• Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details)
  • Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Paul May for "Checkerboard (ver 3.0)" being selected as Turning of the Week for March 25, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Deciding between Harvey T60 and Record Power Regent Lathe

Joined
May 11, 2022
Messages
14
Likes
3
Location
Punxsutawney, PA
I’m just about ready to buy a bigger lathe. I have the choices down to the Harvey T60 and the Record Power Regent. It seems Record Power might have better customer service. I’ve emailed Harvey and have not gotten a response but the Harvey fit and finish does seem better. I was thinking of going to the symposium and maybe getting to see them if they are going to be there. Any suggestions or real life experience would be a great help.
Thanks
Brian
 
Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
432
Likes
279
Location
Huntington, VT
I'm curious what criteria you are using. They seem to me to be in entirely different classes. The Harvey has a 24" swing over the bed, 48" between centers, a 3 hp motor and weighs over 700 # while the Record has an 18" swing, 24" centers, 2hp motor and weighs a bit over 300 #. A couple of minuses on the Record to my eye are the 250 rpm minimum speed and the lightly built tailstock. I can't speak to customer service.
 

odie

TOTW Team
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
7,079
Likes
9,488
Location
Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
Rotating head is really important. I would buy the extension for the Record. I have reservations about the 250 speed

The Record Power seems like a really well designed lathe to me.....but the overall weight is what I can't go along with. I agree about the rotating head......IMHO, that's a much better option than a sliding head. No need to mess with the tailstock, and change your body position for turning.

For me, I could get by with 250rpm. I seldom need slower than that, but those times I do use a slower speed, it's handy to have.

-----odie-----
 

john lucas

AAW Forum Expert
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Messages
8,322
Likes
3,576
Location
Cookeville, TN
I just had a friend upgrade. I looked at a lot of lathes for him and thought the Harvey looked like a good deal. He decided to go that route. He wont get it until July. I did not include the Record lathe because I didn't see any ads for it on my searches. My friend and I live in Tennessee USA. Marbe the Record isnt sold over here.
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Messages
1,814
Likes
1,417
Location
Lebanon, Missouri
Significant size and cost difference between those 2 choices. I would not consider them as comparable. Compare the Regent to the Nova Orion (18" swing), or perhaps the Galaxi (16" swing). I mention the Galaxi because the outrigger fits and works. I'm not sure Nova has an outrigger that fits the Orion.

Don't believe the HS on the T-60 pivots (T-40 does). Need to look at Laguna, Powermatic, Oneway, Robust for 24" swing comparables. Grizzly has a 22" swing(G0766).
 
Joined
May 11, 2022
Messages
14
Likes
3
Location
Punxsutawney, PA
Significant size and cost difference between those 2 choices. I would not consider them as comparable. Compare the Regent to the Nova Orion (18" swing), or perhaps the Galaxi (16" swing). I mention the Galaxi because the outrigger fits and works. I'm not sure Nova has an outrigger that fits the Orion.

Don't believe the HS on the T-60 pivots (T-40 does). Need to look at Laguna, Powermatic, Oneway, Robust for 24" swing comparables. Grizzly has a 22" swing(G0766).
I did look at Nova lathes but I’ve heard the service is pretty bad. Oneway and robust are great except for the price. I want either a rotating head or a sliding head.
 
Joined
Nov 26, 2009
Messages
787
Likes
717
Location
Rockingham, Virginia
Brian...first off, let me share my experience. I've been turning since 2006. I've turned and demoed on numerous makes, including the high end lathes. At least 15 Powermatic 3520bs, a Robust American Beauty, several Jet lathes, a Serious SL2542, etc. I have the G0800 Grizzly, which is the same lathe as the Harvey Turbo-60, which was made by Harvey for Grizzly before they decided to keep that frame exclusively to market for themselves. The only difference is they went to a D/C 2 hp motor with controller, which is industrial duty, and my lathe has an A/C 3 hp motor with inverter.
The Harvey T-60 is a highly precision machine. The ways are highly polished, and the lathe is a heavy duty beast with a nice swing away tailstock, sliding headstock unit. My centers lined up to a precision degree, and the tailstock quill has ACME threads, which are hardened. The spindle lock is much better in my opinion than the ones on PM 3520 lathes. The belt is a special made for high torque applications, which is needed for low speed turning of heavy wood.
When I decided to get my Grizzly version, I was almost ready to pull the trigger on a Robust American Beauty, but after doing deep dives in research and looking at the build, I went ahead a got the G0800, Harvey T-60 clone. I could not be happier with my purchase. I have not had a single issue, not one, after 4 years! That lathe is as nice to turn on as any Oneway 2436, Robust, or others I have turned on. I turn some big heavy wood at times, and my lathe has handled it very well. The bearings on the spindle are all bigger than a baseball! The precision machining on this lathe shows up in how smooth and quiet it operates.
When I relocate and get my bigger shop built, I may still get a Robust American Beauty, because I really like that lathe, but I'm keeping my Harvey cloned G0800, as it is every bit as much a pleasure to turn on as the Robust AB. It is truly a premium turning platform. I also have the bed extension for it, and can turn off the end with the headstock moved to the end, and the swingaway engaged. The banjo riser can be ordered to use with the bed extension. All lock up solidly, and are heavy duty.
Good luck with your decision. BTW, I have spoken with Harvey reps over the phone, and they stand by their machines. I don't know how things have developed over the course of the pandemic, with supply chain issues, but my experience has been all positive.....John Hicks has the Turbo-60, and reports from him are all positive from what I've read.
 
Joined
May 11, 2022
Messages
14
Likes
3
Location
Punxsutawney, PA
Brian...first off, let me share my experience. I've been turning since 2006. I've turned and demoed on numerous makes, including the high end lathes. At least 15 Powermatic 3520bs, a Robust American Beauty, several Jet lathes, a Serious SL2542, etc. I have the G0800 Grizzly, which is the same lathe as the Harvey Turbo-60, which was made by Harvey for Grizzly before they decided to keep that frame exclusively to market for themselves. The only difference is they went to a D/C 2 hp motor with controller, which is industrial duty, and my lathe has an A/C 3 hp motor with inverter.
The Harvey T-60 is a highly precision machine. The ways are highly polished, and the lathe is a heavy duty beast with a nice swing away tailstock, sliding headstock unit. My centers lined up to a precision degree, and the tailstock quill has ACME threads, which are hardened. The spindle lock is much better in my opinion than the ones on PM 3520 lathes. The belt is a special made for high torque applications, which is needed for low speed turning of heavy wood.
When I decided to get my Grizzly version, I was almost ready to pull the trigger on a Robust American Beauty, but after doing deep dives in research and looking at the build, I went ahead a got the G0800, Harvey T-60 clone. I could not be happier with my purchase. I have not had a single issue, not one, after 4 years! That lathe is as nice to turn on as any Oneway 2436, Robust, or others I have turned on. I turn some big heavy wood at times, and my lathe has handled it very well. The bearings on the spindle are all bigger than a baseball! The precision machining on this lathe shows up in how smooth and quiet it operates.
When I relocate and get my bigger shop built, I may still get a Robust American Beauty, because I really like that lathe, but I'm keeping my Harvey cloned G0800, as it is every bit as much a pleasure to turn on as the Robust AB. It is truly a premium turning platform. I also have the bed extension for it, and can turn off the end with the headstock moved to the end, and the swingaway engaged. The banjo riser can be ordered to use with the bed extension. All lock up solidly, and are heavy duty.
Good luck with your decision. BTW, I have spoken with Harvey reps over the phone, and they stand by their machines. I don't know how things have developed over the course of the pandemic, with supply chain issues, but my experience has been all positive.....John Hicks has the Turbo-60, and reports from him are all positive from what I've read.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2021
Messages
1,011
Likes
1,355
Location
Parkersburg, West Virginia
Don’t know if you bought yet. I would recommend the Record power Envoy Or larger one. I bought the Envoy. I have had it about a year and love it. Their customer service is excellent. I have not needed it but a few people had a problem with the controller so they sent a new one to everybody for free. a couple of people had a problem with the hold down bolt so they sent a new one to everybody with a free Chuck for the trouble. Now I have a spare controller, hold down bolt and free Chuck. The reason I went with the Record Power was the rotating headstock and the pendant with all of the controls.
F50B4848-6618-4685-BBC8-1F845DD5DD77.jpeg205847DA-9F1E-4D81-B110-37A79AB74F93.jpeg602184DC-DE33-4BD8-A911-C530C690C9C4.jpeg
 
Back
Top