Anyone looked at Serious lathe and tools

[veterankorea76-77]

1200lbs. of lathe, ouch! Its not out at this time but soon and at what price! I was looking at their tools anyone used them? They do not take credit cards they will invoice you when they send your order. www.seriouslathe.com

 

[Steve Worcester]

Interesting, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes.

They laid real low for a few years. I do remember the lathe from years past and it was a good solid product. At the same price range and quality as the

Oneway, Robust, Stubby genre.​

 

[cypher]

A Serious rep came to our club picnic this year to showcase there tools. I have not used them myself but they seemed very solid. The quick change handle is deceiving on the website it has a large diameter handle. (good or bad depending on personal preference) the quick lock collar seemed like a nice idea to allow tool changing quickly but it concerns me that in only needs a 1/8 turn to lock (or unlock during high vibration). Price wise - they require up to five different collets depending on tool size. at $18 dollars each plus the price of the tool.

The lathe on the website is not the same as the specs he brought to the picnic. the pictures and specs at the picnic seemed very well designed. They have a unique banjo locking system that is designed to hold tighter and a custom designed drive mechanism in the headstock. Prices seemed comparative as Steve Worcester said. Overall appeared to be a well-designed, sturdy, solid lathe.

 

[MichaelMouse]

I got the 1" cylindrical gouge and a couple of thick scrapers from Bernie when he was still running both lathe and tools. Scrapers are what they are, scrapers with thick section for long overhang. The gouge is a beast which intimidates the wood nearly as much as it does me. It's A2 steel, which makes it an easy sharpen, and since I use the big bugger for roughing wet stuff, I've never had a problem with heat ruining the edge. Fears no overhang, that's for sure, but can be tough on the operator when used with a normal overhang, as it is very heavy. Not a subscriber to the theory of heavy handles, nor do I cut where a longer one would have room to swing and use body support, so he does tire the arm.

 

[Owen Lowe]

Sorry for the delay in replying - just going through some older posts...

The quick change handle is deceiving on the website it has a large diameter handle. (good or bad depending on personal preference) the quick lock collar seemed like a nice idea to allow tool changing quickly but it concerns me that in only needs a 1/8 turn to lock (or unlock during high vibration). Price wise - they require up to five different collets depending on tool size. at $18 dollars each plus the price of the tool.

I have 2 Serious handles and, yes, the collets are expensive, at least to me. I was initially concerned the foam padding would get chewed up by the utility clips I use to hang my tools on the wall. After 2 years of frequent turning there is no sign of the foam getting torn up. I love these handles. They're comfortable and best of all there's no tool required to remove the gouge - a quick twist and it's unlocked or tightened securely. I hate looking for the correct allen wrench among the myriad selection fitting the Stewart Arm Brace, chuck jaw screws, Oneway Termite, Pro-Forme, Derry mini-hollower, lathe index pins, etc. - some are metric, some imperial but all are a pain in the... when it comes to finding the wrench that fits.

I'm not so thrilled about their gouges. Being A-2 they are much more sensitive to grinding heat than HSS. On my large 3/4" gouge, I suspect it wasn't hardened adequately - it's never held an edge for the length of time I feel it should. I don't think I have habitually overheated it over the years, and besides, should have ground past any softness, but who knows. The scrapers are OK and very stout.

 

[Scott Blackman]

I've got two of the handles and a few of the gouges. I wish I had the scrapers that fit the handles; but I have the older version. I wouldn't worry too much about the vibration breaking the lock free. It's pretty secure, though I have done it once. I love the adjustment for the gouge length. Like, Owen, I was worried about the foam as well. It's held up very nicely. I reach for those handles all the time. They are comfy.

Regarding the machine. The web shows their older model. During the Symposium, they got production release of their new version. I think it had Outboard capacity. Those machines are built serious I put them up there with Oneway, Stubby, etc. Quality.

Scott

 

[GeorgeH]

Never having seen the "Serious" lathe before, I'm wondering how the ways are constructed. Everything else on the lathe looks beefy but the ways look to me to be something akin to Lego blocks; and how does the operator deal with the tail stock hand wheel sticking out next to your right elbow?

 

[Grapeguy]

Serious gouges

I have to agree with Owen. I got a 5/8" gouge and a couple of scrapers from Bernie when the store was still in PDX. Scrapers are scrapers and they work ok and do the job. I always felt the A2 gouge was the worst tool I ever owned. I could never get a decent edge on it and it always blued. I tried different grinds on it and it never cut like I felt it should. I discussed this with the serious rep, in PDX, and I could tell I was not popular for telling him my experiences with the gouge. I always thought it was me, but I knew it wasn't.

I would never buy another.

 

[Brodie Brickey]

I think if I was in that price range for a lathe it would be Robust instead. The headstock on the Serious is huge and its MT #3. Not a huge issue but you'd have to dig around to find stuff in MT #3. MT #2 is now the most common.

Spindle Thread is also 1 1/2" x 8" instead of 1 1/4" x 8" which is more common for large lathes.

Tool Post is 1 1/4", PM and most others are 1".

Just from the specs, although everything is "beefier" than most lathes, it looks like I'd have a harder (and potentially more expensive) time getting specialty tools & new posts for a Serious Lathe over others.

Would I have to get a custom post made for my McKnaughton Coring tool?
How would these non-standard sizes affect captured hollowing?

Admittedly, if I ever get an oxy-acetylene or arc rig, I won't have to worry about it. I'd just build it, but with that much machine I'd also have to be doing serious production turning to justify it.