The lathe is dead - long live the lathe...

[jpt]

Hi John,

Could you let me know the height between centres and the bottom of the bed casting? Trying to work out if I can reuse my current bench?

BM

HI

The height from the bottom of the casting to the centre is 375mm, this was a bit low for me to use on my existing bench so I raised it using some solid pieces of hardwood to the correct height.

If you are going to fix it to your own bench you will need some threaded rod and nuts the size is 3/8 UNC.

With regards to the Jet free standing toolrest I know someone who has had it fro sometime now and he says there isnt a problem with it moving even after a catch, I had a go with it myself and I am impressed with it and will be buying one at the end of next month.

john

 

[bogmonster]

Hi John,

Could you let me know the height between centres and the bottom of the bed casting? Trying to work out if I can reuse my current bench?

BM

HI

The height from the bottom of the casting to the centre is 375mm, this was a bit low for me to use on my existing bench so I raised it using some solid pieces of hardwood to the correct height.

If you are going to fix it to your own bench you will need some threaded rod and nuts the size is 3/8 UNC.

With regards to the Jet free standing toolrest I know someone who has had it fro sometime now and he says there isnt a problem with it moving even after a catch, I had a go with it myself and I am impressed with it and will be buying one at the end of next month.

john

Thanks. I am at work at the moment so can't measure but I strongly suspect my bench is also too low. It will be much easier to block the lathe up then cut down the bench down seeing at it has thick pressed steel end panels. Either way I will cut the bench down in length which should be much easier. The top of my bench is full of sand so I think I will box in part of the bottom as well and also fill that with sand so I keep the same mass in the shorter bench. No idea how heavy it is but it took four blokes to carry it using scaffold bars so it is properly heavy. Well I am pulling it apart I may weld some heavy angle to the bottom of the side panels and attach some adjustment feet.

I am tempted to try and attach the bed extension to the front of the bench, offset to the left of the headstock but I wonder if I can get everything rigid enough?

Will save me a lot of cash and I suspect be far more stable than the cast legs

I think I am almost decided on the 1624.

 

[bogmonster]

OK, existing bench will fit with blocking up - hovering over the buy button, just trying to convince myself this is the correct machine. There is currently one on a well known auction site with legs at £1280 but given that I don't want the legs the saving is not worth it considering the warranty is not transferable.

Just waiting for SWMBO to get home to 'approve' the purchase. I could buy it without her blessing but I don't think that is wise :wink:

If somebody can also provide the bed length I can start hacking down the bench that would be mighty helpful.

As for the Poolewood, I don't think there will be too much of value in the bits but if anybody has got one and needs spares? The main spindle is good, the bearings and belt are almost new. I will happily strip them out and send to anybody who will pay the postage. Can't imagine that anybody will want the castings and I would not give the motor to my worst enemy. I will see if I can track down the list of members lathes and PM anybody - I don't want money for any of it. I think the chucks and face plates are already spoken for though.

BM

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If it's a 28-40 I'll have the banjo/saddle/toolrest support call it what you will and the spindle and bearings, please. I'll PM you (assuming it's a 28-40)

 

[Woodmonkey]

The outrigger does look mighty flimsy on it and I have read reviews that it does flex quite a bit with people resorting to bottle jacks under it

Don't know what they've been using but mine feels rock solid, never felt any flex in it yet.

 

[bogmonster]

Ok, SWIMBO didn't bat an eyelid, I think it is a done deal. Anybody ever get any joy with haggling at Axminster? I am not above such things...

Phil, I might keep the banjo for now as it fits the strange stand alone tool support I have. You can definately have the other bits. Won't get around to stripping it until next week, away this weekend.

BM

 

[Dalboy]

Anybody ever get any joy with haggling at Axminster? I am not above such things...


BM

My attitude to these things is "if you don't ask you don't get" they can only say yes or no at the end of the day

 

[graduate_owner]

Well I have no experience of Record or Axminster lathes, but I do have a Graduate bowl lathe and I love it. It has an Axminster Evolution chuck which fits both left and right hand threads, and a set of O'Donnell jaws which I also like very much. I have a 3 phase inverter which I use on my Myford ML8 and on some other metalworking kit, and will be changing the graduate motor to 3 phase soon - been meaning to do that for ages.

The graduate is nice and solid, being a block of cast iron. Being a bowl lathe meant it cost a lot less (£150), and I can use my ML8 when I need a bed and tail stock. I also intend to make up a floor standing rest so I can use the inboard side of the graduate without a bed getting in the way.(So many plans to make things, so little getting done). I was thinking a floor standing arrangement possibly screwed to the floor so it wouldn't move or cause vibration.

The inboard arrangement with separate stand might suit you and possibly at an affordable price with good re-sale value.

K

 

[YewTube]

Anybody ever get any joy with haggling at Axminster? I am not above such things...

BM

Don't haggle with Axminster, haggle with their agents.

Bill

 

[Vic Perrin]

As I said - there is a Maxi 1 somewhere else for four days.

Just had a look at that. It seems a fair price especially with the extras it comes with.

Vic

 

[Happy amateur]

If you are a member of a woodturning club Axminster do
10% discount through the club

Fred

 

[bogmonster]

That 10% discount sounds like a good reason to join a club - even if I never attend I wonder if there are any cheap clubs I can join over the internet?

It is a shame that with most of these places you can't actually try a lathe before parting with cash. I understand the difficulties with this and the man from Axminster did tell me he would plug one in so I could listen to it. I certainly would not buy a new car just listening to the engine but without a test drive. I am sure there is some virtual mileage in actually going to have a look and swinging on the banjo and headstock like an orangutan to see how much they flex, just not sure of it is worth the 80 miles physical millage.

Buying new tools for one's hobbies should be fun I thought, if so why am I so fed up and grumpy about it I wonder?

BM

 

[bogmonster]

I am going to take a visit to Axminster tomorrow with SWMBO - she is far better at bargaining than me

They may even give me the lathe if I promise to take the dragon home...

I expect I will be returning with an AT 1628vs (no legs), a K10 chuck (think this will suit my method of working better that an Evolution, and possibly the bed extension?

I will certainly try for the Jet toolrests to be thrown in.

BM

 

[bogmonster]

The deed is done. I had a trip to Yandles and Axminster today. I looked at:

1) Record CL4 - was never really on my list but had a look anyway.
2) Record Nova - thought this was OK but no variable speed and too much flex in outrigger for me. The variable speed version was too spendy.
3) Maxi 1 - Great looking machine but a couple of things put me off. I hated the position of the headstock lock, because the way I work opening a chuck on the inside of a bowl this severely limited clearance to 16" regardless of over the bed or outrigger. Also, when turned 90 degrees the bed limited depth of bowls for my odd way of working. I expect this is not an issue for most folks but was a deal breaker for me. Also didn't like the spindle lock for the same reasons.
4) Jet 1642 (or whatever the length is). Liked this but did not like the room it took up with bed extension in the lower position. Also did not like the spindle lock and the clearance with the headstock casting. Lack of rotating headstock was limiting.
5) AT1628VS. This was the lathe I expected to go home with. I thought this machine was really well thought out. It certainly matched my needs better than all of the above. I know I work in a strange way but that is how I work and did not want to change. The clearance between the work and the chuck jaws is still about 1" less that on my old Poolewood at about 5" but far better that anything else I looked at. No spindle lock to get in the way, the headstock lock was at the side out the way, with the headstock at the end there was a sheer, unobstructed drop to the floor.

So I bought the AT1628VS, a K10 chuck (again because this suite by chuck inside bowl style) and a bed extension. The evolution chuck does look nice and I may also get one at a later date.

I got home rather late and my health has taken a nose dive so I had a fight to remove the old lathe, cut down the bench and get the new lathe in. Garage already looked like a bomb had hit it. I need to do more work on the bench including some welding for the bed extension before I can really get to play.

One concern, I did spin the machine up and the indexing ring as I think the manual calls it is definitely not running concentrically. It is not the same as in the manual, it is longer and is screwed on and held with a couple of grub screws. I suspect that the thread is a bit loose and the grub screws are pushing it over to one side. The face plate is also not quite concentric but the shoulder on the front of the shaft looks ok. I am tempter to remove the indexing ring and see if the rear end of the shaft is running ok but will call Axminster first. Sadly I don't have a dial gauge.

BM

 

[themackay]

There is a Maxi 1 "over yonder" at the moment.

Where is "over yonder"

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The place we do not mention beginning with "e" :lol:

 

[themackay]

OK im trying to work it out

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A large on line auction site...

 

[themackay]

I thought it was another Forum Doh.

 

[RogerP]

The place we do not mention beginning with "e" :lol:

... why don't "we" mention eBay?