Banjo comparison

[Grant Wilkinson]

Some time ago, there was a discussion started by Emiliano, I believe, about his club acquiring a Vega 2600. In that discussion, Rick Anderson mentioned that a big improvement that he made was to replace the rather crude Vega banjo with the banjo from a Oneway 2436.
In another thread a wee bit ago, Odie talked about changing lathes, but he ended up replacing the banjo on his lathe with one from Robust.
I have a Vega 2600.
I'm confident that the Oneway banjo will fit my Vega 2600, since Rick has already done that.
Assuming for the moment that a Robust banjo will work on my Vega, (and I would need to verify that with Robust) can anyone offer up pros and cons of the Robust vs the Oneway banjo?
I'll start. Since I am in Canada, the Oneway gets one pro since I don't need to deal with cross-border shipping.
Thank you for any advice you can provide.

 

[hockenbery]

I’ve done quite a few demos on the Robust AB

I believe the ONEWAY banjo is the best out there.
The locking mechanism is superb. For the banjo and tool post.
The tool post locking position can be rotated to suite the turners preference.
Locking handle is at the back of the banjo so it never gets close to the work.
the tool post locking Handle folds flat against the banjo so it rarely interferes with a low tool handle.

The robust banjo is a fine piece of equipment too.

It uses the opposing nut locking mechanism powermatic used on the first 3520s and again on new one. This is an excellent lock and the mechanism floats side to side so you can quickly move the handle to the other side when it gets in the way. The down side of the free float is that a nut can block the tool post from going in if the handle closes or the mechanism is bumped without a tool post in it.
A little fiddling quickly opens the pathway and owners learn to open the lock an extra turn and not move the banjo before putting a tool rest in. It’s a little nuisance that probably never bothers an owner who hasn’t had a ONEWAY banjo.

Robust locking handle is on the side so it gets Too close to the work sometimes and has to be moved to the other side. It also sticks out a bit and can interfere with a low tool handle. A quick fiddle fixes it or move it to the other side.


And added bonus for ONEWAY is white makes a better background for seeing the edge of a turning.

Both Banjos are excellent.
Robust banjo owners can brag about how fast they can move the tool post locking handle from one side to the other. ONEWAY banjo owners don’t need to move the locking handle.

 

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

I have the Oneway. Best locking system I've seen in 30 years of turning.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I've never turned on a Oneway 2436, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once ... and I own a robust American Beauty so my "unbiased"opinion is that you can't beat the Robust banjo.

As much as the US and Canada like each other I wouldn't blame you for doing the patriotic thing and going with the home grown banjo.

 

[Grant Wilkinson]

Thanks to all of you for your advice. So far, I'm leaning to the Oneway. I just have to reconcile the cost with my status as a hobbyist woodturner.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Thanks to all of you for your advice. So far, I'm leaning to the Oneway. I just have to reconcile the cost with my status as a hobbyist woodturner.

You'll never be able to financially reconcile expenditures for any hobby ... they're all expensive. And they don't generate much (if any) income. In the beginning hunting and fishing used to be cheap, but no longer. Next I got into amateur radio and built most of my gear, but now you have to buy fancy gear costing thousands. Then going in the wrong direction I moved to flying ... got a Cessna Skyhawk and then moved up to a Skylane. Then I decided to do something less expensive, so flat woodworking was IT ... This meant getting a tablesaw, drill press, bandsaw, planer, jointer, several routers, and of course a workshop. Next I revived my dormant interest in photography when digital SLR cameras came along ... still not low cost. When I retired I suddenly had this silly idea that I wanted to turn wood. There's something very addictive about a a spinning chunk of ugly wood turning into something nice. Once the woodturning bug grabs ahold of you it doesn't let go. The cost of woodturning is about 3X what it was when I started turning, but I have long since quit coming up with weak justifications for "needing" something.

 

[Keith Mombourquette]

I turn on an old Union Graduate lathe, which had a 12 in swing when I bought it. I have since lowered the bed 4 inches to turn it into a 20 inch lathe. When I did this, I bought a 20 inch retrofit banjo from Oneway. I have been delighted with it from the day I installed it.

 

[Mike Johnson]

With a good quality lathe of adequate size you can turn pieces for various customers in different markets to pay for a lathe. A larger lathe makes quick work of turning larger pieces for one off pieces for construction industry, historical buildings that need replacement pieces turned, large diameter clocks can be turned for decorative or exterior of builds, some people are turning decorative sinks that go in high end homes. Large custom made vases and wall decorations and other type items can be turned for customers of Interior Decorators for commercial and residential clients. You just need to market your potential and the machine to these markets in your area. Lots of little lathes in the market, but not a lot of big ones.

 

[Grant Wilkinson]

@Bill: With respect, you and I clearly do not inhabit the same financial neighbourhood. So, unlike you, I have no choice but to consider cost. You can buy and sell airplanes. I am on a senior's pension and at my earning height, could not conceive of such a thing. Thanks for your reply, but I think you would agree that it is irrelevant to my question.

@Mike: I have neither the means nor the desire to buy another lathe. If your comment was directed to me, thanks, but again, with respect, your comment was irrelevant to my question.

 

[Bernie Hrytzak]

You'll never be able to financially reconcile expenditures for any hobby ... they're all expensive. And they don't generate much (if any) income. In the beginning hunting and fishing used to be cheap, but no longer. Next I got into amateur radio and built most of my gear, but now you have to buy fancy gear costing thousands. Then going in the wrong direction I moved to flying ... got a Cessna Skyhawk and then moved up to a Skylane. Then I decided to do something less expensive, so flat woodworking was IT ... This meant getting a tablesaw, drill press, bandsaw, planer, jointer, several routers, and of course a workshop. Next I revived my dormant interest in photography when digital SLR cameras came along ... still not low cost. When I retired I suddenly had this silly idea that I wanted to turn wood. There's something very addictive about a a spinning chunk of ugly wood turning into something nice. Once the woodturning bug grabs ahold of you it doesn't let go. The cost of woodturning is about 3X what it was when I started turning, but I have long since quit coming up with weak justifications for "needing" something.

Well, its called living! What else would you have been doing?

 

[Grant Wilkinson]

@bernie: If your comment is in reply to my question, I am sorry, but I have absolutely no idea what you mean.

 

[Bill Boehme]

@Bill: With respect, you and I clearly do not inhabit the same financial neighbourhood. So, unlike you, I have no choice but to consider cost. You can buy and sell airplanes. I am on a senior's pension and at my earning height, could not conceive of such a thing. Thanks for your reply, but I think you would agree that it is irrelevant to my question.

@Mike: I have neither the means nor the desire to buy another lathe. If your comment was directed to me, thanks, but again, with respect, your comment was irrelevant to my question.

The cost of owning an airplane many decades ago is not even remotely close to what it is today. Average people could afford to own an airplane ... even buy a new plane. I had two partners in the Skyhawk so I paid a third of the approximately $13,000 purchase price. We sold it for a little more than what we paid for it several years later and picked up another partner so my share of the $28,000 for the Skylane was $7,000. I had to quit flying because of multiple sclerosis and sold my share to the other partners for about twice what I originally paid. If this sounds like a wonderful investment, it really isn't. Over the years we had put a lot into upgrading the avionics and a major facelift (polyurethane paint, new carpet, side panels, headliner, and upholstery.

.... @bernie: If your comment is in reply to my question, I am sorry, but I have absolutely no idea what you mean.

I'm positive that Bernie was addressing me since he quoted my post. Thanks, Bernie. Back in my single days I had more dollars than sense.

@Grant Wilkinson if you want to send a notification to somebody then you need to put their correct full username after "@". No notification is sent for a partial username ... for example there are approximately 200 forum members named Bill as you can see HERE.

 

[Mike Brazeau]

Grant, you will never regret buying the Oneway banjo. When you are done with it you can probably sell for 60-65% of the retail at that time. One bit of advice - do not press as hard as you are used to when you lock it down. It works so well, you just need a gentle touch. We did it on our guild General 260 a number of years ago, and no one has regretted that expense.

 

[hockenbery]

Thanks to all of you for your advice. So far, I'm leaning to the Oneway. I just have to reconcile the cost with my status as a hobbyist woodturner.

Banjo is $290 US$
You have to consider how often you would use it an how much pleasure you get from using it.
Or how often you struggle with the banjo you have.
It is something you use every time you turn.


I turned for a long time on a wood fast, I learned to hit the locking lever with the tool handle every time I locked it because it would slip once in a while otherwise. I do the same on any banjo that has a locking screw into the tool post.

I was fortunate enough to be selling some things to cover my new investments.
My thinking would be - small hollow form pays for it with $$ left over.

We always have the discussion about needs and wants.
Have get what you need and then decide how many and which if the wants.

 

[Odie]

I'm in the same boat as Grant.......have to watch my spending like a hawk. Even so, I spend quite a bit for premium blocks of wood. Just last week, I paid $170 for a block of burl that could be an outstanding turning.....all up to me!

It's more than a hobby, because I'm supplementing my living with my turning......even though the main purpose isn't to make money. My purpose is to keep improving and become the best I can be. If I make sales, that's great....it all helps.

I have wrestled with the thought of buying a new lathe for the last decade......but, keep returning to the thought that it won't make a whit of difference in the quality of work I am able to produce. A few more inches of swing would be nice, but the great majority of the wood that is available to me is within the capabilities I now have.

The Robust banjo was a wise decision. Keeping the Woodfast lathe is neither wise, nor an obstacle that can be improved on......it was just the best decision to make, considering all the influences that contributed to that decision......

-----odie-----

 

[Odie]

Locking handle is at the back of the banjo so it never gets close to the work.

I haven't tried it myself, but I can remember one of Brent English's statements in the Sweet 16 video, that the locking handle for the banjo can be reversed to the opposite end. This was when using the gap bed on the side of the lathe, while turning extra large pieces......

-----odie-----

 

[hockenbery]

I haven't tried it myself, but I can remember one of Brent English's statements in the Sweet 16 video, that the locking handle can be reversed. This was when using the gap bed on the side of the lathe, while turning extra large pieces......

-----odie-----

It’s really easy. Robust, New Jets & Powermatic the same.

Take the tool rest out pull the locking tool rest locking handle out and both nuts slide out on the screw
Slide them into the other side - they only go in one way so may need to turn the nuts to line them up.

Before a demo I check the tool rest positions for planned pull cuts and test short tool rest positions.
I set the handle on the side where it works best and then can usually find a tool rest angle that works to keep the handle both usable and out of the way.

 

[Odie]

It’s really easy. Robust, New Jets & Powermatic the same.

Take the tool rest out pull the locking tool rest locking handle out and both nuts slide out on the screw
Slide them into the other side - they only go in one way so may need to turn the nuts to line them up.

Before a demo I check the tool rest positions for planned pull cuts and test short tool rest positions.
I set the handle on the side where it works best and then can usually find a tool rest angle that works to keep the handle both usable and out of the way.

I see we aren't talking about the same thing, Al......I was talking about reversing the lock handle for the robust banjo itself. I've reversed the locking mechanism for locking the tool rest post.......easy to do.

Note: I edited that post to make it a bit more clear as to what I was referring to.......

-----odie-----

 

[Grant Wilkinson]

Thanks once again for the advice. I didn't want to come across as a jerk, but for me, the cost of the banjo and a new tool rest (needed because the Vega tool post 1.25") is significant enough that I have to give is some serious thought. By the time I get it here, I'm at about $500, taxes and shipping included. To me, that is not chump change. You're right, Al, I do need to consider how much I will use it - not much - and the enjoyment that I will get out of it - quite a bit. Like Odie, I also need to realize that my turning ability and my final products will not improve one bit for my $500.

 

[hockenbery]

also need to realize that my turning ability and my final products will not improve one bit for my $500.

While this is mostly true.
You could realize a small increase in productivity with a banjo that is faster to reposition and adjust.

Another choice - put the $500 toward a class with a quality instructor.
The improvement in skills, confidence, and design will last you forever.

 

[john lucas]

Good advice Al.

 

[Grant Wilkinson]

Tks, Al. I can't disagree. I've had some instruction and believe that anyone can use all the education he can get. Not to be an ass, but I would be hard pressed to find any instruction for $500 Cdn. I have looked at some 2 - 3 day sessions, and not found any that I can afford. Even if the cost of the instruction itself is in the ballpark, adding accommodation and travel from Canada kills the deal for me. I don't want to sound whiny here; I'm just being factual in describing my experience.