Lathe upgrade dilemma...

[Gabriel Hoff]

Seems like a number of foreign manufacturers are wising up, and adding a pivoting headstock option to their premium lathes. I'm betting sooner or later, Powermatic and Robust will follow suit and add it.....but, they are falling behind in the trend so far!

Maybe call Brent and make your case!

 

[Nathan Roper]

Here is the shelf and my weight addition for my 1624. I keep my chucks and the few tools I have in the blue toolbox although I've considered building a rack for them to hang on the wall.

 

[Monty Ivy]

The PM 2014 has the pinch block design as well.

 

[Nathan Roper]

Spiracraft.com has the Nebula and is saying its new and is expected to ship mid December. Looks interesting.

 

[Odie]

Maybe call Brent and make your case!

Howdy Gabriel....

The hidden irony of your suggestion is....that's exactly what I did do!

It was early this year, when I contacted Brent, and offered an advance payment if he would build a Sweet 16 with a rotating headstock. He wasn't interested in taking me up on my offer. I believe Brent would design a great sturdy rotating option for this lathe.....and, engineer it well. I am very impressed with the products he offers.

Seldom do most turners need to turn anything larger than 16", and the removable bed of the Sweet 16 would accommodate that need. (Besides, all my tooling would transfer right over to the Sweet 16 lathe without much modification, if any.)

I'm all for buying American made, if I can get what I want.....but, unfortunately, while the foreign manufacturers are catering to this need, the American market is stuck on sliding headstocks.


-----odie-----

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

The Jet 16-42 used to have a pivoting headstock. I wonder why they stopped making it that way.

 

[Odie]

The Jet 16-42 used to have a pivoting headstock. I wonder why they stopped making it that way.

I can't say from experience, but I've heard it had issues.....not designed well.....not stable.

-----odie-----

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

Howdy Gabriel....

The hidden irony of your suggestion is....that's exactly what I did do!

It was early this year, when I contacted Brent, and offered an advance payment if he would build a Sweet 16 with a rotating headstock. He wasn't interested in taking me up on my offer at the time. I believe Brent would design a great sturdy rotating option for this lathe.....and, engineer it well. I am very impressed with the products he offers.

Seldom do most turners need to turn anything larger than 16", and the removable bed of the Sweet 16 would accommodate that need. (Besides, all my tooling would transfer right over to the new lathe without much modification, if any.)

I'm all for buying American made, if I can get what I want.....but, unfortunately, it seems that the foreign lathes are catering to this need, while the American market seems to be stuck on sliding headstocks.


-----odie-----

Yes, I believe the removable bed will accommodate any turnings I will ever do. Their products are most excellent!

 

[robo hippy]

Hmm, I had a very early 3520A. It had a fan at the bottom of the baffles on the phase converter, and I had to put some screening on top of the baffles to keep shavings from getting down and stopping the fan. It also had a cast iron pressure plate on the headstock which broke when I was coring some black locust. It did not have pinch blocks. I think it may have been in one of the first batches that came over from China. The set screw on it had a brass center to keep it from marring the post. I do prefer the pinch blocks to any other set up I have seen.

I have mentioned to Brent, many times, that he needs to make an 18 inch pivoting headstock lathe. Also the minimum speed should be almost 0, and a 3 speed headstock design.

robo hippy

 

[Charlie Knighton]

I believe the tool rest is the problem....I had a delta which had a 2 part tool rest which no matter how tight u tighten it got pulled into the blank. My freestanding pm tool rest slid into blank til I used wood blanks to stop it from sliding(which went with freestanding toolrest).