Thinking of buying a new lathe

[Bill Grumbine]

Greetings all

I am posting this in three places, since while some of you read all three, there are others who only read one, and I am looking for responses. First of all, no, the Poolewood is not being replaced, and I am still as happy with it as the day I got it home. But the student line is getting longer and longer, and one giant lathe and one mini are straining a bit. The Mini Max copy lathe just went down the road (no more factory style production for me!), which frees me (and some money) up to start thinking about adding a mid sized machine to the stable to facilitate class time with a maximum of three students.

Right now there are two lathes in the forefront of my thinking, the Jet 1642 and the Nova DVR. I have done some turning on both of these machines, and each has its strong and weak points. The price for either is pretty much the same at our local Woodcraft store, although I will be investigating some other options. Mail order is probably not going to be one of them though. I do not mind paying more for local support.

The Nova has the advantage of direct drive and a very compact footprint. That is a big plus in my shop right now and into the foreseeable future. Most of what people want to do is bowls, followed by an even mix of short spindle work and hollow forms. However, I think the Jet is going to have the edge in stability and power, and if I need it, it already has the longer bed. That longer bed will need to find a place to live though, and it may not be as easy to shoehorn it into the shop. I think it is also worthwhile to have a lathe in the size/price range of these machines, not just for my own budget, but so that people can see that one does not need the most expensive machine out there to do good work.

So here is what I am looking for. I would like to hear comments either public or private from people who own one of these machines. What do you like, what do you not like, and what would you change if you could? Also, if anyone has a suggestion as to some other machine I should be looking at, I would be glad to hear it.

Thanks.

Bill

 

[Anthony Yakonick]

If you have a stand like the "blue" machine on the Nova it may be a good machine. I think wood stands lack something.

 

[Kefferpl]

Bill
Seems like the time to tell Swmbo that due the need to not purchase Unnecessary duplication of accessory equipment you need an little brother for the Poolewood!
If you can't sell that maybe the Nova would work better and be more versatile. What has been posted about both machines seems to be positive. Can you turn the jet head for out board - or at least not over the bed work for hollowing ?
Paul

 

[Bob Hadley]

I looked into both the Jet and the Nova DVR and I eventually decided on the (I'll tell you later).

I am not an electronics expert, but I talked to a few and showed them the Nova website information on the DVR motor. They all shook their head. DVR is, as near as I can remember, marketing babble.

The fact that the motor is integrated into the headstock is on the one hand nice, but on the other hand, problematic if something goes awry. It was pointed out to me that a few years ago direct drive was all the rage from high-end CNC lathe maker Hatachi Sieke. And for all the same reasons that Nova states: smoother, fewer parts, more reliable, etc. Eventually, they moved back to a separate motor and belt drive (and after that went bankrupt, but that's another story). Basically, integration could limit motor upgrade options and vibration from the drive-line components should not be a problem on any decent lathe with a properly maintained belt.

Nonetheless the DVR I tested at the local Woodcraft was one sweet running machine. The RPM could be dialed down to a crawl and with the (admittedly) limited resistance that I could apply to the faceplate by hand, there was no RPM change on the readout. They claim their 2HP motor delivers more than a belt drive 2HP due to less friction, etc. Who knows? 2 HP anyway is probably good enough for a 16 swing lathe.

I traded a couple E-mails with Ernie Conover on the DRV. He was really helpful and his endorsement nearly sealed it for me.

In the end I opted for a Jet 1642 with the 2 HP option. My reasons may be a bit wacky, but here goes: Reason #1) I wanted to start turning right away and didn't feel like welding up a respectable stand for the Nova (Nova's optional stand did not impress me). The Jet comes with heavy-duty cast iron legs, so no waiting. Reason #2) The local Jet dealer with a complete service center in just down the street vs. an hour away for the Nova dealer.

So that's my story, lame as it is. The Jet's a fine lathe. A bit lighter weight than the Powermatic but that's OK with me since I need to move it around in my limited work(play?)space.

BH

 

[GeeSeaWhy]

Hi Bill,

I have the DVR. The main reason for buying it was the swivelling headstock, which I use a lot. I'm left handed but I think even for a right hander swinging the headstock out would give more control and confidence than hanging over the bed. I do have one extension bed but all that ever does is get the tailstock out the way without it falling off the end. I use the vacuum adapter quite a lot, with a Fein Turbo II powering it. Very quick to set up and take down and has always worked very well for me, although some people have found it unsatisfactory.

Very little I can think of that's negative. The on/off control (not the power switch) could be a bit more prominent - sometimes I miss it the first time. Changing speed can be tedious if you have to move it 1000rpm or more.

Would I buy it again? Definitely (unless something better appears on the market, of course).

Graeme

 

[bbrussell]

Bill,
I have looked at both of those machines. I think the Jet is a heavier more stable machine. I do like the Nova DVR drive. One of our club members has one and thinks it is a great smooth runnning machine. I bought neither of these machines. I chose the Powermatic 3520 for a few hundred more than the Jet. There seems to be some great deals around for the Powermatic. You get more power and more bulk and it is shorter than the Jet.

Barry

 

[Sascha]

hey bill, i still have my DVR, even thought it's parked in my office right now until i sell it.
i love it though, i guess part of the reason why i didn't bother much to sell it fast. it's a great lathe for the money.
yes it's not as heavy as the 1642, but the motor is awesome, really strong i i have yet to stall it.
if you really want to save space, the footprint is great, it's small and allows for great bowl turning.
either way, your students will have fun, both great lathes, but i would agree, i would always choose the PM3520 over the 1642.
the swivel head of the Nova is very nice to have, but i never really used it.

however, i am so glad i upgraded(as you know) and wouldn't look back. i know mine is not blue, but it's kinda stubby

 

[TurnedAround]

Here in Atlanta (Marietta), Nick Cook has two PM3520's in his shop (studio). He has a limited ammount of space but seems to do well with his setup. Check out his site and give him a call. You will find him to be much like yourself, a real nice guy.

Larry

http://www.nickcookwoodturner.com/index.htm

 

[MichaelMouse]

Allow me to weigh in on this. "Turning muscle" applies to those moving around the lathe, not the lathe. Bolt it to the floor, and it becomes very heavy indeed. If ever there was a red herring, it's the business of heavy stands. Rigid is important, but the weakest point in any lathe/stand combination is the bolts. Weakest in use is the spur center trying to do what it was not designed to do while roughing a blank.

When teaching, it's important to have room to move around the student, put hands on hands if required, and perhaps demo with the student watching from a different angle. Points to the smaller footprint all the way. Not to mention the luxury of a home-built stand where the DVR sits high enough above the flat top so that shavings and the odd dropped tool tip can be removed by hand rather than a thinned shepherd's crook, and drawers underneath hold tools and accessories out of the shavings and dust if you remember to close the drawers. Just build the stand with enough splay in the ends to extend beyond the swing for counter thrust, and make the frames of hardwood, fully glued and reinforced by the sheet goods that will enclose your cabinet.

My lathes' tops are flush up against the wall for ease of cleanup, and to provide a safe place to hide tools in shavings while cutting, though special circumstances may dictate otherwise for you. Sure is nice to haul everything off the end into a bag rather than bending and scooping and sweeping. Stuffing a square garbage can under the cutting area in front accounts for almost all the shavings from the outside of a bowl, but if you teach cutting while standing in the throw zone, that may not work for you.

Though it is definitely a biased group, you might check http://groups.msn.com/NovaOwners/ for information. You can read without registering with Bill Gates, but to post, you'll have to have go through a registration.

 

[Wilford Bickel]

Bill,

I have been looking now for some time for a lathe upgrade in this size range that has good power but will not "hurt" my bad shoulder moving the tailstock. I also need the long bed for canes I am making. Unless I see something when I look at the Oneways that can convince me to spend double the money (+) I have narrowed my search to the Jet 1642 or the Delta X5 steel bed machine. I have not been able to find anyone running the X5 to tell me how the steel bed compares to cast but have not ruled that machine out yet. The one I looked at this summer at the symposium had a lot of nice features, same basic capacity as the 1642 and a release on the tailstock I loved.

More fuel for thought!!

Wilford

 

[dkulze]

Hey, Bill.

If it'were me, I'd be going for the Nova. My big lathe is actually a friend's old Nova and, underpowered and beat up as it is, it's still a fine lathe.

The local Woodcraft has several Novas and has had a Jet also. I've turned on both in short succession and find the Nova to be smoother, quieter, very consistant, and extremely convenient in its speed control, reverse, and RPMs.

Base may not appear as solid but the one at Woodcraft was rock steady, and you can always build a base to your specs. The lathe itself, though..... Nice.

Dietrich

P.S.(or you could always get a Stubby 1000 and let your students use the Poolewood)

 

[Vernon Oberle]

Dvr

Bill,

I bought the DVR because it had most features needed and still fit in my small shop. I bought the metal base and added drawer boxes underneath adding storage for accessories and a lot of extra weight. We have 5 DVR's in our turning club and everyone loves them. All machines have pros and cons but sometimes you have to chose based on some simple thing (LIKE NO SPACE). But you can always add another segment if needed later without buying another lathe.

Vernon

 

[Jeff Jilg]

Bill - If I was in your situation where you are expanding your lathe collection to support more students then I would draw up the following requirents. These requirements may not apply for your situation though.

1) Take stock of my existing lathes and add a model from another manufacturer. Why? So that students get to try different lathes. Often the lathe that someone starts out on, will become their next purchase. Secondly, by offering a bevy of manufacturers your students might already have a lathe and they might gravitate to the model they already have.

2) Ensure a range of small starter to mid-level lathes. Similar to above, the range of lathes allows the students to play on different toys. Also the students might already have a faceplate or favorite chuck they could use on one of your lathes.

3) Target economical models without skimping. A new lathe purchase is mostly an exercise of how much can be spent vs. what features are critical. Since this lathe will be used a lot, I would put the target price range around $800-$1800 and narrow the price based on the desired features.

We're not talking about a Stubby, but that sure would be fun. Some of the lathes mentioned by others fit in the above requirements. And most lathes these days all have reputable vendors, so most lathes should run for 1,000 hours without requiring any significant maintenance. And 1,000 hours is a whole lotta turning. If your new lathe was $1,000 then that equates to $1/hour for equipment costs and that leads to a pretty decent depreciation schedule of machinery in anybody's books!

 

[Bill Boehme]

The RPM could be dialed down to a crawl and with the (admittedly) limited resistance that I could apply to the faceplate by hand, there was no RPM change on the readout. They claim their 2HP motor delivers more than a belt drive 2HP due to less friction, etc.

The reason that you did not see any RPM change on the readout is that it is displaying the commanded speed and not the speed measured by a feedback device such as an optical encoder or a resolver. You could have clamped the faceplate in a vice and the display still would have been the same.

There is just barely an iota of truth in the claim about the direct drive delivering more horsepower than a belt drive. But, belt drives are very efficient and you would never actually miss the lost power. The part of the story that they did not tell you is that the DVR motor doesn't develop full HP below its base speed. A belt drive motor, on the other hand is always running at base speed, assuming that we are talking about using stepped pulleys, and the output power of that motor is always capable of producing 2 HP. The net result is that at very low RPM, you will not get nearly as much torque output from the DVR motor as you would from the motor going through a speed reduction pulley drive to the spindle. Horsepower is NOT the name of the game, it is all about TORQUE.

Bill

 

[dkulze]

My Nova still has a stepdown pully to add torque at low speeds. Does the new DVR do this?

Dietrich

 

[C Edward Moore]

Option C ?

Hi Bill,

You have posed an interesting question and suggested that there are two probable choices, but you have still asked the question. I realize that bowls are very likely to be a student's focus, at least at first, but there is a lathe I would be looking at if I had the lathes that you have and wanted one for student use. That lathe is the Oneway 1224. I think the prices are similar, so I am not trying to blow your budget. I have had a 1018 for four or five years and it is my "go to" lathe. I have a Stubby 500 for bowls, but many of these bowls would fit on a 1224. And, it might be a good idea to have a student lathe that limits the size bowl that can be turned on it. I see two benefits here: 1. A beginning student should probably start with a 10 or eleven inch bowl at most. 2. If after turning a bowl the student has a strong desire to turn a bigger bowl, then they face up to lathe limitations early enough to make better decisions for themselves later when they purchase a lathe.

There is yet another option. I purchased the Stubby 500 used. I am not unhappy with this lathe. I will sell it for what I paid for it. It came with a formidable white oak base that is included. It would be an excellent student lathe.

 

[dkulze]

Actually, Ed, that's a good suggestion. The 1224 is pretty man portable (a friend has one as his demo lathe and you can get a stand with wheels) and has an optional attachment to give you a 20" (24"?) swing outboard. Nice lathe. And, yes, 12" swing is plenty for beginning bowl turning. The outboard can be handy if they are a bit more advanced.

Dietrich

 

[C Edward Moore]

Senior moment

Focus on the 1224.

SWMBO is at a fiber conference in Leesburg, so I heated my supper and then while eating half warm pizza I thought about my post, in particular about selling the Stubby 500. Suddenly a light bulb came on and I remembered something. I have agreed to make 14 collection plates for our church in September or October. These plates are about 13" in diameter. Basically my thought then was "Okay, you clown, if you sell the Stubby, then what are you going to turn the plates on?" And then the thought was along the lines of attaching the blank to the wheel of the car, mounting a tool rest on a skate board, and talking my wife into driving around while I turn the plates. Or something stupid like that.

I will admit that I have been wondering what new features the PM 3520B will have and when it will be available. Well, not in time to make the plates anyway. My first choice to replace the Stubby 500 would be a Vicmarc VL300, second would be a Stubby 750, and the third would be the Powermatic 3520B or a Oneway 1640. Please do NOT ask me to justify the order listed here. Finances will restrict my choices.

Back to Bill's question: I would prefer the 1224 to either of the lathes he listed.

 

[Doug Dubowski]

Speed Read-0ut

In response to a comment made above, the Nova DVR display provides both the commanded speed and actual speed read-outs once you hit the start button (with version 4.22 of the firmware, don't know about earlier versions). I can make the actual speed read-out change by applying some friction to the hand wheel, but the speed fluctuation is precious little.


DGD

 

[kwgeorge]

I think I would like to throw my opinion into the mix for what its worth, even though I have only been turning seriously a bit over two years.

Regardless of popular belief not everyone wants to turn big bowls when they start. Some of us never really do! An occasional bowl is fun but that’s about it. Now that I got that off my chest and have completely drifted from the question I will return. I think that lathes used for teaching purposes should be more like what the person being taught is likely to purchase. With that Bill you will also want something that you can use for other purposes as well. Shop floor space is always at a premium as well as many other things that must be considered.

I myself have been looking to buy another lathe for about 6 months now. I knew I wanted a 16†to give me more capacity and I needed just a bit more power. I looked very closely at the models that you are but did not even consider the Delta (I still have a grudge against them for the shopmaster shaper). I knew for sure that I wanted variable speed and not via Reeves Pulleys. I had my experience with them and did not like the time it took nor the effort it took to change speeds. I looked at the Jet very closely over the course of several months and for me it is just too much footprint for my shop and I don’t really like the idea of sliding the headstock to the other end of the lathe to turn outboard. I also did not like that I would still have to change a belt position to get the full speed range (Jet tricked me on that one already with the VS Mini). One thing I wanted in the new lathe was a spindle lock and although the Jet has one I am not a fan of its position or functionality. Although it did have many features I really did like but again it was just too big for my small shop. At the same time I was also looking at the Nova DVR. I liked the size of the footprint and I also liked that I could increase its length capacity by adding bed segments when I wanted to. What scared me when toying with the lathe was that speed changing was kind of a pain and the fact that everything was internal and proprietary. I loved the outboard turning accessory system and I like the swivel head. I did not like the locking handles much but I loved how well everything locks down. With all this though I was still afraid of the custom electronics.

Although it may not be much help to you in your quest I finally decided that I was going to buy a Nova 3000 older model and I got lucky and found one. Since then I have solved my locking handle issue by turning larger ones and have a variable speed 3Phase motor and controller on the way. Now for me I have everything that I want and will have ended up spending less than $1000 total to get it.

 

[Jim Carroll]

The reason that you did not see any RPM change on the readout is that it is displaying the commanded speed and not the speed measured by a feedback device such as an optical encoder or a resolver. You could have clamped the faceplate in a vice and the display still would have been the same.

On the DVR lathe you have 2 readouts on the display , one is the actual speed you have set it for and the other is the actual speed the spindle is running at. What this motor does that no other lathe can do is increase TORQUE while running. It senses the load applied and increases the torque to keep the desired speed . So yes the speed will not show any change but the true indicator will fluctuate under different loads.

This motor only uses enough power to drive the load if you apply heavy cuts the sensors will adjust accordingly and increase the torque and once the load comes of the torque will decrease.

I have been a DVR user since day one and find it does all I require it to do. The swivel head is a great asset as you do not have to lean over the bed . I even move it around on small bowls as well as large bowls. My Turning Muscle is certainly not as big as your bill but I still like to be comfortable when I am turning. Once bolted down it will go nowhere.

I take my lathe everywhere for demonstrations and it has to be used on all sorts of dancefloors so I am able to dial in the desired speed I want and in most cases still faster than the guys with belt drives.

Granted the asthetic value is not great when compared to the vicmarc or poolewood but it is a smooth lathe.

As indicated earlier It is best to have a variety of lathes for teaching as your students get a variety of choices and then can go home and tell the wife/ husband I need one of these lathe.

Bill thank you for your DVD it was a good watch.

Regards Jim Carroll

 

[Brodie Brickey]

Choosing that new lathe...

Bill,

I have neither of the lathes you're reviewing. I currently have a PM 3520a and while I think its a great lathe, I don't think its the right one for this situation. If I was taking a course from you, I'd want a lathe that I could work on, that would give me the opportunity to feel comfortable if I'm a newbie. As a newbie, my first lathe was a Delta 46-715 ($550). That particular lathe has issues in quality control, but its big enough you can use a McKnoughton bowl saver on, and still do a lot of other things.

I think many of your students will not only need to learn the techniques for turning, but also setting the lathe up. A lathe that still uses pullies like the Nova 3000 would let them leave the class familiar with changing speeds (260 - 2000 I think) and perhaps more comfortable with their own lathes (likely a jet) that they might have at home. Most newbies won't spend more than $1000 on a lathe used or new. This of course means variable speed is out, but you could get 2 for the price of a DVR 3000. You'll still have the swing of 16" and the 110v power. You can even get a couple bed extensions for those times you need to turn columns or something.

A coring tool will still work with the Nova 3000 lathe and you are introducing the student to a lathe they may be able to afford or at least justify to the significant other. As we all know, the lathe is only the start, why torture the student with a poolewood and then send them back to working with a HF special. That's just cruel. For your advanced students you can shift them to the poolewood, although the Nova 3000 should be able to handle hollowing without a problem.

Regards,

Brodie

 

[stvrowe]

Actually, Ed, that's a good suggestion. The 1224 is pretty man portable (a friend has one as his demo lathe and you can get a stand with wheels) and has an optional attachment to give you a 20" (24"?) swing outboard. Nice lathe. And, yes, 12" swing is plenty for beginning bowl turning. The outboard can be handy if they are a bit more advanced.

Dietrich

Dietrich, I had looked at the 1224 before and it did not have outboard turning capability. It does have a 24" bed extension available. I have turned on a 1224 for several weeks and I agree, it is a nice lathe.
Steve

 

[hcbph]

I just bought a new lathe the other week so this kind of fits right in. First off, what are you teaching? If it's spindles and legs then something with a long bed and decent capacity is paramont. If it's plates, vases and bowls, then it's something with a large swing and capacity to do outboard turning. I repair and restore furniture so my interest is in spindles and legs vs bowls and vases. I just picked up today a 20" extension for my lathe so now I can turn up to 60" pieces. I don't know how many people immediately spend $1000-$2000 for a new hobby toy, I know I sure didn't. My first lathe of some 30-35 years ago was about 8"x30". My last one was 11"x34" and my new one is 16"x60" (including the extension). This thing is in no way portable or movable, except maybe in an earthquake. I can also swivel the headstock around and turn that way if I wanted to make a big plate, though that's not my intent. It's all in what you want. I do like the idea of using different brands, give the students a taste of each one.

 

[Bill Grumbine]

Thanks everyone, for the thoughtful responses! I appreciate your time and effort.

There is no doubt that the Jet is the bigger and heavier machine between the two, but big and heavy don't enter into it, since neither is going to hold a candle to the Poolewood. Not even the very nice Powermatic is going to do that, and I say that having turned on the Powermatic, and having many Powermatic owners in the shop turning on the Poolewood. In fact, the last three students have all been 3520 owners, and they all told me that the Poolewood outstripped their lathe.

What I need is a good solid medium sized machine. The Poolewood represents the top end, and my Vicmarc mini, while very nice in its own right, represents the lower end of the lathe food chain. Jeff hit it right on the head, and follows my own thinking in that having several different machines is good for people who would like to get a feel for the differences.

Michael M. thank you for the link to the Nova owners group. I was able to do some reading there, and I have experience with my old TK 1500 as well. You are right that an instructor needs to be all over the place, and I even send the students all over the place as well to get the best view of the cut being made.

Wilford, I have owned several older Delta and Rockwell machines not lathes), and have turned extensively on some of the newer Deltas. I would be very concerned about their quality control, not to mention fit and finish. If you go in the direction of the X5 be sure to spend some time with it first! Now, Idid get to spend some time turning on the new Delta 16" machine, and maybe that is the one you mean. It is definitely a nice machine, but that hollow steel bed makes a real funny noise when you are using it.

KW, you make a very good point. Most of the people coming to me want to turn bowls, although I do a significant amount of teaching on hollow forms and spindles, spindles being anything from boxes to vases to table legs to goblets, etc. Since I already have a fairly long bed lathe in the Poolewood, and not a lot of extra floor space, a short bed is very appealing to me. Since the advent of the Poolewood, I have also become enamoured with direct drive. No belt to mess with, sort of like stretch pants! I used to own a TK 1500, which is the predecessor to your 3000. While it sounds like you have a real nice setup there, I think the DVR would do me better.

Jim C, you mention dance floors. That doesn't mean you are being chased around by your lathe, does it?

Brodie, I can appreciate your point of view, but from mine, I want people to be able to focus on the turning process and not on getting the machine to work properly. I am very familiar with the issues surrounding that Delta machine, as I taught many classes in the past with one or two in the classroom. I have sudents whose lathes range from none at all to Harbor Freight to Ridgid all the way up to Stubby and Oneway, and the issues of how to make something work on their machine at home is always part of the discussion. MAny do go home lusting after a Poolewood, but since they are no longer made, and it is now a collector's item, that makes it easier for most.

Thanks again everyone, and I will be sure to post with the results!

Bill

 

[Bill Boehme]

In response to a comment made above, the Nova DVR display provides both the commanded speed and actual speed read-outs once you hit the start button (with version 4.22 of the firmware, don't know about earlier versions). I can make the actual speed read-out change by applying some friction to the hand wheel, but the speed fluctuation is precious little.

Thanks for clarifying that for me, DGD and also Jim Carroll. It sounds to me like the Nova DVR lathe may be a vector drive system (meaning that it uses actual speed/position feedback) and that is the best-of-the-best type of AC drive for tight control of speed under varying load torque conditions.

I read a review once where the reviewer complained that the Nova DVR was noisy (a harsh whining sound caused by the type of electronic drive). I have not read any other reviews making the same complaint. Have any of you with the Nova DVR noticed a noise issue with the lathe? I do know that systems will buzz if the PWM frequency of the driver is set too low (like less than about 2 kHz). Quiet drives are usually set with the PWM frequency in the range of 5 to 8 kHz. Maybe the earliest versions of the Nova had the PWM frequency set too low.

Bill

 

[cascabeles]

Purchasing a new lathe

I am in the market for a woodturning lathe. In the past 4 years I have owned 3 lathes, all with electronic speed control units. The Nova 3000 and 2 Delta's one ran on a 1 1/2 hp and the second on 2 hp. All three lathes had major problems with the electronic speed control units. I am in the market for a new lathe and am leaning toward the Oneway model 1224.
Because of the problems I experienced with electronic speed control units on the other 3 lathes I worry that any lathe that I purchase with an electronic speed control unit will give me the same problems I previously experienced with the Nova and the 2 Deltas.

I would like to know if any of you woodturners out there are using a lathe other than the Nova or the Delta and if you recommend your particular brand and model of woodturning lathe.

I do want to purchase a lathe with an electronic speed control unit and in the price range of $2000. If any of you could provide me with feed back on the brand and model of your lathe I would certainly appreciate your help.

I have been leaning toward a Oneway model 1224 and if anyone has any experience with this model I would appreciate any feedback. I live in the Salt Lake City, Utah area and if anyone near me owns a Oneway in this particular model I would appreciate your input

at cascabeles@comcast.net Gabe Jaramillo

 

[Doug Dubowski]

For Boehme

You stated "I read a review once where the reviewer complained that the Nova DVR was noisy (a harsh whining sound caused by the type of electronic drive). I have not read any other reviews making the same complaint. Have any of you with the Nova DVR noticed a noise issue with the lathe? I do know that systems will buzz if the PWM frequency of the driver is set too low (like less than about 2 kHz). Quiet drives are usually set with the PWM frequency in the range of 5 to 8 kHz. Maybe the earliest versions of the Nova had the PWM frequency set too low."

I have not noticed this on my DVR (with ver 4.22 of the firmware, don't know what the HW version is for the electronics). What I have noticed is that the pitch changes as one loads up the DVR and it applies a stronger field to maintain the desired speed. I have not noticed it during my turnings, but have noticed it more when drilling out turnings with relatively large diameter drills (> 1"). There is certainly no whine or anything I could construe as being annoying and to me it runs much quieter than other lathes I have seen.

As I said earlier, the speed control is tight. Applying a resistance load on the handwheel may change the speed by 1-2 rpm at 500 rpm. That's it. Have not tried it at other speeds, but I really am not concerned about that since my turning skills are such that for such small changes in speed, my turning results are not affected. I'm not sure if anyone's skills are so refined that such speed regulation is mandatory to the quality of their work, but I could certainly be wrong. If such quality is required, I am certainly no where near that standard of turning!

A great machine that I am glad I invested in. It will take me many, many years to match its capabilities.

DGD

 

[Barbara Gill]

Has Nova improved their tailstock? IMHO that was the weakest part of the 3000.

 

[Doug Dubowski]

Nova Tail Stock

The Nova DVR tailstock is a beefier tailstock than that found on the 3000 and is said to be a vast improvement over the 3000 tailstock. Can't say myself, because I have only worked with the DVR tailstock and I find that one quite nice. The only improvement I would like to see is a scale incribed on it to act as a depth gauge.

It locks down nicely and the alignment is always spot on.

DGD

 

[pfduffy]

new lathe

Bill, Close your eyes and reach for a PM 3520. Phil

 

[MichaelMouse]

Has Nova improved their tailstock? IMHO that was the weakest part of the 3000.

As a now concerned owner, could you elaborate? Or was it just the spindly look of the thing? Does seem out of place to a guy used to old US iron, but there are others similar out there. Was surprised to see a familiar silhouette on an expensive piece of iron the other day. http://www.stubbylatheusa.com/cgi-bin/index.py

Other than a bit floppy in the groove, mine's behaved pretty well. Still thinking I might dimple the steel block underneath to give me less play.

 

[kwgeorge]

I am now wondering the same thing; I like the tail stock of the Nova 3K. It locks tight and travels the ways smoothly. It is adjustable and mine is in perfect alignment. The rear of the quill sticks out a bit too much but it makes up for that bother in travel. Hummm…

 

[Wilford Bickel]

Bill,

The Delta I was mentioning was the new 16 inch with the new steel bed. Did anything jump out at you about the new bed except the difference in sound? I like some features on that lathe but still wonder if the new bed is all they claim - old fashioned enough to admit I am more comfortable with the Jet 1642 cast unit!

Wilford

 

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Wilford

That funny noise was about it, and I am about 99% sure that is had to do with the hollow steel tubes resonating. I am sure someone who used the machine on a regular basis would get used to it. The 16" Delta seems to be a decent machine, but if I were going to choose between it and the 16" Jet, I would probably go with the Jet. Delta has had some serious QC issues of late, and while they might not affect this particluar machine, one never knows.

Phil, a PM 3520 would be a nice machine, but it takes up too much room, not to mention the bigger hole it would make in my pocket.

For anyone who is still reading this thread, I have an update of sorts. A friend of mine put me onto the Vega bowl lathe as another possibility, and it looks like a real good one at the moment. If all goes well, I will be spinning some wood on one this Friday. Now before someone writes in to tell me all the deficiencies of a bowl lathe, I already have a lathe for long spindles. I need a compact machine that has decent capabilities, and this one will do big bowls or hollow forms, and it will still do short spindles.

Bill