Has anyone done this conversion? If you have how much trouble is it. The lathe is quite heavy (90 pounds) and I'm wondering how much muscling around it takes....not worried about technical details, i'm pretty well mechanically competent and pretty expert on electrical and electronics.
Rikon 70-100 VS conversion
- Thread starter Smitty37
- Start date
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walshjp17
Member
I am a complete mechanical doofus :biggrin:. That said, I successfully completed the upgrade to VS (removing motor, pulleys, etc.) in about 1 hour. Works like a charm.
wolftat
Product Reviews Manager
I did one of the first conversions that came out from Rikon. It was pretty easy except my motor pulley was almost impossible to get off. If I had to do it again, I would, it was well worth the effort involved.
mlconnelly
Member
I am also interested in doing this conversion. Can anyone tell me where to get the best buy on the needed parts?
LeeR
Member
I was just looking at this VS kit the other day. It is hard to find reference to it on the Rikon website.
I did not check prices anywhere else, but with no tax and free shipping, this is a pretty good deal., I think. I have decided not to replace my 70-100 any time soon. I've spent way more than planned on other tools and shop upgrades this year, and really, I'm still pretty much a novice turner. The 70-100 has enough swing for me for now, but I bought the bed extension about a month after getting the lathe. I was turning some tool handles, and with a Nova chuck on the headstock, and a Jacobs chuck on the tailstock to drill a recess, there just was no room left!
I've not read a single bad review on the VS upgrade. I would like to know about reliability, but I've not heard anything negative yet, so I'll proceed with this in the next few months, after the credit card cools down from the holidays.
Rikon 79-100VS Mini Lathe Variable Speed Kit - Amazon.com
Best I found was at Amazon.com
walshjp17
Member
Its was same price at WoodCraft.
Amazon had free shipping and my closest woodcraft is 65 miles away so I'd need to pay their shipping or spend about $18.00 to $22.00 in gas to go pick it up. Gas is almost $3.50 a gallon here right now.
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