Hofmann 401 True Cut Dual Speed Combination Bench Brake Lathe
What the Hofmann 401 is
The Hofmann 401 is a professional combination bench brake lathe, sold under the True Cut Dual Speed name. Combination means it is intended for brake resurfacing work rather than a single narrow task, and dual speed means the machine offers two cutting speeds instead of one fixed rate. It is a bench lathe, so it is designed to be set up in a fixed location in the shop rather than moved between bays or taken on the road. Hofmann positions the 401 as capable of handling all your brake resurfacing needs, and the machine is supplied with tooling out of the box rather than requiring a separate first tooling purchase.
Tooling: standard package and options
The 401 comes equipped with Hofmann's standard tooling package. That package is specified for resurfacing most passenger cars and light trucks, which is the day-to-day mix in a general repair shop or a tire and brake store. Beyond that, optional tooling is available to handle specialty and heavy-duty applications. If your work includes vehicles outside the passenger car and light truck range, budget for that optional tooling separately and confirm the exact kit contents with the seller before ordering, because the listing names the optional tooling category without itemizing what each kit includes. The standard package is what you receive unless you add options at the time of purchase.
Bench setup and optional accessories
Product photography for the 401 shows the lathe with an optional Work Bench and an optional Tool Board. Both are options, not included items, so the price you pay covers the lathe and its standard tooling package unless you add them. Plan a mounting surface for the machine before delivery. If you do not order the matching Work Bench, you will need an existing bench or stand that can carry the lathe, and a place to store cutting bits, adapters and arbor hardware within reach of the operator. The Tool Board addresses that second point; a shop that already has organized tooling storage near the brake bench may not need it.
What this listing does not specify
Buyers comparing bench lathes usually want motor horsepower, voltage and phase, arbor diameter, maximum rotor diameter and width, cut depth per pass, spindle speeds in RPM, shipping weight and bench footprint. None of those figures appear in the source material for the 401, so we do not publish them here rather than estimate them. Before you order, request the current Hofmann spec sheet for the 401 and confirm the electrical requirement against the circuit at your intended bench location, along with the arbor size so any tooling and adapters you already own will fit. Confirming those two points ahead of delivery avoids the most common installation delays with a bench lathe.
Key features
Dual speed operation — the True Cut Dual Speed design offers two cutting speeds rather than a single fixed rate.
Combination bench lathe — a professional combination unit designed to handle brake resurfacing needs.
Standard tooling package included — ships equipped with Hofmann's standard tooling package, not a bare machine.
Passenger car and light truck coverage — the standard tooling is specified to resurface most passenger cars and light trucks.
Optional tooling available — specialty and heavy-duty applications are supported through optional tooling.
Optional Work Bench — the lathe is shown with a Work Bench available as an option.
Optional Tool Board — a Tool Board is offered as an option for organizing lathe tooling at the bench.