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Need advise on new lathe

I am a happy Nova owner and there are others on here. It's like finding yourself at the stadium and trying to figure out who to root for, then you find that every team/manufacturer has its cheering section and its detractors.

I would look more carefully at the features of each machine. Like Rusty I love a rotating headstock, but I frequently sand at 75 rpm and the RP doesn't go that slow. On the other hand I am jealous of the pendant that RP has, and Nova does not.
 
If I were to ever purchase another lathe...It MUST have the following:

=====================================

...Pivoting headstock

...Over 500lbs

...Remote controls, that can be positioned where you need them.

...16-20" swing.

...banjo that excepts 1" tool rests (without a sleeve).

...1 1/4" x 8 tpi spindle

=======================================

Otherwise, I'll keep my Woodfast lathe.

The only thing the Woodfast doesn't have is the pivoting headstock. I have upgraged to variable speed, and the controls are mounted at the end of the bedways. That's satisfactory, even though a position-able control unit might be a bit more handy at times. I have a Robust banjo on mine.....much better than the original Woodfast banjo, IMHO.

If anyone knows of a lathe that would fit my requirements, let me know. I'd prefer cast iron, but would consider steel construction.

The Robust Sweet 16 would be perfect, if it had a rotating headstock.

The Vicmarc VL 240 is another I feel would be great, but doesn't have the right banjo.

-----odie-----

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I thought I should jump in and share my experience with Laguna lathes. I love 'em. Never had an issues with them. Started with the 1216 and wanted to turn bigger. Upgraded to the 2436 and now I can turn anything. My better half was hogging too much time on it so we bought an 1836 220v also. The little Nova is for turning parties so everyone can stay busy and have fun. I've never experienced any negative things with them.
 
Aaron Saude said:
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I thought I should jump in and share my experience with Laguna lathes. I love 'em. Never had an issues with them. Started with the 1216 and wanted to turn bigger. Upgraded to the 2436 and now I can turn anything. My better half was hogging too much time on it so we bought an 1836 220v also. The little Nova is for turning parties so everyone can stay busy and have fun. I've never experienced any negative things with them.
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Thanks, it’s good to see a positive post, how long have you been using your laguna lathes
 
Over 2 years. I've been on alot of forums for hobbies and it's very common for people to have strong opinions about which brands offers the best product. People will compare it to driving a Ferrari versus a Festiva. If they both get you to your destination, then they are both delivering the same result at a different price point. I don't think the wood turning world is any different in that regard. Ford vs Chevy, Coke vs Pepsi. The world loves all of them.
 
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