Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 26

Thread: GOOD brands of wood Lathes 36 to 44 inches between centers

  1. #1

    GOOD brands of wood Lathes 36 to 44 inches between centers

    What are some good brands and models of wood lathes that are 36 to 44 inches between centers ? Been some years since I bought my last wood lathe. So, I don't know what is new on the market these days. Got a friend that is seriously looking at getting into wood turning. Wants to do table legs, Mugs, Bowls, etc.

    He has a basement work shop with a bilco door for access. 120 and 240 in Basement.

    All I recall is Laguna, Grizzly, Rikon, and Jet. I thought Grizzly made a fancy Black wood lathe, but I don't see it listed anymore.


    So, what is a good wood lathe brand and model these days ? I think he is looking for something in the 36 to 44 inch between centers range and possibly with a copy attachment

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    Clarence, I have a PowerMatic 3520B but Vicmarc, Oneway and Robust make lathes.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Mesa, Arizona
    Posts
    1,798
    Somewhat in ascending order of quality: Grizzly and Laguna, then a step up to Rikon, Jet, and Powermatic, then a step up again to Oneway, Robust, and Vicmarc. There are others in the bottom grouping and still more in an even lower group. For the first two groups I mentioned, the difference is the first group are made in the Far East under contract. The company doesn’t own the factory or even have direct control over production. Powermatic, Jet, and Rikon own their factories in Taiwan.

    I should probably add Harvey to the middle of the three groups listed above. Like Powermatic, Jet, and Rikon, Harvey owns its own factories, but they are in China. I've just never seen a Harvey lathe in person, let alone used one. Generally, having control over the manufacturing process leads to greater quality. Obviously, there are exceptions to this general rule. I have no reason to believe Harvey is one of those exceptions.
    Last edited by David Walser; 01-25-2021 at 11:13 PM.
    David Walser
    Mesa, Arizona

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Winterville, NC (eastern NC)
    Posts
    2,360
    Happy with my Laguna 18/36. Option to add a 12" swing away extension or a 20" extension. I have 2 other Laguna machines and happy with them all.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Kapolei Hawaii
    Posts
    3,236
    Spending limit is the key missing piece of info here.
    You can get less than good lathes for cheap. I'd love a Robust, but can't afford one.
    I think David is pretty much accurate.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cambridge Vermont
    Posts
    2,282
    I agree with Kyle. What's your budget? Is swing important to you? I went with the Grizzly G0766 simply because I didn't want to spend top tier money. I wanted other things for my shop like a good bandsaw and a jointer. Had I already had them I probably would have moved up at least one tier. That being said I haven't felt like I want to upgrade and don't see a new lathe in my future.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Wayland, MA
    Posts
    3,655
    I got the extended bed on my Robust, it will do 52" between centers. Can't even imagine being happier with a lathe. Big bucks yes, but that pain is fading in the rearview mirror and I enjoy using the lathe every day.

  8. #8
    Many of the better brands have been listed, and I agree with Dave that the VicMarc, OneWay and Robust are top tier, but I believe there may be varied opinions on the distribution below that. I have a Laguna Revo 1836 that I feel to be a very high quality lathe. It has excellent design features - good leg splay, solid stance, great tolerances and has done everything I have asked of it. But, I suspect others may offer similar reports about their lathes of other brands.

    All that to say that there is a substantial price difference when one jumps to the top tier and there are many fine lathes for less. I think you need to establish a budget and get a good "must have" list of the features that are of interest to you. That may be far more beneficial than the dozens of varied responses you get in this thread.

    Left click my name for homepage link.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Mesa, Arizona
    Posts
    1,798
    John -- I didn't mean to imply that Laguna, Grizzly, and the rest, do not make good lathes. Indeed, unlike some of their lathes from several years ago, their current crop appear to have been designed by someone who knows something about woodturning. They are feature packed and are very capable. (Don't we live in the Golden Age of Lathes?) Instead, what separates the two lower groups I described is the degree of control the brand has over the production of the lathe and their approach to customer service. All brands occasionally produce a lemon. It's the nature of any process involving fallible human beings. Still, some companies do a better job than others in preventing mistakes from being shipped to customers. Some companies over-engineer their products to increase reliability and longevity. And, some companies do a much better job than others with after purchase service.

    My feeling, and I think there's a lot of anecdotal evidence to support my beliefs, is that lathes from the first group, rather than the second group, are more likely to suffer from problems (and/or, customer service may be more apt to be lacking). That does NOT mean Laguna, Rikon, or Brand X, are beyond consideration! A good example of Laguna's Revo 1836 is a great lathe! I just believe buying one is a slightly riskier purchase than buying a Jet, Powermatic, or perhaps, Harvey lathe. Is the less risk worth the extra cost of one of the 'higher rated' brands? First, you may not agree with my assessment that lathes from Brand X are at greater risk of having problems. In which case, you'll think buying Brand X is a huge bargain. There is no additional risk, just savings! Second, even if you do believe buying from Brand X does entail some more risk, you might say, "Damn straight the $1,000+ savings is worth the risk! What are we talking about, 1 Powermatic machine out of 1,000 is a lemon while 5 out of 1,000 is a lemon with Brand X?

    My point is we all make our choices in this area. I recently bought a Powermatic 3520C. I really wanted to buy a Robust American Beauty. However, equipped as I wanted it, it would have cost over $9k while the 3520C cost me less than $4k. I could have afforded the Robust, it just violated my very personal price/value balance. Nicer than a Powermatic? Yes, definitely. Just not $5 grand worth of extra value (to me). Why not the Laguna? On balance, I felt the Powermatic was a better buy (for me).
    Last edited by David Walser; 01-26-2021 at 3:20 PM.
    David Walser
    Mesa, Arizona

  10. #10
    THis is a very personal question. I would venture to say that there aren't many duds out there.

    All of the brands mentioned below have a good following.

    I would caution that Grizzly tends to get put at the bottom of the list many times. However, their tool quality - intentional - varies between lines and prices. So, you'll do best to ask for feedback on specific models there (for that matter with other brands as well.

    I have the 18-36 Laguna, but can't say that I'm more or less happy than anyone else with their lathe. It has fine mass. I like the sliding headstock. I like that things like the swinging headstock and duplicator and lights are easy to find and add aftermarket. The bed extension allows turning with a wider swing too. The storage racks are conveniently located including the one in the tail stock. It's a little low, but some people like that. I don't like the locking pin for spindle changes. I don't like the way the power doesn't completely shut off unless i unplug it.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Lummi Island, WA
    Posts
    665
    Okay, I'll throw out the old chestnut - you might advise your friend to search out a local turning club and ask around. Nearly everyone I know is happy with their lathe. The best way to make an informed decision is to get some time with one in person. Turners usually like to show off their wise investments...dealers and manufacturers are seldom an exception except possibly on the lower end models (they can supply owners). If your friend is interested in spending on the higher end this advice is even more critical, in my opinion. When I began shopping for my 'last lathe' over 7 years ago it took a little over a year and some mileage but I wound up with time on Oneway, Robust, Vicmark and even a Magma Titan (although I'd already made my investment by the time that opportunity came around). I wound up spending a chunk of retirement savings but have got exactly what I want - it's a joy to use - no regrets. It is indeed the last lathe I'll ever buy.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Mesa, Arizona
    Posts
    1,798
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeffrey J Smith View Post
    ... When I began shopping for my 'last lathe' over 7 years ago it took a little over a year and some mileage but I wound up with time on Oneway, Robust, Vicmark and even a Magma Titan (although I'd already made my investment by the time that opportunity came around). I wound up spending a chunk of retirement savings but have got exactly what I want - it's a joy to use - no regrets. It is indeed the last lathe I'll ever buy.
    Come on, man! Don't leave us hanging. Which lathe did you choose?
    David Walser
    Mesa, Arizona

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    sykesville, maryland
    Posts
    861
    My understanding is that Harvey makes the Powermatic lathes. I think Robust is the only American made and Oneway is Canadian. If money were no object I'd probably own a Oneway. They look to me to be the "best" made. But money is always a barrier (at least for me). I went with the Grizzly G0766. Happy so far, 2 years in. It's a nice lathe. Control knobs/switches aren't as nice as PM or the real expensive lathes, but it works. I own 7 Grizzly machines, 2 Jets, on Delta, and a powermax sander. The Grizzly's are every bit as good as any of them. Of the 7 Grizzly tools, I've only had one issue: tires on the bandsaw; they didn't last. Put Urethane ones on and been good to go since. My oldest tools are about 10 years old now, used every week. I buy from a local lumber farm where he mills all his own lumber. He has grizzly planers, jointers, and table saws where he's run thousands of board feet through them in his business. He told me most of his tools are over 20 years old and he's had no major issues with them. His comment: "Why pay 2 or 3 times more for machines that do exactly the same thing? These tools are money-in-the-bank good enough." But hey you got $7000 to drop on a lathe? I'm envious.

  14. #14
    Surprised no one has asked what diameter bowl the friend would like to have the ability to turn. Many lathes may have an optional bed extension to turn a longer spindle. But to turn a larger diameter bowl . . .

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Lummi Island, WA
    Posts
    665
    Quote Originally Posted by David Walser View Post
    Come on, man! Don't leave us hanging. Which lathe did you choose?
    My journey ended with a Robust AB - picked it up at the Symposium in San Jose. No shipping...the warranty came to an end in 2019. No problems - I think. it will go forever..and Brent/Deb are wonderful to deal with.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •