Will have to see in action I guess.OK y'all ain't getting what I'm asking. If I expand it to the right because I want to turn a 31" platter and move my tailstock all the way to the left on the upper bed (cuz I'm doing a platter) where does my banjo go. If you are going to tell me "on the lower bed" I got that! My question back to you would be how does it get to the lower bed. The only lathe I've work with is a PSI midi lathe and to get the banjo on and off you have to come in from the far right side after removing the tailstock. Do big lathe banjos install differently?
Thanks Tim, yea I should have taken a closer look at the banjo in that config. Not sure how they have that attached but gotta believe it’s secure.
If you look at the picture closely, it looks like there might be an extra wide portion of the ways just before the gap in the ways. It would make setting the banjo in place pretty easy it it had the round clamp .
Ok, so here's a question... what does this lathe offer over a
lathe with a 31" throw and a 40" bed? I get that it saves 20" in floor space, but is that really that big a deal for people, especially if you lose that space anyway when you are turning something that long?
Another thought -I'm sure the bed locks down well no matter what position it is in, but my logic tells me that it will still not be as rigid as a solid one piece bed.
As to price, I can't imagine it will be as cheap as other lathes in the ~25" size range, how can it with the added mechanicals? Ive got to believe it will be priced right along the lathes in the 30" size, and maybe a little more because of the "space saving mechanicals".
I may be all wet with these comments, I've only been turning a couple of years on a midi, and I have space for a 8' bed lathe if I wanted one and could afford it.....
This lathe is so cool! Impatiently waiting until April :) what do you guys think price wise? 3k?And we have a winner - Jerry called it. See the vid on this page.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/828943875146233281/
With the 70-305 (1.5hp, 16" swing) priced at $2500, I can't imagine the new one is going to be under $3500. Purely a WAG on my part.
I haven’t seen this video yet, that is pretty awesome! Pinterest is the only place that seems to have videos of this thing. I’m surprised the rikon website doesn’t have some teasers on the page with the info about the lathe, to get people excited and want to buy it.