2 or 3 hp

[Vic Sinai]

I currently turn on a 1hp midi lathe. I have turned dozens of pens and other spindles and a few bowls. Now, I want to get more serious about bowl turning and am considering a full sized lathe, either a Vicmarc vl240 or vl300. Obviously one has 2hp and the other 3hp. I really like the rotating headstock of the 240, but I think I might like the extra power of the 300.
My question is how much do I give up, if anything, with 2 hp instead of three. I don’t know how far and large my bowl turning will take me and I’m just curious if anyone knows if I cud reach a point of regretting not having that extra horsepower, even though I know I wud like the rotating headstock. Has anyone ever had this kind of question?
Is there a lot I can do with 3 hp that I can’t do with two? Would anyone care to venture an estimate as far as size and weight of what’s being turned? Or can I do it all with the 2 hp just having to sharpen more often and taking more time? Thank you

[Chris A Lawrence]

I would prefer the extra hp over a rotating head stock. The vl300 has a 12 inch spindle center thats a 24 inch swing. In reality that would be a 23 inch bowl if you do a good job trimming up the blank off the lathe. My real preference would be a sliding head stock. But not to hang a large blank off the end. I like being able to setup bowls at the tail stock end of the lathe just so i can stand and turn from the end instead of leaning over the bed.

[Vic Sinai]

Thank you. I agree with you abt turning & not having to lean that’s why I’m considering the 240. I turn outboard on my midi and would not want to go back to leaning over. Not a lot of lathes that let you slide the headstock and have 3 hp though. AB, and the big PM & Laguna I think, all too long, esp with me standing behind it, for my space. The 300 with the outboard attachment may be to long as well, which brings me back to my question, what couldn’t I do with 2hp that I cud do with 3. Thx again

[Chris A Lawrence]

I dont know if you have an open mind but grizzly has come along way with there higher end laths. I have a G0766 and am more then happy with it. This one is comparable size wise to the vl300 and comes with a sliding headstock. https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-24-x-24-Bowl-Turning-Wood-Lathe/G0835

[Vic Sinai]

I dont know if you have an open mind but grizzly has come along way with there higher end laths. I have a G0766 and am more then happy with it. This one is comparable size wise to the vl300 and comes with a sliding headstock. https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-24-x-24-Bowl-Turning-Wood-Lathe/G0835

Thank you Chris, You mention G0766, but your link is for G0835. I like the compactness of the 835. The 766 would be too long esp with a tailstock swing away. Which did you mean? I hear a lot of good and some not so good, esp about older Grizzly lathes. How do you know who to believe?

[Vic Sinai]

Also what about that tiny belt. Does that worry you, on the 835 that is?

[Robert D Evans]

For a normal size bowl blank, I don't think you will notice the difference. I have the Grizzly G0766 and it'll spin a 50 lb bowl blank without breaking a sweat. I think the biggest advantage to 3 hp would come if you wanted to do some bowl coring. It takes a lot of torque at a fairly slow speed. That's about the most horsepower intensive thing I can think of on a wood lathe.

[Chris A Lawrence]

Thank you Chris, You mention G0766, but your link is for G0835. I like the compactness of the 835. The 766 would be too long esp with a tailstock swing away. Which did you mean? I hear a lot of good and some not so good, esp about older Grizzly lathes. How do you know who to believe?

The G0800 series is the top of the line that grizzly makes i have the G0766. If your looking at a vicmarc the G0835 is the comparable model. Roger Chandler has the G0800 and has said in previous posts that the build is comparable to the high end lathes. I hope one day i can afford a G0800. The 766 is a work horse as well i have turned log sections as big as 20 inches in diameter and 20 some odd inches long. Probably weighed close to 100 pounds atleast that is what my back told me when i lifted them upto the bed. I had to build stacks of wood under it one side at a time to get it between centers. The 766 had no problems swinging it.

[Vic Sinai]

Thank you all for your help

[Roger Chandler]

Also what about that tiny belt. Does that worry you, on the 835 that is?


Don't worry about that belt....I have it on my G0800,and did research on the belt before purchase. That belt is made especially for high torque demands in industrial use. The 0800 and 0835 units are designed for extra torque at lower speeds...a feature that is really helpful when starting a blank of heavy or unbalanced wood. It is plenty rugged!

[Vic Sinai]

Thx for the reassurance. Anyone know how difficult it is to change belts on a Grizzly lathe. I read a post yesterday while researching this lathe and the guy said it was pretty much trouble free except he's had to change the belt 3 times. If it's easy no problem, if not, could be. Also I wish I knew who to trust on Grizzly. Some say they're great, some not. Could it be quality control? Some get a great piece of machinery, some get a not so great. To me right now I feel the same way abt Grizzly as I do Laguna. It's a crapshoot. I have a 12/16 and am constantly having to tweak things and hearing noises and having a wobble. As many others have reported. Never heard anyone complain about a Vic, but that Grizzly 24/24 does check all the boxes, except the one labeled confidence. Thx again

[Robert D Evans]

You can have problems with any lathe. It really comes down to how well the company responds to your issues. I've found that if you get past the 1st few months without any problems, you'll probably get many years of use out of a piece of machinery. If something is not right, how long and how much hassle is it to get the company to send your replacement parts. Read the reviews and check the specs. It's your money and your decision. I don't regret buying the Grizzly G0766 and would do it again.

[Vic Sinai]

You can have problems with any lathe. It really comes down to how well the company responds to your issues. I've found that if you get past the 1st few months without any problems, you'll probably get many years of use out of a piece of machinery. If something is not right, how long and how much hassle is it to get the company to send your replacement parts. Read the reviews and check the specs. It's your money and your decision. I don't regret buying the Grizzly G0766 and would do it again.
Thank you. Don’t think I’ve seen any complaints abt the G0766. Would be on a very short list if not for the size. Any experience changing belts? Thx again.

[Vic Sinai]

Just looked more closely at the dimensions G0835, says it’s 66 inches wide. Seems wide for a 24x24 inch lathe. Is the motor that long? Even an AB says it’s abt 66 inches from the motor to the end of the swing away. Am I missing something?

[Reed Gray]

I have the Vic 240, and an early AB. I like both of them. The Vic has 2 hp, the AB has 3 hp. I notice no difference in torque between them. No clue as to why. Both have the 3 speed pulleys, which Robust did away with. I prefer the 3 speed ranges. The problem with the 2 speed pulleys is that I frequently want higher speeds for turning smaller bowls. The low speed range isn't high enough. When in the high speed range, the 2 speed lathes do not like coring in the high speed range. The mid speed range on the 3 speed lathes is just right. Higher speed for turning smaller bowls and plenty of torque for coring. Oh, I do use the McNaughton. I do not like turning bowls on long bed lathes. Part of this is because I have turned on sliding headstock lathes for 20 years, having purchased one of the first PM3520A models. With a long bed lathe, you have to either extend your arms out away from your body, or lean over the lathe bed. I just like the tool control I get by standing upright and keeping my arms close to my body. I could get used to a long bed lathe, but why would I want to?

There have been claims about sliding headstocks having vibration issues. The theory is that it is because a sliding headstock is not as secure as one that is bolted into place. I think there are 2 explanations for that. One, some of the lathes used small pressure plates under the headstock. With the AB, the pressure plate on mine extended the full length of the headstock base, and there could be a very slight difference in how it sits on the lathe bed, but I think that is very minimal. The other reason is the headstock design. The farther away from the headstock your chuck mounts, the longer that lever is and the more tendency there is for vibration issues. That difference between my Vic and my AB is almost 2 inches. The vibration is a no issue thing if the tailstock is engaged. So fine for heavy roughing. A bit of an issue if you are coring or doing heavy roughing on the inside of a big bowl with no tailstock. It is less of an issue for fine finish cuts if you know how to do a very light bevel rub. I have also heard that the lathe bed can flex while doing heavy roughing. I slide my headstock down as far as I can get it so it is close to sitting over the legs. You won't get any measurable flexing near the legs. If you have a very long bed lathe and have it set up in the middle, you could have some minor issues.

Maybe if I fiddled around with it a lot more, I could get the tilt away on my AB to line up almost perfectly with the bed so I could engage the tailstock when turning and keep it on the tilt away. I have not been able to do that. That would solve any vibration issues except for coring with the McNaughton because on most bowls that I core, the tailstock is in the way so I have to remove it.

Not huge issues, but some thing to consider as they do make a difference.

robo hippy

[Vic Sinai]

I have the Vic 240, and an early AB. I like both of them. The Vic has 2 hp, the AB has 3 hp. I notice no difference in torque between them. No clue as to why. Both have the 3 speed pulleys, which Robust did away with. I prefer the 3 speed ranges. The problem with the 2 speed pulleys is that I frequently want higher speeds for turning smaller bowls. The low speed range isn't high enough. When in the high speed range, the 2 speed lathes do not like coring in the high speed range. The mid speed range on the 3 speed lathes is just right. Higher speed for turning smaller bowls and plenty of torque for coring. Oh, I do use the McNaughton. I do not like turning bowls on long bed lathes. Part of this is because I have turned on sliding headstock lathes for 20 years, having purchased one of the first PM3520A models. With a long bed lathe, you have to either extend your arms out away from your body, or lean over the lathe bed. I just like the tool control I get by standing upright and keeping my arms close to my body. I could get used to a long bed lathe, but why would I want to?

There have been claims about sliding headstocks having vibration issues. The theory is that it is because a sliding headstock is not as secure as one that is bolted into place. I think there are 2 explanations for that. One, some of the lathes used small pressure plates under the headstock. With the AB, the pressure plate on mine extended the full length of the headstock base, and there could be a very slight difference in how it sits on the lathe bed, but I think that is very minimal. The other reason is the headstock design. The farther away from the headstock your chuck mounts, the longer that lever is and the more tendency there is for vibration issues. That difference between my Vic and my AB is almost 2 inches. The vibration is a no issue thing if the tailstock is engaged. So fine for heavy roughing. A bit of an issue if you are coring or doing heavy roughing on the inside of a big bowl with no tailstock. It is less of an issue for fine finish cuts if you know how to do a very light bevel rub. I have also heard that the lathe bed can flex while doing heavy roughing. I slide my headstock down as far as I can get it so it is close to sitting over the legs. You won't get any measurable flexing near the legs. If you have a very long bed lathe and have it set up in the middle, you could have some minor issues.

Maybe if I fiddled around with it a lot more, I could get the tilt away on my AB to line up almost perfectly with the bed so I could engage the tailstock when turning and keep it on the tilt away. I have not been able to do that. That would solve any vibration issues except for coring with the McNaughton because on most bowls that I core, the tailstock is in the way so I have to remove it.

Not huge issues, but some thing to consider as they do make a difference.

robo hippy

Thank you. I think you answered my biggest question.

[John King]

Go with 2hp. Use the savings vs 3hp to buy some tools/accessories.- John

[Vic Sinai]

If I didn't say this before, Thank you. I think you've answered my most impt question.

[Robert D Evans]

Thank you. Don’t think I’ve seen any complaints abt the G0766. Would be on a very short list if not for the size. Any experience changing belts? Thx again.
Changing the belt from one set of pulleys to the other is easy and takes less than a minute. No tools required. Completely replacing the belt will involve taking 4 phillips screws out of a cover plate and then sliding the belt off the pulleys. Easily done.

[Vic Sinai]

Changing the belt from one set of pulleys to the other is easy and takes less than a minute. No tools required. Completely replacing the belt will involve taking 4 phillips screws out of a cover plate and then sliding the belt off the pulleys. Easily done.

Thank you. I think I've seen some where you almost had to remove the entire spindle.