I've had the Vega 2600 for 18 months and am quite happy with it. I bought mine site unseen......but talked w/ Bill Grumbine on the phone first about his experiences which all seemed quite positive.
The Toshiba variable speed drive is top notch though on occasion when I do spindle work I wish for a bit better top end rpm. For bowl turning it has plenty of power and I rarely need to change belt position to the lower (power) rpm range. The banjo isn't quite as smooth functioning as the one's on some other (much more expensive) lathes, but with a bit of filing and tweaking it is acceptable. The standard tool rest leaves a lot to be desired......HS steel tools are much harder than the tool rest steel thus they leave lots of nicks, etc. which require occasional filing. The shape of the tool rest has the potential of being a finger mangler if you experience a severe catch when the tool is near the end of the tool rest. I recommend gluing in a block of wood to preclude a severe injury. Over time, I have added several other aftermarket tool rests......including the Oneway curved bowl rests. Be sure to order the 1" to 1-1/4" tool rest adapter as very few rests are offered w/ 1-1/4" posts. The wide bed ways are a significant advantage in supporting the banjo and other accessories such as coring & hollowing systems......plus they make a great place to lay the tools you are using on a project.
All in all, it's a great lathe for the buck assuming your primary interest is in bowls and short spindle work. Good luck with your decision!
Rick
