New lathe questions

[Andrew Hobbs]

I have an extremely used grizzly g0766.
I am wanting to upgrade. This lathe shakes between 900 and 1000. The frame flexes with large pieces. Broken off indexing stop by the headstock by the spindle. It's beat up to say the least. I have workarounds to help but I know I need to upgrade and am thinking about doing it now.
There's been a lot of debate on the swiveling headstock. I, like a lot of us have been eyeing the new grizzly. It's decently heavy, looks bulkier than the g0766 and has all of the bells and whistles including a swiveling headstock, swing away, outboard turning extensions.
But for another 1000 dollars I could get a much higher quality machine, the powermatic 4224. I can get one tomorrow for 5500. Brand new, only powered on once. But being limited to a 24in swing. Even with the ability to slide the headstock to the end of the lathe I'm still reliant on a free standing tool rest correct? Ideally I'd prefer a Oneway for the out board options. Or one of those magma black titans or even a vicmark 240 I think. But those are all going to exit my price range. I really want the swiveling spindle and would prefer to not pay over 5500. And want to keep my 1 1/4x8 like most of us Americans. Although I'm nova so I could get new inserts if needed and a used Oneway popped up.
It's a tough one for me right now. The swiveling spindle is such a huge thing for me. But the quality of the powermatic and value held is going to be significantly better. Not that I plan on selling whatever I buy.
Any tips, suggestions, hate on grizzly or love I'm all ears for. Especially if any of you fine individuals have had a chance to turn on the new grizzly. There's one review on their website so someone has one!!
Thanks for reading. Here's a little cuban mahogany crotch plate I made last week. I have some big pieces I'll be posting pictures of soon I hope.

 

[Ed Weingarden]

Out of curiosity, what is it that you are turning whereby you need more than a 24" swing?

 

[Andrew Hobbs]

Out of curiosity, what is it that you are turning whereby you need more than a 24" swing?

Mostly bowls and platters.
I've made a few wall art pieces. Other than bowls that's one of my favorite things to do. Large lazy Susans but with some shape and character on the face as well.
I've been asked to make gigantic salad bowls for thanksgiving type dinners. Something they can have out as a centerpiece on a table but then also use for thanksgiving or holiday salads etc. I live in a wealthy area of South Florida so I get requests for really massive things that probably wouldn't sell most other places. Excessive but it's fun to make. I really enjoy the big stuff. I enjoy it all but making something really large is so much fun to me. It's such a process.

 

[Ed Weingarden]

Got it. Sounds like really cool and beautiful pieces. The icing on the cake is the high end clientele.

 

[john lucas]

With a lowered bed extension you can turn up to 30" over the lower bed and use a banjo tool post extension so you won't need a floor standing tool rest. Sliding the headstock toward the end allows you to stand in a position like you would for a rotating headstock..

 

[Earl McLain]

At $5,500 might want to look at Rikon 70-3040. I don't think the headstock slides or rotates, but the sliding bed provides 30"+ over the bed. I've not used one, but the postings from owners seem mostly positive.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

If you shot for the moon and bought one of those otherwise out-of-budget machines, would sales to a couple more of your wealthy customers help you recoup the investment? The way I'm reading you, if you're willing to go most of the way at $5500, why not go all the way, get what you really want, and have one of the highest quality, highest reliability machines that will provide everything you hope for? You'll just have to make sure to sell a few extra pieces of wall art and tableware.

 

[Doug Freeman]

Be sure to look at total cost, lathe and accessories such as bed extension, TS swing away, extra banjo, tool post extension, etc to get whatever lathe to the setup you want for doing large turnings. The G0995 comes with bed extension and tool post extension, and TS swing away. Some quick checking says a PM4224 swingaway is ~$500, and bed extension is ~$1000, and there might be other things/costs. That's an additional $1500, so the PM is actually $2500+ more vs the Grizzly.

As for a pivot headstock, I love them, but my "large" turnings are ~16". It's so much easier to pivot the HS around vs removing or swinging away the TS, and sliding a big heavy HS down. The other option is a an outboard spindle extension like a Oneway, which is probable superior for big heavy turnings, but at significant cost and probably floor space.

As mentioned, with your situation, ie having a good market for large turnings, how long does it take to pay off an additional $3000-$5000 of total lathe cost? If the ROI is 2-3 years, that's not a bad investment.

 

[John K Jordan]

@Andrew Hobbs,

I have a PM3520b with a bed extension. I use it as an extension but as mentioned, it can be mounted to allow more swing. I think the lower mounting holes are about 9" down from the bed to go from 20" to up to a 38" swing. Mine came with a tool rest extension so a free-standing tool rest is not needed.

One caveat - with the lowered extension on the 3520 you can't use the tailstock to support big work when needed, what I would want if I turned big. If big was on my agenda I'd look for a bigger lathe. I've never mounted by my extension in the lower position of the 3520b or used the tool rest extension. (I've turned plenty of things close to that lathe's 20" but I'm not a card-carrying member of the big bowl club.)

I knew an older guy with a large PM who quit turning - maybe you can find a used one from someone for a good price. That's how I got my 3520, lathe, extension, and some tools and accessories for about 3K. I pulled a trailer about 1200 miles to fetch it.

JKJ

 

[Andrew Hobbs]

Be sure to look at total cost, lathe and accessories such as bed extension, TS swing away, extra banjo, tool post extension, etc to get whatever lathe to the setup you want for doing large turnings. The G0995 comes with bed extension and tool post extension, and TS swing away. Some quick checking says a PM4224 swingaway is ~$500, and bed extension is ~$1000, and there might be other things/costs. That's an additional $1500, so the PM is actually $2500+ more vs the Grizzly.

As for a pivot headstock, I love them, but my "large" turnings are ~16". It's so much easier to pivot the HS around vs removing or swinging away the TS, and sliding a big heavy HS down. The other option is a an outboard spindle extension like a Oneway, which is probable superior for big heavy turnings, but at significant cost and probably floor space.

As mentioned, with your situation, ie having a good market for large turnings, how long does it take to pay off an additional $3000-$5000 of total lathe cost? If the ROI is 2-3 years, that's not a bad investment.

Very good points. The grizzly comes with it all. I'm just nervous it's not beefy enough. And you're right, to get what I want out of the powermatic I'll be spending significantly more. A few sales would cover the difference absolutely. I just also own my other business that is very busy and a young family so I'm weighing all of the options.
I think ideally I would buy something close to what I want to end up with and that I will keep forever.
But eventually when I have a little more space I would go with the Oneway with the outboard options. I think that's the final place I would ideally want to be. But then again who knows what will be available at that point.

 

[Andrew Hobbs]

At $5,500 might want to look at Rikon 70-3040. I don't think the headstock slides or rotates, but the sliding bed provides 30"+ over the bed. I've not used one, but the postings from owners seem mostly positive.

I've looked into the rikon. It's beautiful and so big and "robust" looking. And I know the customer service is second to none. I really love having tailstock support as well. When my pieces fit my lathe and I don't have to turn outboard I usually use the Stuart batty method of turning a recess into the top of the bowl. He probably didn't invent the method but I learned it from his video. I love being able to work between centers if the bowl isn't too incredibly heavy. You can make slight adjustments when needed to make sure you get the most out of your log.
I just need the ability to turn very large. I'm about to start a 48in wide wall piece with an ancient Indian rosewood log I was given and cut up. So for strange stuff like that I really need that ability. It would be nice to just slide the headstock to the center of the lathe and turn it 90 degrees to work off the side..just seems so freeing to be able to stand like that.
I really am hoping someone chimes in with personal experience with the new grizzly lathe. Someone bought it and left a great review on the grizzly website. I just want to know how hard they've pushed it. I was hoping they were a member here!

 

[William Rogers]

not sure if you saw this discussion on the Grizzly G0995

Thread 'Grizzly Growl-Tech - A new digital direct-drive lathe'

Jun 24, 2025

I know that Nova has a direct drive lathe, and I think it is also fully digitally controlled. With the troubled Teknatool is having in the US, I've wondered about its longevity. From what I have heard its an excellent lathe and the direct drive is very nice (as direct drive things tend to be!)

I received an email about another digital direct drive lathe today. From Grizzly. I don't know how to rank Grizzly in terms of overall quality, but, it is interesting that it is a digital direct drive lathe with three horsies of power as well...

• Jon Rista
• Replies: 51
• Forum: Woodturning Discussion Forum

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