VB-36 pro`s & cons

[jim boden]

any VB-36 owners out there to express the pros & cons of this lathe?

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Jim: there's a VB36 owner's group on Yahoo you might want to check out. The VB36 is now made by Steinert in Germany. Check their website http://vb36.com/. I looked into the VB when one came up for sale locally. They're built like the proverbial tank, and I understand Steinert is doing a good job maintaining the brand, but I got romanced away by an American Beauty.

[Reed Gray]

I looked at the VB 36 also, but settled on the Robust as well. If I was doing strictly very large pieces, then I probably would have gone with the VB.

robo hippy

[Alan Trout]

I had a student that has a VB36. He said when he got started he thought that he would just be doing bowls. He said the VB was a great bowl lathe. He found out that he liked making hollow forms. He was not a fan of hand hollowing and the VB made it tough to find a captive system that would work with it. He had said that if he knew what he knows now he would have bought a Robust. After using my Robust he said it was a more versatile machine.

[Dennis Nagle]

+1 what Robo and Alan said. It is a very cool lathe, but not as versitile as a normal bed lathe. You can't mount any of the hollowing systems on it and without a bed, there is no place to put your tools☺

[jim boden]

thanks again for the info, in addition to the lack of versatility, vacume chucking is difficult to set up as well and the small footprint I would think should be bolted down. Looks like its going to be a robust american bueaty

[John Sincerbeaux]

I think people who say the VB lacks versatility are referencing the VB withOUT the long bed extension. I don't think you would find a ONEWAY or an AB a very versatile lathe if you removed the bed and tailstock away from them? I just purchased a custom painted VB from Steinert. See there website under "news". I researched and called many many VB owners before I made my decision. I ordered the long bed extension with the lathe so I could have a beefy tailstock to turn large and small blanks between centers as well as have the support of a tailstock for the various stages of turning hollow forms. Also, with the the tailstock/bed assembly, you can attach a "trap" on the top of the vertical bed support for a "captured" system or if you want to use an articulating hollowing system, you can use the quill of the massive tailstock assembly. I am learning to hollow large vessels freehand that require large boring bars and standing past the end of the bed. Again, the VB bed length of 30" is like a shortbed lathe which lends itself perfectly for this type of hollowing. For me, I was "romanced" by the quite, smooth, stable, solid, monster performance of the VB. The AB and the ONEWAY are nice lathes but if you are comparing "machines" vs. "Machines" there is just no comparison. Like comparing a powermatic tablesaw to a Martin or Altendorf

[Alan Trout]

I think people who say the VB lacks versatility are referencing the VB withOUT the long bed extension. I don't think you would find a ONEWAY or an AB a very versatile lathe if you removed the bed and tailstock away from them? I just purchased a custom painted VB from Steinert. See there website under "news". I researched and called many many VB owners before I made my decision. I ordered the long bed extension with the lathe so I could have a beefy tailstock to turn large and small blanks between centers as well as have the support of a tailstock for the various stages of turning hollow forms. Also, with the the tailstock/bed assembly, you can attach a "trap" on the top of the vertical bed support for a "captured" system or if you want to use an articulating hollowing system, you can use the quill of the massive tailstock assembly. I am learning to hollow large vessels freehand that require large boring bars and standing past the end of the bed. Again, the VB bed length of 30" is like a shortbed lathe which lends itself perfectly for this type of hollowing. For me, I was "romanced" by the quite, smooth, stable, solid, monster performance of the VB. The AB and the ONEWAY are nice lathes but if you are comparing "machines" vs. "Machines" there is just no comparison. Like comparing a powermatic tablesaw to a Martin or Altendorf

I kind of agree with you they really do not compare. With my long bed AB can move the headstock to then end of the bed and I have a Bowl lathe with the same capacity as a VB. It has as much HP swing etc. For maximum spindle capacity or a really huge hollow vessel with the tail stock on the swing away I can turn 59" between centers or add the new 16 " extension and turn a spindle over 6' long. I can hand hollow from the end the same way or I can use anyones captive boring system without modification. I can also use anyones hollowing steady rest without coming up with special attachment methods. I can plug an adapter in the end of a spindle and have a vacuum chuck. Accessories for most lathes in production fit without any modifications. All up my long bed AB weights about 850lbs. I do not have to bolt it to the floor and I can change the spindle height of my lathe at will. It is very smooth running and carries a 7 year warranty by an American Co. that the owners treats their customers like family members.

To temper my comments a little. First off the VB is a fine machine nothing wrong with it in the least. It is unique and that is part of the problem. Most lathe accessories are not made for the uniqueness of the VB so it limits things. I could have bought any high end lathe that I wanted. I even looked at the VB. When I really looked at the way that I worked and the things I turned. I also took into account what was available for accessories, The VB did not make much sense for my application and would make the things that I made more difficult to accomplish with the way that I turned. There was nothing the VB would do better for my application than what the Robust would do. I also think there are people that that the VB will fit their turning style just fine. For me and many people I know it just would not fit our style well.

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

I've had my VB for about 8 years. Very few complaints, but at times I wish the tailstock provided more distance between centers and if I turn bigger than 25" dia, then it's an hour job to remove the tailstock (and then later put it back on). Because the spindle shaft runs in an oil-flooded sleeve (instead of bearings), it's super quiet.