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Oneway 2416 vs Vicmarc VL300

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Now Dean I want him to make a decision on his own research. I don't want him salivating over mine. If he wants to see it I will oblige. BTW if you are coming to the symposium you are always welcome to stay at my place rather than pay for a hotel.

Please don't take what I have said about my Robust experience as anything but that, my experience. I know most people have had nothing but great luck with there units. My experiences are just that and they tell me I am not supposed to own a Robust simply because I have had issues with the three I turned on. I chalk it up to bad luck and karma sending me a message, you are not to own one of those. They are fine lathes.
Too late! I've already drooled over your lathe, Dale! During my research I came across a photo and explanation of your set up. I believe you were buried in a pile of shavings for that photo.

I have been doing my research for about a year. I have taken a close look at the others mentioned in this thread, but in the end I keep coming back to the Vl300 and 2416. May I ask you, Dale, have you used a oneway? And why is it that almost every world renowned bowl turner I've heard of uses Vicmarc?
 
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Too late! I've already drooled over your lathe, Dale! During my research I came across a photo and explanation of your set up. I believe you were buried in a pile of shavings for that photo.

I have been doing my research for about a year. I have taken a close look at the others mentioned in this thread, but in the end I keep coming back to the Vl300 and 2416. May I ask you, Dale, have you used a oneway? And why is it that almost every world renowned bowl turner I've heard of uses Vicmarc?

I'm not sure I can really answer that without offending someone. I will try in hopes that folks don't take offense. Side note the Oneway lathe was used by a renowned bowl turner who now is retired and has been for a long time. I think that those who chose the Vicmarc did so because it has proven to be a work horse with few problems and it is a no frills lathe at a decent price. In addition the turners chucks and accessories will work pretty well anywhere they go, unfortunately for oneway they won't change their thread size. I also looked at the oneway 2416 (turned on one - did not core on the 2416 - I did on a 1220 it worked but was under powered for coring especially if you core a lot) and had it down to it and the Vicmarc. It came down to how much I was going to have to spend to re-tool my shop. I also was put off by the swing arm on the Oneway even though I think that is one of those things you can get muscle memory with as you use it. I spoke with a few production bowl turners and they felt the same as you and I that a fixed head for turning a lot of larger bowls and coring was important. Sliding head stock lathes have a use for a lot of turners who turn some of this and some of that, meaning bowls, hollow forms and etc. If you are planning to turn mainly larger bowls as you mentioned Vicmarc, Oneway and Stubby will provide you with the confidence that nothing will ever be able to slip, plenty of power, plenty of mass and a history of performance. Unfortunately for Stubby they don't have much of a presence here and they can be a little more cumbersome to set up but once set for bowls they should be set (I also looked at this lathe but at the time you couldn't get them here). Having said that lathes excel in different areas. For example the Robust lathe excels in areas like hollow forms over the Vicmarc and Oneway, the 3520 also excels in areas over the Vicmarc and Oneway and Robust (cost for a hobbyist ----- pro who turns medium to small items ----- demonstrations). The Vicmarc and Oneway excel over the Robust and 3520 in bowls and heavy lifting. I wouldn't tell someone to buy a Vicmarc if they said I love turning pens or I only turn hollow forms, the Vicmarc works for that but there are better lathes for those applications. In short if your mainline is bowls you cannot go wrong with Vicmarc or Oneway. Like I said earlier do you like White or Blue?:)

Note only a few lathes mentioned above. There are a lot of good lathes out there for their applications. This thread is about bowl turning so I tried to stay in that lane. I am not a professional turner so take the above comments accordingly.
 
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I'm not sure I can really answer that without offending someone. I will try in hopes that folks don't take offense. Side note the Oneway lathe was used by a renowned bowl turner who now is retired and has been for a long time. I think that those who chose the Vicmarc did so because it has proven to be a work horse with few problems and it is a no frills lathe at a decent price. In addition the turners chucks and accessories will work pretty well anywhere they go, unfortunately for oneway they won't change their thread size. I also looked at the oneway 2416 (turned on one - did not core on the 2416 - I did on a 1220 it worked but was under powered for coring especially if you core a lot) and had it down to it and the Vicmarc. It came down to how much I was going to have to spend to re-tool my shop. I also was put off by the swing arm on the Oneway even though I think that is one of those things you can get muscle memory with as you use it. I spoke with a few production bowl turners and they felt the same as you and I that a fixed head for turning a lot of larger bowls and coring was important. Sliding head stock lathes have a use for a lot of turners who turn some of this and some of that, meaning bowls, hollow forms and etc. If you are planning to turn mainly larger bowls as you mentioned Vicmarc, Oneway and Stubby will provide you with the confidence that nothing will ever be able to slip, plenty of power, plenty of mass and a history of performance. Unfortunately for Stubby they don't have much of a presence here and they can be a little more cumbersome to set up but once set for bowls they should be set (I also looked at this lathe but at the time you couldn't get them here). Having said that lathes excel in different areas. For example the Robust lathe excels in areas like hollow forms over the Vicmarc and Oneway, the 3520 also excels in areas over the Vicmarc and Oneway and Robust (cost for a hobbyist ----- pro who turns medium to small items ----- demonstrations). The Vicmarc and Oneway excel over the Robust and 3520 in bowls and heavy lifting. I wouldn't tell someone to buy a Vicmarc if they said I love turning pens or I only turn hollow forms, the Vicmarc works for that but there are better lathes for those applications. In short if your mainline is bowls you cannot go wrong with Vicmarc or Oneway. Like I said earlier do you like White or Blue?:)

Note only a few lathes mentioned above. There are a lot of good lathes out there for their applications. This thread is about bowl turning so I tried to stay in that lane. I am not a professional turner so take the above comments accordingly.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, i really appreciate it. I didn't mean to put anyone in an awkward position of possibly offending anyone. I know we all love our lathes as much as we love our craft. And all the choices out there are as diverse as we are. The principals of the free market suggests there are a variety of different lathes out there to satisfy the needs of a variety of different turners. Understanding someone's experiences puts into context their preferences. You've been a great help, Dale, thank you.
 
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View attachment 32305
And you will love the Oneway outboard setup. It is so heavy duty it’s scary. So over engineered.
Glenn, Oneway's outboard set up is precisely what drew me to their lathes from the beginning. If I order the 2416 it would be with the complete large swing outboard kit with tailstock riser. It does take up some more floor space, and at about $1700 for that total accessory package, I'll probably truly use it once or twice a year. That is a tough pill to swallow, but I would only hope I could grow that particular aspect of my work to put it to more use. I REALLY like the idea of it.

I started turning under a rock 16 or 17 years ago when I bought my delta. I picked up a Talon chuck, and with it a oneway catalog. I was drooling over those lathes, thinking, "one day..." it was the first and only "professional grade" lathe I was aware of for a long time. I did not have a mentor, did not belong to a club, and there was not the internet assets we have today to be exposed to the world of turning. Long story short, I've taken a long and winding path to get where I am now where my dream can become a reality. I started my serious research a year ago, and now the Oneway is still at the top of my list with the Vicmarc tied,...which is the reason for starting this thread.

Being torn at which to buy is really a first World problem I should be thankful I have!
 
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Glenn, Oneway's outboard set up is precisely what drew me to their lathes from the beginning. If I order the 2416 it would be with the complete large swing outboard kit with tailstock riser. It does take up some more floor space, and at about $1700 for that total accessory package, I'll probably truly use it once or twice a year. That is a tough pill to swallow, but I would only hope I could grow that particular aspect of my work to put it to more use. I REALLY like the idea of it.

I started turning under a rock 16 or 17 years ago when I bought my delta. I picked up a Talon chuck, and with it a oneway catalog. I was drooling over those lathes, thinking, "one day..." it was the first and only "professional grade" lathe I was aware of for a long time. I did not have a mentor, did not belong to a club, and there was not the internet assets we have today to be exposed to the world of turning. Long story short, I've taken a long and winding path to get where I am now where my dream can become a reality. I started my serious research a year ago, and now the Oneway is still at the top of my list with the Vicmarc tied,...which is the reason for starting this thread.

Being torn at which to buy is really a first World problem I should be thankful I have!

I’m sure Vicmarc is a good lathe. All my experience has been with Oneway. The customer service has been awesome. I got both my lathes used with no issues. I contacted all surrounding clubs and waited. Took a year for both of them but got my 2036 for 2,000 Canadian with about $2,000 worth of free tools and accessories.
And my wife’s 1236 for 1,500 Canadian with lots of chucks and tools. It was a wait but really saved a pile of money . And every part on the Oneway can be changed out. There design has stayed constant for the last 25 years. Good luck with your decision. On the outboard side I clamp a makeshift 2x4 and plywood setup to turn on that side. I know of two people in Canada that have the outboard setup sitting collecting dust. Possible ask a bunch of clubs to see if someone has the setup for half price?
 
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I would like to see Robust make an 18 inch pivoting headstock.... It seems that many manufacturers have dropped the 16 inch lathe and gone to 18 inches. I kind of agree with that because the 16 inch lathe is just a bit too small. I did run into some 'conflict' with the handles on the banjo getting in the way of the tool rest. Other than that, there was always the argument that the steel ways and bed vibrated more than the cast iron ones. Only real difference I could tell was that the lathes made different noises. Same for sliding headstock vs fixed headstock. I haven't noticed any real differences...

robo hippy
 
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Mark - I am a happy Robust AB owner. But, I do understand ( as a left handed, color blind, dyslexic with ADHD...:D..) that - there are plenty of reasons one may want different features a lathe. One that is brand new, and has not been mentioned here is the new Rikon 3040. Sliding bed, and 30+ over the ways, fixed headstock. Rikon makes some good quality bandsaws, and I would not hesitate to try out this new lathe based on my confidence in the company, and how differently they approach the manufacturing process than many who build in China do.
 

Jim McLain

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View attachment 32324 My 1236 has same missing paint. It’s normal for the 1236 I believe. The head is used on more than one lathe probably. And the other part is a bit smaller I assume. Probably best to talk to the company. It quite possibly could have a valid explanation if you talk to Oneway and send a photo.
Glenn - I contacted Oneway and they sent me some touch up paint that unfortunately did not match the original paint job. May be just me but when you are buying the best you should expect more.
 
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I would like to thank everyone who's chimed in. This discussion has been very helpful. My decision process included inquiries through multiple channels over the past month, and a series of answers all culminated this week, pointing me to a direction I feel very confident in.

I love talking about lathes, and analyzing their pros and cons. My decision is, what I feel, what's best for me. My adulterous spirit wishes to own each of them, but alas, I must pick one....for now!;) Thank you, friends!
 
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I would like to thank everyone who's chimed in. This discussion has been very helpful. My decision process included inquiries through multiple channels over the past month, and a series of answers all culminated this week, pointing me to a direction I feel very confident in.

I love talking about lathes, and analyzing their pros and cons. My decision is, what I feel, what's best for me. My adulterous spirit wishes to own each of them, but alas, I must pick one....for now!;) Thank you, friends!
And the decision is???
 
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Maybe I missed it in the responses above, but - have you spent time on each? I can’t imagine spending a year doing research and having the decision come down to comments on a forum...call the dealers you’re interested in buying through and find out how to wrangle some time on one - either a floor model or a satisfied customer who would let you spend some time in their shops.
I did a year of research before plunking down the cash for my ‘last’ lathe and found willing owners within driving distance (went as far as three hours away) who let me make a mess. Brought my own tools/chucks/blanks and cleaned up afterwards...
But then I won’t buy a car without taking it out for a drive first.
 

hockenbery

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I bought my ONEWAY from Brad Packard at the San Antonio symposium, 1997.
Got to see the lathes in person the Powermatic had just come out.
I had Previously Played a little on a friends ONEWAY but not really turn on it.

At the symposium I got the recommendation of the ONEWAY over the Powermatic from two terrific turners.
Then I went to see Brad.
 
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The first pivoting headstocks were pretty wobbly and you had to fiddle with them when rotated back to in line with the bed. With the Vic, that isn't a problem at all. Since I got my old PM 3520A, maybe 20 years ago, I don't like to lean over the bed of the lathe to turn bowls.

robo hippy
 
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The first pivoting headstocks were pretty wobbly and you had to fiddle with them when rotated back to in line with the bed. With the Vic, that isn't a problem at all. Since I got my old PM 3520A, maybe 20 years ago, I don't like to lean over the bed of the lathe to turn bowls.

robo hippy
With the 17" Oneway bed extension mounted outboard to the headstck, you have an awesome bowl lathe. The swing arm which people seem to hate swings in place nicely. I also have the remote which I can attch to the short bed. I agree it is wonderful to be able to do the interior of a bowl face on. So much easier on shoulders and elbows. The extension is very reasonable in price because it is made from a piece cut out of the big tube. I made a small plywood table that slides on a key for mine as a temporary (hopefully) flat storage area and can easily remove it when I want to do a bowl. As I have reached the ripe old age of 75, big bowls are no longer my forte.
 
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I know Dale Larson roughs his bowls on the inboard of his Oneway, and finish turns them on the outboard. Not some thing I have tried. My first 'real' lathe sat in a corner, so turning on the outboard end was not an option, but the PM didn't have an outboard anyway. I think the problems on the outboard, which involved turning with the spin in the opposite direction and the chuck coming off have been addressed. If I was to get another lathe, I might try it....

robo hippy
 
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I know Dale Larson roughs his bowls on the inboard of his Oneway, and finish turns them on the outboard. Not some thing I have tried. My first 'real' lathe sat in a corner, so turning on the outboard end was not an option, but the PM didn't have an outboard anyway. I think the problems on the outboard, which involved turning with the spin in the opposite direction and the chuck coming off have been addressed. If I was to get another lathe, I might try it....

robo hippy
That is pretty much what I do, except I always have to clear the area including the shelf I made to fit on it. I had a bowl lathe for a while before I got my 2436 and loved turning face on. The tool control is so much better. With Oneway chucks and locking screw there is no risk of losing the chuck. Lack of a tailstock on the Bowl Lathe was a real hindrance. Oneway now offer a 24" version as well I believe.
 
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I've been using the Oneway 2424 for over 15-years - I do hollow forms in the 18" to 22" range - logs weigh up to 400-lbs. I recently built an outboard to accommodate a 1000+-lb mesquite burl.
You are clearly planning on large work and you'll want the 3-hp. The support I've received from Kevin Clay at Oneway has been "over the top" - he made me rethink my outboard approach and provided the 1/2" steel riser plates and rail platform plate.
If you're going off the deep-end, send me a contact - I'll be happy to share what I learned and the really stupid mistakes. Also, you'll want to do a run-out system - it's one of the few things that I did right the first time.059.jpg
 

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I've been using the Oneway 2424 for over 15-years - I do hollow forms in the 18" to 22" range - logs weigh up to 400-lbs. I recently built an outboard to accommodate a 1000+-lb mesquite burl.
You are clearly planning on large work and you'll want the 3-hp. The support I've received from Kevin Clay at Oneway has been "over the top" - he made me rethink my outboard approach and provided the 1/2" steel riser plates and rail platform plate.
If you're going off the deep-end, send me a contact - I'll be happy to share what I learned and the really stupid mistakes. Also, you'll want to do a run-out system - it's one of the few things that I did right the first time.View attachment 32483

Holy Christmas! You Texans! What do you use to work on a piece like that? A garden spade?
Seriously though, that is an impressive set up John. Is the log driven by a faceplate?
What does the finished turning look like?
 
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I've been using the Oneway 2424 for over 15-years - I do hollow forms in the 18" to 22" range - logs weigh up to 400-lbs. I recently built an outboard to accommodate a 1000+-lb mesquite burl.
You are clearly planning on large work and you'll want the 3-hp. The support I've received from Kevin Clay at Oneway has been "over the top" - he made me rethink my outboard approach and provided the 1/2" steel riser plates and rail platform plate.
If you're going off the deep-end, send me a contact - I'll be happy to share what I learned and the really stupid mistakes. Also, you'll want to do a run-out system - it's one of the few things that I did right the first time.View attachment 32483
Now that’s why I Love my Oneway. It will do anything you try and throw at it and more!
 
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The turning is done - the piece is a few weeks away. The problem has been the stand - it's taken a life of its own. Picked up the final machined part yesterday.
Will send finished pics to the forum in a few weeks.
But here is the clear-coated (not rubbed-out) turning - 32" dia, 58-lbs, averaging 5/8" thick.w Clearcoat -2.JPG
 
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You asked which tool. I used a standard Oneway 8" faceplate but it was always supported both back and front - no way can you cantilever that much weight.
After it wasTool Rest - Looking in.jpg reasonably round, my gouge of choice is a DWay 3/8" - until then, a DWay 5/8"
The steady rest is from Keith Clark, aka https://www.theokspindoctor.com/. There is a video of the hollowing - when rounded, it weighed around 700-lbs and produced over 400-gallons of shaving from hollowing.
 
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Kids and their toys...... Go big, or go home.... Well, I am going home to take my nap....

Locally, our Farmer's Market is still open. Guess that is because they sell groceries....

robo hippy
 
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Knowing I would need a ledge, I left about a 3/4" ledge on the piece.
Then, with some 2x2 hickory, I cut stave angles, used a plate joiner and put a ring together. Turned the inside on a friends lathe till it fit snugly on the ledge.
Then glued with West G/Flex-655 and turned to the runway you see in the pic.
G/Flex-655 is not for the feint of heart - it's the nastiest, smelliest, most difficult crap available and I love it.
 
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I've been using the Oneway 2424 for over 15-years - I do hollow forms in the 18" to 22" range - logs weigh up to 400-lbs. I recently built an outboard to accommodate a 1000+-lb mesquite burl.
You are clearly planning on large work and you'll want the 3-hp. The support I've received from Kevin Clay at Oneway has been "over the top" - he made me rethink my outboard approach and provided the 1/2" steel riser plates and rail platform plate.
If you're going off the deep-end, send me a contact - I'll be happy to share what I learned and the really stupid mistakes. Also, you'll want to do a run-out system - it's one of the few things that I did right the first time.View attachment 32483
John, that is an impressive set up, but pales in comparison to the finished product!!! I've seen a few videos and pictures of you showcasing "Planet Mesquite" and I tip my hat to you sir!
 
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