Which Lathe

[chas_41_uk]

Looking for peoples opinions here.

Which lathe should I upgrade to? Yes I know the best I can afford. And the question will bring our the Brand war

It has to go in a shed, so I am going to put a couple of planks down at right angles to the floorboards to spread the weight.

I'm down to a choice of two:

The Axminster AT1628VS which is right at the top of my spend limit

Or

The Record Power CL4 Professional Electronic Variable Speed Lathe

Has anybody used both and have a preference?

 

[cookie21]

I would go for the cast iron bed

 

[Terry]

No contest Chas. I have possessed both and the AT1628VS is in a different league to the CL4. I wouldn't swap my 1628 it is superb !!!

 

[fortress]

I too would go for the Axminster Chas.

 

[Woody]

Out of the two Axminster every time

 

[Vic Perrin]

Forget both of them Chas. Extend your shed and get a Record Maxi 1

 

[chas_41_uk]

Forget both of them Chas. Extend your shed and get a Record Maxi 1

Well if you know someone who's going to GIVE me a new Maxi 1 I could use the money for a bigger shed Vic :wink:

 

[Penpal]

Glad our lathe prices and choices are so different over here. You have from Terry who has owned both his respected opinion I would follow.

Peter.

 

[Doug]

Whilst I wouldn't buy anything with the Axminster brand on it a mate has bought a new Record & had several problems with it, eventually having to send it back, though they did sort all the problems out in the end it didn't fill me with confidence re their revamped range.

 

[Phil Dart]

There is a third way Chas. I'm sure you've probably considered it already. It doesn't have as long a capacity as the Axi, although you can get a bed extension for it and the swing over bed is not as big either, but if you can cope with those two aspects the Jet 1221vs would be better quality than the Axi and would make the Record seem like scrap metal. Of the two you mentioned though, the Axi will be far, far, far superior to the Record, for so many reasons.

 

[wm460]

If you don't get a Vicmarc, I suppose an Axminster will do.

 

[GSteer]

I hope the 1221VS has a better motor/PCB than Jet's 1015VS, mines currently back with Axminster for an unrelated problem for which they were going to replace the entire unit. Until they turned around and told me they've quarantined their entire stock of 200 of them due to motor/PCB issues which Jet have not given them an answer on since May.

Might be back in the market myself depending on the outcome in a couple of weeks.

 

[Phil Dart]

I hope the 1221VS has a better motor/PCB than Jet's 1015VS, mines currently back with Axminster for an unrelated problem for which they were going to replace the entire unit. Until they turned around and told me they've quarantined their entire stock of 200 of them due to motor/PCB issues which Jet have not given them an answer on since May.

Might be back in the market myself depending on the outcome in a couple of weeks.

Mine too, and me too, but I know of at least two people who have recently bought a 1221vs and they have nothing but good things to say.

 

[GSteer]

Mine too, and me too, but I know of at least two people who have recently bought a 1221vs and they have nothing but good things to say.

That's good to hear then, won't derail this thread but would be good to hear the outcome from your side too Phil.

 

[Penpal]

I feel so sad the Vicmarc lathes are so expensive to buy in the UK.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

I was looking at Arceurotrade they had Fugi EVS CONTROLLERS at a very reasonable price. Vicmarc uses the same item

Sent from my D6683 using Tapatalk

 

[Jim]

Of the two, the attractiveness of the Axminster does it for me Chas ..

 

[GeordieB]

the Axi every time Chas I had a Cl1 and the bed bars are crap anything that is slightly out of balance make the lathe vibrate any thing thats well out of balance and it will try to escape the shed

 

[Penpal]

On so many videos I see operators touching their machines and they rock or move, are settled on unstable bases. It feels great to turn on a well mounted lathe.

Peter.

 

[Bigbud]

Ive got the CL4 and to be honest I'd love to change for a lathe with a cast iron bed, its a great lathe but the bars transfer vibrations without doubt. Mine is also one of the last lathes made in Sheffield, quality supposedly slipped after that as they were fabricated in china.

I'd love a VB36 but i'd need to remortgage xD