The Powermatic 4224 has landed (in my shop)

[Bill Wyko]

Well, at last it's here, what an incredible machine. The castings on this thing are close to an inch thick just about everywhere. The quality of every part of it is absolutely incredible. Every part seems to have been built for overkill. The tailstock is a mountain of heavy metal and the Banjo is an animal. It also has two set levers to lock down the tool rest. The tool rest also has a recess for a finger guide, a nice feature. It's set up to have 3 ranges of speed, 0 to 910, 0 to 2000 and 0 to 3500. Since I'll be turning larger pieces I figured I'd change the belt setting to the lower setting. I was pleasantly surprised that the belt change only took about 30 seconds from start to finish, a very simple procedure. The motor is under the lathe bed with a metal shield over it to prevent any chips from getting in it. It really is great that I'll no longer have a motor in the way of my steady rest. It's also nice that the motor is so low in the unit, this gives it a solid center of gravity. Speaking of the motor, it's a monstrous 3 horse power 3 phase motor. It has a phase inverter built in so it can be used with either a 1 or 3 phase power supply. Another nice feature they include is a magnetic on/off switch that can go anywhere. It also has a built in 24pt index lock that is absolutely rock solid. That will make getting the tightest of chucks to release a breeze. I could go on and on with all the features this machine has, but I'll wait till I get to spin some wood on it. I have to say too that the people at Powermatic were absolutely wonderful to deal with. Very knowledgeable about every aspect of the machine and extremely friendly to talk to. I looked at a lot of other lathes but I just can't find anything else you could buy that offered more for your money (a lot more money for some of them) IMHO I just couldn't do any better than the Powermatic. Now I have to just stare at it until the 220V is done. Talk about teasing myself. :D I really have to give a huge thank you to the wonderful people at Powermatic, they made a dream come true.

Sorry for the poor picture quality, I'll have it in it's permanent place this weekend.

http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2109/11908737/24073603/401842766.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2109/11908737/24073603/401842740.jpg
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2109/11908737/24073603/401842782.jpg
This picture is to give you the scale of the tool rest.
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2109/11908737/24073603/401842792.jpg
Super thick, solid bed.
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2109/11908737/24073603/401842796.jpg
Nothing in the way off the end of it either, this will allow turning off the bed using the reverse feature. Reverse will be great for sanding too.
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2109/11908737/24073603/401842800.jpg
Plenty of threaded holes on the end for fututr options as well.
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2109/11908737/24073603/401842735.jpg

[John Keeton]

Bill, that is one HUGE chunk of Mustard!!! Congrats, big time, and I hope the 220 gets run quickly.

[Nate Davey]

Man that is one BIG mother. Did the 5 spot come with it?

[Roland Martin]

That's a beauty, Bill and not to be outgrown anytime soon:eek:!! Bet you can't wait to get her dirty:).

[Bill Wyko]

Thanks guys very much.
She's begging me to get her dirty. Right now its at my business. This weekend I'll be moving the Jet 1442 out to my BIL's house. My friend is a tow truck driver, he's going to load it on the flat bed and get it to my shop at home. I would have had it delivered to the house but I wasn't ready for it and there's no way I'd leave it outside.
I didn't want to leave my shop after work, I wanted to run an extension cord to it and spin some of the eucalyptus I have there. It's drivin me nutz to just stare at it, I wanna turn something.
I have to say, pictures just don't do this lathe justice. It is truly a beautiful machine and they spared nothing in the design & making of it. I honestly can't find anything I would do differently. I even feel the lower center of gravity outweighs the need of a sliding headstock, no motor in the way what so ever. as a matter of fact, when I first opened the box, I didn't know where the motor was, it's tucked away so nicely.

[mike ash]

BILL!!!!! One thing MANY of us have done when receiving a new Mustard that I'd like to warn you about..... remember to loosen the set screw in the face plate before trying to remove it from the spindle. More than one of us (me included) have been so excited to get our hands on this beauty that we forgot that step we read about and ended up scoring the spindle threads. Hope you haven't done that yet.

Mike

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bill that is one big machine. Can't wait to see what comes off it. Congrats.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Great lathe and even more stout than my 3520. That looks like it would take a lot of wood to make it walk across the room. We have had a used 2442 for sale in a south suburbs of Chicago for about a month. The guy is asking $4500 with accessories. I am surprised it hasn't sold. I Hope the you can power it up soon. You are going to love it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on getting your hands on your new lathe!! Looking forward to seeing photos once you have power and have turned on it a bit! Have fun!

[Bill Wyko]

Thanks again my friends very much.

That must have been a common problem because it now has a big sticker on the faceplate that says exactly that. I appreciate you looking out for me though. I haven't removed the faceplate yet. I have to pick up my thread adapter from woodcraft tomorrow for my stronghold chuck so I don't even have a chuck I can put on it yet. 8-(


BILL!!!!! One thing MANY of us have done when receiving a new Mustard that I'd like to warn you about..... remember to loosen the set screw in the face plate before trying to remove it from the spindle. More than one of us (me included) have been so excited to get our hands on this beauty that we forgot that step we read about and ended up scoring the spindle threads. Hope you haven't done that yet.

Mike

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Mike is right. My spindle has a small scar to prove it. Great lathe Bill. I'm sure some amazing products will come from it. Does the head stock move or is it fixed??
faust

[Alan Trout]

Bill,

That is a big chunk of iron. Congratulations.

Alan

[David DeCristoforo]

That is one nice piece of machinery, Bill! I have a tip for you if you want to make it match your Glaser tool handles...

[Bill Wyko]

Faust, it is fixed but the good part is that the motor is under the bed. This keeps it completely out of the way and actually makes the lathe quite slim. It has reverse so I can turn off the bed too, up to 45" diameter. It's actually slimmer that my 1442 if you include the motor that hangs off the back of the JET. Don't get me wrong though, my JET 1442's are excellent lathes, I have 2 of them.
Here's a shot from the end.
http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2109/11908737/24073603/401842800.jpg

[Bill Wyko]

That is one nice piece of machinery, Bill! I have a tip for you if you want to make it match your Glaser tool handles...

Alright David, I'm listening, that would be cool.

Thanks Alan, it weighs in a little over 900lbs. Still working on how to get it up 2 little steps to get into my shop at home.

[Ted Calver]

Impeccable taste in lathes, Bill. She's a beauty!

[David DeCristoforo]

"Alright David, I'm listening..."

Rust-Oleum Hammered Red is almost a perfect match!

[Bill Bolen]

Congrat's Bill. Gotta say I feel bad for your having to wait but we know it will be well worth that wait. Have fun and be safe!!

[Ken Glass]

Bill,
What a monster, or better, the Monster's big brother. That is one big hunk of iron. you will love the smoothness of a Powermatic. Way to Go!

[Doug W Swanson]

Jealous! I'm hoping to get the little brother to that in my shop someday.....

[Bill Wyko]

"Alright David, I'm listening..."

Rust-Oleum Hammered Red is almost a perfect match!

Hmmm????:rolleyes: Maybe some accents after I get a little wear on it. I do love the red Glaser tool handles and it would look pretty cool to make it all match.:D

[Baxter Smith]

Quite the beast! Congrats Bill!

[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

Congrats Bill! Beautiful addition to the family. I'm yellow​ with envy . . .

[charlie knighton]

congratulations, Bill, enjoy

[Russell Eaton]

OK Bill now we all want to see pictures of the monster segmented piece on the mustard monster. I have heard a rumor of a 4224 coming out with a sliding headstock and a couple of other nice options as well. Congrats on a sweet looking lathe and be careful with it.

[Larry Pickering]

Welcome to the "Mustard Club". Now go buy a cherry picker to mount those monster blanks

[Bill Wyko]

I'm pretty far along on a segmented turning that will be about 22 inches in diameter. I hope to have the feature ring on the lathe within a week or two. I've heard the rumor of the new 4224 as well but there's no going wrong with this monster. I like that the motor is so low and under the head stock. It's surprizingly slim but still weighs in at 950 lbs. A low center and ease of working around it.
Since I''m loaning one of my Jet 1442's to my BIL, he'll have to loan me his engine hoist. (Not to load blanks, to get the lathe up one step into my shop LMAO)

[thomas prusak]

A new 4224! And $5.00 left over? You're the best. Enjoy

[Bill Wyko]

I used the 5 bucks for a cup of coffe, a donut and 2 megamillion lottery tickets. LMAO

[Richard Allen]

THAT is one fine lathe. A lathe to last a lifetime for sure. A lathe that can be handed down to the grandchildren (once the are grown, 30 years old or maybe 40 years old).

The middle speed range would be my choice. Loads of power in that range and enough speed potential to do the occasional finial.

Balance the lathe or even a huge lathe like that can vibrate.

[Bill Wyko]

You can bet I'll run it through every power configuration possible. Now if I can just get it off the pallet.:D I have leveling, locking casters ordered for it that are load rated at 650lbs each. Once they get here it will all come together. It's killing me to not at least turn it on. :cool::D

[Russell Eaton]

it is funny you posted that Bill. I just bought a engine hoist to move my lathes into my new shop. It might even happen this weekend.

[Steve Busey]

bought a engine hoist to move my lathes into my new shop. It might even happen this weekend.
Hope you beat the rain Russell - would hate to see you haul those puppies around in the mud.

[steven carter]

Congratulations Bill, that is one fine looking machine. I believe the color of envy has been changed from green to mustard! Here's hoping for many years of enjoyment using your new lathe.

[Bill Wyko]

Couldn't wait to set it up at home so I just took it for a little test drive. I have some big chunks of eucalyptus here at work so I decided at lunch I'd mount a piece up. Right away I found the machine is very quiet and the slow start is great for big chunks like this. While I love my little 1442's, I can't believe the difference from it to the 4224. I also didn't realize just how enjoyable the fully variable speed would be. It really makes a difference when you can fine tune the speed to the piece of wood on the lathe. When it comes time to sand the piece, the reverse feature is worth its weight in gold, what a pleasure to have the sawdust coming off away from me. Eucalyptus is one rock solid piece of wood but it stood no chance against the 3hp motor. I was using my Crown 1/2" bowl gouge because it's all I have here at work, but I'll be bringing in the big guns tomorrow. I'll use my Glaser 5/8" 15V Elsworth grind gouge. That'll turn this block into something worth looking at. http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif So far the wood looks wonderful. This is the eucalyptus I posted a while back. I have tons of it. i'll post pictures tomorrow.

I just want to say thank you to all of you for your kind compliments. This machine is a dream come true, now I have so many new segmented, carved, hollowed and anything else ideas I want to do. It really is like starting all over aagin but already knowing how to turn. (At least having a general idea of how to turn.)

[Bill Wyko]

Well, unfortunately the eucalyptus is still too wet. It started to develop hair line cracks over night. So sad, it's a beautiful piece of wood. That's ok though, I have tons of it. (literally) I just need to get this thing set up permanently at home and get to work on it. It was a job just to get it off the pallet let alone get it home and in the shop. The wheels should be here next week. As soon as they are here, it goes home.

[Bill Wyko]

This weekend is Easter so I'll be out of town. Next week I'll get it into place and get started on a new turning. I have a big slab of Bubinga to make a platter with. Should be a great piece to get started. Now that I'm a proud Mustard owner, I've been checking out Powermatics facebook page. If you get a chance, stop by there and check it out. Some cool projects there and great info on new stuff headed our way. Again, wonderful people at powermatic. I'm very happy for sure.