The AP406WL is a medium sized woodturning lathe and a very popular choice among discerning woodturners. We are so impressed with its quality and performance that we decided to equip our Woodworking Wisdom studios with several of these lathes as soon as we could which is featured on our Woodworking Wisdom YouTube channel. The lathe and leg stand are of heavy cast iron construction to minimise vibration. The leg stand has some webs in the casting to support custom made shelves if required. The adjustable feet allow you to level the lathe, with the stand fitted the centre height of the lathe is approximately 1,155mm.
The AP406WL features electronic variable speed supplied via an inverter with two speed ranges for maximum torque at low speeds. The advantage of variable speed is that you can fine tune the speed of the lathe to the work in hand. This is especially important when turning large or out of balance workpieces and it is so convenient for fast speed changes. Spindle indexing is provided at 10° intervals and a magnetic control console with start/stop, speed control and forward/reverse can be conveniently positioned for the work in hand. Everything about the lathe feels just right, with cam-lock action of the tool rest banjo and tailstock, all controls work smoothly and effortlessly. The headstock can be rotated for better access when turning a bowl and will also slide along to the tailstock end of the bed. This allows the turning of larger diameter bowls and platters off the end of the bed and increases the capacity considerably.
The lathe features an M33 x 3.5mm (ASR) spindle. All standard M33 x 3.5mm threaded chucks and fitments can be used as normal. The ASR spindle includes a safety groove. This is an additional safety feature designed to be used in conjunction with fitment with a matching ASR safety groove and a locking ring. This arrangement ensures complete safety when the lathe is running in reverse and is not necessary for general turning.
A 460mm bed extension kit is available as an optional extra and this can be bolted onto either end of the lathe bed. It can also be attached in a lower position on the leg stand offering an impressive 875mm swing. This is achieved by moving the tool rest banjo down onto the bed extension and fitting the tool rest extension post supplied with the bed extension kit. If you are serious about your woodturning and want a lathe that offers excellent performance, features and value, this lathe would be a sound choice. Supplied with Axminster four prong drive centre, Axminster revolving tailstock centre, centre alignment bar,150mm faceplate and a knockout bar.

N.B. The distance between centres will vary and be dependent on the type of centres or accessories fitted.