Rikon's midi-lathe is a small lathe with big features, including a 12-in swing, the capacity to turn up to 16 in. between centers, and an 8-in. tool rest.
The Rikon 70-100 midi-lathe is a recent arrival to the tool market since our last midi-lathe (also called mini-lathes) review in 2002. The Rikon midi-lathe I tested operated smoothly and accurately and I was especially satisfied with its extra-large features, which make it nearly comparable to floor-standing lathes.
This midi-lathe offers a 12-in. swing–2 in. more than most of the competition–a 16-in. capacity between centers, and the ability to add multiple bed extensions. Plus, its 8-in. tool rest is superior to the standard 6-in. rest on most midi-lathes. In addition to the faceplate, the lathe also comes with headstock and tailstock centers and a handy rack on the lathe that holds these accessories. The lathe is heavier than most in its class but a built-in handle makes it easier to carry around than its lighter competitors.
The Rikon model also features a headstock with a 12-position indexing head to assist when marking, routing, or carving on the lathe. This feature also locks the spindle for easy removal of the faceplate. Its manual speed control requires you to change speeds by moving a belt on stepped pulleys. This is less than ideal, but it takes only a moment.
Regardless of the board’s grain, this jointer produced excellent results. Its fence was totally flat, worked smoothly, and locked well, staying in place even after jointing multiple edges. Getting the fence to 90° was very easy, but the 90° stop was a little tricky to set and the fence did not go back to square when using it. For those who would use it, there is also a digital depth-of-cut scale.
While all five of the smaller units will collect chips efficiently when deployed properly, the 3/4-hp Rockler was just a bit more powerful in our suction test. Bag changes were very easy too, thanks to a lip on the lower edge of the
canister, which holds the bag in place while you operate the clamp. The Rockler 650 also hangs very solidly on its bracket, which helps when you turn the filter-cleaning crank.
The big motor on this collector left the chamber under my jointer very clean. You’ll need help to get this heavy unit onto its bracket, but if you’re looking for a central dust collector that won’t gobble floor space, this may be the unit for you. Strangely, this huge unit comes with the smallest plastic chip bag, but you can replace that with a taller one from Rockler.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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