Bit the bullet

[alex grams]

I bit the bullet today and ordered a Robust American Beauty. I had been doing a lot of bigger projects lately, but caught up on everything over christmas and had several days of nothing but turning. I forgot how much I really enjoyed turning, and I love the natural edge/non symmetric pieces, but my nova DVR xp (even mounted on a massive bench) had issues with offbalanced loads, so I looked at upgrading. I kept going back and forth on the 3520b and robust/oneway 2436, but a bonus at work surpassed my expectations, and I went ahead and got the robust.

Nothing special, about the only extra was the tilt away and auxiliary power strip.

The nova DVR xp sold in 2 day even at 80% of what I paid, so now I have to wait 6 weeks for the robust to arrive... this wait is going to kill me!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Congratulations Alex! I turned on one in a northern Houston suburb a few years ago. They are a sweet machine!

[charlie knighton]

congratulations, enjoy

[Roger Chandler]

Well, if you are going to bite the bullet............that is certainly doing it in style! Congratulations! I have turned on a friends Robust American Beauty, and it is a fine piece of equipment! you will love it!

[Jeffrey J Smith]

so now I have to wait 6 weeks for the robust to arrive... this wait is going to kill me!

Congrats Alex - That six weeks will feel like 6 months...but you're going to be happy when the wait is over. I had to wait nearly 4 months to get mine. I'll predict right now that, after you've used it for 3 months, you're going to find the tilt away alone is worth the price of the whole lathe. I would recommend the 3hp option and the JT turning tools vacuum adapter if you can swing them. Doesn't add much percentage-wise, but worth it.

[Steve Doerr]

Alex, congratulations and welcome to the club!! Got my AB back in the fall and it is a great machine. I would also recommend the 3HP. After I got mine I ordered the steady rest. It is really nice and well made. Also worth the money. At some point I'll probably get the JT vacuum adapter. You will really enjoy turning on the AB. I just finished a 16" natural edge walnut bowl, it handled it like it like a champ. Be patient, it will be here before you know it.

[alex grams]

I did get the 3hp option, I forgot to mention that. I didn't plan on getting the tilt-away, but the 'try it for free for 6 months and just return it if you don't like it' sales pitch seemed just silly to say no to. I asked Deb how many people actually return the tilt-away and she said she can't remember anyone ever actually returning it after the trial period.

The 3hp was one of the main reasons I went up from the 3520b and was looking at the robust vs american beauty. I've never used a sliding headstock, but from the dozens of threads on here talking about it, it was one of the main features people kept raving about and always pointing out, so that was the main tipping point of the AB vs the Oneway.


yeah.... 6 weeks... ouch

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats Alex! I have been turning on mine since October 2011 and love it even more than when I first got it! You will love the swing-away and the 3 hp motor can turn some really big chunks of wood! Be sure to post some photos when the lathe is finally up and running! Welcome to the club!!

[Joe Bradshaw]

You the man Alex. I don't have the AB, but my girlfriend and I both have Libertys. I have had mine since Nov. of 2011 and she got hers this past Feb. As others have said,you will really enjoy it. On delivery day, have a couple of friends and several crowbars. The shipping crate is really put together good.
Joe

[Pat Scott]

Congratulations. You can spend the next 6 weeks asking yourself why you were in such a hurry to sell your old lathe!

[David Gilbert]

Congratulations on your new lathe. I have a JT Turning tilt-away on my 3520b and can't imagine going without it. You won't be sending yours back.

I have an idea for your shop activities for the next six weeks. You have a great opportunity to clean and reorganize your shop since you won't have any turning distractions.

Cheers,
David

[Steve Huffman]

Congratulations indeed! No experience on one but I hear that's quite the machine and your sure to enjoy turning on it.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Alex, when figuring your purchase, was anything included with the lathe like tool rest, live center, face plate? I couldn't tell from the Robust web site.

[Thom Sturgill]

Color me Jealous! I have thought about getting the Liberty as an upgrade to my Jet 1642. My turning is so diverse I am thinking about the Oneway 1220 as a second lathe due to the top speed and construction. If I could talk Brent into making a comparable model....I'd get two Robusts. One Day....

[alex grams]

hayes.
if you go to the spec sheet on each lathe on their website, it lists the included pieces:
http://www.turnrobust.com/PDF's/AB_S...t_20141221.pdf

Robust cup style live center; drive center; Faceplate; 12” comfort toolrest; knock-out rod; manual

I did add a 14" j rest and a large inside curved rest.