There are many reasons why we post so seldom about maxi lathes and so
often about minies & midis. The little ones are affordable and
preferable for beginners and beginners post many questions that start up
discussions. Big lathe owners have their own net groups and their best
discussions unfortunately never appear here. It makes sense that as the
lathe gets bigger and more expensive and the owners as a subset more
expert, the less they need to post here.

In other venues however, we enjoy laughing and scratching about big
things even as we pursue smaller. We drive Chevvies and talk about
Mercedes, we support Little League and argue about major leagues. How
bout them ----'s!

There are occasional threads here about the big Generals, Powermatics,
Vicmarcs, Stubbies and Oneways. Less often a comment about V.Bs, Nichols
and Poolwoods, but almost never about Lacuna, Serious, Robust and big
customs. No doubt there are many others that I know nothing about.
Probably most of you don't either.

So what! Why should we care? Few of us could or would afford them and
the two turners who read my drivel know that I remember the great
depression and am too thrifty (aka stingy) to indulge a hobby to such an
extent. OTOH, I like to know about all facets of the craft and the
unattainable interests all of us. so I wonder if some of us could and
would share their personal experiences and opinions about the big 'other
end' lathes.

There is a world of info scattered on the net, Marshall Gorrow's links
one of the best, but I thank you in advance for not giving me a good
switching and sending me to the Google Room.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

"Arch" wrote in message
...
There are many reasons why we post so seldom about maxi lathes and so
often about minies & midis. The little ones are affordable and
preferable for beginners and beginners post many questions that start up
discussions.

Perhaps because the essentials of a lathe are present in the less expensive
models, lacking only the skill and vision of the turner.

It's the fun and the form. Both available in lathes you can get through a
door and even up stairs.

Arch, it took me a lot of years to get the big lathe that I had wanted
all along, I started out (in 1936) with a small sears lathe, about the
size of todays mini-lathes. Over the years I went through a series of a
larger Sears lathe and several Delta lathes. Each one a bit larger and
heavier than the one before. I did some spindle turning but turned
mostly bowls. A lot of turners don't realize it, but the standard lathe
is designed for spindle turning, not bowl turning. Until you've
experienced turning bowls while facing the piece you don't how much
better and easier it is. When I got into hollow forms a bit over 20
years ago, I needed a lathe where I could stand facing the piece while
using a Stewart tool. Because I'm left-handed I also wanted a lathe
that had a left-hand thread and turned clockwise. I got the General 260
and turned outboard on it. Made to order. There were some drawbacks
however. The outboard bed was only 11 inches long. and it had a 1-horse
motor. Not enough for the big stuff I wanted to turn. Then I met John
Nichols. After a lot of discussion I ordered a custom left-handed
Nichols lathe. 26-inch swing (38 with the bed pulled back). 3 horse
motor, 800 lb., and a capacity for at least 800 lb. of sand. Ten or
eleven years later it's still doing what I want it to do. I don't turn
the big stuff anymore but it handles small and even tiny things as well
as it does the big ones.

It'll be interesting to see what the next generation of lathes brings.
We won't need big heavy lathes because there'll be a balancing system
built-in. There'll be better ways to fasten a piece to the lathe than
we have now. Hopefully, we won't be using a system that does away with
hand-held tools. That'll take away some of the fun and skills needed.

Wally
Arch wrote:
There are many reasons why we post so seldom about maxi lathes and so
often about minies & midis. The little ones are affordable and
preferable for beginners and beginners post many questions that start up
discussions. Big lathe owners have their own net groups and their best
discussions unfortunately never appear here. It makes sense that as the
lathe gets bigger and more expensive and the owners as a subset more
expert, the less they need to post here.

In other venues however, we enjoy laughing and scratching about big
things even as we pursue smaller. We drive Chevvies and talk about
Mercedes, we support Little League and argue about major leagues. How
bout them ----'s!

There are occasional threads here about the big Generals, Powermatics,
Vicmarcs, Stubbies and Oneways. Less often a comment about V.Bs, Nichols
and Poolwoods, but almost never about Lacuna, Serious, Robust and big
customs. No doubt there are many others that I know nothing about.
Probably most of you don't either.

So what! Why should we care? Few of us could or would afford them and
the two turners who read my drivel know that I remember the great
depression and am too thrifty (aka stingy) to indulge a hobby to such an
extent. OTOH, I like to know about all facets of the craft and the
unattainable interests all of us. so I wonder if some of us could and
would share their personal experiences and opinions about the big 'other
end' lathes.

There is a world of info scattered on the net, Marshall Gorrow's links
one of the best, but I thank you in advance for not giving me a good
switching and sending me to the Google Room.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

In article ,
(Arch) wrote:

So what! Why should we care? Few of us could or would afford them

Well, my Faye&Scott (Swinng of about 20", outboard swing 80+ without
digging a hole in the floor) set me back a whopping $250, plus a few
bucks to build a custom sawhorse to help get it in the truck (high
enough to get one set of legs off the bed, slide it in, and get the
other set of legs off, sturdy enough to hold it up), and 10 bucks or so
in quarters to have some student types in need of laundry money give me
a hand with it in and out of the truck. Came with lots of accessories,
too. I do have to oil the bearings, which is not really a big deal; it's
older than you are, Arch, and should be fine long after I'm gone,
barring ownership by idiots.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

One inovation that I saw on the Serious lathe is the removable spindle
on the headstock. The whole spindle assembly unbolts, and can be
removed, and then you can remove the bearings. While the bearings
probably would stand up to all of the abuse that I could heap on them,
if you ever have to replace a belt, this would make it easy. I wish
they made a bowl lathe......
robo hippy

It'll be interesting to see what the next generation of lathes brings.
We won't need big heavy lathes because there'll be a balancing system
built-in. There'll be better ways to fasten a piece to the lathe than
we have now. Hopefully, we won't be using a system that does away with
hand-held tools. That'll take away some of the fun and skills needed.

I don't know; I think it would be a whole lot of fun watching the robot hog
off the wood exactly to spec while the workpiece sits stationary. You can
hold the microphone in your hand. You know, the one you use to issue
commands to the robot. The best part will be when it sharpens the tools.

- Owen -

Hi Reed

The Oneway has a cartridge type spindle/bearing setup, very easy to
slip out the whole assembly, when for instance a belt change.

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Arch,

Guilty as charged. I bought my Stubby about six years ago and have
posted very little here about it. Shortly after my purchase, three
other Stubby owners invited me into an email group. This eventually
grew to about 15 people when we decided to set up a Yahoo group. We
are way over 100 now.

Funny thing is, most of the discussion there is from new people seeking
advice on buying a bigger lathe.

I think the reason that a lot of the big lathe discussion has
disappeared has less to do with big lathes and more to do with people
being tired of answering the same questions over and over. If you go
back in the archives five or six years ago, you will see that I
participated on this forum and others quite extensively. Over the
years, it got to the point where I had provided answers to many of the
questions many times over. I simply quit with the attitude that it
was others' turn to answer those questions or, as the body of knowledge
grew on the net, a participant could simply look up the information for
themselves.

I am guessing that many long-time web users have gradually tuned out
the heavy participation. I know that the r.c.w. crowd now is almost
completely different than the crowd from six years ago.

I still occasionally jump in on a few topics where I can maybe offer
unique advice. Before I do, however, I usually read through advice or
discussion already given. I don't usually jump in to just say "me too"
or "I agree".

All of this, of course, applies to the large lathe discussions too.

Stubby 750 owner. Heavy user of the Vicmarc VL 300. Light user of the
Oneway 2436. Wouldn't change my decision after all these years.

Joe Fleming - San Diego

On Sun, 21 May 2006 11:10:20 -0400, (Arch) wrote:

There are many reasons why we post so seldom about maxi lathes and so
often about minies & midis. The little ones are affordable

there you go right there, IMHO, Arch...

Just as you'll find more people to talk fords and chevys then you will rolls
royce...
I would think that a higher percentage of turners own low price lathes..
especially in this "crafts" group..

Sure, I'd like Oneway's big gun lathe and all the goodies... and a separate room
for turning... but life doesn't work that way... (at least MINE doesn't)

Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

On Sun, 21 May 2006 17:51:06 -0400, "Owen Lawrence" wrote:

It'll be interesting to see what the next generation of lathes brings.
We won't need big heavy lathes because there'll be a balancing system
built-in. There'll be better ways to fasten a piece to the lathe than
we have now. Hopefully, we won't be using a system that does away with
hand-held tools. That'll take away some of the fun and skills needed.

I don't know; I think it would be a whole lot of fun watching the robot hog
off the wood exactly to spec while the workpiece sits stationary. You can
hold the microphone in your hand. You know, the one you use to issue
commands to the robot. The best part will be when it sharpens the tools.

- Owen -

and use the microphone to tell the robot what a dumb **** it is when it gets a
catch.. *g*

Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

On 21 May 2006 19:31:40 -0700, "Joe Fleming" wrote:

You cleared up a myth for me Joe...
I was thinking that since most turners in the NG are guys, it was just really
hard to admit that you have a stubby... *g*


Guilty as charged. I bought my Stubby about six years ago and have
posted very little here about it. Shortly after my purchase, three
other Stubby owners invited me into an email group. This eventually
grew to about 15 people when we decided to set up a Yahoo group. We
are way over 100 now.

Funny thing is, most of the discussion there is from new people seeking
advice on buying a bigger lathe.

I think the reason that a lot of the big lathe discussion has
disappeared has less to do with big lathes and more to do with people
being tired of answering the same questions over and over. If you go
back in the archives five or six years ago, you will see that I
participated on this forum and others quite extensively. Over the
years, it got to the point where I had provided answers to many of the
questions many times over. I simply quit with the attitude that it
was others' turn to answer those questions or, as the body of knowledge
grew on the net, a participant could simply look up the information for
themselves.

I am guessing that many long-time web users have gradually tuned out
the heavy participation. I know that the r.c.w. crowd now is almost
completely different than the crowd from six years ago.

I still occasionally jump in on a few topics where I can maybe offer
unique advice. Before I do, however, I usually read through advice or
discussion already given. I don't usually jump in to just say "me too"
or "I agree".

All of this, of course, applies to the large lathe discussions too.

Stubby 750 owner. Heavy user of the Vicmarc VL 300. Light user of the
Oneway 2436. Wouldn't change my decision after all these years.

Joe Fleming - San Diego

Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

Pssttt... the word is spelled 'mumm.' Dan

"Arch" wrote...

Hambone, lathe size is in the eye of its owner or wannabee, but for
purposes of this thread big starts with Stubby.

Ahhh... - I was thinking big was something like The Columnmaster:

http://www.cncmotion.com/lathe.htm

16' between centers, 10HP motor, 6,800 to 24,000 rpm variable speed. 8^)


I enjoyed looking at the specs for the Stubby & other lathes the guys
mentioned.


--
Timothy Juvenal
www.rude-tone.com/work.htm

well, how's this for an off beat way to size lathes:

if you can lift it - mini lathe
if you and a friend can lift it - midi
if you can push it around with a dolly - maxi
if you can't lift it with a pallet jack - big lathe
if you install the lathe first, then erect the building - really big
lathe



On Mon, 22 May 2006 14:41:10 GMT, "Hambone Slim"
wrote:

"Arch" wrote...

There are many reasons why we post so seldom about maxi lathes and so
often about minies & midis.


I'm curious what is a maxi, midi, or mini lathe.

I learned to turn by trial and error making ash balusters and newels on an
old 8' bed lathe - I think maybe an Oliver, I'm not sure; that was a while
back. I remember thinking that was a big lathe first time I approached it,
but really took to it and quickly came to love working on that lathe.
Also, those Vega bowl lathes seem like big lathes. And of course all those
big cnc production lathes.

My lathe now is a grizzly 1495 which I think of as a small lathe, but maybe
it's a midi lathe?

And of course all those little bench-top wood and mini engine lathes that
are available would be mini lathes.

Just curious where what lathes fall in the size catagories.
Bill

www.wbnoble.com

to contact me, do not reply to this message,
instead correct this address and use it

will iam_ b_ No ble at msn daught com

*** Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com ***

if you can lift it - mini lathe
if you and a friend can lift it - midi
if you can push it around with a dolly - maxi
if you can't lift it with a pallet jack - big lathe
if you install the lathe first, then erect the building - really big
lathe

If you stand on it to operate it - humongous lathe

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=439
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=2943

By the way, these are all wood lathes, pattern makers lathes, to be exact. I've
seen one of these monsters in a foundry. Dan

Thanks for the fantastic site Dan, worth the whole thread. I could spend
an entire day there. I stand mute (& mumm 'G') before these humongous
wood lathes.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Thanks for the fantastic site Dan, worth the whole thread. I could spend
an entire day there. I stand mute (& mumm 'G') before these humongous
wood lathes.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter

That was where I got the idea to mount my 'bed' on the floor of my oval lathe.
I've heard them called pedestal lathes, too. All three parts, headstock,
tailstock, and toolrest are mounted on the top of pedestals.
http://www.claycritters.com/lathe/

"Dan Bollinger" wrote in message
m...
if you can lift it - mini lathe
if you and a friend can lift it - midi
if you can push it around with a dolly - maxi
if you can't lift it with a pallet jack - big lathe
if you install the lathe first, then erect the building - really big
lathe

If you stand on it to operate it - humongous lathe

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=439
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=2943

By the way, these are all wood lathes, pattern makers lathes, to be exact.
I've seen one of these monsters in a foundry. Dan

Of course you've all seen this semi-portable big lathe:

http://www.peter-andres.com/www_root/index_ie.html
http://www.peter-andres.com/www_root...kord&Nummer=0#

- Owen -

mac davis wrote:
On Sun, 21 May 2006 11:10:20 -0400, (Arch) wrote:


There are many reasons why we post so seldom about maxi lathes and so
often about minies & midis. The little ones are affordable


there you go right there, IMHO, Arch...

Just as you'll find more people to talk fords and chevys then you will rolls
royce...
I would think that a higher percentage of turners own low price lathes..
especially in this "crafts" group..

Sure, I'd like Oneway's big gun lathe and all the goodies... and a separate room
for turning... but life doesn't work that way... (at least MINE doesn't)

Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

Just did some turning on my new Vicmark 300 that I had sitting in my new
shop for about 6 months. FANTASTIC! Sure beats the Shopsmith that I
have been using for the last 20 years.

In article . com,
"robo hippy" wrote:

I wish
they made a bowl lathe......

Well, they used to make one - have you contacted the new owners to check
on any left in their purchase deal? Or maybe call up Bernie Mares, who
started Serious, to see if he can help locate one of the bowl lathes for
you.

--
Owen Lowe

Northwest Woodturners
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Tips fer Turnin': Place a sign, easily seen as you switch on your lathe, warning you to remove any and all rings from your fingers. Called degloving, extended hardware can grab your ring and rip it off your finger. A pic for the strong of stomach: www.itim.nsw.gov.au/go/objectid/2A3AC703-1321-1C29-70B067DC88E16BFC/index.cfm

Besides, rings can easily mar the surface of a turning as you check for finished smoothness.

In article .com,
"Joe Fleming" wrote:

I still occasionally jump in on a few topics where I can maybe offer
unique advice. Before I do, however, I usually read through advice or
discussion already given. I don't usually jump in to just say "me too"
or "I agree".


yeah, me neither.

--
Owen Lowe

Northwest Woodturners
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Tips fer Turnin': Place a sign, easily seen as you switch on your lathe, warning you to remove any and all rings from your fingers. Called degloving, extended hardware can grab your ring and rip it off your finger. A pic for the strong of stomach: www.itim.nsw.gov.au/go/objectid/2A3AC703-1321-1C29-70B067DC88E16BFC/index.cfm

Besides, rings can easily mar the surface of a turning as you check for finished smoothness.

After several years I decided to let others reply to the same questions that
repeatedly come up. We all started at ground zero and I will reply to a
question if no one else does.
As for maxis I am building a 4 axis CNC mill with a 20" by 12' capacity for
large columns, small spindles and 3D carving. It is not the tool used but
the inspiration behind it that is important. If you want to be a real
purist then use a rock to shave down the stock to desired shape.
The CNC is just another tool that will allow me to do things that would
take months to accomplish manually and nobody could afford it, It is just
an updated and larger version of the ornamental lathes of the 1800s. For
those that want to do ornamental turning you can build a mill that will
actually do more than the ornamental lathes for about 4K.

--
Art Ransom
Lancaster , Texas

www.turningaround.org
"Arch" wrote in message
...
There are many reasons why we post so seldom about maxi lathes and so
often about minies & midis. The little ones are affordable and
preferable for beginners and beginners post many questions that start up
discussions. Big lathe owners have their own net groups and their best
discussions unfortunately never appear here. It makes sense that as the
lathe gets bigger and more expensive and the owners as a subset more
expert, the less they need to post here.

In other venues however, we enjoy laughing and scratching about big
things even as we pursue smaller. We drive Chevvies and talk about
Mercedes, we support Little League and argue about major leagues. How
bout them ----'s!

There are occasional threads here about the big Generals, Powermatics,
Vicmarcs, Stubbies and Oneways. Less often a comment about V.Bs, Nichols
and Poolwoods, but almost never about Lacuna, Serious, Robust and big
customs. No doubt there are many others that I know nothing about.
Probably most of you don't either.

So what! Why should we care? Few of us could or would afford them and
the two turners who read my drivel know that I remember the great
depression and am too thrifty (aka stingy) to indulge a hobby to such an
extent. OTOH, I like to know about all facets of the craft and the
unattainable interests all of us. so I wonder if some of us could and
would share their personal experiences and opinions about the big 'other
end' lathes.

There is a world of info scattered on the net, Marshall Gorrow's links
one of the best, but I thank you in advance for not giving me a good
switching and sending me to the Google Room.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings