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Vicmarc or Stubby?
- Thread starter AnthonyC
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odie
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I have neither used, or have owned either of these lathes, so I'm not going to make a judgement about which of these two lathes might be best.....strictly speculating.
.......there will never be universal agreement on these things.The Vicmarc is a traditional design, while the Stubby is a large capacity gap bed that relies on two separate bedways that are opposed 90o . The main bedway is sliding while the auxillary bed needs to be installed by hand. Both of those bedways look heavy and difficult to remove, install, and slide.
With the Vicmarc, the turning will have to be removed to slide the banjo to the rear or front of the bowl for anything above about 20" diameter.....but since it has a 24" swing and wood that big is rather hard to come by, it would only need to be done occasionally.
The Stubby has an amazing 30" swing, and the Vicmarc has 24" swing. This is probably the deciding factor......30" vs 24". For me, the answer would be obvious.......since I seldom find wood blocks that are greater than the capacity of my 16" swing Woodfast, the choice for me would be the Vicmarc. It looks to me like the Vicmarc would be easier to manipulate around the specifics of any particular bowl. It would be my choice, but probably not for the reasons someone else might choose the Stubby.......for them, that would be the "best".
ooc
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I would buy a used Stubby S1000 and forget the rest. Nothing wrong with the Vicmarc VL300 short bed or the Stubby S750.
Do it right the last time.
Do it right the last time.
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Anthony,
Our club Carolina Mountain Woodturners has a Stubby. I never have turned on it. We have a demonstrator every month they all seem to like it must be a good machine. I am not sure where you live in Tenn. but John Jordan I think is the importer of the Stubby. He lives in about the middle of the state or about 180 miles west of Knoxville. Another lathe that might fit your needs would be a Vega. Or how about a VB 36. Did you see the Oneway 2436 for sale here.
Good Luck on whatever you choose,
Dave
Our club Carolina Mountain Woodturners has a Stubby. I never have turned on it. We have a demonstrator every month they all seem to like it must be a good machine. I am not sure where you live in Tenn. but John Jordan I think is the importer of the Stubby. He lives in about the middle of the state or about 180 miles west of Knoxville. Another lathe that might fit your needs would be a Vega. Or how about a VB 36. Did you see the Oneway 2436 for sale here.
Good Luck on whatever you choose,
Dave
Vicmarc or Stubby
Thanks for the replies. I am 30 minutes from John Jordan and plan on visiting him. I have been turning on my dad's Robust and Oneway, and like them very much. I haven't heard or seen much about Vega. Thanks again guys.
Thanks for the replies. I am 30 minutes from John Jordan and plan on visiting him. I have been turning on my dad's Robust and Oneway, and like them very much. I haven't heard or seen much about Vega. Thanks again guys.
Once again, I'll state that the Stubby bed is mounted on a TURRET. It doesn't just slide, it also rotates (never tried mine, but probably full 360 degrees). It is NOT just a gap lathe like a Robust. The Vicmarc is a really good CONVENTIONAL lathe, with a lot of swing, but still won't give the flexibility a Stubby will if you want to turn bowls. Ask John Jordan.
If you're serious about trying one out, ask stubbygroup@yahoogroups.com to find out who's near you.
vicmarc or stubby
Anthony
I say Stubby if I had the money I'd have a Stubby 1000,Vicmarc is a nice lathe but that it just a short lathe.I have a Vega 2600 very unconventional lathe,I really like my Vega,US made,turns 26",has a tail stock and weights a little over
500 lb.I've got the 2 HP VS VFD ,mine is about 6 or 7 years old it goes down to 0 rpm I believe the new ones only go down to 20 RPM.I'd put it on your short list.
Anthony
I say Stubby if I had the money I'd have a Stubby 1000,Vicmarc is a nice lathe but that it just a short lathe.I have a Vega 2600 very unconventional lathe,I really like my Vega,US made,turns 26",has a tail stock and weights a little over
500 lb.I've got the 2 HP VS VFD ,mine is about 6 or 7 years old it goes down to 0 rpm I believe the new ones only go down to 20 RPM.I'd put it on your short list.
John Jordan
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There is no longer a Stubby 1000. I prefer ans recommended the 750 anyway. The working parts are the same and the stand is better and adjustable for height.
I no longer import the Stubby, but can still help with one, and you are welcome to come to Nashville and try mine out.
John
I no longer import the Stubby, but can still help with one, and you are welcome to come to Nashville and try mine out.
John
Just to further confuse things, Vicmarc has a VL600 that they are "someplace" in the introduction phase.
Some photos of the prototype got posted to all the forums a couple of years ago
Tough choice, they are both great firms
Some photos of the prototype got posted to all the forums a couple of years ago
Tough choice, they are both great firms
Robust?
I turn on a Robust American Beauty and Love it. Three horses of power
and 25 inches of throw. I sold a Stubby 750 to get the Robust mainly
because I thought the Stubby was way to noisy. The Robust is silent, powerful,
adjustable, and made in the USA. Brent English is the company owner and
will work with you no matter your question or problem. Second choice would
be the Vicmarc.
I turn on a Robust American Beauty and Love it. Three horses of power
and 25 inches of throw. I sold a Stubby 750 to get the Robust mainly
because I thought the Stubby was way to noisy. The Robust is silent, powerful,
adjustable, and made in the USA. Brent English is the company owner and
will work with you no matter your question or problem. Second choice would
be the Vicmarc.
Noisy?? I've had mine for over six years and it's never been noisy. I've also never heard any of the well over a hundred owners on the user group ever say anything about noise. I'm sorry, but I've got to doubt your statement.
I don't have either lathe, but have set in front of the Stubby that the Carolina Mountain Turners club for many demo's and you can not hear it run from ten feet away so it is without a doubt one of the quietest large lathes I've ever been around. This fact is one of many things that impress me about this lathe. It is also as flexible in the way one can configure its bed for turning as any lathe on the market. If I was ever going to think about trading up from my Oneway Stubby is the lathe I would look at.
Jack
Jack
Doesn't Tim on Woodturning Workshop turn on a Stubby, his is sure quiet.
Robust Sweet 16 has my Vote
I looked at Vic and Stubby they are great machines, but my choice was and still is a Robust Sweet 16 with a long bed.
It gives you 32" of swing with the gap open and 52" between centers if you move the bed gap out to extend the bed.
It's a very well thought out machine and you can't beat the service, Brent English is right there to help if you need it.
It's silent running, has stainless steel ways, a Leeson motor, 7 year warranty and it's American made. You should consider it.
It's a great choice.
I looked at Vic and Stubby they are great machines, but my choice was and still is a Robust Sweet 16 with a long bed.
It gives you 32" of swing with the gap open and 52" between centers if you move the bed gap out to extend the bed.
It's a very well thought out machine and you can't beat the service, Brent English is right there to help if you need it.
It's silent running, has stainless steel ways, a Leeson motor, 7 year warranty and it's American made. You should consider it.
It's a great choice.
Stubby Noise
I have no dog in this Stubby noise fight if you like your Stubby that's great!
If someone on TV uses one that's great too. I just gave my opinion on lathes
that I have owned. I didn't care that much for the Stubby 750 I had it was noisy and I really enjoy my silent 3hp American Beauty.
I have no dog in this Stubby noise fight if you like your Stubby that's great!
If someone on TV uses one that's great too. I just gave my opinion on lathes
that I have owned. I didn't care that much for the Stubby 750 I had it was noisy and I really enjoy my silent 3hp American Beauty.
I say steal your dad's Robust. He'll be fine with the oneway.
Angelo
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How do I spell Vicmark or Stubby?
O-n-e-w-a-y
O-n-e-w-a-y
Not to down any other lathe, but I wouldn't trade my Stubby 1000 for any machine now being marketed.
Unfortunately, while the 1000 is now being made by Omega in Australia (just got an e-brochure on it) it is not being imported into North America by Stubby USA.
I have also turned on a Vic, but much prefer my machine.
Unfortunately, while the 1000 is now being made by Omega in Australia (just got an e-brochure on it) it is not being imported into North America by Stubby USA.
I have also turned on a Vic, but much prefer my machine.
personal choice
I went thru the same process and narrowed my choices to the One Way, Robust, and Stubby. Vic is also a fine machine.
My choice was the Stubby 750, which has performed flawlessly. Very fine machine, and works easily. For those who have not tried it, my concerns about the movable bed turned out to be miss information. It moves almost effortlessly and is very well machined and solid. Lines up perfectly every time.
In the end, I think aesthetics have a lot to do with it. I personally liked the industrial look of the Stubby, but the One Way, Robust, and Vic Marks are in the same league. I probably would have picked the One Way if I had tried the 24-16 with an outrigger, or the Robust if they did not have so much plastic (understand they have since changed).
In the end, they essentially do the same thing - make wood rotate.
I went thru the same process and narrowed my choices to the One Way, Robust, and Stubby. Vic is also a fine machine.
My choice was the Stubby 750, which has performed flawlessly. Very fine machine, and works easily. For those who have not tried it, my concerns about the movable bed turned out to be miss information. It moves almost effortlessly and is very well machined and solid. Lines up perfectly every time.
In the end, I think aesthetics have a lot to do with it. I personally liked the industrial look of the Stubby, but the One Way, Robust, and Vic Marks are in the same league. I probably would have picked the One Way if I had tried the 24-16 with an outrigger, or the Robust if they did not have so much plastic (understand they have since changed).
In the end, they essentially do the same thing - make wood rotate.
Angelo
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Interesting thing
An interesting thought ocurred to me today.
You all are very fortunate to have so many lathe choices. I can think back to when I bought my first BIG lathe. It was a Oneway 2036. They had not made the 2436 until a few years later. At that time the only other BIG lathe on the market was the VB 36.
Robust, Stubby, Serious Lathe (and others) are all recent contenders
There was also a thing called a DJ lathe which was basicaly a headstock for which you built a plywood base and filled it with sand. I think that this company eventually became the Thompson Lathe Comapny which has since gone out of business.
Delta lates were not very good, at the time, I was replacing a Delta DL-40 which had real problems with the electronic speed control, not to mention a footprint that was too small for bowl turning.
If you were really ambitious you could buy an old pattern makers lathe and retro fit babbit bearings with ball bearings etc etc
General had a big lathe (read heavy duty) but it only had a 6" swing. You could buy riser blocks to increase the swing to 12" (?)
So to be fair, if I had to replace my Oneway 2436, now, I believe that I could be happy with most any of the other brands as they are all head and shoulders above what was on the market 15 to 20 years ago. I would just need to decide which of the innovations (like a swing away tail stock) are important to me and lit that guide my judgement.
A
An interesting thought ocurred to me today.
You all are very fortunate to have so many lathe choices. I can think back to when I bought my first BIG lathe. It was a Oneway 2036. They had not made the 2436 until a few years later. At that time the only other BIG lathe on the market was the VB 36.
Robust, Stubby, Serious Lathe (and others) are all recent contenders
There was also a thing called a DJ lathe which was basicaly a headstock for which you built a plywood base and filled it with sand. I think that this company eventually became the Thompson Lathe Comapny which has since gone out of business.
Delta lates were not very good, at the time, I was replacing a Delta DL-40 which had real problems with the electronic speed control, not to mention a footprint that was too small for bowl turning.
If you were really ambitious you could buy an old pattern makers lathe and retro fit babbit bearings with ball bearings etc etc
General had a big lathe (read heavy duty) but it only had a 6" swing. You could buy riser blocks to increase the swing to 12" (?)
So to be fair, if I had to replace my Oneway 2436, now, I believe that I could be happy with most any of the other brands as they are all head and shoulders above what was on the market 15 to 20 years ago. I would just need to decide which of the innovations (like a swing away tail stock) are important to me and lit that guide my judgement.
A
Although Robust and Serious are new, Stubby's been around for at least fifteen years.
Hi Walt,
I believe Serious has been making lathes since 1999. Granted, there have been a couple of owners... And Robust since 2004.
Not old timers, but not exactly new kids on the block. 12 years for Serious and 7 years for Robust.
Man, we are so lucky to have so many excellent choices these days.
Best wishes,
Dave
I believe Serious has been making lathes since 1999. Granted, there have been a couple of owners... And Robust since 2004.
Not old timers, but not exactly new kids on the block. 12 years for Serious and 7 years for Robust.
Man, we are so lucky to have so many excellent choices these days.
Best wishes,
Dave
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If my memory serves me right John Jordan introduced the Stubby at the 2000 AAW symposium in Charlotte.
At least that is the first time I touched one.
It may well have been around before then.
It is a fine Machine.
in a short bed
Oneway 2016 or 2416 to add to the Vicmarc, Stubby,
Sliding headstock is an option too
Robust, Powermatic...
Lots of choices. No wrong choice among those machines.
Better choices are defined by the buyer.
-Al
I would have had the machine checked to be sure the pully's were lined up or that a bearing wasn't going bad before I sold it because it was noisy. If a machine is making a noise, there is something that is not right. Most times that can be fixed.
But then that's just the way I am:cool2:
vicmarc or stubby
Go with the vicmarc, I have one available, brand new
Go with the vicmarc, I have one available, brand new
If it was noisy something was wrong with it. My Stubby is so quiet that the only sound you hear is the hum of the speed controller. It is also so stable that while running you can stand a nickel on the ways without it falling over.
That said, the Robust is a very fine machine and you did not make a bad decision. There are many reasons for purchasing a lathe and every owner has to take them into consideration.
You will enjoy the Robust.