Robust Lathe Review - More Woodturning

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Robust Lathe Reviewby Reed Gray (aka robo hippy)I went to the Portland AAWSymposium in 06 for a couple of reasons.It was just down the road, andI had never been to a symposium. Ialso was selected to do 2 rotationsof demonstrations, presenting a toolreview of the 3 different bowl coringsystems that are available. I hadsome disposable income at the time,and wanted a new lathe.I had started turning on an Atlas4 speed lathe. I worked it to death forabout 2 years, and customers keptasking for bigger bowls than my 12inch lathe could turn. I stepped upto a PM3520A. I had turned on itfor 8 years, and loved it, but wantedsome thing with more horsepowerMore Woodturning is published monthlyexcept April and October for $35.00 peryear by Fred and Mildred Holder at 19805Fales Road, Snohomish, WA 98296. MailingAddress is P. O. Box 2168, Snohomish WA98291-2168. Telephone: (360) 668-0976.E-Mail: fred@morewoodturning.net, WEBPage URL: http://www.morewoodturning.net. Periodicals Postage paid at Snohomish,Washington and at additional mailing office.More Woodturning is sold by subscriptionat $35.00 for one year and at a singlecopy price of $4.00 plus $1.50 postageand handling. Editorial material submittedfor publication must be accompaniedby a stamped, self-addressed envelope toensure return if it is not accepted for use.More Woodtunring uses materials frommany sources and many authors, the viewsexpressed herein are, therefore, those ofthe authors and not necessarily those of thePublishers. More Woodturning receives anumber of products each year for evaluation,but accepts no responsibility for return ofthose products unless specifically requestedto do so, in advance!POSTMASTER: Send address changesto More Woodturning, P. O. Box 2168,Snohomish WA 98291-2168.USPS No. 015387Page 4 More Woodturning February 2010Robust 25” Swing American Beauty like the author purchased.and torque. I had narrowed my mobility kit, tilt away tailstock setchoices to the Robust American up, and a steady rest. Total bill, includingshipping was over $8,000.Beauty, and the VB36. My turningroom in my shop is rather small, Brent English told me it would takeabout 8 by 12, and the lathe sits in about 3 months, and me, knowinga corner. Outboard turning isn’t an that it was custom made, expectedoption, so that ruled out the Oneway it to take about 4 months to get here,and the Serious lathe. I know this which it did. Brent did call me to tellis silly, but the Stubby just looked me that it would be about a monthalien to me, and didn’t look like it late.would work.I had sold my PM to a friend,I chose the Robust over the and he got here the day my RobustVB36 for a couple of reasons. One arrived. We dismantled my PM andwas that no matter what the set up fit it into his Volkswagon Jetta (thatwas on the VB36, it looked like a could be a story in itself), then proceededto get the Robust uncrated.dedicated bowl lathe. Probably 90%of my turnings are bowls, but I do Not too much of a problem with anothercouple of friends. I had to getsome spindles and hollow forms,and liked the set up of the Robust it onto the mobility wheels, and laybetter. Add to that the sliding headstockwhich I was used to from my the gravel and into my shop. Theout 3/4 inch plywood to get it overyears on the PM, and the fact that mobility wheels are really smooth,it was made in America, and I was and once it is on concrete, it is reallysold. I ordered the American Beauty easy to move around. I have beenwith the 3 hp motor, bed extension,
turning on it for almost 2 years now,and love it.The sliding headstock is reallynice. The one thing that I didn’t likeabout the PM sliding headstockis that it isn’t statically balanced.When you release the lever, it tiltsback towards the motor so you haveto lift it back up to slide it. The Robustseems to balance well, and ismuch easier to slide along the ways.It comes with a pressure plate thatyou loosen with 2 nuts and bolts andwrenches. This does make the headstockmore secure on the lathe thanthe PM, but both hold really well.I never realized how often I movedthe headstock until I had to hasslewith the wrenches. I frequentlymove it in between turning onebowl to the next. There is no wayto get a ratcheting wrench on them,at least not without getting specializedwrenches, so I talked to Brentabout that, and he made me a leveroperated insert to replace the bolts.Much nicer, now it takes secondsrather than minutes to move theheadstock. I think I was the first oneto ask for this option. Personally Ithink it should be standard.I got the tilt away set up for thetailstock. It operates really nicely.It is like a bed extension that is alittle over 6 inches long, and willpivot down 90 degrees to get it totallyout of the way. It did not slide‘smooth as glass’ on and off thetilt away bed, you had to jiggle ita bit, but not really a problem. Theonly problem I had with it is that itwill push the lathe out farther awayfrom the wall than I wanted, something like another 6 inches, and itmade crowding in my small latheroom a bit of a problem. I almostnever use the tailstock when turningbowls, so I took it off. The tailstockfeels lighter than the one on the PM,and it isn’t a problem for me to lift itoff and on when I need to. With thePM, you had to get the tailstock toline up perfectly before sliding it on,which was a bit of a hassle becauseyou had to support all the weight withyour body. With the Robust, you canset one corner on the ways while liningit up. Some day I should probablyput it back on, but will probably waitfor a new shop.I love the banjo as well. Tighteningthe tool post has always been aproblem. The set screw with a levertype of tightening just doesn’t get thejob done, and I had a lot of problemswith stripping the lever handle onthe PM, and the tool rest vibrating[Continued on Next Page]Intelligent sensing of turningconditions adjusts latheperformance to meet turningdemands, senses chisel digins and adjusts instantlyNOVA DVR XPNEW! 5 Favourite Speedfunction for even easierspeed selection.Download thepamphlet,view videos atwww.teknatool.comThe world’s most intelligent lathe combined with the power, capacity & capability of astationary lathe - the DVR XP is revolutionaryNEW! Higher torque motor.Delivering even morepower over the old model.Extendable Bedsadds 20” capacityper section - takeyour lathe as longas you wantDirect Drive (no belts, nopulleys) means ultrasmooth cutting conditionsAvailable in the USA fromWoodcraft Supply Corpwww.woodcraft.comCraft Supplies USAwww.woodturnerscatalog.comWoodworkers Supplywww.woodworker.comPackard Woodworkswww.packardwoodworks.comSwivel Headstocklocks at any positionmakes your turningmore comfortable,saves spaceCapacity, power & capability of amuch larger lathe in a compactfootprint - 1.75HP motor, 16” inboard,29” outboard with easy to useoutrigger accessoryNEW! Updated designsolid cast iron componentsmeans rock solidperformanceMore Woodturning February 2010 Page 5
Page 1 and 2: Volume XV, Number 02 February 2010
Page 3: ContentsRobust Lathe Review........
Page 7 and 8: Introducing: by Robust ToolsStanda
Page 9 and 10: the depth to which they can be used
Page 11 and 12: Mini-O-Bar and Maxi-O-BarNewsE-mail
Page 13 and 14: Pen Turner’s Corner Continuedfrom
Page 15 and 16: was about $25.00. Figure 2 showsthe
Page 17 and 18: chuck and had to wait what seemedli
Page 19 and 20: sculpture and a Southeastern Artist
Page 21 and 22: that I would say that it would bea
Page 23 and 24: Figure 3. The pen has been complete
Page 25 and 26: MAKING A BABY RATTLE — 18th Centu
Page 27 and 28: find them more attractive if theyar
Page 29 and 30: Testing andCertification of LeadCon
Page 31 and 32: with a Forstner drill to begin thed
Page 33 and 34: Editor’s Books for SaleBooks Writ
Page 35 and 36: Tormek AnnouncesT-7 UpgradesThe thr
Page 37 and 38: as on a fulcrum, and gives to the t
Page 39 and 40: Tilt-A-Matic installs in minutes-ju

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