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NEw Lathe

broadsea

Full Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Posts
195
Location
Fraserburgh
First Name
John
I thought my sons were purchasing a new lathe for me for Christmas but they have decided to give me the money instead. I am torn between two. These are the CL3-CAM Professional 5 Speed Lathe and Axminster Hobby Series AWVSL1000 Woodturning Lathe - Woodturning Lathes - Woodturning Lathes - Woodturning - Woodturning & Crafts | Axminster Tools & Machinery . Both have swiveling headstocks which I need. The axminster comes with a stand the cl3 does not. I have to purchase a separate tool rest for turning bowls with the headstock swiveled on the cl3, I dont with the Axminster. Really unsure which one to purchase, and it will be purchased end of this week/early next. Has anyone had any experience with either of these lathes or companys.
 
Last edited:

nobby

Apprentice Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
Posts
17
Location
Bedfordshire
I've found Axminster absolutely fantastic for customer service - both on the phone & face to face. My lathe is an Axminster Hobby Series AWSL - its my 1st and i've had it just over 12 months. I've had a couple of things go wrong with it - the tailstock winding wheel got stuck & another time the lathe kept blowing a fuse. But both times, it was collected the day after I made the phone call, repaired fully under warranty with no arguments and returned in about a week.
 

Vic Perrin

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Posts
8,215
Location
Rugeley Staffs
First Name
Vic
To me Broadsea its a no brainier but I am a Record Fan. M ysuggestion would be to go for the CL3 as you can upgrade this as and when including a VS converter. The CL 3 comes with a 5 year guarantee for peace of mind. My mate has the Axminster one and he reckons it has its limitations but is happy with it.

It took me 3 lathes before I got the one that I was happy with and lost money on them whereas if I had have gone for the better lathe in the first place it would have saved me money.

Vic
 

Dalboy

Executive Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Posts
7,741
Location
Kent
First Name
Derek
For me the CL3. I own one but have only had it for a short while I am very pleased with it. At the moment record have a deal including the stand for just under £500. You would still need the bowl attachment. I know you need to oil the front headstock bearing but it takes seconds to do at the start of a turning session, I use a eye drop bottle which makes it very easy to do.
 

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,542
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
For me, there is no contest. I realise that some people have an irrational liking of Record, :down:but that is not the point. The Axminster has variable speed and the Record does not. For that reason alone, the Record would not even enter into consideration IMHO. I know you can get an aftermarket add on for the record, but just where do you want to draw the line on financial outlay?

Apart from that, the Axminster has a bigger motor, a 2mt spindle taper (the record is 1mt), it comes with a bowl attachment (the record is extra), it comes with a stand (guess what - the record is extra) and it doesn't have record written on it.

It's also much much easier to find if you lose it in the undergrowth.:whistling:
 

paulm

grave manibus faciendum
Registered
Joined
Oct 7, 2013
Posts
12,045
Location
Sandford
First Name
Paul
I have an Axminster and like it a lot, I have never heard anything bad about Record and usually very positive. The only thing I would say about the two is that the CL3 needs maintaining and running in with the bearings and oiling but that isn't necessary a bad thing although it would be in my case. A very difficult decision as both are very good.
 

Kardav

the PENsioner
Fellow
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Posts
1,983
Location
Nottingham north
First Name
Dave
I'm an Axminster fan, my third lathe was an Axminster and I never looked back. Solid, robust and very reliable, that's my experience anyway. Good luck in your choice and I'm sure you'll be pleased with whatever lathe you get.:thumbs:
 

rayf6604

Registered
Joined
May 1, 2014
Posts
2,726
Location
Narrowboat dweller Willington, Derby
First Name
Ray
Just be mindful of the HOBBY rating of the Axminster. I had a Hobby rated lathe earlier this year and I dared to use it beyond the rated amount of use they recommend a Hobby machine to be used and the variable speed went pop twice so I swapped it for a Jet. I guess if you're only going to give it light use it should be okay but I wouldn't touch any Hobby rated machines from Axminster now, if you can stretch to it go for a Trade rated lathe.
 

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,510
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
I am the wrong person to give advise on this one so I won't.
As long as the kiss test proves accurate and it spins what I wanna put on it that's plenty good enuff for me init?
 

chas_41_uk

Registered
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Posts
10,034
Location
Manchester
First Name
Chas
The sensible answer would be to try both and buy the one you like the best.

I have an Axminster AH-1218VS and never had any problem with it yet. If I were going to upgrade it would be to another Axminster, a Jet or something reputable with 2MT tapers as all my fittings are 2MT.

It's all a question of personal taste
 

Jimjam66

Chief Battonager
Registered
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Posts
3,774
Location
Basingstoke, Hampshire
First, 2MT is much more common. So 2MT tooling is far more likely to fit your NEXT lathe (Yes, you will buy another one - guaranteed!)

Second, the 2MT is much more 'meaty' - off the top of my head it's 16mm diameter as opposed to 11mm. Finally, the 1MT headstock on the Record does NOT have a through-drilling to allow you to knock out tools from the headstock taper. This may not sound like a problem but trust me (I owned a CL3/4 for a couple of years) it's much easier to have one than not! And yes, Record supply a thread protector which is SUPPOSED to help with ejecting tools but my 1MT dead centre was too small a diameter to be 'caught' by it ...

Oh - and yes, you can get a 1MT to 2MT converter BUT ... it projects a long way from the head/tailstock so (a) you can introduce 'wobble', and (b) it eats a lot of your bed length, especially if you have one in each taper, and (c) it introduces a whole new tool ejection nightmare ...

One last thing with the CL3 - the accuracy of the bedways is ENTIRELY dependent on the surface you mount the lathe to. Great if they supplied a purpose-made stand included in the price, but they don't ...

I must hasten to add that I loved my CL3/4, but I wasn't blind to its drawbacks. If I was going to buy another one the stand would be a must, but for that price you're into a whole different range of available lathes.
 

Buckeye

ペンメーカー
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Joined
Oct 15, 2013
Posts
9,696
Location
UK
First Name
Peter
I too would go for a lathe with 2MT and not with round bed bars, but that's me.

Peter
 

Woody

Registered
Joined
Jul 12, 2013
Posts
12,811
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at home
First Name
no
Have you looked to see the recommendations on Axy hobby series personally I have seen and worked on some of there hobby machines and wouldn't have one in my workshop
 

Neil

Fellow
Joined
May 21, 2013
Posts
3,138
Location
Hitchin, Hertfordshire
First Name
Neil
I have two axminster and one record currently (plus a Union Jubilee). Service, Axminster all the way, availability of bits, Axminster all the way. One of the Axminster is hobby rated, the other trade, and the hobby one has taken a real hammering and is used in a trade environment and has stood up to the task. Its also been in and out of my van about 50 times this year.

I like the green colour of the Record better, but some of the bits are blue as its a bit of a hybrid! If I had the choice I think it would be axminster if all else was equal.
 

bellringer

The Young one
Registered
Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Posts
5,187
Location
Surrey
First Name
Alex
I go Axminster I hate the record power spares department they try to rip you off for every thing
 

Baldy

Fellow
Joined
Apr 27, 2014
Posts
1,469
Location
Aberdeen
First Name
Graeme
I have little experience but for me out of the two options would be axminster for two reasons.. variable speed and on my record the bar adjustment s are not as smooth as the beds on the axminster ..

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,616
I would go with the variable, only cos it is less hassle .. But i wouldn't turn my nose up at the CL3 either .. :wink:
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,342
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
I believe in Australia we have been spoiled for choice and price compared with the UK but buying a bare lathe is always a great option quality variable speed controllers are so cheap now and so much better quality than the factory fitted ones also.It does not take a Rhodes scholar to set a decent lathe up as a real long term device. If you buy once it makes sense to me.

Peter.:thumbs:
 


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