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Nova DVR 3000, is it for me???

N

Nice Bill

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May 25, 2004
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Hello to all. This is my first time addressing the AAW forum. I have been reading the questions and answers for some time now, many of which have been very helpful. I know many of you talk about the pros and cons of different lathes, and I am in the market for a new one. I don't need a 4 or 5 thousand $ lathe, as I mostly turn laminated exotic wood pepper mills and coffee grinders. This alone keeps me very busy. However, when my wife requests a bowl, well you know, this is priority. I have been considering the Nova DVR 3000; this lathe really looks like it may serve me very well. Beining a new design, I would be grateful for any Pros and Cons anyone would wish to express. This will be very helpful in my decision. :confused: Thank You for your time, Bill. :)
Let the chips fall where they may. !!!! :eek:
 
E-mail Ernie Conover. He can set you up with a DVR. He was very responsive to my questions.
 
Dvr

Bill you would not be dissapointed with the DVR. They are a very smooth running lathe due to the direct drive. They also have the advantage of being able to increase the torque while you are using the lathe.No other electronic variable speed unit has this facility. While you are cutting the electonics realises there is more load so it keeps your preset speed and increases the torque. Once you have finished the cut the torque decreases so minimising the power required to run the lathe. They only use enough power todo the job so are economical to run. The direct drive also has the advantage over other belt drive units in giving you full power transfer, with any belt drive unit you have losses up to 20% from the motor , pulleys & belts. You can increase the speed at any time by 5rpm increments. This can be done before you start or while you are running., a great feature because you can tweak the speed to a level that is better for cutting but also safely , the timber always dictates how fast you can go. You can turn over the bed 16" or if you get the outrigger 30" . You have the swivel head which gives you the advantage of moving the head to one of the index points and you are more comfortable than leaning over the bed to hollow out your bowls or hollow forms. So in answer to your question you would be very happy with this lathe , I am
 
I, too, am very happy with my DVR. I've had it for a little over a year and a half and have put over 1000 hours on it with not a single problem.

As shipped to the US they come set up for 110V operation. At very low speeds they can be stalled out when doing heavy roughing cuts. There is a very simple modification to 220V which greatly improves this, the only shortcoming I've found. As mentioned above speed adjustments may be made either running or stopped and has a digital readout of the speed set. Some variable speed lathes need to be running to adjust the speed. The fact that it maintains a constant speed within a very narrow range allows for very smooth, consistent cuts.

Oh, and the swing over the bed isn't quite 16". It's actually 400mm (about 15-7/8") but so what. NZ is a metric country (wish we were, too).

When I bought mine I looked at their metal stand and didn't much like it so I built my own out of 2 x 8s and novaply (countertop material) with provision for about 400 lbs of sand bags for balast. The whole assembly - lathe with one bed extension, stand, and sand - weighs in at nearly 800 lbs and is very stable.

So, as I said I'm very pleased with my DVR and think you will be as well.

Whit
 
When I decided that something around the capacity of the DVR was what I really wanted, I looked at various makes and settled on the DVR primarily for the swivelling head. I use that feature constantly, and the outrigger quite a lot, even though I've never done anything over 12" diameter on it. I've been very pleased with it, with only a couple of minor quibbles. The locking handle on the toolpost sometimes gets in the way, particularly when using a gouge held near vertical. I use the Fein Turbo II as a dust collector (also as a vacuum pump with the Nova handwheel adapter, which works great) but I can't plug the lathe into the Fein and have the vac start when I start the lathe - the electronics draw enough current to keep the vac on constantly.

Graeme
 
alignment?

Some swivel-head lathes require a double-end Morse taper to re-align the head after it has been swiveled, for example the Poolewood. What has been your experience with alignment so far?

I am considering this lathe as a demo lathe for our new club, the Smith Mountain Lake Woodturners in Virginia. After 3 meetings we have 39 paid-up members. :D Already we are looking for a larger and permanent meeting place. This will require the purchase of a versatile lathe about the size of the NOVA DVR 3000 for demos. This lathe might eliminate the need for 220 volts.
 
Teknatool do have an attatchment called the acruline which is a double ended 2mt . For general line up I put my spur drive in the head stock and the live centre in the tailstock and line up from their. It is only when I want to use the pen mandrel that I use the acruline because if they are not lined up accuratly you could finish up with pens out of shape.
 
sorry but no lathe requires a double ended morse taper for alignment.
If you have a drive center (which comes with the lathe) and you have a tailstock center (live or dead which comes with the lathe) you can align it by sight using the two points. Don't waste your $$ on this unless you honestly can't see well enough to do the alignment. peace.
 
I would still have to differ on that point.
I have owned a nova 3000 and have demonstrated on them repeatedly at various places. Granted the quality may have gone down since they went to the DVR model, but the two point system works just fine for aligning in the x, y, and z axis. But do what works best for you. It's all good.
 
Well gang, I have had this post up for a week now and have received some great comments. Thank you Bob, Jim, Whit and Gee Sea. I did go for a hands on at my local Woodcraft store and chedked out the lathe. I have decided this is the lathe for me. As I stated in my intro, I make laminated exotic wood pepper mills. One I have just turned has 12 different woods and over 500 pieces. As I have turned for some time now, one type of wood is rather easy to control, however several typs, with the density ever changing is the chalange. I was looking for a lathe that maintains a constant speed, and I know I have found it. well only time will tell. Gee Sea, as for the handle on the tool post. I doen't think it will be a prob. with me and the tools, however the cam locking lever will not swing from left to right and back again without taking the tool post handle out. I am forever changing the position of the cam lever and this could be a prob. A fix for you and others. Turn down the handle and add some threds, cut it off and bring it in closer to the tool post, or get a bolt, cut off the head, drill a hole and incert the pin in the hole. I think the best fix, as I am going to do is ask TeknaTools to put the locking handle on the side. As for my post I think it went great, however I did not think it would wind up as a shooting match between Texas and Va. I have an alignment tool that I made on my metal lathe. I use the line of sight method, but use the tool at times to check myself. As you get older your eys get out of calibration :confused:. In closing thanks to all, you are a great bunch, I will continue to read the posts and as a last thought, I always, when looking at a new car, check to see if it comes with a reverse.

Let the chips fall where they may. Bill.>>>>>>>>
 
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