Takisawa, Webb, and Yuasa TSL-800D versions... and sellers

This Takisawa lathe is terrific. I have had mine for a couple months and love it. Compared to my old 10” Logan, wow!
Note these comments:

1) You will need some change gears. Of course it has a QCGB, but for widest range of feeds and threads, you need some gears. For example, the basic gear box can’t cut a 13tpi thread...needs some gear swap. It’s easy to do, though I have never had to do it after a number of projects completed.
2) The design is elegant, and pretty easy to work on. Thrust bearings everywhere, smooth as silk.
3) I rented a “sit-down” type trailer, where the bed sat down completely on the pavement. Got it on HF furniture dollies and pulled it onto the trailer, losing the wheels as they got up to the trailer. Worked well on both ends. I used a 2 ton HF engine hoist to move it around the shop. It has an excellent leveling approach, very easy to do.
4) Oops, dinner...more later. Get it!
 
BTW, I notice there are different speeds and feeds on what is seemingly the same model, so possibly my model is different and i’m Not to be Believed.
 
5) the TSL has an interesting auto longitudinal feed cutoff that lets you set up a long unattended cut, and control where it shuts off the feed. Testing it, it repeats within about ten thousandths. Does not work while threading.
6) I set it up on 4x4 blocks. It is definitely designed for short people. I’m 6’ 4”, the extra blocks or such are mandatory in my opinion. There are nice leveling screws in 6 places, so six 4” square metal plates over three front to back blocks does the trick.
7) My lathe came with a collet closer, 3 jaw, steady rest, and of all things a Clausing turret modified to fit in place of the tailstock. Change gears are hard to find apparently, though mine came with a complete set.
8) I run this lathe, my mill and a big Kalamazoo bandsaw on a static phase converter. I’ve never had a moment when I didn’t have enough power.
9) I like it.
 
And, finally, I added the mini-sized scales and D80 DRO from Dropros. Very easy to do, it’s great. Those guys are extremely helpful!
 
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