oneway1640lathe

I just took delivery of my 1640 a couple of days ago and can share some initial thoughts. Caveat: I am far from an expert turner, though I have turned on both small and large lathes including Oneway 2432s. I aso sell the Jet, Powermatic and Oneway lines at the store where I work part-time.

The fit and finish on the 1640 are excellent. The tailstock and banjo simply glide along the bed with none of the catches and snags that are often present on less expensive lathes. Everything is substantial and feels massive and good to the touch. The adjustment locks on the banjo, toolrest and tailstock work perfectly and feel like they'll continue to do so for a looong time.

The motor speed conteol system is first-rate. I ordered the 2HP option with the larger braking resistor option, as I plan to turn some large hollow forms eventually. The lathe will crawl along at about 10 RPM, reaching a top speed of about 2500 RPM...just twist the speed dial to the speed you want. Controls are on a pendant that can be swung anywhere around the front of the lathe to be close at hand. With no work mounted, I can detect NO vibration in the lathe at any speed.

I have no personal experience with the Vicmark, Woodfast or Poolewood lathes, but I do know the Jet/Powermatic line fairly well. The closest model to the Oneway 1640 is the Powermatic 3520A. I seriously considered the 3520A but managed to put the (relatively small) extra money together and got the Oneway instead. The closest Jet model is the 1642-EVS (or -2EVS for 2HP); this is a competant mid-range lathe but is still far from the Oneway league (and, I presume, the other manufacturers you cite). Some comparisons between the Jet, Powermatic and Oneway are:

1. The Oneway can be fitted with an external 24" extension at the headstock, providing a 24" swig with a solid bed, banjo and tailstock. The Jet Powermatics can have the headstock moved to the tailstock end, allowing a swing down to the floor (nearly), though you would have to use a floor-standing toolrest, and no tailstock would be available. This difference was a primary driver for my Oneway purchase. Then same extension can eb fitted to the tailstock end, BTW, increasing the overall capacity to

64".

1. The Oneway has a 48-position indexing mechanism built-in. The Jet has a

36-position indexing capability (though it is a real cludge to use); the Powermatic has an optional 24-position accessory.

1. The Oneway weighs 600+ pounds, as does the Powermatic; the Jet weighs only 450 pounds. More weight equals better stability, especially with large greenwood blanks.

2. The Oneway has an optional wheel kit that makes moving the lathe a one-person operation. A lifter bar is included which makes fitting unfitting the wheels a one-person operation as well. Oneway recommends that the wheels NOT be left on the lathe when turning, BTW. Neither Jet nor Powermatic offer a wheel kit for their lathes.

1. Oneway's "trademark" feature is their steel-tube-and-ways construction. According to professional turners with whom I have spoken, these ways and the tube frame will not break as will cast iron in the event a serious catch occurs and the tool slams into the ways. Of course, this assumes one is turning a pretty massive blank with an all-steel tool of good size :) On a more serious note, however, I have experiencesd cast iron's tendency to warp with time (the fence on my Delta DJ-20 jointer, for instance); this will not be a factor in a stress-relieved weldment such as the Oneway's.

Sorry to ramble along so, but hope this helps you (and others) make a more informed decision. I am very happy with the Oneway 1640, and plan to do a lot of turning on it over the next 20 years or so. It is smooth, quiet and a joy to use...guess I can't blame my lathe any longer for my less-than-perfect turnings. :) If you're in the Raleigh, NC area and would like to see this lathe, send an email to snipped-for-privacy@waltswoodworking.com and we'll see what works.

Walt Novinger

Hi Walt,

I read you comments about the 1640 Oneway that you wrote some time ago, Do you still feel the same about the machine? I have ordered one and hope to find it suitable after working with a couple of unsatisfactory machines.

Ray

Ray,

Yes, I continue to be very happy with the 1640. It's presently a much beter lathe than I am a turner :). However, I keep practicing and hope to get better and better. The only issue I have with the lathe is that the index pin seems to allow a bit of slop...maybe a degree or so. I will be following-up with Oneway on this, as I think it should be tighter than it is. Other than that, I have had no problems and am just waiting to save the money to buy the extension and tailstock riser block (they're both available now) so I can turn bigger pieces.

Walt