I cant think of a reason one not to go with the Robust. I think that is the finest lathe made. Right here in the USA. Built with your name on it. BUY IT!
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New lathe decision
- Thread starter Jaramiah Severns
- Start date
Four years ago to the month, I was making the same decision having outgrown the Jet 1442 that I inherited from my father. I was leaning toward a PM 3520B until I got an unexpected promotion accompanied by a nice bonus and decided by splurging on my forever lathe. After talking to some veteran turners in my club about Vicmarc, Oneway, and Robust, I settled on the AB. The stainless ways and tilt-away were the main deciding factors. Also love the swing and horsepower, but they’re not differentiators from the alternatives. One other consideration that may sound silly and is definitely subjective: I love the look of Robust lathes!
Bottom line: I have never regretted splurging on my American Beauty.
As to customer service, I can’t really speak to that as I haven’t had a single issue, so never had occasion to contact Brent since the purchase.
Bottom line: I have never regretted splurging on my American Beauty.
As to customer service, I can’t really speak to that as I haven’t had a single issue, so never had occasion to contact Brent since the purchase.
My personality doesn't allow me to consider Robust. I've always been a Buick guy rather than Cadillac (outdated reference, Cadillac is hardly a gold standard these days). I believe they are worth the money, just not for me.
Are there any videos online showing the headstock of a VL240 being pivoted? How long does it take? What are the differences between the VL240 base version and the "heavy duty" version?
I always keep mine in the 30 degree position. It can move back to in line in a minute or so. I did take the push pin for setting angles and round it over a bit on my grinder just to make the repositioning easier. I do keep it in the mid speed range which goes over 2000 rpm. I don't turn spindles on it. Not sure about the "heavy duty" version. I did find out that you need to engage the "set screw" when you pivot it. There is a screw on the base which is kind of a double lock thing. The set pin to pivot the headstock sets the angle, and the screw on the pivot place anchors it down. I did get the auxiliary floor mount for the banjo if I go 90 degrees, and found it very cumbersome to use.
robo hippy
robo hippy
I subscribe to the “fit the item to the application” thought process. Been a few items where I spent more $ than necessary and cried every time I saw the item.
What is the use profile for a new lathe? Where does your current laguna fall short? If you just want the most expensive thing out there, go for the AB. No doubt its a fine machine, but is it worth the higher $? Depends on the person. What could be purchased with the $ difference? Each person has their own “buttons to be pushed” to end up satisfied.
What is the use profile for a new lathe? Where does your current laguna fall short? If you just want the most expensive thing out there, go for the AB. No doubt its a fine machine, but is it worth the higher $? Depends on the person. What could be purchased with the $ difference? Each person has their own “buttons to be pushed” to end up satisfied.
Did you get the swing-away bed extension? I was surprised to see in the video a swing-away extension on a lathe without a sliding headstock. A fixed extension would probably be longer, less expensive, and allow the tailstock to be parked out of the way at the far end and brought up faster for support. I assume the handwheel is threaded M33 LH.
Not much to add here. So many comments. I have the Robust American Beauty. I bought it a few years old with most of the offered attachments. Buy once is my motto as well. The machine is absolutely fabulous. You won't regret it. PS - PM me if you want to talk about their offered options.
I can't imagine if I had the disposable income not buying the best lathe available. If I tried o live by the buy once cry once, I wouldn't have been woodturning for the last 5 years I'd still be saving for a oneway.
Agreed. I bought the best lathe I could afford at the time. I had to sell it on though when I moved house because I didn’t have the space for it.
The replacement was smaller but actually much more expensive. I had a bit more money to spend on a lathe by then.
I actually don’t need a large lathe for the type of stuff I turn. If I had the money, and it was available over here with an M33 x 3.5 spindle I’d have one of these - with a bed extension, just in case!
If I had to replace mine, I'd go for the 3hp Robust AB with gas assist swing away, but I'd pass on the light and outlet strip.
Went through this very choice recently. Had saved up for a new PM. After talking with a club member then seeing an AB at the AAW symposium I decided to wait and continue to save till I had enough for an AB. So glad I did! Absolutely love it! Bought mine at the TAW one year ago. Brent is great to work with . Get the lighting system they’re awesome!
I also turn mostly HFs and the sliding headstock is perfect for that. Along with the swing away.
Kevin Jesequel
TOTW Team
The beauty of the VL240 is that it is super compact. Using the swing away (which I do not have) allows you to keep the compact footprint by swinging it out of the way when not needed, and having an extra 400mm between centers when needed. Because the headstock rotates, you really don’t need to get the tailstock out of the way and you can book end the lathe with other equipment, shelving, etc, because you do not need to leave room to stand at the end of the lathe for hollowing like you would with a sliding headstock lathe (or to use the outboard side of a fixed headstock lathe). Of course, most people lean over the ways and never move their sliding headstock anyway. For my style of hollowing, I want to stand in front of the piece I am working on.
The outboard spindle is threaded the same as the inboard and both are RH.
The main differences between the standard stand and the HD stand are that the HD stand has the stop bar, is fully enclosed, and weighs 50kg more. I have the HD and find it sits very “heavy”, which I attribute to its small footprint. I can’t budge it no matter how hard I try to push or pull it. I can’t say that about the Oneway I owned or any of the AB’s I’ve turned on. I think the longer footprint of both of those and the independently adjustable legs of the AB make them more fussy to get them solidly on the floor (especially if you’d shop is in a garage with a sloped floor).
That said, @Jaramiah Severns , I am sure you will be happy with the AB if that is what you decide you want. They really are great lathes.
Thanks Kevin for all this helpful info. I have a long bed with sliding headstock and tried turning bowls at the tailstock end but manually unmounting and mounting the tailstock was a nuisance and the base of the lathe was constantly getting in my way. Positioning the banjo on the short section of the bed was also a nuisance if the wood couldn't swing over the banjo, so I went back to using the lathe like a fixed headstock lathe as you mentioned most people do. I like being able to slide the headstock well away from the leg on the headstock end though. So if I understand, it is typical to turn bowls on the VL240 with the headstock rotated and without changing the rotated position of the headstock. Is it practical to get the tool rest around to turn the outside of a bowl that can't spin over the banjo with the headstock rotated?
One reason NOT to buy the most expensive option, which is expressed regularly in this type of thread, is that you can use the money you save to take a class to improve your skills. These are all great lathes and any will perform extremely well. The BEST lathe is a highly personal decision.
My 240 does have the pivot away tailstock attachment, and it is lined up spot on. Never could get my AB to line up nearly as well. I do have the tailstock on the 240 on the floor in a box since I don't use it.
robo hippy
robo hippy
It takes just a few seconds, I've never put a timer on it.
HD comes with a Very nice stand.
I saved a few bucks by purchasing a magnetic outlet strip from HF and I also bought Woodturners Wonders track bar, light and dust collector mounts. The set up has worked well and gives me a lot of flexibility.
Kevin Jesequel
TOTW Team
I think you could in the 30 degree position, but it is so easy to rotate, you could rotate it 90 degrees, move the banjo to either side of the bowl, then rotate it back.
Been loosely following this thread for a while now, and it’s clear that opinions are truly like (insert your style of metaphor here). Perhaps lost in the replies is the best advice of all (insert your style my opinion) from Hugh in Sebastopol.
As I posted earlier, I made this decision over 12 years ago now. Facing retirement time in a couple of years, I knew that the decision would have to be lived with for a long time. I actually started researching my options and wound up on a journey that took over 12 months, introduced me to several turners within driving distance and resulted in turning time on all four of the lathes I was considering.
Compile your list of possibilities, contact either local clubs or distributors of the equipment and see if you can get a little time on the actual equipment. As Hugh said - take your own tools, chucks and wood. Clean up afterwards, even taking the shavings with you when you leave if necessary. It’s a process that exposes you to new people, new ways of working and organizing your shop. As a plus, you should wind up with the best option of all for the way you turn and what you want to make. I didn’t log my travel, but wound up in shops that were a two or three hour drive from where I live, all well worth the time and trouble
For me, this was a decision I didn’t have the luxury of screwing up - I’m far from rich and was planning on retiring on a fixed income. I did save up for this expense ahead of time so was prepared for all the options.
As a footnote, after all was decided and put into motion, it turns out that there was a new version of the PM 4224 being introduced at the symposium that year. A little last minute panic set in - this was close to fulfilling the capabilities list for me, at what seemed like a bargain by comparison. But closer examination and head to head my ‘most expensive option’ was really only a couple hundred dollars more - kind of like forgoing the sunroof on that new car that would only add pennies to the monthly payment in the long run. As it turned out, when I finally got to see them both at the trade show, there was no comparison.
Twelve years later, my AB still runs like it did when it first arrived in my shop. It’s a joy to use and - unlike its owner - shows no signs of wearing out.
My advice - Take the time - it’s a big decision.
As I posted earlier, I made this decision over 12 years ago now. Facing retirement time in a couple of years, I knew that the decision would have to be lived with for a long time. I actually started researching my options and wound up on a journey that took over 12 months, introduced me to several turners within driving distance and resulted in turning time on all four of the lathes I was considering.
Compile your list of possibilities, contact either local clubs or distributors of the equipment and see if you can get a little time on the actual equipment. As Hugh said - take your own tools, chucks and wood. Clean up afterwards, even taking the shavings with you when you leave if necessary. It’s a process that exposes you to new people, new ways of working and organizing your shop. As a plus, you should wind up with the best option of all for the way you turn and what you want to make. I didn’t log my travel, but wound up in shops that were a two or three hour drive from where I live, all well worth the time and trouble
For me, this was a decision I didn’t have the luxury of screwing up - I’m far from rich and was planning on retiring on a fixed income. I did save up for this expense ahead of time so was prepared for all the options.
As a footnote, after all was decided and put into motion, it turns out that there was a new version of the PM 4224 being introduced at the symposium that year. A little last minute panic set in - this was close to fulfilling the capabilities list for me, at what seemed like a bargain by comparison. But closer examination and head to head my ‘most expensive option’ was really only a couple hundred dollars more - kind of like forgoing the sunroof on that new car that would only add pennies to the monthly payment in the long run. As it turned out, when I finally got to see them both at the trade show, there was no comparison.
Twelve years later, my AB still runs like it did when it first arrived in my shop. It’s a joy to use and - unlike its owner - shows no signs of wearing out.
My advice - Take the time - it’s a big decision.
I haven’t seen a single person in this thread or others who regrets their Robust AB purchase. When I’m not at the level of pros or Jaramiah and my PM3520 works well, hard to justify a switch. But if I were to need a new lathe, having turned on a AB at Ellsworth’s and seen this and other threads, the choice isn’t that hard: nobody regrets their AB decision.
We are all waiting to see what Jaramiah does.
We are all waiting to see what Jaramiah does.
This is very sage advice. It's why I'm starting my search and planning now on my next lathe purchase. While not in the scale of the OP's decision both physically and economically, to me it is. I want this to be my forever lathe, so comparing all on the market are under consideration. As far as OP it sounds to me that the AB is the right choice for you based on your impression and the response from the community. Whatever you get I hope you love your new lathe.
Gregory
I really appreciate all of the input and perspectives in this thread, y’all! I’m 90% decided on the AB. The only thing that gives me pause is that I haven’t tried the VL240 yet. I’ve avoided rotating headstocks, in general, as I’ve heard they sometimes have alignment issues (though not from the most reliable sources, admittedly), but that doesn’t seem to be an issue for the VL, so my interest is piqued. @Kevin Jesequel, I’ll swing by later to put in a few reps 
Won’t be making a decision until April, so will continue to do my research and look for a Vic to test drive. Thanks again for all of the feedback and sharing your experiences on various machines!
Won’t be making a decision until April, so will continue to do my research and look for a Vic to test drive. Thanks again for all of the feedback and sharing your experiences on various machines!
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Kevin Jesequel
TOTW Team
You’re welcome to come over anytime!I really appreciate all of the input and perspectives in this thread, y’all! I’m 90% decided on the AB. The only thing that gives me pause is that I haven’t tried the VL240 yet. I’ve avoided rotating headstocks, in general, as I’ve heard they sometimes have alignment issues (though not from the most reliable sources, admittedly), but that doesn’t seem to be an issue for the VL, so my interest is piqued. @Kevin Jesequel, I’ll swing by later to put in a few reps
Won’t be making a decision until April, so will continue to do my research and look for a Vic to test drive. Thanks again for all of the feedback and sharing your experiences on various machines!
The pin that you use when rotating the headstock on the 240 makes for EXACT positioning. The first pivoting headstocks and the banjos were junk. If I was to make one for myself, I would probably do it almost exactly the way Vicmark does. Though not an engineer, "if it ain't broke, take it apart and fix it anyway"! Basic design is excellent.
robo hippy
robo hippy
I'm in SE Wisconsin. About an hour north of Chicago. If you are ever in the area you are welcome to take my VL240 ASM HD for a test drive.I really appreciate all of the input and perspectives in this thread, y’all! I’m 90% decided on the AB. The only thing that gives me pause is that I haven’t tried the VL240 yet. I’ve avoided rotating headstocks, in general, as I’ve heard they sometimes have alignment issues (though not from the most reliable sources, admittedly), but that doesn’t seem to be an issue for the VL, so my interest is piqued. @Kevin Jesequel, I’ll swing by later to put in a few reps
Won’t be making a decision until April, so will continue to do my research and look for a Vic to test drive. Thanks again for all of the feedback and sharing your experiences on various machines!
I do not want to be a fanboy, but I recently went for a Harvey T60 and do not regret it for a moment.The only upgrade I made was a Oneway banjo. I thought hard about an AB, turned on an AB and the Harvey and chose the Harvey.
I didn’t know that lathe, looked it up, and it’s a lot of lathe for a little over $4000. Good for you.
I looked long and hard at the T60 when I upgraded. I don't have 220v in the garage and the quote I got to add it was outrageous. That was the tipping point for me going with the Rikon 1824.
Same with me. No 220 available so I went with the Nova.
Thank you for this story, Donna. I’m so glad that the American Beauty helped save you from surgery. I’ve had two major surgeries on my back and the last one was a fusion that actually made things worse. Now I spend most of my days in bed, and I can tolerate only very limited time at the lathe.
I recently read an excellent book on the healthcare industry’s treatment of back pain. It’s entitled Crooked and is an important read for anyone considering back surgery.
I hope you continue to enjoy many years of turning.
Familiar story - I have had 4 back surgeries over an 8 year period. They were successful, allowing me to continue riding motorcycles and most other activities. Back issues were a prime reason I chose a Nova Galaxy pivot headstock lathe with the outrigger. No need to remove or pivot the tailstock, or slide the headstock down. Rotate the HS to whatever position you want to hollow a bowl or hf, or sand, or apply finish, without the lathe bed in the way.
I turn the inside of my pieces outboard except for smaller things. Most comments on the subject are, "I have X and I don't like Y." Everyone with a sliding headstock says they prefer it over a rotating headstock and vice versa. I have a rotating headstock and like it a lot.
Another advantage of a tailstock swing/tilt away is that you can slide a hollowing rig, bowl steady or other equipment on or off the bed without removing the tailstock. This won't be important to everyone, but I find it convenient.
On the subject of rotating/sliding head stock this lathe was for sale around Asheville NC. The guy was selling all his equipment and this lathe was priced at $2750.00 (sold). I thought it was a nice set up and caught my eye because it is similar to how a Sweet 16 can be set up. And, I’ve never seen one of these for sale.
Looks like it would be a nice set up for someone who wanted both rotating and sliding head stock.
Me, I’m still saving for the American Beauty!
Looks like it would be a nice set up for someone who wanted both rotating and sliding head stock.
Me, I’m still saving for the American Beauty!
I would definitely recommend trying out machines before making a decision. I was recommended a Powermatic 3520, but when I took a class at Craft Supplies they only had one 3520, and it had already been taken. So I had to settle with a Vicmarc Vl300 for the class. After using the Vicmarc the 3520 no longer appealed to me. One other deciding factor was sliding the headstock to the end to turn outboard, the 3520 looked impressive, but I learned I could mount a bed extension on the outboard side of the Vl300, run the lathe in reverse and get the same result. I went with the Vl300. That was in 2008 I don't regret getting the machine I like.
Yes the Stratos is a very good looking machine, but the company won't sell to the USA. Too bad for us. Makes me wonder how this guy got his.
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If you are willing to spend the money you can use freight forwarder services (just google them, lots are out there, just have to do your own research on which to use)
To clarify: basically freight forwarder gives you a European address to have your order shipped to, at which point they will then repackage and arrange importation , logistics, etc to get it to where you want it delivered.