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What's your dream lathe?

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theblindwoodturner:
OK here's a subject very close to my heart.

"What's your dream lathe?"

We all have our ideal lathe or close to ideal lathe in mind. In these days of modern manufacturing and technology, lathes are offered in various configurations. from short bed mini lathes to the titans of the world with huge distances between centres and larger than life swing over bed dimensions, etc.

So my question to all you wood chipping folk....

What is your dream lathe? feel free to mention makes and models as reference or even your own designs, go into as much detail as you like or can do. This would be a good place to introduce lathe manufacturers to specifications which we'd all love to have available to us.

It doesn't matter how big or small your dream lathe is... just feel free to inspire others. it may be an existing lathe in manufacture, your own design, a model which you'd like to see redesigned and improved or even a lathe from the past.

To set things off... Here's my dream lathe.... well it's one of two lol.

1: a custom made version of the DVR XP lathe. As we all know, the DVR lathe is a 16in swing lathe  inboard and 24in between centres. I'd been the proud owner of a DVR which was purchased by a very good friend who is also a woodturner and lover of all things shavings based. It got me thinking.... Why don't teknatool produce a larger specification lathe for professional work and mass production, etc?

So Here's my idea of a custom spec DVR. Take 1 DVR motor and upgrade it to offer upto 3HP or so, a much more flexible speed range. nin speed... 20RPM, max speed.... 3500RPM. Much larger, heavier castings with a 64 point indexing system. a much heavier spindle to support heavier projects. A fixed headstock with outboard at the reverse side of the head. Lets talk specifications...... yes folks the real dirt..... Inboard swing 28in... outboard swing, 48 or 50in.  distance between centres. 5ft standard with option to extend to whatever length you need (keeping the same bed extension method but on a more industrial specification). The tailstock to offer 8in travel on the quill with a 3MT spindle bore. Solid frame as a complete casting to the lathe instead of the original leg stand, why not a full solid iron casting box to the headstock with mounting for outboard turning attachment (same heavy casting as I refer to the main bed with a heavy duty toolrest and rock solid banjo.  Now the tech side.... Sticking to the same inverter technology but on a heavier, more industrial specification, the user interface could benefit from improvements. why not make the main panel larger and more tactile, then a data port for an optional remote switch. not forgetting the EMERGENCY STOP function on a magnetic base which could be placed anywhere on the lathe.. etc...

2: a suped up JET 4224 lathe with the added extension bed, bowl rig, etc. (this is my planned new lathe for all work.

Have fun. If there's a lathe you want to design, the possibilities are endless lol.

lew

woodndesign:

Lew, Good one, what can I add..  Ohhh to Dream..  yep Jet 4224, it's smaller brother the 3520B..  or why not the Vicmarc VL 300....  a lot run VB36's...  Ok it maybe the bee's knee, what are bee's knee's like!!!  aren't they hairy..    ;D .. or is that just their legs.. as any turner...  maybe not the ladies..

If we look to America, it's a whole new ball game, Lathe wise, the stubby for one, Laguna, Oneway, which we get here, as Jet... there's so many more.

Your idea as to the DVR is something..  it could be much like a Highbred Graduate given bigger capacity, lower/drop bed mounts for greater swing, the list goes on..

It would be found that a lot of lathes have come about by the input of turners, I know the Myford Mystro was one, the end is, what will it cost and who would pay..  are we back to the VB36...   ??? ...

Lets watch and follow the feedback to this.

Sweet dreams, all..   ;) ...           Hands off the chocolate biscuits..    >:( ...

David

theblindwoodturner:
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I love it.

regards lathes. The VB36 is  out for me. it's not what I like in features or design. I like a lathe that has that certain feel and attractiveness to it.

It's a shame we can't get laguna tools here. their  "FF Class lathe is something I'd love to own.

Vicmarc again are very nice and have worked with one before but at over £6000 now it's a little more than I can afford.

My favourite old lathe has to be the union graduate. there was a version called the pattern maker's lathe where there was a moveable toolpost for intricate work which I came across. similar to the wadkins.

A lottery win would be nice. I could launch a complete workshop and teaching unit. kitted out with lathes both past and present for my own work and a series of vicmarcs for the teaching side. phil irons would love me for that lol.

Tea? Coffee? Hobnobs? KitKat?

please be aware of the neighbour's cat now nicknamed dusty for reasons too interesting to speak of lol.

woodndesign:
Tomorrows Lotto night...   ;D ...  my numbers areeeeeeeeeeee

Having seen the laguna Platinum Series 18/47 lathe and to me it's the same as the Axminster AWVSWL1200 Lathe, as with the Plapinum Series 59" Copy lathe is the Axminster CL1500 Copy Lathe...  but for the labels..  is it the usual that someone makes them for both Companies or are they Laguna's own and Ax re-label..

I like the Graduate, School had them if I re-call correctly and I had use of a short bed since and big Wadkin, not sure of the model, it was a long walk on some newels and to get them set between centers.

 L.R.E Machinery & Equipment Co. carry a range of lathes, new and rebuilt, even to your spec...  interesting...  Umm..   Lotto win.   PLEASE.

Oh well Tea, no Hobnobs for me..   :'( ..   the KitKat has to be Chunky...

Of Kitty Kat..  Keep Dusty out of the shaving..   ;D ..   it's like puppies and News papers..

theblindwoodturner:
as union graduates go. I'd love to pick one up next to nothing as a restoration project and tune it up to my own needs. rip out the original motor, install a 2hp motor with variable speed, respray the entire body and give the bed ways some love and attention. I did one once some years ago and loved it. gave it a custom paint finish, managed to get a clean union graduate logo plate, etc and was very happy indeed.

lew

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