grizzly G0694?

[curtis rosche]

everyone always seems to ask about the lighter and smaller grizzly lathes and i havent heard much good about them, but i have a friend who has looking at this lathe http://www.grizzly.com/products/20-x...od-Lathe/G0694 (http://www.grizzly.com/products/20-x-43-Heavy-Duty-Variable-Speed-Wood-Lathe/G0694)
it looks like it would be a beast of sorts, only a 24inch swing inboard but it has a 3hp motor.
it would need some weight added to it maybe, but other than that, has anyone ever seen this grizzly lathe?

[Dick Strauss]

Curtis,
I haven't seen this one but here are a few comments from the pics and specs...

-The 24" swing over the gap is pretty useless so Grizzly rightly calls it a 20" lathe.
-The specs look pretty good.
-A 750# lathe really shouldn't require more ballast IMO.
-The only thing it seems to be missing is a secondary power switch.
-At the price, I'd be tempted to save a few more $$$ and get a PM3520

On an older model G0632 16" lathe, I did hear one person comment that the end of the lathe bed didn't have an opening to allow for the tailstock removal off the end of the bed. This forced him to remove the locking nut completely off the machine to remove the tailstock and readjust upon reinstall. He ended up cutting a hole in the end of the bed IIRC. I would guess this will not be an issue with this new larger lathe model!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with Dick. Save a few more $$$ and get the PM.