View Single Post
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.woodturning
Dr. Deb[_5_] Dr. Deb[_5_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 264
Default New (to me) lathe

The president of the Alabama Woodturners Assn (of which I was a member and still miss going) put three lathes up for sale - he found a deal on a big Oneway. One of the lathes was a Woodfast M910, made in Australia. I did not realize the age of this particular lathe,it was originally purchased in 1998. but am glad I did not.

The Rikon 70-500 is an import version and this Austrian version shows the lathe in action. Oddly enough its the same - almost - as the one I bought, for a lot less.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HypogU8f3Hc

I got all 580lbs of it home and moved into the shop and THOUGHT I had it leveled. Turned my first bowl blank and had to go slow because of it vibrating on me if I got the speed up (the rough was about 35lbs) and wondered if I had made such a good deal.

Then, with a smaller piece on it, I turned the speed up and saw where the problem was, the right front leveler need another 3/4 turn. Ran the piece on through the speed range and found that the left rear needed a1/4" turn. The thing is now as steady as a rock.

I simply did not know the difference between a good solid Jet 1442 with a Reeves drive and a professional lathe.