# Anyone Using Bigger Rikon Lathes?



## shayward (Mar 23, 2017)

Hi everyone

I'm currently using a lathe that was given to me - a Mastercraft 37" lathe with a bar rather than a bed. It's working but I'm hitting the limits quickly. I'd like to have a bigger swing or be able to do outboard turning to make, say, 18" to 24" bowls.

Being in Canada, I don't have access to a plethora of brands for buying new.


Busy Bee/Craftex is definitely out due to my own personal quality concerns (whether real or imagined)
Jet, Grizzly and Nova aren't available to me.
General was bought and seems to be disappearing from the market place.
OneWay is WAY out of my price range.

That pretty much leaves Laguna and Rikon.

I've been taking courses at various Lee Valley Tools locations and used the following benchtop lathes:


General 10" lathe
Rikon 70-100 
Rikon 70-200 VSR

Even the General lathe has some very big pros over my Mastercraft. Both of the Rikons were a pleasure to use. An absolute pleasure.

There are piles of reviews on the Rikon benchtop lathes but I'm not seeing very many serious reviews on the bigger Rikons. I've tried googling the following:


Rikon 70-305 Review
Rikon 70-306 Review
Rikon 70-450 Review

But I haven't really found any reviews. My questions would be:


Is anyone in the LumberJocks community using one of these lathes (or an older similar Rikon)?
If so, what do you think of it?
The 70-305 and 70-306 offer outboard turning. With enough weight on the bottom shelf, could I realistically turn an 18" to 24" bowl on one of these?
The 70-305 is 220v and the 70-306 is 110v, both 1.5hp. Any practical difference in how the lathe will behave?

Basically, I really like the 70-220 VSR (and even the 70-100) I've used at various classes. I'd like the same pleasure I get from those lathes in a bigger, free-standing model.

Any thoughts?

Of course, I'm keeping my eyes open on the used market as well. I won't be looking to buy for several months but I'm the kind of guy that likes to do research well in advance.

Thanks, everyone


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## Spinnerbug (Jun 11, 2017)

Shaun, i just got a new Laguna 18/36 and love it.
Big enough to allow me larger turns if I want. Seems very well made and works very well.
Just my opinion
Harry


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

I used the small Rikons and they were great but I have no experience with their full size.
For the specs on the two (305 and 306) you would have to compare. _In general_ I would prefer the 220 if you have a line available. My lathe is 1.5hp but I ran a separate 120V 20 amp line for it to insure I would not be tripping the breaker.
The Nova XP it is listed at 1.75 hp on 110 and 2 hp on 220.
I do not know where you are but here are the dealers Nova list for Canada. They may be a long way off from you.
http://www.teknatool.com/nova_dealers/canada
Looks like KSM is in nine cities.


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

I was going to buy the Rikon 70-200 VSR but picked up the King 12-18 from KMS tools which by the way has Nova Lathes, at least the one here in Edmonton has them. So far with limited use have been very happy with the King.


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Fit & finish seems to be one concern many turners have. Guess Rikon cloned old reliable Woodfast Aussie lathe that"s not got on well with old woodturners. Here is only review on bigger Rikon lathes aware of. Might be able to contact man now that lathe couple years old and see if still likes it.

http://www.artistryinwood.info/?p=291


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## alittleoff (Nov 27, 2014)

I've been kicking around the idea of buying a lathe. That 18-36 laguna really looks right for me. 
Gerald


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## shayward (Mar 23, 2017)

The 18-36 Laguna looks really attractive. I watched the promo video. I love that the headstock slides all the way to the end of the bed for outboard turning rather than swiveling. It looks like such a great lathe. The only alarm bell that went off is the 1 year warranty. To me, that doesn't bode well. If a machine is built to last a lifetime, a 5 year warranty should be nothing for the company to offer. Even a 3 year would be acceptable.


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## darb (Dec 5, 2015)

Hi folks, I bought a Rikon 70 30/40 with the motorized movable bed. I waited a year to get it (2021) and the price went up to $5000. I paid $3300 through wood craft in CT. The motorized bed is a nice feature with a max swing of 31". The speeds, approximately by changing the belt which is easy, are 20-650, 50-1700, and 100- 3500? I tend to do big bowls etc., so the 31" swing is handy. I place a towel over the bed while I'm turning to catch the shavings so I don't have to blow out the lower bed. I had to redo the threads for the banjo because it wore out and would not keep the tool rest in place. The banjo and the tail stock are beefy but I get some vibration if the tail stock is extended out to far. The medium range speed tends to bog down if I apply to much tool pressure. I glued a flat metal bar to the top of the lathe to hold a magnetic light because the cover is plastic. I also ordered rolling feet ($200) for the lathe but they have not arrived yet? Overall I am satisfied with this lathe as it will be my last lathe.


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## JamesVavra (Apr 27, 2009)

> Fit & finish seems to be one concern many turners have. Guess Rikon cloned old reliable Woodfast Aussie lathe that"s not got on well with old woodturners. Here is only review on bigger Rikon lathes aware of. Might be able to contact man now that lathe couple years old and see if still likes it.
> 
> http://www.artistryinwood.info/?p=291
> 
> - Wildwood


That was my review. I used that lathe for about 7 years. It was ok but, if I were to do it again, I'd buy something else. Fit/Finish was not great. I had multiple issues with the VFD controller and it took so long to get parts under warranty, I just bought them off of ebay. It bogged down constantly, despite setting it to a lower-speed belt range. It also burned through belts and they were a real hassle to change.

I still have a little Rikon and it's fine for small spindle stuff. I replaced the 70-450 with a Robust American Beauty and it's so much better on every level.


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## ChressCreations (11 mo ago)

I purchased the Laguna 18/36 for my wife… I am very jealous of her lathe (I am running the Shop Fox 1852). The Laguna has a nice wide stance which makes it more stable however the bed height is a little too low for some. She is of shorter stature so it fit her very well. The head stock travels to the end for outboard turning. While I like the larger capability of the the 1852, 22"x42", the Laguna is IMO a better built machine. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to a friend… Good luck and have fun!!

Chris & Jess


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## mikeber (Jan 17, 2016)

Currently Rikon posts one big lathe on their website. It's huge and expensive. I think the Canadian One Way is cheaper and more convenient for a non pro.

However Rikon is going to launch a new model in the fall. A 1-1/2HP 14/20 lathe which will be the largest in the mini category.

Another manufacturer to check is the British Record. Are they active in Canada?


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