Used PM 3520B or New Darth Vader 3520B with 7.5 year warranty?

[Jack Gaskins]

I need your advice. I have only been turning for a couple of years and the biggest I have turned is 11 inch bowls, pens and crap like that. I want to upgrade. I have found a 3520B near me. It is a 2006 model, used for approx 10 hours, comes with your basic set AND include the 50 inch extension bed and the outrigger turning stand. All this for only $3000. Maybe less if I make an offer. OR, should I look at purchasing the 90th anniverssary addition Darth Mustard with the update tool rest and the 7.5 year warranty with 18" bed extension I can get one for $3700 delivered. As I have never turned on a big lathe I have no idea what I really want to do in the future so Im guessing a 3520B will do the trick. Although I like the other lathes but have no one in my area that has a stubby or vicmarc or robust. Most all around me have the 3520B. What about the sliding head option. Is it really a nice thing to have? Wouldnt it cause an allignment issue if you constantly repositioning the headstock?
The wife says I can buy whatever lathe I want, just finding it hard to spend $6 grand on a lathe but I dont want to ever buy another lathe again.

[Roger Chandler]

Sliding headstock makes the lathe very versatile in setup. I would go with the 2006 model if it truly has only abour 10 hours on it, because it has all the extras............great set up! Of course there is a lot to be said of a 7 year warranty as well, and for only 700 more.............you have to choose.......me, I would ask for a turning time on the 2006, and if it showed no problems.........I would go with that still. Your mileage may vary!

[David E Keller]

I think you're a winner either way, but I'd probably go with the newer model... I like the color scheme better, and you can't beat the warranty.

[Baxter Smith]

The only thing I am sure of is I love the sliding headstock. I don't always take advantage of it, but it makes it very comfortable when hand hollowing or turning large/deep bowls. A 50 inch bed extension would take up a lot of space... but if you have the room and you could get it for less..... Then again, if you have permission to get whatever you want, and are contemplating 6,000........ Nice problem to have!

[Bob Bergstrom]

If the money is there go black and never look back. It will always have a special resale value and the warranty is really hard to beat. About the only thing that could go wrong with one of these lathes is electronic related and a warranty of that length of time would be great. I have a 3520 B and love it. They are great lathes for the money.

[charlie knighton]

what are you turning on now? +1 on asking to turn on used lathe, i heard they are coming out with slightly different headstock on ab, ask Steve what he thinks!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

If you've got $6K to spend, have you considered the big brother to the 3520? I would think you'd not have to buy another lathe if you got the 4224. It has a few additional features on the top of rock solid dependability and reputation. Don't exactly know what they cost, but they were at the high end of $5K a little while ago. It may even come in the new Darth Mustard color. Another consideration is Oneway white.

Good luck on your decision. I wish I had your problem:). Personally I'd go for the 4224. Even in "regular" mustard.

[Roger Chandler]

The PM 4224 does not have a sliding headstock.......that is the only drawback with it.

[Scott Hackler]

I like the looks of the 90th anniversary model. Pretty sharp.

[Paul Singer]

I have the Jet1642evs 2hp and would not ever think of getting a lathe that did not have a sliding headstock. I work off of the end of the lathe all of the time. Never had an alignment problem. It also makes it possible to use a external tool rest if you ever want to venture past the size limitations of the you lathe.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Buy new. You will never use a 50" bed extension. If you just want to turn bowls, you probably won't even use the 18" extension. You have to want to turn over 20" diameter to make it worth working the entire bowl over the end of the lathe. The long guarantee is worth 700 bucks to me. Besides, for the extra, who could pass up the paint job. I'm thinking of sending mine to Earl Shieb. If he can still paint any car for $39.95, a lathe with pin striping should be really cheap.
faust

[Tim Rinehart]

Ahhh, that's just cool! Go for the 90th Anniv Black...that's awesome and a great warranty. As has been said, it's highly unlikely you'd need the 50" extension...and if having a warranty is important, you want to get a new one. That being said, the PMs are very well built and if the age of the one you're looking at used really has little use on it...you could make a pretty reasonable gamble that nothing will go wrong very soon and save some cash for other goodies. You might even be able to recoup some $$ by selling the extra extension to bring your total cost down.

[Jack Gaskins]

what are you turning on now? +1 on asking to turn on used lathe, i heard they are coming out with slightly different headstock on ab, ask Steve what he thinks!

Where did you hear that PM may be redesigning the headstock? Would be nice if if was cylindrical like the oneway and robust.

[Jack Gaskins]

I emailed Joe Osolink and asked about any possibility of a new design coming for the 3520 and of course he said he had not heard anything from the PM/Jet reps. Used or 7 year warranty. Crap, tough decision!

[Roger Chandler]

Jack, I think they were referring to the redesign on the Robust American Beauty..........Steve Schlumpf mentioned it in his post about getting his new Robust AB ordered while at the AAW symposium. If you have a full $6 K to spend......I would take the Robust American Beauty over anything else.............You would likely never need or even want to upgrade from that fine machine!

[Tony De Masi]

Jack, IF you decide to go new then I would take that $3700 price tag and call Sean at ToolNut. Several folks here have dealt with him, including me, and he will normally beat any other deal you present. Goood luck on your decision.

[Jack Gaskins]

Jack, IF you decide to go new then I would take that $3700 price tag and call Sean at ToolNut. Several folks here have dealt with him, including me, and he will normally beat any other deal you present. Goood luck on your decision.

I have been back and forth with Sean via email and yes he has offered me a good deal. Just can decide on used or 7 year warranty.....If I go used I can sell the extra bed and outrigger stand and put that money into a 19 inch Grizzly band saw or combo planer/jointer.....?

[Steve Kubien]

Of the two lathes you mention, I would go with the new one and its warranty. No question. Seriously, when are 95% of us ever going to need a 50" extension on their lathe? $100 per year for 7 years worth of piece of mind, less that $9/month. Also, given the $6K budget, that is all the chucking, and tooling you will need for a long, long time.

[Jon Prouty]

I have been back and forth with Sean via email and yes he has offered me a good deal. Just can decide on used or 7 year warranty.....If I go used I can sell the extra bed and outrigger stand and put that money into a 19 inch Grizzly band saw or combo planer/jointer.....?What you going to need a planer/jointer for? A bandsaw for roughing blanks I get, but ditch the planer/jointer idea... The vortex spits out flat working tools and sucks in spinny stuff. Tough call... If you can get the price of the used one down another 300 or 500 then the decision is easier. However... If you have the fundage, go black and don't look back. :)My dream lathe is the Robust American Beauty... I hope one day to be able to make a purchase of my last lathe, but it won't be for many many many more years. Good luck! Take pictures regardless of your decision.JP

[Jack Gaskins]

Of the two lathes you mention, I would go with the new one and its warranty. No question. Seriously, when are 95% of us ever going to need a 50" extension on their lathe? $100 per year for 7 years worth of piece of mind, less that $9/month. Also, given the $6K budget, that is all the chucking, and tooling you will need for a long, long time.

Well, I did read that the Darth Mustard has an "Improved" tool rest and somthing about the tail stock also but can remeber what they said. I'm tired of thinking about this. Stresses you out and all over a stupid lathe,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Rick Markham]

I'd say the America Beauty is definitely the Rolls Royce of lathes. If money wasn't an option, it is what I would have bought without a second thought.

I got a 3520B last year. I LOVE it, you can't go wrong with it. That being said, the new paint job is nice, the warranty is nice. That 2006 is a freaking steal though. I would want to get turning time on it before I decided. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it over the black one personally. The 50" bed extension is worth about $950 alone. To me, I wish I had the room for a full extension I personally would really enjoy having the extra bed space. The 18" is nice because you can mount it lower for 38" of swing. (I wish I had one too). I'd buy the used one, and spend the extra money on other turning tools etc, Kobra hollowing system, and Wood :) But if you already have all of that stuff... Get the American Beauty and never look back!

Just my $.02

[Jack Gaskins]

Ok so I can do without the planer/jointer. I dont have a bandsaw or hollowing rig or coring rig or vaccum set up so I would have to factor in those purchases. I thinking the best deal would probably be to get the used lathe maybe for less than asking price and sell the extra bed and outrigger turning stand. Sure is a tough decision.

[Gary Max]

I own a 4224 and would not trade it for any other lathe built today. Heck service is everything----and you just can't beat these folks.

[Jon Prouty]

Ok so I can do without the planer/jointer. I dont have a bandsaw or hollowing rig or coring rig or vaccum set up so I would have to factor in those purchases. I thinking the best deal would probably be to get the used lathe maybe for less than asking price and sell the extra bed and outrigger turning stand. Sure is a tough decision.

Keep the extra bed for a while... If you have the room it would be really nice to have just to be able to move the tailstock down out of the way. I would probably mod up a way to mount a hollowing rig that could be dropped down between the bed ways and locked into position and never have to lift that heavy tailstock.

If you don't end up liking the extra bed, sell it later. Hollowing rig - Kobra if you have the cash and can wait. That Kobra will be going on my list with my AB (oh to dream).

Jon

[Rick Markham]

+1 on getting the Kobra, really a step above every other hollowing system IMHO. but you pay to play. It drops down between the ways, no tailstock removal required if you have the bed space. If you want to go deep in hollowing, that extra bed sure will come in handy. I'd try and keep it. If there is no possible way your going to use it in the future, then sell it. For the price of that machine I'd do my best to keep it.

I have been interested in a vacuum system, unfortunately nearly every piece I make has holes in it, so it's pretty much useless to me. Something to consider, many hollowforms aren't the easiest to vacuum chuck.

[Gary Max]

Hey Jack ----fill your gas tank up and come down for a vist.
We are just 110 miles south of Louisville. You can get a taste of Mustrad-------- you will never look back.

[Joe Scarfo]

I would buy the used lathe, sell the huge bed extension... It's something you're likely not to use.

That would push down your price paid to something more reasonable.

I just lost my 3520B in a shop fire and I'm actively looking for it's replacement. I've learned about the Onyx versions a number of weeks back but decided against it. I'm probably gonna go used....

Good luck w/ your choices.