New Lathe...?

[Fred Perreault]

No pics.... hasn't happened?!? I just sold my Nova 1624, and it includes lessons for the new owner. Gosh, I've been called a lot things, but an instructor wasn't one of them. Now, I am going shopping for a new lathe, and I am going where they sell Powermatics. The LOML is one who prefers to "save for a rainy day", and I pointed out to her that it has been raining off and on... mostly on.... for weeks. She found it very difficult to argue the point, so, a hunting we will go.

That leads me to my next point. I would like to get a Powermatic 3520b, and Woodcraft is having a 10% off sale, and I can get to a sales tax free state in 2.5 hours. Could/would anybody have anything to say good, bad or indifferent about this particular lathe?

Thanks for any comments........ Fred B' Happy

[Joe Scarfo]

i love mine.... not much else to say...

:-)

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Fred,

I have one. It's a lot of bang for the buck. You can buy better quality but you will pay a lot more for it.....a lot more.

[David T gray]

before you buy email toolnut and ask for a price on it.

[Bob Bergstrom]

+! It is a great lathe for the money. If room permits, I would get the extension if not for bigger bowls at least as the ability to turn longer and also park the tail stock.

[John Keeton]

Fred, congrats on selling the Nova, but I am compelled to wonder why you don't already own the new lathe!!!!! That should have been the first item on the agenda - then sell the old one! Now you have down time.

[Gary Herrmann]

Mine does everything I need it to do. I don't think there is another lathe at that price point, capacity or quality level out there.

That being said, I'd love to pick up an Oliver pattern makers lathe some day. And there's a guy 15 minutes from me that has two!

[Brian Libby]

Check out Craft Supplies USA.
They had the best price when I bought mine.

[gary Zimmel]

One more thumbs up for the 3520b..

[Jon McElwain]

Fred,

I have one. It's a lot of bang for the buck. You can buy better quality but you will pay a lot more for it.....a lot more.

What Ken said. Our club has one and it is a nice machine - everyone loves it. I don't think you'll find anyone to say much bad about them.

[David E Keller]

I love mine, and I would repeat the purchase again in a heartbeat. I got mine from Sean at Toolnut... It was the best price I could find. I'd consider getting a swing away for the tailstock... It's heavy, and I'm glad I got one when I purchased my lathe.

[Fred Perreault]

Fred, congrats on selling the Nova, but I am compelled to wonder why you don't already own the new lathe!!!!! That should have been the first item on the agenda - then sell the old one! Now you have down time.

John.... the instructor thing leaves me with the lathe, and the $capital$ for 2 weeks. I'll move the Nova closer to the door, and set up the PM when I get it, in it's proper place. I'm pumped... as I will need to be to drag 1500 lbs. of lathes around my shop. I may need to start working out. :) :)

[Curt Stivison]

Had mine for two weeks. It is awesome. Best deal with Sean at toolnut. Delivered to the door free in less than a week.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Congrats Fred. That is pretty good. Keep the Nova and teach till the new one hits the door.

[Jeff Nicol]

Fred, You can't go wrong with the PM3520b for the price, it will give you all the hours of use you will ever need and can turn some huge things of the end of the bed if you want to. I have put mine through the paces and it keeps coming back for more. I did a lot of looking when I decided to get a bigger lathe, if I had had the money I may have went with a Stubby 1000 because I just liked the burly looks and the ability to move everything around and turn large diameters between centers. The next would have been a big Robust, and if the big Serious lathe was out at the time I would have concidered that. I had turned on a couple of OneWay lathes and there were a few things I just did not like about them, but fit, finish, and looks were not the issues. The last 4 I mentioned are $2-3K more in price and I don't see that much to make them cost much more! Maybe the Stubby as it has to be imported from Australia. So if you just won the lottery buy them all and let us know what you think!!! Ahhh the dreams of a wood turner!!!

Good luck with whatever you chose,

Jeff

[bob svoboda]

I couldn't be happier with my 3520b (a little over a year) Also, dealing with the guys at ToolNut got me the best price and their service couldn't be beat.

[Jon Nuckles]

I love my 3520B, and can't think of a thing I want to do that it won't be able to handle. I'd consider buying online rather than driving 2.5 hours, as most online stores won't collect sales tax and Powermatic ships for free most places I've seen. Craft Supplies matched the best price I could find online, and their service was excellent.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on your pending new lathe! Sounds like you have it fairly well planned out! Looking forward to seeing the photos!

[Fred Perreault]

I phoned around, and the best I could do was at Toolnut. No tax, no shipping, and a good pri$e for the time of year. I expect to have dueling lathes in the shop by mid next week. What we would all really like to have is usually composed of Unobtanium, so I got the most lathe I could afford. I ordered it today, on the LOML's birthday. She said "fine, if it keeps you outta my hair jump on it". I appreciate all the feedback from the Creeksters, and look forward to the hum of the PM3520b. Yippeee...! :) :)

[Cathy Schaewe]

Fred, congratulations! And on the LOML's birthday, no less! Sounds like you got a good one!
Can't wait to see what you turn on that big boy!