# Rikon 70-220VSR lathe



## DaveInGA (Dec 23, 2017)

Hello,

I've read everything I could find on the Rikon 70-220VSR Midi lathe on Lumberjocks and I see mentioned in quite a number of reviews in the 2014-2015 time frame the Rikon had issues with the controller circuit board failing. After 2015, I only see a couple mentions of this lathe on the forum.

What I'm wondering is if Rikon has resolved the problems with the circuit board of if it is still an ongoing problem. Can anyone who owns this lathe let me know how things have gone and if the problem has been resolved?

Thank you,

Dave


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

I have had my Rikon lathe for three years no issues. I have turned several things including 10" bowls.


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## DaveInGA (Dec 23, 2017)

Thank you for the answer. Sounds like they may have resolved the issue in 2015 then. Nice looking bowl, I like the mixture of wood types.

Dave


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## Hockey (Apr 9, 2017)

I have only heard good things about the Rikon 70-220vsr. It was one of my contenders to purchase. It does have a 5 year warranty, and the customer service appears to be excellent from what I have read on the internet.


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## Blondewood (Mar 30, 2009)

I've had my Rikon for 3-4 yrs now and I love it. I had trouble once with the digital readout not working correctly. I talked with customer support and they told me how to correct the problem. There was a dust accumulation on the sensor. I cleaned it and it's been fine since. I'd recommend this lathe to anyone. It has a lot of features such as VSR and a lower price point that some other midis. It's easy to change speeds.


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## marcsitkin (Apr 30, 2016)

I bought one a couple years ago, and had to have a new speed control unit sent to me after just a few weeks. Pretty easy swap, no problem getting it, customer support was very good. Also had problems with the index mechanism, pin would drop into some holes, not others. Replaced the pin (easy) but it didn't help, replaced the pulley and index assembly (PITA), still didn't help. Rikon then sent me a new lathe, and picked up the old one. Everything is good now, so it might have been problems with early models. It's a nice lathe for it's class and price. I use it primarily for spindle work, and have turned some 10" bowls on it. For larger work, I turn to my Vicmarc 300, which has 24" swing and weighs in at about 1000 lbs.


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## marcsitkin (Apr 30, 2016)

I bought one a couple years ago, and had to have a new speed control unit sent to me after just a few weeks. Pretty easy swap, no problem getting it, customer support was very good. Also had problems with the index mechanism, pin would drop into some holes, not others. Replaced the pin (easy) but it didn't help, replaced the pulley and index assembly (PITA), still didn't help. Rikon then sent me a new lathe, and picked up the old one. Everything is good now, so it might have been problems with early models. It's a nice lathe for it's class and price. I use it primarily for spindle work, and have turned some 10" bowls on it. For larger work, I turn to my Vicmarc 300, which has 24" swing and weighs in at about 1000 lbs.


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## tonylumps (Feb 11, 2016)

I have had mine now almost 2 years now .No problems at all. I stepped up from the 70-100 and still have that one never had a problem with that either. Because i do mostly pens the VS really comes in handy.


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## DaveInGA (Dec 23, 2017)

Gentlemen,

Thank you for the answers. I've looked at several of the mini lathes now and so far, the Rikon is still holding it's own against all comers for price vs. specifications. I'm planning on buying one unless somebody comes out with something better for the same or less money before I do an I'm seriously doubting that.

Dave


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

The Delta 46-460 has a stronger motor and is less expensive. For many years the local Jet distributor used a Delta as their demo lathe, lol. According to one review (Wood maybe), the Rikon motor HP was significantly exaggerated. I think it had the weakest motor in the test. It's a nice looking lathe though, proven design (same as Jet and others I think). Overpriced IMO but probably make you happy.


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## DaveInGA (Dec 23, 2017)

I'm often cynical about magazine reviews, especially older magazines where certain manufacturers have advertised for years. I did check into the Delta 46-460 and read quite a few reviews from folks online as well as reading this mini-midi lathe review that I felt was very informative:

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/review-midi-and-mini-lathes/

While power is important, for me, it's the sum parts of the lathe and in the sum, the Rikon wins out. Also, I can get the Rikon for $616.31 from a local shop near my hometown. That's less expensive than what I can get the Delta for. The Rikon reviews I've read have been positive and the vast majority of those that needed customer support were helped and received parts in a timely manner.

Here's a thread about the Delta I read: https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?191163-Delta-46-460-Negative-Comments I find it disturbing when I read of a customer taking forever to get service parts for their tool under warranty in today's competitive market. It shows a company with a lack of concern about their customer's satisfaction. Getting parts in a timely manner on a breakdown is important to me. If a company is slow to provide parts under warranty, how are they going to treat you when it's out of warranty and you need to buy parts only they can provide?

After reading the above review by Mr. Conover, I was struck by his simple sincerity in his review. He pointed out both positives and negatives (where a lathe had them) and offered his opinion on which picks he would buy. His first choice would be the Colt (mine too, it's a knock out). He also really liked the Jet. But he made three comments about the Rikon that jumped out at me: "The RIKON is also one of two lathes in this review with a 1″-diameter tool-rest (as opposed to 5/8″ for most). This adds a huge amount of strength and stability to this most important lathe component." plus "It had a very nice fit and finish with a surface-ground bed, 3-1⁄2″ quill travel and a center-to-center distance of 20″ (45-3⁄8″ with extension) that has me over the moon. Furniture makers can turn the back posts for rocking chairs with room left over." and "With good power and easy controls that make this lathe a pleasure to use, if price is a key factor for you, this lathe would be my first pick."

At this point, I'm probably going to go with the Rikon, but if I don't, it'll be the Colt I buy. In both cases, with the bed extensions and a stand. I don't really want a stand, but I may have to due to room in my garage.


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

> At this point, I m probably going to go with the Rikon, but if I don t, it ll be the Colt I buy. In both cases, with the bed extensions and a stand. I don t really want a stand, but I may have to due to room in my garage.


Nothing wrong with mini lathes, my daughter has one and it works fine.
But your last sentence surprised me a little. I don't know your local prices but at Woodcraft the bed extension is +$180, the stand a +$150, and the stand extension another +130.
I would rather have the oomph of 1.5 hp over the convenience of moving the belt one or two time in a turning.
BTW, the mini's still have a three position pulley which you have to move the belt on to get the full rpm range.
https://www.tools-plus.com/nova-lathes-24221.html


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## DaveInGA (Dec 23, 2017)

You make a good point Lee, by the time I buy the extras, I could just have the bigger, stronger tool. Have to think on and research that one. But then, I'd want the cast iron legs, so by the time I buy them….


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

Cast iron legs would be good. I still use the same tube steel that came with mine with no problem.
Not to difficult to add a shelf and 50 lbs bags of play sand are less than $4.


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## GeraldD (Feb 15, 2021)

My 220VSR is 2 years old and I really like it. Last month the speed control started acting erratically by speeding up, slowing down, and sometimes going in reverse when it was switched to forward position. I called Rikon service which was very responsive and I had a new motor, PCB, and RPM reader withing two weeks. I installed all of it and a new problem occured. When turned on the PCB would make two clicks and after a 2 second delay the lathe would start to spin; the speed seemed fairly stable but the 2 second delay is untenable and the clicks might be a portent of future problems. Rikon then sent me a new PCB; same problem. Again I called Rikon who sent me a new motor; same problem. I will now call Rikon and give them one more chance at this; they should bench test a motor with a PCB this time before sending a new PCB.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

Anytime a midi buyer starts talking about adding bed extensions and stands, they need to just look at full size lathes and forget about the midi.


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## cther (Mar 23, 2021)

I bought the 220VSR in Oct 2020 and within two months, the lathe suddenly stopped working, the blue RPM lights would illuminate when power was applied, but nothing worked. After a painful two weeks of trying to contact Rikon, I finally was able to receive a new electrical control box. Two months later, a similar failure occurred, this time when power is applied, the blue RPM lights blink on & off, a audible "clicking" sound is heard from the control box and the lathe rotates roughly 1/16 turn on each of the "clicking sounds. Four Email to various Rikon points of contacts and no answer. Various blogs discussed electrical faults with the control box in 2015/16 but supposedly Rikon fixed them. So I either have two older style control boxes in a 2020 lathe or the fix did not work.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

Electronics fail. 
They fail from engineering mistakes. More common than they should. Usually accounting over-riding engineering.
They fail from external overstress ( ESD, power surges etc.) Most common.
They fail from numerous micro properties from gama rays to aluminum migration. End of life failures.

When I ran corrective action for a computer company, the expected lifetime of electronics generically was about 7 years. Failures follow the "bathtub curve". High infant mortality, ( usually hours), then very low failure rate, until at some time in the future they start to rise. I suspect improvements in manufacturing have pushed MTTF to about 10 years.

Curious, failures from defective components were very very rare. Unitrode caps, Plessy transistors and a few others, but on the whole,. parts are very good if handled correctly and used correctly. I did a study and found of a years worth of field failures, over 95% were components connected to the outside world suggesting ESD or other external overstress. The rest were design faults. With tools like SPICE, we should not have as many design margin faults as in the bad -old-days.

BTW, Rikon does not likely make their controllers. DVR controllers are made by specialty firms and just programed and an appropriate silkscreen for the control panel. The controller in the Rikons seems to be the same as a Nova drill press and a hundred other machines.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

The good old power surge. Everyone gets them, but how many put surge arrestors in their shop electrical panel? Not very expensive, and although not perfect, I believe they are great insurance. And with more electronics in the shop every year….


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## GeraldD (Feb 15, 2021)

Over a span on 3 months Rikon sent two new motors and three power control boxes (PCB) for my 220VSR to solve my problem of a clicking PCB and a delayed start after hitting on; none of the components they sent had an effect on the issue. I then notfied Woodcraft where I bought the lathe. They called Rikon who exchanged my lathe for a new one. Same problem in the new lathe! You think they would have tested it after all the problems they've had. I know Rikon uses a vendor for their PCB's but Rikon is responsible for quality control of their vendors, obviously they have no idea what quality control means.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

> BTW, Rikon does not likely make their controllers. DVR controllers are made by specialty firms and just programed and an appropriate silkscreen for the control panel. The controller in the Rikons seems to be the same as a Nova drill press and a hundred other machines.
> 
> - tvrgeek


Suspect this Rikon uses an ac induction motor with vfd. A lot of smaller lathes use a dc motor and controller. Most larger lathes use an ac/vfd drive. Yes, the mfrs use vfd's and dc controllers sourced from a few mfrs and insert the desired control parameters. However, the Nova DVR motor and controller are very different, and were designed in-house. It is a switched reluctance motor and control.


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## cther (Mar 23, 2021)

> Electronics fail.
> They fail from engineering mistakes. More common than they should. Usually accounting over-riding engineering.
> They fail from external overstress ( ESD, power surges etc.) Most common.
> They fail from numerous micro properties from gama rays to aluminum migration. End of life failures.
> ...





> BTW, Rikon does not likely make their controllers. DVR controllers are made by specialty firms and just programed and an appropriate silkscreen for the control panel. The controller in the Rikons seems to be the same as a Nova drill press and a hundred other machines.
> 
> - tvrgeek
> 
> ...


TVRGEEK,
I just spoke with a Rikon engineer and their aware of the failure problem with these control boxes. He described a transistor (although not that exact name) but this component is to compensate the speed of the electrical motor when heavier loads are applied, like large bowls being roughed out. The component is not built tough enough for the cycling of heavy loads back to normal rotation, heavy loads again, etc… He also saw in the video I sent him my bowl was right at 11 inches in diameter and asked what belt position I had for the speed. I had been using the middle of the three pulls which is not the lowest "torque speed" which he said is part of the problem when turning larger or heavier bowls, as it makes this transistor cycle repeatedly leading to failure.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I bought my Rikon 70-220VSR in April 2020. Have had no issues with it.


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