking at a bench top machine really

Hi there, no it doesn't have a swing head but I have never found the need to have one with what I make.

The other lathes made by Record may well have but you would need to check and see.
Mine is mounted on my workbench mainly because I am disabled and use it from a seated position as with all my shop machines.

I am not able to stand for long periods so I use a high quality office type wheeled chair and use that to whizz around my shop.

Good luck in your search

 

[Deadeye]

Hello,

but now enjoy bowel turning ...

I’d appreciate some advice

Don't do that. It'll be sh*t

 

[Sachakins]

The herald coronet does have a swivel head, got mine new in 2019.
The newer version, the Version 2 has a better tailstock setup.
The old coronet from years back bears no resemblance to the new coronet heralds.

Here's record powers link, but cheaper elsewhere when on offer.

https://www.recordpower.co.uk/product/herald-heavy-duty-cast-iron-electronic-variable-speed-lathe

 

[Vulcan]

Keep a look out for a second hand one of these. Used by many demonstrators they have a very useful 14” swing for such a compact lathe.

https://www.axminstertools.com/ideas-advice/axminster-woodturning-lathe-review/

 

[Richard_C]

Yes, RP Coronet Herald has swivel head, very good and indexed with click stops. Not just for bigger things, if you turn it 30 degrees it makes bowl hollowing easier, less bending over the bed. The RP website has decent information, use the different tabs on the product page. They also have a YouTube channel. Bit over your budget though. If you can get one, you may never need to change again.

 

[Anthony01]

You enjoy what?!

Well I do have IBS …