Lathe upgrade dilemma...

[David Wrate]

As typically happens I’ve been bitten hard by the turning bug and am already looking at upgrading my lathe.

I have a Rikon 70-220VSR, 1hp, 12" swing, variable speed, reverse.

Options I'm looking at:
Record Coronet Herald: 14” swing, 1.25 hp, swivelling head stock, variable speed, reverse. $1750 CDN $140 shipping. Total with taxes $2007
Laguna 1524, 15" swing, 1.5hp, sliding head stock, variable speed, reverse, $2800, $300 shipping. Total with taxes $3458
Record Coronet Envoy: 16” swing. 1.5hp, swivelling head stock, variable speed, reverse. $2900 CDN. $450 shipping. Total with taxes $3752
Nova 1624II: 16” swing, 1.5hp, swivelling head stock, no variable speed. It is on sale locally for $1570 inc. taxes. A VFD conversion to get variable speed would set me back another $500. Total with taxes $2070. I may be able to negotiate a couple hundred off the price of the lathe as I have a good relationship with the store manager.

The Laguna and the Envoy are too expensive for me at this point, and $1400 and $1700 respectively seem like a lot of money over the Herald for an extra inch or two of capacity and .25 hp.

So the dilemma is the Record Coronet Herald vs the Nova 1624II.

I have looked at the Nova in person and the fit and finish is OK but not amazing. I think my Rikon has better fit and finish. But the banjo and toolrest lock solidly and move easily. Tailstock is very smooth and is really beefy.
Folks who have the Nova 1624II seem to love it. An informal poll of eight 1624 owners on the Teknatool Facebook group showed that four of eight either bought with DVR or did a VFD conversion. The others said they had no issue with belt changes. Doing a VFD conversion is familiar territory for me as I converted my vertical metal mill to 3-phase motor and VFD.
Having spent a fair bit of time turning on my Rikon I can say that I really like the variable speed. Dialing it up to the shake speed and then down is a treat. But maybe I'd fall into the "it's not hard to change the belt position" camp.

Folks also like their Record machines. The Herald seems to get good reviews. I'm just not sure if its a big enough 'upgrade' in either swing or weight from my Rikon for the money.

The other consideration is footprint. The Herald has a slightly smaller footprint than the Nova and that is consideration as my shop is small.

I should add that I live on an island and used lathe options are basically non-existent unfortunately.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

all lathes have spindle
evs is non-negotiable
consider used lathe, consider just rent truck or van, set a limit on how far you would travel, watch For Sale on aaw site forum, marketplace on Facebook, Craigslist, etc

 

[Bill Boehme]

I think that you've given me sticker shock comparing those prices to the prices when I started turning eighteen years ago.

I took a look at the Nova 1624 II lathe and it seems to be a decent lathe at a decent price. It has a 1.5 HP motor and eight-step pulley with the lowest speed being 178 RPM. While variable speed is a nice feature, there are some significant advantages to a fixed-speed pulley system.*

On a variable speed system operating slower than the motor's normal speed (known as "base speed" which is 1725 RPM on the Nova), the maximum torque remains constant while the power decreases proportionally with speed. When operating at a higher RPM than base speed, the torque decreases while power remains constant.

On a fixed speed lathe, the power is the same at all of the pulley settings. This means that torque increases below base speed and decreases above base speed. While moving the belt to change the speed isn’t as convenient as it is on a variable speed lathe, it’s really just a minor inconvenience.

__________________________________________________________________

*On all of the variable speed lathes that I know of, the constant torque characteristic is mentioned as a "feature", but actually, torque by itself doesn't mean much. Torque and speed are the two components of power as shown in the equation below:

P = τ · ω​

where​

P = power​

τ = torque​

ω = angular velocity​

· = scalar product​

 

[William Rogers]

David, I can tell you the each lathe owner believes his lathe is the best of all lathes. I have not owned any of the lathes you have mentioned. Since you are so infected with the turning virus my suggestion is get the biggest swing you can. Also look at resale because you will want to upgrade again n in about two years. My personal experience. Look at lathe weight, heaver the better and if you can add weight to the bottom of the lathe, spindle height (determine if legs are adjustable or not),
My crystal ball says you will upgrade again in a couple mod years. I started with a mini 10”swing lathe, next a 12” swing lathe, the an 18” swing lathe, and now have a Robust AB. At this point I know I am done upgrading.

I haven’t turned on any of those lathes, but if I were to buy It would be the Nova 1624 because of the swing and hp and of course price. You could add the variable speed when you want.

 

[Bill Blasic]

The Record Coronet Herald seems to be a Midi lathe (the specs I looked at said the motor was 1HP). While it does swivel and move over the length of the bed all it has in those figures over a Nova 14DR is a ton of money. It has the same bearing configuration in the head as the Nova 14DR. If your going to use the swiveling feature it looks like another tool rest is needed. Also $1499 vs $699 at Rockler and your still getting just 2" over your current lathe. The Nova 14DR has a 1" X 8 spindle where the Herald has 1 1/4" X 8 spindle and I don't know if that's an advantage or just a difference. I bought one of the first Nova 14DR's and it has been in the shop a few years and has run great even through several hands on sessions with different users. I purchased a Wen lathe stand for it from Walmart for about $100. I think the Herald's stand is extra too. I have a Nova DVR that the head swivels but I have never used that feature and probably never will. I like variable speed so the Nova 1624 would not be for me but the fact that you could upgrade it to the DVR technology if you don't like changing belts is a plus. Also it has a full sized bed which can very well be an asset over the short beds of a midi. You have a quandary, what do I do? I tell folks that "you should buy your last lathe first" and my advice to you is save your money and buy that last lathe first. Make some stuff with the lathe you have and sell it and you will soon have enough for that last lathe without doubts about what to buy.

 

[Kirk Amidon]

I'm not that far ahead of you down the slope. On my second lathe already, and found value in a used lathe. What I don't see in your list is the reason(s) you want a different lathe. What is it about the current lathe that is falling short? Not familiar with that specific lathe, but it is variable speed, so going to something with belts is a downgrade, once you've had a feature, it seems that feature is always needed. Is it the 12" swing? The weight? Something else?

 

[Vincent Vogel]

When I bought my new lathe this spring I did a lot of research. I made a list of features I wanted (spindle size, swing, price, etc.). After I had the list of desired features I purchased a Laguna 15-24. I'm not telling you what to buy because if price wasn't considered I would have chosen PM, Oneway, or another of the more expensive ones. If what you want is more expensive I would suggest saving your money before the upgrade and get what you want. I watched the used market in my area for a year and couldn't find used so I bought a new one. I also liked the Nova 16/24 but once the added cost of variable speed it was comparable to ones that already had that feature installed.

 

[Brian Gustin]

I agree with William Rogers above - DO a little more research perhaps, ignore price for the time being and consider what it is you really want in a lathe (and how big of a turning you may expect you'll ever DARE to do down the road) , along with what you are capable of running it on in your shop (120V or 240V ) - Make a list of your must-haves, wants, and "I CAN see myself using this feature".. then find an appropriate quality of lathe that fits those features... and save your money a little longer if the chosen lathe is out of your current price range. (I assume if you can afford to spend $2000 on a lathe right now, if you stick it in a savings account, and save another $2000 in the next year, you can potentially afford a $4000 lathe next year!) That is what I did, when I had a chance to get a bit better lathe locally (an ancient craftsman) than what I have now (Harbor Freight 12 x 36 with reeves drive) and realized if I wanted a lathe that I knew I was going to be happy with, buying that used craftsman would have been throwing money away (I'd probably have to list and re-list it for 2 years to resell it later on, for half of the $500 I'd have paid for it)

So, My list turned out to be a minimum of 14" usable swing (I simply cannot envision me turning any larger than a 12 to 14 inch bowl, a 16 inch swing might be OK , anything bigger would never get used) and MUST have a variable and bottom end speed of 60 RPM or less (I have found many uses for a lathe at that low of an RPM besides turning wood, but can't do them since the HF won't go any slower than 675 RPM at its lowest setting).. then I consider I have already (and enjoyed) turning long spindles, so 36" between centers is another must-have.... I take those 2 things (and I can run either 120 or 240 in the shop, so...) and look at all lathes.. My Dream lathe? a Robust sweet 16 with extension... Then I looked up price new, and almost fainted. Realizing I'd NEVER be able to afford one (I'd have to finance over 5 year loan if I had to buy one) Finally settled on Jet - either 1642 or 1842 (difference being 120v vs 240v - don't need 18 inch swing at all, but like the idea of having that power available...) and I figure I can save up another grand or so over the next year (if all goes well and life doesn't throw another wrench in the works) ... So, I'll stick with the HF lathe until I can get the Jet.. rather than going with some "better but transitional" in-between lathe just because I'm so sick and tired of the HF (doesn't spin absolutely true, vibrates even with an empty chuck, so light it bounces all over the floor with an out of balance 8 inch log chunk, among many other negatives that mean I'll not in good conscience re-sell what should go in the scrap pile the day after it comes out of the store)

So My advice is figure out what you REALLY want out of a lathe, find the best quality you can find (rank em in order good - better - best) and then figure out what you can (or might with a year's saving) afford and go from there.. Otherwise, if you go with choices you picked above I suspect you may be looking for another lathe in a year or two... (Me, I'd go with the Record Power, but the Jet options seem comparable, and here in the USA, a better price, last I looked)

 

[Lyle Jamieson]

As typically happens I’ve been bitten hard by the turning bug and am already looking at upgrading my lathe.

I have a Rikon 70-220VSR, 1hp, 12" swing, variable speed, reverse.

Options I'm looking at:
Record Coronet Herald: 14” swing, 1.25 hp, swivelling head stock, variable speed, reverse. $1750 CDN $140 shipping. Total with taxes $2007
Laguna 1524, 15" swing, 1.5hp, sliding head stock, variable speed, reverse, $2800, $300 shipping. Total with taxes $3458
Record Coronet Envoy: 16” swing. 1.5hp, swivelling head stock, variable speed, reverse. $2900 CDN. $450 shipping. Total with taxes $3752
Nova 1624II: 16” swing, 1.5hp, swivelling head stock, no variable speed. It is on sale locally for $1570 inc. taxes. A VFD conversion to get variable speed would set me back another $500. Total with taxes $2070. I may be able to negotiate a couple hundred off the price of the lathe as I have a good relationship with the store manager.

The Laguna and the Envoy are too expensive for me at this point, and $1400 and $1700 respectively seem like a lot of money over the Herald for an extra inch or two of capacity and .25 hp.

So the dilemma is the Record Coronet Herald vs the Nova 1624II.

I have looked at the Nova in person and the fit and finish is OK but not amazing. I think my Rikon has better fit and finish. But the banjo and toolrest lock solidly and move easily. Tailstock is very smooth and is really beefy.
Folks who have the Nova 1624II seem to love it. An informal poll of eight 1624 owners on the Teknatool Facebook group showed that four of eight either bought with DVR or did a VFD conversion. The others said they had no issue with belt changes. Doing a VFD conversion is familiar territory for me as I converted my vertical metal mill to 3-phase motor and VFD.
Having spent a fair bit of time turning on my Rikon I can say that I really like the variable speed. Dialing it up to the shake speed and then down is a treat. But maybe I'd fall into the "it's not hard to change the belt position" camp.

Folks also like their Record machines. The Herald seems to get good reviews. I'm just not sure if its a big enough 'upgrade' in either swing or weight from my Rikon for the money.

The other consideration is footprint. The Herald has a slightly smaller footprint than the Nova and that is consideration as my shop is small.

I should add that I live on an island and used lathe options are basically non-existent unfortunately.

I have seen this sequence many, many times. Buy a lathe, reach its limits, and upgrade, repeat, repeat. Wait until you can get a better lathe. You are worth it.

 

[Stephen Blalock]

I have the Record Power Cornet Herald, it is a great machine that punches above it's weight. The ergonomics of swivel head lathe are nice. It is probably not enough upgrade for you to be happy. My only advice would be don't do half measures! Spindle height as pictured is 45 3/8 inch. I am a new turner also, I had my first lathe a craigs list jet mini for about two days before I up graded to the Record power. About $360 US for stand, riser feet and outrigger. The biggest negative for me is it is made in communist China. The quality seems good, communists suck.

 

[Dave Landers]

I'm with the others who suggest saving/waiting for the lathe you want rather than settling for the lathe you can afford now.

I would add to your list of considerations - weight and lowest speed - when you get to larger bowls the stability of extra weight is appreciated, and the thrill of spinning-wood-of-death is overrated.

 

[David Wrate]

Thanks for your fantastic advice and guidance gents.
The reason for the upgrade is that the 12" capacity is limiting. I can see a maximum piece of 14" in my future.
But I'm not sure that I fully understand the capacity aspect. If I have 12" capacity now can I actually turn a 12" piece or do I need to allow for banjo clearance under the work?
(I recall reading that banjo clearance is needed somewhere but not sure where)

 

[robo hippy]

Well, what to get next depends on what you are planning to do with it. If you are planning on selling, bowls especially, then I would suggest 16 inch clearance, and over 1 hp, and preferably 220 volt. I seldom sell bowls over about 14 inch diameter. They are more of a specialty market. I have been surprised with how much torque the DVR has. The down side of it to me is that the minimum speed is about 200 rpm, but not positive on that. I turn green to final thickness, and let them dry and warp before I sand. That requires speeds of about 15 or less rpm in order to keep the abrasives on the bowl as it spins. I had my Robust tuned down to that speed, and my Vicmark 240 already goes that slow. Chances are that if you buy it new, you will find it on Craigslist the next day.... Check out other towns around you, and any turning club around. It might pay off to drive a little. I don't care for the Laguna design. My favorite banjo design is the Robust and the 3520C, which have locking wedges that pull in for a secure set on your tool rests. The single locking pin just seems to slip way too much. I think Laguna has a cut in the tool rest post holder, and I did have that on one lathe, but didn't think it was an improvement. On my old 3520A, it had two holes for a locking pin. I used them both. I ended up having a machinest friend make a T handle where the cross bar slipped from one side to the other, kind of like how vice handles work. That worked pretty well. Don't like the soft pot metal handles on the hardened gear things. The pot metal wears out fairly quickly. On my Robust, after that handle stripped, I ended up using a mini set of vice grips. The serrations on the jaws of it match the gears on the set screw almost perfectly.

If I was going for another lathe, I would consider the 18 inch Jet.

robo hippy

 

[David Wrate]

Thanks Reed, the Jet lathes are attractive. Unfortunately getting one in Canada is impossible save for driving down and bringing it back.

 

[David Wrate]

I'm with the others who suggest saving/waiting for the lathe you want rather than settling for the lathe you can afford now.

I would add to your list of considerations - weight and lowest speed - when you get to larger bowls the stability of extra weight is appreciated, and the thrill of spinning-wood-of-death is overrated.

Thanks Dave, I noticed on the 16"and 18" Records that their lowest speed is 250 rpm which seems fast to me for large pieces. The Lagunas have a lowest speed of 50 rpm.

 

[Randy Heinemann]

I owned the Nova Comet II midi as my first lathe and outgrew it's 12" capacity within a couple of years. However, I chose not to buy another Nova because I had a bad experience requiring replacement of an expensive part after only a year and a half. But that's just me so others will not be down on Nova's.

Take a little time and decide what your future turning needs are, especially with regard to swing. I do almost exclusively bowls and decided I never wanted to upgrade again just because I didn't have enough capacity. That becomes even more expensive than upgrading to the right lathe to begin with. I just went with a 3520 Powermatic and now I'm where I wanted to be period. I know that's extreme but it's very disruptive and expensive to go through this process repeatedly.

Second, I would never be without speed control. Changing belts is cumbersome. Plus I have complete control over my speed and adjust it to just what I want at each step. For me it is just one of the best features of my lathe (other than how great the whole lathe is).

Weight is another thing to consider. I know you can add weights in a variety of ways, but the 3520C is heavy and has never vibrated excessively or moved no matter what I put on it. It's just there solid as a rock. That's worth a lot.

So, I know that a Powermatic 3520C is a lot of money (especially right now), but before you buy I think it would be best to make sure that you are buying something that will last far into the future or you are going to be back in the same place sooner than you think.

 

[Dennis J Gooding]

As typically happens I’ve been bitten hard by the turning bug and am already looking at upgrading my lathe.

I have a Rikon 70-220VSR, 1hp, 12" swing, variable speed, reverse.

Options I'm looking at:
Record Coronet Herald: 14” swing, 1.25 hp, swivelling head stock, variable speed, reverse. $1750 CDN $140 shipping. Total with taxes $2007
Laguna 1524, 15" swing, 1.5hp, sliding head stock, variable speed, reverse, $2800, $300 shipping. Total with taxes $3458
Record Coronet Envoy: 16” swing. 1.5hp, swivelling head stock, variable speed, reverse. $2900 CDN. $450 shipping. Total with taxes $3752
Nova 1624II: 16” swing, 1.5hp, swivelling head stock, no variable speed. It is on sale locally for $1570 inc. taxes. A VFD conversion to get variable speed would set me back another $500. Total with taxes $2070. I may be able to negotiate a couple hundred off the price of the lathe as I have a good relationship with the store manager.

No dilemma. Just hock the family silver and buy a big Oneway! (You don't use the silver often anyway.)

 

[Earl McLain]

I got lucky and stumbled into a deal on a "forever" lathe--that fit me about as well as if i'd known what i wanted. A few months later, i spent a week in a class our local club put on, was able to turn on some nice machines, and understood i had accidentally bought a good fit.

Moral--mine was happenstance. The more intelligent approach would have been to invest in a few classes and learn what machine and tools feel right to you (and MAYBE fit your budget). Doing that would have improved my basic skillset much sooner. A few classes with a few different instructors who use different machines may keep you from the scenario Lyle Jamieson described above!!

(Reality--i had to have bigger and better NOW, so logic and clear thinking were not even on the thought list. I'm a USA Consumer--it's my right. I got lucky--but that is not the normal outcome!! Hope you can overcome the passion!!)
earl

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

I just went with a 3520 Powermatic and now I'm where I wanted to be period. I know that's extreme but it's very disruptive and expensive to go through this process repeatedly.


So, I know that a Powermatic 3520C is a lot of money (especially right now), but before you buy I think it would be best to make sure that you are buying something that will last far into the future or you are going to be back in the same place sooner than you think.

This is very true. I upgraded three times before finally getting my "forever" lathe. It is disruptive because you think you have what you need, but then you learn something new and it all of a sudden becomes deficient! And two or three upgrades later, you have already have spent enough money for what a "forever" lathe would cost! I understand it is a lot of money, but maybe save until you can get one.

 

[Doug Freeman]

Thanks for your fantastic advice and guidance gents.
The reason for the upgrade is that the 12" capacity is limiting. I can see a maximum piece of 14" in my future.
But I'm not sure that I fully understand the capacity aspect. If I have 12" capacity now can I actually turn a 12" piece or do I need to allow for banjo clearance under the work?
(I recall reading that banjo clearance is needed somewhere but not sure where)

With a 12" swing you could get ~11-1/2" finished OD maybe, more likely 11". Lathe specs generally list the swing, then the clearance over the banjo. Having clearance over the banjo for the largest you expect to turn is nice, but not required - it can be worked around. If its only a piece now and then, no big deal. If the majority of pieces are large then it makes sense to have clearance over the banjo.

The types of pieces (bowls, HF's, spindle work, etc), processes you prefer, and project size drive the lathe decision. Shorter lathes limit the size/type of hollowing rigs to a degree, a steady rest reduces the available swing, a motor below 1-1/2 hp becomes limiting to depth of cut (and frustrating) when roughing, light lathes like the Record Power and the Nova 1624 require weighting down or bolting to the floor.

Lowest speed typically comes in to play in 2 situations - larger out of balance pieces and sanding warped work. My lathe goes to 100 rpm - I find it low enough to safely start out of balance work to check things out, but it is too fast for sanding warped pieces - I have become very good with the sander in one hand and rotating the piece by hand to sand them, as well as natural edge bowls.

I appreciate the flexibility of a pivoting HS. A pivoting HS was the main driver of my lathe search. I ended up with a Nova 16x44 Galaxy. I can get in front of a bowl to hollow it vs straightening my right arm out over the bed or leaning way over, without removing the TS. Pivoting a piece out perpendicular to the bed gives better access for sanding and no concern with finish dripping on the bed when applying while on the lathe. With the bolt on outrigger (adds 4" to lathe length) it's capable of 29" swing for larger OD work. The DVR drive was not a driver of my decision process, but I have been impressed with it. It has more power vs a vfd of the same 1-1/2hp rating, no belt changes, and the programmable speed presets are very helpful. I really miss the pivot HS and speed presets when I turn on other lathes.

The main point is determine your preferences and use them to drive your selection process.

 

[David Wrate]

With a 12" swing you could get ~11-1/2" finished OD maybe, more likely 11". Lathe specs generally list the swing, then the clearance over the banjo. Having clearance over the banjo for the largest you expect to turn is nice, but not required - it can be worked around. If its only a piece now and then, no big deal. If the majority of pieces are large then it makes sense to have clearance over the banjo.

The types of pieces (bowls, HF's, spindle work, etc), processes you prefer, and project size drive the lathe decision. Shorter lathes limit the size/type of hollowing rigs to a degree, a steady rest reduces the available swing, a motor below 1-1/2 hp becomes limiting to depth of cut (and frustrating) when roughing, light lathes like the Record Power and the Nova 1624 require weighting down or bolting to the floor.

Lowest speed typically comes in to play in 2 situations - larger out of balance pieces and sanding warped work. My lathe goes to 100 rpm - I find it low enough to safely start out of balance work to check things out, but it is too fast for sanding warped pieces - I have become very good with the sander in one hand and rotating the piece by hand to sand them, as well as natural edge bowls.

I appreciate the flexibility of a pivoting HS. A pivoting HS was the main driver of my lathe search. I ended up with a Nova 16x44 Galaxy. I can get in front of a bowl to hollow it vs straightening my right arm out over the bed or leaning way over, without removing the TS. Pivoting a piece out perpendicular to the bed gives better access for sanding and no concern with finish dripping on the bed when applying while on the lathe. With the bolt on outrigger (adds 4" to lathe length) it's capable of 29" swing for larger OD work. The DVR drive was not a driver of my decision process, but I have been impressed with it. It has more power vs a vfd of the same 1-1/2hp rating, no belt changes, and the programmable speed presets are very helpful. I really miss the pivot HS and speed presets when I turn on other lathes.

The main point is determine your preferences and use them to drive your selection process.

It turns out I was off a bit on my Rijon specs; swing is 12-1/2" over the bed and 9-5/8" over the banjo.
The pivoting head stock is really appealing to me as I find bowl hollowing to be an bit of a contortion. Nothing terrible but the ability to swing the headstock toward me would be a real treat.

 

[Dave Delo]

It turns out I was off a bit on my Rijon specs; swing is 12-1/2" over the bed and 9-5/8" over the banjo.
The pivoting head stock is really appealing to me as I find bowl hollowing to be an bit of a contortion. Nothing terrible but the ability to swing the headstock toward me would be a real treat.

If the swivel head is really something you desire, you should check out the Vicmarc VL240 available from Ken Rude at Branches to Bowls in Calgary.

 

[David Wrate]

If the swivel head is really something you desire, you should check out the Vicmarc VL240 available from Ken Rude at Branches to Bowls in Calgary.

Holy moly those are spendy! $6400 CDN!!!

 

[Phil Winch]

David, best advise I can give is to join a club! If there isn't one on the Island, join the Vancouver or Fraser Valley Guild. Clubs are where you find the good used lathes at half the new price. My used Oneway has paid for itself several times over.

 

[David Wrate]

David, best advise I can give is to join a club! If there isn't one on the Island, join the Vancouver or Fraser Valley Guild. Clubs are where you find the good used lathes at half the new price. My used Oneway has paid for itself several times over.

Yup, On Monday I put out an email to my local club to see if anyone has anything. Sadly I missed a Nova 1624 that was sold that weekend

 

[Dean Center]

A. Your Rikon can turn at least a 10" bowl, and a 10" bowl is a really nice, useable size. It's not tiny.
2. If you want to turn a 14" bowl, figure on getting a 16" lathe. A 14" lathe won't do it and you will eventually be doing this all over again.
Next, Powermatic/Jet has it's scratch and dent warehouse selling lathes and other tools in the Seattle area. How much is a ferry ride? Could you bring a lathe home on one?
Finally, the best solution for maximum lathe with minimum expense is a used lathe. Contact as many clubs as you can justify driving to pick up a lathe from and let them know you're looking. Check their newsletters where they often have classified ads. For optimum return on your CD, be patient. Your lathe is out there. Somebody just hasn't quite realized they need to finally sell their lathe. Mine took 1.5 years to suddenly show up and has served me well for over 10 years.

 

[Pat Patterson]

Yup, On Monday I put out an email to my local club to see if anyone has anything. Sadly I missed a Nova 1624 that was sold that weekend

Hey David cool your jets I just got the bug listening to folks here talking about buying lathes and bought a Nova Galaxy 1644. What you have is a good piece of equipment. After looking at used lathes for a year with no joy, 3 showed up after I bought mine. Keep looking for a while as you continue to turn and discover what you really want in your forever lathe. BTW I love my 1644, it is definitely MY forever buddy. Love you enthusiasm!!!
Pat

 

[Russ Braun]

My PM 3520 forever lathe is now becoming a Robust AB forever lathe! Turns (forgive the pun) out, spending my Son’s inheritance isn’t the toughest thing I’ve ever done, haha! Forever lathes are only forever for so long. Just like collecting tools and wood, it’s what we do!! I’ve been addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, drugs and work; Segmented Woodturning is the latest of my addictions and has by far made me the highest!! Quit fighting the natural evolution of things!!

 

[Monty Ivy]

I'm looking pretty hard at a Robust Sweet Sixteen as my next lathe. At $8200 + freight and tax I'll be saving my nickels for a while yet. No rush my PM 2014 serves well enough but I would like the ability to turn larger diameters.

Monty

 

[Larry Mitchell]

My “wanted” lathe (Axminster 406) is not available in the USA, so while looking
for something with desired features, this one came to my attention. Off the beaten
path for many/most…

 

[David Wrate]

My “wanted” lathe (Axminster 406) is not available in the USA, so while looking
for something with desired features, this one came to my attention. Off the beaten
path for many/most…

I looked at the Harvey lathes too. Nice machines from all appearances.

 

[Michael Anderson]

Those Harvey lathes look pretty sweet, especially with the servo motors.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

I went from the same Rikon to the RP Coronet Envoy. The deciding factor for me was I had to have a pivoting headstock because of spine problems and I wanted all of the controls in a pendant. I have had it between 1 and 2 years and have been very happy.

 

[David Wrate]

I went from the same Rikon to the RP Coronet Envoy. The deciding factor for me was I had to have a pivoting headstock because of spine problems and I wanted all of the controls in a pendant. I have had it between 1 and 2 years and have been very happy.View attachment 47180

Thanks Rusty, I see that the low speed is 250 rpm on the Envoy and Regent. Have you found that is sufficiently low?

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Thanks Rusty, I see that the low speed is 250 rpm on the Envoy and Regent. Have you found that is sufficiently low?

I have never moved the belt off the middle pulley. That gets me 400 rpm turned all the way down Up to 1700 turned all the way up. I have put some good size chunks of log on it and never had a problem starting it at 400. I think it says middle pulley starts at 450 so it does go a little slower as advertised. Feel free to message me with any questions you might have.

 

[Richard Coers]

Those Harvey lathes look pretty sweet, especially with the servo motors.

The servo motors are the feature that would concern me the most. I just don't see the need for that technology on something that just spins.

 

[David Wrate]

The servo motors are the feature that would concern me the most. I just don't see the need for that technology on something that just spins.

I agree. They mention the near-instant stopping ability as a benefit but since we all have screw-on chucks I'd be concerned about spinning the chuck (and work) off on a sudden stop. Unless of course it can be programmed to be a slower stop.

 

[Michael Anderson]

The servo motors are the feature that would concern me the most. I just don't see the need for that technology on something that just spins.

I don’t think that’s reason enough to dismiss them. As I understand, compared to DC motors, servo motors are more efficient, produce more torque, have faster response rates, and are longer-lasting. Are these benefits marginal? Possibly. Are there downsides to servo motors? I don’t know—maybe potentially more complicated issues? I think it’s pretty neat that industrial technologies are becoming more and more accessible to consumers. Now that cost isn’t really a mitigating factor, I don’t see a many negatives to the addition, regardless of the need.

 

[Richard Coers]

I don’t think that’s reason enough to dismiss them. As I understand, compared to DC motors, servo motors are more efficient, produce more torque, have faster response rates, and are longer-lasting. Are these benefits marginal? Possibly. Are there downsides to servo motors? I don’t know—maybe potentially more complicated issues? I think it’s pretty neat that industrial technologies are becoming more and more accessible to consumers. Now that cost isn’t really a mitigating factor, I don’t see a many negatives to the addition, regardless of the need.

All the big lathes use AC 3 phase motors, not DC. It's a mature control method and has been flawless for 24 years on my Oneway. But, I don't care for the Nova DVR either. I like a lathe that turns on when I push a button. I don't want to wait for something to ramp up in speed. To me, these are just unnecessary solutions to a nonexistent problems.

 

[Michael Anderson]

All the big lathes use AC 3 phase motors, not DC.

Ah yes, you’re right about that. I do actually agree with you for the most part. I don’t think there’s a problem per se, but I think the existence of a servo on a lathe is interesting in its own right.