Robust American Beauty - Movable Headstock, Turning Outboard?

[Jason Edwards]

I think having the motor by the spindle increases stability if you are turning out of balance parts. You have more mass by the thing that is out of balance providing some dampening instead of two or three feet away and attached by a long belt. I've turned quite a bit on a friend's AB (I have a Sweet 16) and found it to be very stable, so agree with Alan and Reed's comments above.

[Steve Mathews]

I have turned on the Vicmarc VL300, The Powermatic 4224, On the Oneway 2436, and I own the Robust in a long bed version. I almost purchased a VL300 long bed which they no longer make but at the time the Australian dollar was so strong that it put the Robust within the price range of the VL300. Honestly the Robust for stability is probably the most stable lathe that I have ever turned on. The legs are splayed so far apart and the way the you "Settle" the bed makes for an incredibly easy lathe to setup and keep stable. A steel bed lathe will make more noise but I have never seen any difference in the finished product, so it was a non issue for me. Because the head, tailstock and banjo are cast that does act as a damper. There is quite a pucker factor spinning anything that big. Comfort and caution go hand in hand. I cannot ever imagine turning anything that large, but you never know.

Regarding the VL300, that must have been 4 or 5 years ago. Take a look at the AUD today. Vicmarc products may be one of the best bargains out there now.

[Jason Edwards]

Regarding the VL300, that must have been 4 or 5 years ago. Take a look at the AUD today. Vicmarc products may be one of the best bargains out there now.

The exchange rate for the US dollar compared to the AU or CA dollar is great right now, but neither Vicmarc or Oneway has lowered their US Retail prices to reflect it. They are just making more money per US transaction. Nothing wrong with that, I'm a bit of a capitalist myself.

[David Delo]

The exchange rate for the US dollar compared to the AU or CA dollar is great right now, but neither Vicmarc or Oneway has lowered their US Retail prices to reflect it. They are just making more money per US transaction. Nothing wrong with that, I'm a bit of a capitalist myself.

Jason,

If the Aussies haven't raised their prices, they are making less money per transaction. In 2012 for example, they got $1.04 for every Aussie dollar. Now they only get $0.75 +/-. Good for us, not so good for them.

[Alan Trout]

Regarding the VL300, that must have been 4 or 5 years ago. Take a look at the AUD today. Vicmarc products may be one of the best bargains out there now.

Yes, I have had my Robust AB for about 4 or 5 years. I have never regretted my decision.

[Steve Mathews]

Yes, I have had my Robust AB for about 4 or 5 years. I have never regretted my decision.

I was not suggesting that you should be. The Robust AB is a fine machine by all accounts and so are the Vicmarcs. I just thought your comment was interesting and apropos to a conversation I had with Oneway this morning about some parts that I wanted to order. When given the price I asked if the quote was in CAD or USD. Their reply was " Where are you located?" After stating that I was in the US, she said the quote was in USD. <smiling to myself> I said, of course. I don't blame them for their position. Money is hard to make sometimes and even harder when circumstances work against you, as with the current exchange rates. Good for us in the US for the time being in purchasing power. Not so good if your selling against the grain. As a consumer I'll stretch my hard earned money any way I can legally. If I was in the market for new machinery I would definitely look to where my money would get the biggest bang for the buck. Fortunately we have choices.

[David Metzman]

How long are these NRS without handles and what brand? Thanks

[Reed Gray]

They are the Stuart Batty tools. I think they are V10 metal, like what Doug Thompson uses. I think they are made to only fit Stuart's taper lock handles.

robo hippy

[Frank Drew]

The whole purpose with the sliding headstock is that you get both a spindle lathe, and a short bed bowl lathe combination. Slide the headstock down to the tailstock end and you can stand at the end to turn out a bowl, no leaning over, and no having to extend your arms out to turn a bowl, just stand up straight and keep your arms by your side. I think the PM 3520A was the first sliding headstock lathe, but not positive. Now there are a bunch of them. More throw above the lathe bed does not add to stability problems. Stability comes from a number of things, including weight, spindle shaft size and bearing set up, and footprint/how wide the feet are splayed. Weight comes in here as well. With the Oneway and their spindle set up, you can turn either inboard or outboard. Turning outboard also gives you a short bed lathe.

Excellent summation, Reed. Turning faceplate work or bowls leaning over the bed is a total p.i.a., having done lots of it. I'd never buy a lathe again that didn't come set up for either left- or right-end "outboard" turning (or that didn't also have variable speed and reversing).