Looking for my last lathe

[Cody Litster]

I know this discussion has come up before, but I am looking for new info. Companies change, new products come out, etc.

I am looking for a new lathe. Hopefully one that will be my last lathe. I am still relatively new to wood turning, but have definitely caught the bug. This is definitely a Ford vs Chevy question. Here goes:

1) are there any stand up lathes that I should absolutely stay away from.
2) I want to be able to turn decent sized bowls (up to 16 inches or so) but also need to be able to turn spindles up to 28 inches.
3) I am not looking to make this a living, so maybe $3-$4K.

Any help or suggestions would be helpful.

Thank you.
Cody

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I would say look at Powermatic or Jet. Larger PM is out of your budget but there are some smaller ones or buy used. Jet has several in that price range. Both these lathes from the same company and use similar parts and maybe interchangeable parts.

Lots of talk about problems on some other lathes and you read they are fixed and then pops up again so will not go there.

 

[Michael Anderson]

Sort of as an aside, I would highly suggest going the used route (you may have already considered this). 3-4k will get you a heck of a used machine, and one that won’t really matter new vs used. Of course, you lose out on the warranty of a new lathe. If there is a woodturning club nearby they could be a good source for tips or gear. Craigslist or Facebook marketplace can be helpful, but it’s somewhat a luck/waiting game.

 

[Paul Lajoie]

Jet 1640 just under $3k, 1840 just over $3k. I got the 1840 last December and am very happy with it

 

[Brian Gustin]

What Gerald Said. I am pretty much in the same boat, I'm still working on saving up the money, but FWIW: My Dream lathe is a Robust AB (Well, maybe if I win the Lottery....) I would love to get a Powermatic 3420 , but for my budget, I have to settle on the Jet 1642 (Planning on getting it from Home Depot with White Glove delivery) - I'd rather have the 1842 because of its greater power and 240V (It'd pull less amps) but that extra $600+ puts it just out of reach for me. I keep going back and forth over all the options at least once a month but - while I could get by with a 14 inch swing (Doubtful I'll turn much bigger than a 12 inch bowl) on a higher quality lathe, I do want the spindle length to be at least 36" (I have had some requests to turn sauerkraut mashers which I can do on my current HF 12 x 36) and I do want the full size & weight (I don't want to have to build a stand for a benchtop Midi) , so for me given all the factors I keep looking at and going over, Pretty much the Jet is gonna be "it" for me. As to what Michael suggests - would be excellent, if you have a local club (I can't be driving an hour and a half one way to get to nearest club I know of) So for me, Used is kind of not do-able (I see them come up often, but they are Harbor Freight or old Craftsman or Shopsmith lathes...)

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

I would recommend staying away from the Powermatic PM2014. As for a good lathe the Oneway 1640 is closer to your price range and is not an import lathe. As for an import lathe the Jet 1840 seems to be the best. Our club has 8 of the smaller ones (1221) for about 8 years and they are pretty much impossible to break.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/jet-1840e-lathe-2hp-230v-model-jwl-1840evs

1640 Lathe

1640 Lathe

oneway.ca

 

[Lynn Dudenbostel]

You should be able to find a Powermatic 3520B in your price range without to much trouble. Some folks are asking almost as much as a new 3520C, but with a little patience, you should turn up a nice clean one for $3500 or so. Check Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

 

[JeffSmith]

I give this advice whenever I hear that someone is looking for their ‘last’ lathe.

If your goal is to wind up with your ‘last’ lathe, my advice is to spend the time to do it right. It’s a process - make a list of the potential candidates (including those you think are too expensive) and start seeking out time turning on them. Get a hold of the manufacturers - ask who owns one in your area, contact them. We, as a group, are happy to share our experience, and, if asked, will often let a curious party have a little time to truly experience our choice. Contact clubs in your area to find out who owns what and be open to brands you hadn’t considered. Given that the idea of finding your ‘last’ lathe, its probably not the best time to rely on information from sources you don’t know.

I took my own chucks, tools and prepped blanks; made sure to clean up afterwards and even took the shavings with me a few times. I learned a lot from the experience, saw parts of the country I hadn’t experienced before and had a good time doing it.

The best part of this deal is that it takes time. My journey took a couple of years, introduced me to some interesting people and made me travel farther than I had intended. It also gave me time to set aside a little more money than I had originally intended to spend. Wound up seeing products like the Serious lathe and Titan lathes that I didn’t know existed. I also found out which manufacturers really care about providing good service to those who buy their products (and those who intend to buy them).

My journey ended when I picked my lathe up at the 2012 symposium in San Jose, saving the shipping cost. Did I spend more than I thought going in - oh yes. Do I still grin from ear to ear when I go to the shop to enjoy some time on it, oh yeah. Do I regret taking so long to decide what’s right for me? Oh no! Best investment I made in my retirement.

 

[Dean Center]

OK, everybody, let's step back a moment and recognize that Cody lives someplace where there are barely roads, and nothing is nearby. Anyplace else is an airplane ride, getting to a club will be hours of travel, and he may be the only turner on the island. This is not our ordinary, "I want a lathe" situation.

Cody, I have a few thoughts.

First, when you set up for turning, you need to consider that the lathe will be about 1/2 the cost of the whole deal. If you've been turning on a smaller lathe, the gear that uses the 1X8 spindle threads won't fit on the larger lathe's spindle.​

​

Second, you're in a fairly humid environment. Jeff Smith and a couple of others on the forum are in similar environs, and we should ask them to advise whether a stainless steel bed is essential. That would reduce your option list considerably.​

​

Third, as mentioned, you can get a whole lot more lathe going the used route. Check with clubs within an acceptable distance, as people often ponder for a long time before finally deciding to sell their lathe. If you catch them in the pondering stage, you'll be first in line and may get a screamin deal.​

​

Fourth, Jet/Powermatic has a scratch and dent warehouse in the Seattle area. They don't have a regular supply, but from time to time may have just the lathe you want at a bargain price. It's Caveat Emptor, however, so you've got to check them out carefully. Often the issue is cosmetic, but a dropped lathe with a cracked bed is toast, and a broken VFD is a major headache.​

​

Finally, the AAW Symposium is in Portland next spring, and the lathes brought to the Symposium are then sold at reduced prices. They are also generally that company's top of the line model. It's a chance to get a fantastic lathe at a bargain price, except you have to figure out how to get it home.​

 

[robo hippy]

When I started turning, I figured the lathe would be maybe half the cost of the 'accessories' that went with it. Older and wiser, I figure the lathe cost is 20% to 25% of the cost.... My favorite lathe for bowl turning is the Vicmark 240 which has the pivoting head. One consideration for the lathe you get is do you want short bed for bowl turning, which means pivoting and/or sliding headstock, or do you want a long bed lathe. Speed ranges are important also. I think the Oneway lathes have 3 speed ranges. My Vicmark has 3 speed ranges, and my AB was one of the first ones, and it has 3 speed ranges. What the 3 speed does that the 2 speed doesn't do, is the mid speed range is perfect for bowls, both turning and coring. With the 2 speed range, the low speed range, I find, is a bit slow for smaller bowls, while the high speed range does not like coring. Another consideration is minimum speed. For me and my once turned bowls, I need about 10 to 15 rpm for sanding my warped bowls. Many lathes only go down to 50 rpm now, which is too fast for sanding my warped bowls. I had my AB reprogrammed to run that slow, and the Vicmark already goes that slow. My 3520A, sold long ago, also went down to almost 10 rpm before it turned off. Another design consideration is headstock design. A lot of the newer lathes have a 'cone' coming off of the headstock, and as near as I can tell, this is for easier access to the bottom of the bowl when you reverse it to turn out the inside. Not a consideration for me since I am one and done. What this cantilevering does is add vibration to the pieces you are turning. If you engage the tailstock, the vibration issue is gone. Most pieces, I prefer not to use the tailstock, and after years, I have learned how to avoid launching my bowl blanks....

Some argue that sliding headstocks and pivoting headstocks are not as firm/stable as a fixed headstock. I don't agree, or well, I should say, there are a number of other issues that come into play here. One is the size of the pressure plate on the bottom of the headstock. If it is the same plate as on the tailstock and banjo, I would never consider it. Shop Fox is one lathe like this. You need a much bigger pressure plate under the headstock than you do on the banjo or tailstock. Another is the addition of the cones for access. This is one reason why I don't care for the Laguna lathes. The Oneway and Robust have 'bell' housings on them so if you need to replace the headstock spindle bearings, you can remove the spindle assembly as a unit rather than having to take the entire headstock off. This again results in 'added vibration' when doing heavy roughing cuts, and again, this is a non issue if the tailstock is engaged.

As for stainless steel or cast iron, the only real difference I can tell is that they make different noises when you turn, and there is no vibration issues caused by either one. My 3520A had a beautiful black patina on the ways when I sold it from all of the sloppy wet wood I turn. I can't remember if I ever waxed it or not.

The Oneway lathe does have inboard/outboard turning capabilities. So, you can rough out in long bed position, and finish turn your twice turned bowls on the outboard position. I do think the Oneway goes down to that 10 rpm range for bowl turning.

If you plan on selling your turnings, get the best lathe you can afford. Buying used is a good way to go to start. If you can make the Portland Symposium, it is 'information overload'. The vendor's area is really great for drooling.....

I do have a You Tube channel for turning, and most of it is about bowl turning.

robo hippy

 

[Richard Hotchkiss]

Cody,

Recently purchased a Record Power Herald lathe. It is 14" by 20" and you can purchase a 16" bed extension for it. Has been on sale for the last few weeks at Highland Woodworking and Turners Warehouse. Has the rotating headstock for outboard turning also. Very nice lathe with plenty of power and runs nice and quiet. Have been very pleased with mine so far. All of the Record Power lathes seemed really nice when I was doing my research. I just went with the smaller Coronet Hearld because of limited space in a small shop. Best of luck in your search.

 

[hockenbery]

want to be able to turn decent sized bowls (up to 16 inches or so) but also need to be able to turn spindles up to 28 inches.

For a 16” bowl you will want an 18” swing so you can move the banjo under the rim as well as starting with a blank that can be turned down to 16” .
Most lathes will list a swing over the bed as its size and will list the swing over the banjo in the fine print spec sheet.

I used to turn some 11.75” bowls on a 12” lathe. Trimmed the mounted blank so it would spin. Took the bowl off the lathe to move the banjo under the rim then put the bowl back on. Ok for one a year no fun for a frequently turned size.

I used to do some larger diameter hollow forms up to 17” .
I would not try a 15” diameter HF ON A 16” lathe - just won’t work.

 

[Richard Coers]

A majority of turners have a bigger budget for that last ultimate machine. I suggest you build more budget if you are still working. If you buy now with your budget and enjoy turning, I'd bet good money you will buy one more lathe.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Record Power Regent. 18” swing over the bed, 39” swing outboard and will turn a 24” spindle. It has a 2 hp motor, remote pendant with all the controls and a pivoting headstock. I have had the Envoy, 16” little brother for a couple of years and am very happy. The Regent is on sale right now at Highland Woodworking for $2399

 

[Cody Litster]

Thank you all for the info. It is tough living in a small island in Alaska. We have 3 other folks that turn wood on the island. They have been very helpful with advice, sharing wood and such. Two of the three run Powermatics. I have thought that I might go that route so if I have problems then we all have similar machines. (3520 B&C are on the island).

I am looking at Craigslist and such in communities where I have friends and family. My son and I are also looking to go to the symposium next spring and seeing what we can find there.

Thank you all for your input.
Cody

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Two of the three run Powermatics. I have thought that I might go that route

10% off sale now on Powermatic’s at a couple places. Happens just once a year.

 

[Steve Lillie]

Thank you, Cody. I so enjoyed the laugh I got when reading "my last" (lathe). Dating sites are full of such dreamy phrases..."my last" love, etc. Guys and their tools, lathes will be together long after mismatched couples part. To figure out all sorts of life issues at work, home, play and most any other problem, turning is one of the best ways to let go of unhelpful thoughts and emotions. Well said. Turning puts us in touch with things inside us that we sometimess are unable to understand otherwise.

 

[John Grace]

For what it's worth, I think there are a number of options you can consider relative to your location and price point.

• New machines I would focus on Jet, Grizzly, Laguna. Yes I know...you'll find a number of folks who don't like the latter two for any number of reasons many of which are valid. That said, they've also improved their quality control such that you'll be able to get a 3HP lathe at your price point.
• Next and as someone else has suggested...scour classified pages here, FB, CL, and whatever else you can think of. Other turners may be getting out of turning and/or upgrading making their existing machines available. Yes...used can be tricky for some people but I've come across many good deals on used machines.
• Finally, if feasible, you may want to consider driving over to Canada. Canada has several Teknatool dealers who will ship free anywhere in Canada. If you're willing to make the drive, you can arrange to have one drop shipped to a border location and the price conversion on the Teknatool lathes will get you a great machine at an affordable price. I'd consider checking KMS tools as they carry the Teknatool line.

Good luck...j

 

[John Snow]

Record Power Regent. 18” swing over the bed, 39” swing outboard and will turn a 24” spindle. It has a 2 hp motor, remote pendant with all the controls and a pivoting headstock. I have had the Envoy, 16” little brother for a couple of years and am very happy. The Regent is on sale right now at Highland Woodworking for $2399

Have you found that the 250 rpm minimum on the Envoy is limiting? Seems a bit fast for starting big, unbalanced pieces.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Have you found that the 250 rpm minimum on the Envoy is limiting? Seems a bit fast for starting big, unbalanced pieces.

Not a problem. I start most of the big chunks on the center pulley with a minimum of 400. I have gone down to the slow speed for the torque but never needed to go below the 250. I have put some big pieces on it and never had a problem.

 

[rkriet]

I would recommend staying away from the Powermatic PM2014.

Gabriel, would you stay away from the PM 2014 because of its size, or for some other reason?

 

[William Rogers]

I have bought why last lathe twice. I finally ended up with the Robust AB and for sure this is my last lathe. It is a preference choice. The AB is a quality lathe and support is excellent. I never was fascinated with the pivoting head lathes, but some find them ideal. Robo makes a lot of good points. I would like to have 3 speeds, but two are adequate. My Robust goes down to 40 RPM and that is fine for the work I do. One thing I disagree with is the cone adding vibration. I have had lathes with and without the cone and found no real difference. To have vibration from a cone it would mean the cone would “move" in its elastic region and there is just too much mass for that to happen. Too many other factors that will lead to vibration other than the cone. One of the things I didn't consider on my first (last lathe) was adjustable spindle height. That lathe was too low for me and not good for my back. Several features I have come to really like is the spindle lock when engaged won’t start and the moveable controls.

 

[robo hippy]

My point about the cone/bell housing, is that the farther a piece is cantilevered off of the headstock tower, the more tendency for vibration there will be. If you do hollow forms, you know about this, and that is why people use steady rests for any sizeable hollow forms. PLEASE NOTE HERE, WITH THE TAILSTOCK ENGAGED, THERE ARE NO VIBRATION ISSUES! When you rough out a hollow form, you turn between centers, and there are no vibration issue because the tailstock is engaged. With my 3520A, the spindle came right out of the headstock tower. This is pretty much identical to what the Vicmark lathes do. When I first got my AB, I noticed the vibration right away. Most of the time when turning bowls, I prefer not to use the tailstock, and that leads to the vibration issues. Also, the larger the diameter of the bowl is, the more vibration there will be, especially if you do not have the tailstock engaged. Stuart Batty does not like the sliding headstock lathes, and he states a lot of reasons why. Most of which I do not agree with. There are many things that can contribute to vibration issues from lathe not being perfectly level on the floor to the size of the pressure plate on the bottom of the headstock tower. Steel body lathes do not vibrate any more than cast iron bed lathes. They just make different noises.

robo hippy

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

Gabriel, would you stay away from the PM 2014 because of its size, or for some other reason?

I have had a lot of issues with it. It is a bit small for larger work, and will vibrate some. But the big factor is the quality. I had issues with chipping paint and a bent banjo rod, as it would not lock down, I had to order a Robust aftermarket banjo because the part took 4 months to ship. Then the electronics were really bad. The lathe would not start, had to press the button about 100+ times even to start it and then the speed readout also went out, those parts took 6+ months to receive. The customer service is also not great, as hold times every time I called were north of an hour. This could have been my experience only as others seem to have had reasonable success with Powermatic. But all of my issues really had me think twice about recommending the 2014 lathe to anyone....

 

[William Rogers]

@robo hippy What you say at the spindle was about cantilever is true. However we have a 1 1/4” diameter hard steel spindle with bearings that zero or almost zero play and I do not believe will have any movement extended out 3”. Just too much mass. To have vibration you need movement. If the spindle was 1/4” diameter then you likely will have movement at the end. There are so many reasons for vibration and I don’t feel the cone contributes to vibration. We can disagree on this.

 

[hughie]

Hmm read this with a smile as from a philosophical perspective I am not sure there is a 'last lathe' other than the one you leave when you pass.

 

[Cody Litster]

All,
I keep checking back to this thread for the interesting turns it has spawned. As far as my search…my son and I are weighing the cost and experience of going to the Symposium over using the money to put towards a “upgrade” lathe.

Most folks on here have said that a “last” lathe would be a major investment, and I agree. Now, I am trying to be more realistic and just upgrade from the two bench top lathes we currently are running. Jet and Laguna are our top choices. For our price range the Laguna seems to have more of everything, but we see more folks with Jet. Hear more about Jet. Any concerns of durability for the Laguna 1836, Compared to the Jet 1640?

It seems we cannot make a bad choice and as early as we are in our wood turning careers, I am not sure we would notice a difference or the minor idiosyncrasies. Thank you all for your wisdom.

 

[Brian Gustin]

All,
I keep checking back to this thread for the interesting turns it has spawned. As far as my search…my son and I are weighing the cost and experience of going to the Symposium over using the money to put towards a “upgrade” lathe.

Most folks on here have said that a “last” lathe would be a major investment, and I agree. Now, I am trying to be more realistic and just upgrade from the two bench top lathes we currently are running. Jet and Laguna are our top choices. For our price range the Laguna seems to have more of everything, but we see more folks with Jet. Hear more about Jet. Any concerns of durability for the Laguna 1836, Compared to the Jet 1640?

It seems we cannot make a bad choice and as early as we are in our wood turning careers, I am not sure we would notice a difference or the minor idiosyncrasies. Thank you all for your wisdom.

IMHO, I think it comes down to customer service and warranty between the 2. From my reading Jet will have the better of that equation, and That's what has me sold. In addition it can matter where you buy from (Some retailers are better than others.) - For example, you can buy from Home Depot and for added fee get a "White Glove" delivery where they will actually unpack and assemble the unit in a location of your choosing (Which is why I am leaning that way - save my back... although I might get a couple friends over to help for a 6-pack or two, plus some free turnings, perhaps...)

 

[Timothy White]

IMHO there is one more lathe you should add to your candidate list.
the Nova Nebula. It is well within the price range of the other two lathes. At least try one before you buy a lathe.
a DVR xp or a Nova Galaxy should be available for you to try out before you buy.

NOVA NEBULA 18″ SMART DIRECT DRIVE LATHE (SKU 55600) - NOVA, a Teknatool Brand

The new Nebula, from Nova, at a glance: High-torque, 2.5 HP direct drive motor from Striatech which provides a speed range of 100 rpm to 4,000 rpm along with a 50 rpm Drying Mode Heavy duty, cast iron stand 18″ Swing with 25″ between centers Headstock that swivels 360 degrees and slides along...

www.teknatool.com

 

[Bill Alston]

Over here in the UK I’ve seen more than a few folks on social media having circuit board problems with older Nova lathes. Replacements have been expensive, even when they have been available. In addition I’m not a fan of membrane switches like those on that Nova, if they break you’re looking at an expensive repair. Another thing that would worry me is the built in motor. With many other lathes, if the motor leaks smoke there are any number of vendors that could supply a suitable replacement. I’m not sure about that Nova though, I suspect you’d have to try and get it rewound/repaired? Direct drive sounds great until it breaks.

 

[John Grace]

All,
I keep checking back to this thread for the interesting turns it has spawned. As far as my search…my son and I are weighing the cost and experience of going to the Symposium over using the money to put towards a “upgrade” lathe.

Most folks on here have said that a “last” lathe would be a major investment, and I agree. Now, I am trying to be more realistic and just upgrade from the two bench top lathes we currently are running. Jet and Laguna are our top choices. For our price range the Laguna seems to have more of everything, but we see more folks with Jet. Hear more about Jet. Any concerns of durability for the Laguna 1836, Compared to the Jet 1640?

It seems we cannot make a bad choice and as early as we are in our wood turning careers, I am not sure we would notice a difference or the minor idiosyncrasies. Thank you all for your wisdom.

In my opinion...the best way to approach this is to 'know' what you're going to want to turn first and then source the right tool at the right price for that job. The standard large bowl turning typically maxes out at 16". Yes...many of us have been seduced by the desire to turn monster 18"-20" bowls and I still do some on commission. Reality is, however, that there are really few people that ever want one...so how much money do you invest in a lathe that can turn one?

Laguna, Jet, and Grizzly all make fine tools. Not production level but good tools nonetheless. Robust are top of the line and are nearly impossible to beat but price is obviously a factor. Then comes Powermatic. They used to be the 1C lathe to the 1A of Robust but then they off-shored their production and many claimed there was a drop in quality...something I cannot speak to. What I can speak to is the obvious. While Powermatic may have off-shored their production...they didn't lower and in fact raised the costs of their machines. From what I've heard other says they're still a very good machine but with price points getting closer to Robust why spend that much money?

Jet was always considered one of the premium homeowner version lathes...solid and difficult to beat at a reasonable price. Both Laguna and Grizzly started out a bit rough on their quality control but I've read where they've made strides in over-all improvement as well. Between the three there is a significant cost question you have to ask for yourself...while most people would consider the Jet a better machine than Grizzly or Laguna, the fact remains that you can frequently get either a Laguna or a Grizzly with a 3Hp motor or Jet's 2Hp for the same or even a better price. This of course depends on current pricing and whether or not there are sales involved. And while there's not much difference in turning a bowl with respect between a 2 and 3HP motor...if you ever plan on doing any coring well then it matters.

If you're OK with the true hobbyist machine that will readily do bowl work then you may want to consider one of Teknatool's products. I have just acquired one of their Nebula lathes and while it's a lot of technology relative to the money there are some things on it that I don't care for either. Still something for you to consider.

In the end...if I were starting over with everything I know now and buying new I'd strongly consider the Jet, Grizzly, or Laguna in that order. Though not everyone's comfort level...I'd probably go with a 3HP Powermatic when I could find one used.

hope this helps in some manner.

 

[John Grace]

IMHO there is one more lathe you should add to your candidate list.
the Nova Nebula. It is well within the price range of the other two lathes. At least try one before you buy a lathe.
a DVR xp or a Nova Galaxy should be available for you to try out before you buy.

NOVA NEBULA 18″ SMART DIRECT DRIVE LATHE (SKU 55600) - NOVA, a Teknatool Brand

The new Nebula, from Nova, at a glance: High-torque, 2.5 HP direct drive motor from Striatech which provides a speed range of 100 rpm to 4,000 rpm along with a 50 rpm Drying Mode Heavy duty, cast iron stand 18″ Swing with 25″ between centers Headstock that swivels 360 degrees and slides along...

www.teknatool.com

I received mine several weeks ago and would be cautious before recommending it to someone. I had its predecessor, the NOVA DVR XP, and absolutely loved it. IMO it only needed a few minor upgrades and I would still have it. Unfortunately I got the 'bug' and went ahead with the Nebula. The fit and finish on the castings is mediocre at best. Had to purchase a carbide burr kit for my dremel to clean up the worst of it. The handled on the tailstock wheel 'snapped' off...it's made from cheap pott metal and will eventually source a a better made version. The tool rest post handle is fabricated from sort of of plastic...again, will replace before it too snaps off. The tailstock is about a millimeter out of vertical alignment with the headstock. I don't do much spindle work so I guess I can live with it. Here's the worst part. I have a very nice vacuum chucking system that I used with my DVR. My vacuum adapter doesn't fit the spindle on the new lathe. For whatever reason known only to teknatool...while the inboard spindle is 1 1/4", they chose to make the outboard spindle a left handed M33x3.5 thread pattern. Nobody...and I mean NOBODY makes a vacuum adapter to fit that size spindle and NOBODY makes a spind adapter to go from that size to something more conventional. Worked with Teknatool as well...they have no plans to create vacuum adapters for their own machine nor do they plan on making any spindle adapters for their 'strangely' sized spindles. Imagine buying a new machine and none of your existing chucks fit nor can you find an adapter to make them fit? OK...maybe not quite that bad but you get the idea. Fortunately...the lab I work for does work with a high-end machinist shop in town. But what should cost no more than $150 in a new vacuum adapter will now cost me $350 as I have to contract them to make a 'one off'. On top of that...it was two months late on the delivery date and though I ordered it with the bed extension, that wasn't delivered with the unit and was 'supposed' to be here this month. With only two days left in the month I'm not holding my breath. Had a chance at a used Powermatic and Vicmarc both. More money but I don't think I would have had some of these issues. Sorry for venting...

 

[R Henrickson]

In my opinion...the best way to approach this is to 'know' what you're going to want to turn first and then source the right tool at the right price for that job. The standard large bowl turning typically maxes out at 16". Yes...many of us have been seduced by the desire to turn monster 18"-20" bowls and I still do some on commission. Reality is, however, that there are really few people that ever want one...so how much money do you invest in a lathe that can turn one?

Maybe some people can 'know' what they want to turn, but that can change. I turned innumerable bowls, hollow forms, and such things in the first years I turned. In the last 10 I have rarely make any. I turn a wide variety of other things of various sizes and shapes, some sculptural, often multiaxis. All sorts of lattices and structures constructed from spindles. In more recent years, I've turned a number of platters, disks, and 'wall hangings' with diameters up to 24", but no bowls near that size. An appreciable amount of what I now turn starts from "I wonder if I could turn", then "what would happen if I change this?" A lot of my enjoyment of turning derives from figuring out how to turn that idea into reality on the lathe.

 

[Alan Heffernan]

Guess you are kinda stuck with ordering a new one. As others had said, if you were in a different location you could find a very nice PM3520B in that price range. I know because I just sold one.

If you buy one, how is the shipping handled? How is freight service there?

 

[Rick Urban]

I think you have received enough advice to make the best decision you can at this point in your woodturning journey. Do your homework. Line up the candidates. Pick your finalists. Find some way to turn on each of them. Then... Take a deep breath... and buy the one above the one you can afford. I'll bet you will be happy with your decision in the years to come.

I stretched my budget 21 years ago to get what I saw as the better of two finalists. I am still turning happily on my Powermatic 3520A.

FWIW: A woodturner always has a new lathe on his or her wish list.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

In my opinion...the best way to approach this is to 'know' what you're going to want to turn first and then source the right tool at the right price for that job. The standard large bowl turning typically maxes out at 16". Yes...many of us have been seduced by the desire to turn monster 18"-20" bowls and I still do some on commission. Reality is, however, that there are really few people that ever want one...so how much money do you invest in a lathe that can turn one?

Sage advice.

When I was searching for a new lathe, I was looking hard at the big names, of course, but the Harvey T60 and the Rikon 3040 really looked nice for the money. "Hmmm... $5,000. OK..." At some point I stopped dreaming and started thinking. I determined that an 18" lathe would suit me better than a 30" lathe, and for $2k less. I finally ordered the Rikon 70-1824. I'm a fan of Rikon and they hit the sweet spot between quality and price for me.

Edit: I don't believe this Rikon will be the last lathe I ever buy. It's just my next lathe for now.