Stubby or Oneway purchase
Stacy Godo
conflicted over which to purchase. I mostly turn bowls,although I
don't want to rule anything out.
Help the conflicted in Dallas,
Stacy Godo
James P. Riser
Jim
"Stacy Godo" <avon...@onramp.net> wrote in message
news:4a25677f.01100...@posting.google.com...
Joe Fleming
Do a Google search on Stubby and you'll find lots of discussion on the Stubby. I am a Stubby 750 owner and love the machine. I worked through the Oneway vs Stubby vs Vicmarc decision last year. What I found is that short bed lathes (Vics or Oneways) were too short for what I do, but the long beds were generally too long for my small shop. The Stubby is a good compromise. I also found that the Oneway, when accesorized with comparable features was considerably more than the Stubby. I know many long bed owners who have bought the outboard turning features for the Oneway to give them a short bed for turning bowls, etc. You don't need to do that with a Stubby. You get an extra banjo, and auxillary bed extension and an integrated vacuum port as standard features. These are extra for he Oneway.
Of course, I'm biased and there are several Oneway and Vicmarc owners on the newsgroup that can better espouse their machines. After having the Stubby for a year now, I wouldn't alter my decision.
Joe Fleming - San Diego
================================
Steve Tiedman
My working experience is with Oneway. I have a bunch of hours logged on
a 2436 and a 1018 that a friend owns. No complaints about either. I
know there is no way I would ever overwork either of these fine machines,
and I'd be proud to own one. Matter of fact, I TRIED saving up for one.
I was going to put the 17" bed extension on each end of the lathe, with a
second, dedicated toolrest base on the outboard end so I would have a
dedicated bowl lathe on one end a 53" spindle lathe good for deep boring
with outrigger/Jamieson-style tools on the other end.
I have no working experience on a Stubby. My exposure is seeing them at
the 1999 and 2001 AAW conventions. I think the Stubby wins in the
flexibility category with standard features especially for faceplate
turning. Although the Oneway can be tricked out to turn up to 44" with
accessory features, and it is the winner in spindle turning ability. I'm
not sure, the Oneway may have the heavier headstock spindle and bearings,
which in heavy duty turning does mean something. Oneway's headstock
spindle is a longer spindle between the bearings which does have a
mechanical advantage in headstock strength and stability over machines
with a shorter headstock spindle. (Take my new Vicmarc VL300, the outer
face-to-outer face measurement between the bearings is just less than
7". The Oneway spindle comes in over twice as long at 16". I don't know
the length of the Stubby, but it is longer than my Vicmarc but shorter
than Oneway.) My observations give the Oneway the lead when it comes to
beef in the design and construction. That said, good luck stressing
EITHER machine, Oneway or Stubby. Here is another view of both, and
maybe someone will offer their insight on this statement: A Oneway is a
spindle lathe that can turn faceplate work, and the Stubby is a faceplate
lathe that can turn spindle work.
At this year's AAW convention, at the very end when the vendors were
starting to pack their wares, I walked up to John Jordan and asked for a
moment of his time. I fessed up that the cost for one of his machines
was prohibitive for me. I told him of the fantastic deal the General
representative wanted to give me so he wouldn't have to take the machine
home. I told him I have been planning for months to get a Vicmarc bare
lathe at the convention and build it up myself (cost savings measure).
He said to me (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Look around. There is not a
lathe in this building I haven't used or owned. (All the manufacturers
were there.) Up until not so long ago I had a whole family of different
manufacturer's lathes in my shop. I've gotten rid of them all. Now I
only have the Stubby." Granted, he is the only Stubby dealer in this
hemisphere, but at the same time I felt he was pretty sincere and not
being too salesman-like. He stands by his Stubby, as I'm sure Tim and
Kevin Clay will stand to their death with their Oneway products. He told
me that within the budget constraints I had, the Vicmarc had the most
going for it.
What it boils down to is which one meets your needs, both now and
hopefully into the future. There is a professional turner in the club I
belong to named Craig Lossing. Craig turns professionally on a Woodfast
lathe. I think most of what he does is smaller in nature so this lathe
more than meets his needs. Last spring I asked him if he had the chance
to buy a Woodfast or a Vicmarc which would he get? (I won't tell you his
answer, but you can guess.) Then he spun it around on me. He asked if
I'd done all my homework on the 2 lathes. I said yes. He then said that
I had 5 seconds to tell him which one I really wanted- no real time for
thinking here. Without hesitation I blurted out Vicmarc. He smiled and
said that is the one I should buy. Okay, he said that is the one he
would buy, too. Then he asked if money were no object (like the $5000
for either a Oneway or a Stubby), which would I buy? (5 seconds.) I
smiled and said ___________.
I'll present you with the same challenge. Have you done all your
homework? Do you know the strengths and weaknesses of each? Do you know
all the specifications, the features, the accessories, the capabilities
of each? Have you made or had the opportunity to at least view, if not
play with or work with, both machines? If so, you have 5 seconds, which
one will you buy? I bet you already know your answer. Whatever your
answer is, I also think you will be satisfied and happy with it.
In case you need to study more, here are the websites for both, even
though I'm sure you memorized both sites.
http://www.oneway.on.ca
http://www.stubbylathe.com/
Good luck and have fun with the new machine. Let us know what you
decide.
Steve.
--
Steve Tiedman
s...@mninter.net
Minnesota, USA
------------------
Bill Rubenstein
I am a Stubby 750 owner and have turned on several big Oneways and the small
Oneway. I am short, old (61), light-weight and the short bed makes extended
turning sessions much more enjoyable than if I would have to lean over a bed or
"ride" it. I'm able to get in a position at the end of the machine so that I
can tuck my bowl gouge with a long Hosaluk handle under my right arm pit.
Then, I have excellent control, I can be agressive as hell with the inside of a
bowl and remove material at an impressive rate. 2 hp, an impressive electronic
speed control and the Stronghold chuck don't hurt any, either.
But, I've also been able to extend the bed and turn a spindle(!?) 10" in
diameter and 34" long. Clearly, that spindle would have been a little easier
to turn on the big Oneway. But, I don't do it that often.
While the Powermatic and several other machines have a sliding head to give one
the functionality of a shortbed, it isn't the same thing. Think of the Stubby
as a 16" lathe with a variable width gap which will allow a 30" piece. When
turning a bowl that big, it is reassuring to have the tailstock solidly
embedded in the work for a while.
Also, when it comes to mounting boring bars, the fact that the bed swings gives
me extraordinary flexibility.
I really like both the Stubby and the Oneway machines. But, I think that
nurvana (for me) would be the Stubby 750 for every day (the one I already own)
and the 1018 Oneway for a portable machine (which I'd like to have).
Both machines are supported in a first-rate manner -- this is not an issue.
So, that is my opinion for what it is worth.
How about if you find an owner of each who would let you spend a few hours in
their shop? Would you buy a car without test-driving it?
Regards,
Bill Rubenstein
"Stacy Godo" <avon...@onramp.net> wrote in message
news:4a25677f.01100...@posting.google.com...
> I have and opportunity to upgrade to a Stubby or Oneway. However I'm
--
Posted from adsl-64-218-85-0.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net [64.218.85.0]
via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG
Bob Brown
Stacy , Go with the Stubby . You won't be sorry . Great personel service
from John and Vicki . Super machine . You will see improvement in
you turnings .
Bob
Rusty Myers
you track down owners of each and take the lathes for a test drive. I'm a
Stubby owner and I'm down in Austin if you want to come down and check it
out. I Turned on John Jordan's Oneway during a class with him (before he
got the Stubby's in) and loved it, then John started importing the Stubby's
before I could afford a Oneway. Once I had the money, I checked with John
and he found a Stubby owner up in Ft. Worth that would show me his lathe.
So check with John for "references" also, the guy I met with might still be
willing to demonstrate his. Same with the Oneway.
Also, consider how each would fit into your shop and how each matches up
with your types of turning.
--
Rusty Myers
Austin, TX
"Stacy Godo" <avon...@onramp.net> wrote in message
news:4a25677f.01100...@posting.google.com...
Russell Seaton
> starting to pack their wares, I walked up to John Jordan and asked for a
> moment of his time. I fessed up that the cost for one of his machines
> was prohibitive for me. I told him of the fantastic deal the General
> representative wanted to give me so he wouldn't have to take the machine
> home.
What deal were you offered on the General 26020? I was offered $2600
for the floor model on Sunday afternoon. But after seeing the Exocet
demonstrator turning a medium sized hollow form and making his loaner
General shake and rattle and vibrate all over the floor, I was a
little less impressed with the General. But maybe the other lathes
shake like that too when using a hollowing tool.
> He said to me (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Look around. There is not a
> lathe in this building I haven't used or owned. (All the manufacturers
> were there.) Up until not so long ago I had a whole family of different
> manufacturer's lathes in my shop. I've gotten rid of them all. Now I
> only have the Stubby."
I agree with this statement too. I was very impressed with all of the
high end lathes at the Symposium. Some stood out from the others, but
no one could blame the lathe for any poor results.
For off the shelf factory lathes, the Oneway and Stubby were the
standouts to me if money is no object. Stubby 1000 with 3 hp compared
to a Oneway 2436 with 3 hp with big outboard attachment. Nothing too
shabby about either setup. USA Retail of $5800 for the Stubby and
$5900 for the Oneway.
Granted, he is the only Stubby dealer in this
> hemisphere
Not sure about this. I think England, LRE Machinery is the Stubby
dealer, is in the northern hemisphere. And I think if you divide the
world longitudinally then Australia and the US might fall into the
same hemisphere. Not sure if there are eastern and western
hemispheres though.
When are you going to have an open shop to show off that new Vicmarc
short bed?
Russell "less than 4 hours south" Seaton
Art Liestman
in "this" hemisphere. Mark Salusbury is the distributor in Canada.
Mark and John are both great guys, by the way. Go for the Stubby!
Art Liestman
Al Hockenbery
You will be happy with either machine. I have the oneway 2436 and love it.
I've turned on the Stubby and they are very nice machines. Stubby owners
love their machines. Oneway owners love theirs just as much.
The stubby is a very flexible machine. You should decide if that flexibilty
is an advantage for you or a negative. Will you be moving the bed length
of the stubby twice to finish a piece?
Several folks have suggested testdriving each machine. Try to do it.
Happy Turning,
al
"James P. Riser" <jri...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:9pa980$l6c$1...@nntp9.atl.mindspring.net...
Russell Seaton
a...@cs.sfu.ca (Art Liestman) wrote in message news:<9pctl5$2...@daffodil.cs.sfu.ca>...
Dave Shombert
have to stick my two cents' worth in.
If a demonstrator was really making the General "shake and rattle and
vibrate all over the floor" on a medium sized hollow vessel, then he was
doing something wrong. Even I don't have that kind of trouble and I've
only done a half dozen or so hollow forms. I have heard a low-pitched
vibration once or twice, but I haven't seen the machine shake or
"vibrate all over the floor" yet. Russell's post seems to suggest that
the General 26020 is inadequate for hollow form turning of any size. If
that's so, why does David Ellsworth use one?
I'm not trying to convince anyone to buy a General, I think everyone
should make that decision themselves. But I do think the decision should
be based on accurate information. It sounds to me like that demonstrator
was doing something fundamentally wrong.
Dave Shombert
Elkins, WV
Steve Tiedman
$2600 sounds like about the same price. He even wanted to throw in the
Stronghold chuck they'd been using all weekend. You are not the first person
to mention to me the shake and rattle of the General stand. I even heard this
same sentiment at the show. I think General is a great outfit, but they
really need to bring some of their features up to the 21st century. That
sheet metal stand needs to go, as does the gap bed. The steel stand I'm
planning on for the Vicmarc will use structural steel tube sections, at least
3/8" to 1/2" thick, and then as is possible, these will be filled with sand to
dampen any buzz vibration and add dead weight (like the steel tubing won't be
heavy enough?!). Let's see, the Vicmarc base is 12" wide. That would fit
nicely on a 12" square x 1/2" thick piece of steel tubing. I have lots of
different ideas in my head for a stand, this is just one of many ideas.
Concrete legs maybe? Mmm...
The Vicmarc I bought was the display model at the Craft Supplies booth, the
one that had the Oneway hollowing system rigged up to it on Sunday. Stuart
Batty was demo'ing on it all weekend, too. I bought just the bare lathe, I
didn't want their stand, although they really felt there was not way I could
build a stand better than theirs (made from 3/16" plate steel). A friend of
my brother-in-law teaches structural welding at a local vo-tech. He told me
to buy the steel and draw a picture, and he would have his students fabricate
a stand for the lathe as a class project. Whew, tough to beat an offer like
that.
About the hemispheres. If I remember my geography correctly, Greenwich
England is the starting point of the time zones, and also is a point of zero
degrees longitude. If this British dealer is west of that line, I guess John
isn't the only one in the western hemisphere. And then there is this Canadian
dealer. I guess the northern hemisphere is chock full of Stubby dealers.
And lastly, 4 hours south?!!! Are you an Iowan, or a fellow Minnesotan tucked
way down in the southwest corner of the state? Where abouts? It may take me
a few months, maybe longer (hope not) to get the shop/lathe up to speed, but
you are welcome to come take a peek if you ever get up this way. Maybe we can
even turn it on and make a shaving or two. Write me off the group with
details.
Just a side note- I made approximately 2 dozen trips from St. Paul to Iowa
City (University of Iowa) via Rochester/Waterloo/Cedar Rapids to see my (then)
new bride when she decided to get her Master's degree in library science. 275
miles. Don't tell the respective state patrols, but the fastest I ever made
it from St. Paul to Iowa City was 3 hours 45 minutes. That was almost 10
years ago, so I think the statute of limitations on speeding like greased
lighting across southern Minnesota and the north half of Iowa has expired.
Young and dumb. Did I mention we had just gotten married 3 months before that
trip? She doesn't let me drive like that anymore. Good thing.
Hope to hear from you,
Steve.
--
Steve Tiedman
s...@mninter.net
Minnesota, USA
------------------
Russell Seaton wrote:
> Steve Tiedman <s...@mninter.net> wrote in message
> > At this year's AAW convention... the fantastic deal the General
Jean Michel
I also have a 26020 VS and didn't experience that kind of dance here, maybe
I have to practice more, hihihi.
Jean
My site: http://pages.infinit.net/ve2oe/
Paul Rasmussen
about the Powermatic 3520A. I realize it is not in same league as Stubby or
OneWay but for me cost is consideration too. Thanks in advance, I am sure
folks in this newsgroup will not be shy with their opinions.
"Jean Michel" <marcel.je...@videotron.ca> wrote in message
news:nnwu7.27815$J46.2...@wagner.videotron.net...
Russell Seaton
St. Paul AAW Symposium was using a General 26020. Probably a loaner
from the General booth. He was demonstrating an Exocet hollowing tool
on a piece about 10" diameter by about 8" deep. If I recall
correctly. Not sure of the type of wood. He was taking pretty thick
cuts. About 1/8" thick by maybe 1/4" wide. Guessing here. I did not
measure them, just saw them coming out of the hollow form. I am
pretty sure it was green wood, easier to cut than harder dry wood.
The General 26020 was shaking violently and was very loud. And it was
moving a few inches across the floor. All in a few seconds of
hollowing. I suspect the Exocet demonstrator was taking a more
agressive cut than he needed but the lathe was vibrating and jumping
considerably and was making lots of noise. Jumping off the floor into
the air.
Maybe the Exocet demonstrator had never operated a lathe before and
did not know how to prevent a lathe from vibrating and shaking and
jumping and moving and making lots of noise. Maybe the Exocet is a
particularly agressive tool and should not be used on any wood lathes
less than 2000 pounds and not bolted to the floor. Maybe the Exocet
demonstrator would have made the Oneway or Stubby or Vicmarc lathes
jump into the air and vibrate and shake and move too.
I'm not implying the General 26020 is a bad lathe. But from my
observations the thin sheet metal stand is not acceptable for
hollowing tools. If one were to weld a heavy angle iron stand around
the sheet metal stand and bolt the cast iron bed to this much heavier
and solid stand, then I suspect the General 26020 would not vibrate,
shake, rattle and move.
Russell "I know what I saw AND heard at the AAW Symposium" Seaton
Dave Shombert <shom...@meer.net> wrote in message news:<3BBA6828...@meer.net>...
Joe Fleming
referring. His name is Harry Memelink He is the Exocet owner and
designer. I have seen the same "jumping" on a different General lathe
being used by Harry, and I have seen Harry turn on a Vicmarc 300
shortbed without the "jumping". Harry's turning style is no more prone
to jumping than any other person's, nor is the Exocet tool prone to
inducing the jumping more than any other turning tool.
I believe there was a combination of three things happening on the
General in St. Paul. First, Harry tends to turn lopsided wood. This is
one of the ways he "shows off" the capability of the tool. Any lathe
will have a tendency to vibrate, walk, whatever, when spinning a large
diameter piece that does not have the mass evenly distributed. I even
got vibration on my Stubby once when a cylinder of wood (already turned
round) did not have even mass density throughout the piece.
Second, lathes set up on slick concrete floors must be leveled EXACTLY
to prevent vibration, walking, etc. Even a very small gap under one
corner of the base will cause this to occur. I'm not sure what the
leveling mechanism on the General is, but my recollection of Harry's
demonstration (spring 2000) was that the General would not sit flat on
the floor. I can't remember if there were adjustment screws. When I
saw him turn in the Spring of 2001 on the Vicmarc, he was much more
successful in getting the Vic to sit flat because each corner had an
adjustment screw to set that foot.
Third, while I don't believe that the General is any more prone to
vibration, walking, etc. than any other lathe of similar weight, the
sheet metal design of its base is more noisy. I have witnessed this
firsthand at Harry's demonstration and in a shop where the machine was
bolted down to the floor. Sheet metal will resonate.
Joe Fleming - San Diego
==================================================
andyc
General is a very nice lathe... easily worth $2600US.
Now for my biased 2 cents on the initial question... ;-)
Buy both!.... uhhhh...
Lets see... the Oneway is glossy white with brass metal trim... real
pretty. The stubby is squat, flat black with gray metal trim and downright
MEAN looking.... hmmmm...
Oneway is from Canada... Omega is from Australia... It does get warmer down
under, but up North has nice trees...
Ok, howabout this... if I was a production spindle turner... i.e., custom
table legs, custom columns, stairway railings, baseball bats, etc... and
nothing else... I'd lean towards the (IMO relatively over engineered)
Oneway.
If I was a turner who intends to express myself in special forms and
sculpture such as, hollow, bowl, offset, natural edge... hands down on the
Stubby with JJ's stand. Oh yeah, I could also do almost all of the spindle
forms mentioned above as well without expensive addons... except for the
custom column. and the stubby fits into a much smaller area.... AND it also
allows me to put the big off-balanced stuff between centers AND I can reach
in from any tool angle... AND I can set the rest where ever I need to....
AND I can stand directly into the bowl's hollowed area rather than off the
side...AND I can hollow out without straddling AND.... I DID say this was a
biased view didn't I????
"Stacy Godo" <avon...@onramp.net> wrote in message
news:4a25677f.01100...@posting.google.com...
Richard Preston
<<AND I can stand directly into the bowl's hollowed area rather than off the
>side...AND I can hollow out without straddling>>
I know what you mean because I used to have a shortbed Woodfast before I bought
the Oneways. Then Michael Hosaluk taught me to hollow by running the lathe in
reverse. This is very comfortable, no leaning, no lathe bed bow in your spine.
It does require a chuck/faceplate with a set screw, as the Oneway lathe and
chucks have, and it might mean you take your 45 degree boring bar and turn the
HSS tip upside down and glue it back in. You'll also have better vision if the
opening is large enough to see in.
Take it slowly the first time.
Regards,
richard
WoodTurners Anonymous of Richmond, Va, an AAW Chapter
Bill Brachhold
I'd like to ask a question about your hollowing technique. Would it not be
the same to just stand behind the lathe and hollow in the normal, forward
direction of your motor ?? I often make light cuts in reverse because my
lathe doesn't have the locking shoulder like a Oneway. I too like cutting
in reverse to see better but am always fearful of the ol' chuck backing
off.
Bill in Gainesville, Florida, USA
http://www.geocities.com/billbrachh
http://www.surfingto.com/treecity/
rptu...@aol.com (Richard Preston) wrote in
news:20011018151754...@mb-fh.aol.com:
Richard Preston
Almost the same.
For a right hander, getting a cut at the bottom means you might be leaning
backwards to make way for the tool handle.
For my own shop, there isn't room to get on the other side and leave myself an
escape path.
Doug Siddens
For the money, I'd look hard at Serious Lathes.
Doug
Brad Thomas
Vicmarc lathes are also of excellent value.
Brad Thomas
william_b_noble
prices though are roughly equivalent, and given your location you may well
find that one of those others are attractive if you want to turn very large
stuff. Both serious lathe and Nichols are in the USA
"Brad Thomas" <thom...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:3C2E7877...@shaw.ca...