Hey all, I was wondering who could tell me if the Alps/PacBay/AmTack parts are interchangeable? I did some horse trading and acquired a new PacBay upgraded chuck, tailstock and tool rest. My dilemma is this, I don't have a wrapper bed for these tools as of yet. Will the Alps bed work with the PacBay parts? Or is there a possibility of using a larger aluminum "T-track" or channel and just routing a space in my bench? I do have a local scrapyard that deals in extruded aluminum and *might* be able to score on some good channel if it might work... I have been hand wrapping all of my stuff and had been waiting to buy a Renzetti or a CPW (I wrap bottom up)... but now that I have these parts, I think I want to make my own power wrapper and upgrade when I can later down the road. I will also be needing a thread carriage and rod supports before this happens, but wanted to know from guys with experience using/abusing their power wrappers. I do have a re purposed sewing machine motor for power. Thanks in advance

I've got a PAC Bay wrapper but I've used a CRB tool tray on it with no problems. To me the PAC Bay,,and AmYack look the same.

Thanks Gary, I think you are correct. PacBay and AmTack look identical. I guess I should've asked about the Alps bed in particular...so much cheaper than the PacBay or AmTack bed. Wondering if it'll work (even with some slight modification.)

I've got a PAC Bay wrapper but I've used a CRB tool tray on it with no problems. To me the PAC Bay,,and AmTack look the same

The beds on all the wrappers mentioned are identical along with the bed on the Custom Power Wrapper at Angler's Workshop, it's just gold colored while the others are silver. Thread carriages from each will work as well on each other as will some of the other accesories that ride on the outside edge, the Susan tray from Angler's is a handy item, gives you a place to put your accessories that travels along with the thread carriage and holds things magnetically.
The height of all the rod chucks, tail stocks, and rod supports and how interchangable they are, I have no knowledge.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2016 09:07PM by Spencer Phipps.

Spencer, I had wondered exactly that about the beds. Appreciate it. I think that the PacBay and AmTack are the exact same parts (at least the upgraded chuck, tail stock, tool rest). At least the AmTack stuff in the catalog looks identical to the PacBay stuff I have with different labels. The Alps chuck and newer tail stock are quite different and seem to have a height adjustment. Thanks again for your help.

Jared Yes, the AT and Pac Bay are the same unit. However the ALPS looks similar but it is not. I ordered a Alps rod stand for my AT lathe and although it fit on the bed of the lathe that is where the similarity ended. The top roller design on the AT/PB is far superior to the Alps. There is no way to match up the rollers either. On my lathe with the top roller laying on bottom two you can push a rod blank back onto the bottom rollers. The Alps roller drops well below the bottom two and makes that impossible so you have to Lock it up if you are putting a rod on that roller.

Another thing if found is that the two bottom rollers don't overlap. This means there is a gap between the bottom rollers and if you are using it at the tip end of the lathe the rod blank will and can fall below the rollers and become totally ineffective. Not so on the Pac Bay American Tackle rod stands. So not everything interchangeable is for the best.

However, I will say that the ALPS aluminum chuck did fit my lathe and is the very best on the market in my opinion. It is well made offers multiple speeds on drying and the chuck has never had a rod work out if it. It is far and away superior to the plastic chuck that comes standard on those units.

Tom

Thank you Tom, I will probably build or have some stands made as well as a thread carriage. I do like the Alps chuck a bunch, but for right now I have the PacBay upgraded chuck. I try not to look a gift horse in the mouth, ha ha. Eventually I will buy a Custom Power wrapper or a Renzetti, but beggars can't be choosers and I'll work with what I have for now. Appreciate the input greatly, sir!