Bummer - Price increase

[Brian Kent]

Price increase on Powermatic Lathe July 1, 2013 according to CPOPowermatic website.

[Jon Lanier]

Man.... is that many people buying new lathes? Are are that many people taking up the lathe? I use to think we (turners) were a smaller unique group compared to the flat workers. Times must be a changin.

[Jerry Rhoads]

Geepers, you're kidding, It is already $1000 overpriced.
May as well buy an American or Canada made one.
WMH does have a great service department, but with the others, you will spend less time on the phone with the black or white one

[Rich Harkrader]

I simply do not understand why so many people go for the Taiwanese made Powermatic when they could get an American made Robust or Canadian made Oneway for about the same price.

[Brian Kent]

I simply do not understand why so many people go for the Taiwanese made Powermatic when they could get an American made Robust or Canadian made Oneway for about the same price.

Because the extra $1,750 difference between a (current price) Powermatic and a Sweet Sixteen is itself more than I have ever spent on a tool. But even then as the saying goes, "Cheaper than a bass boat!"

[Dan Forman]

So where can you find a 20" lathe made in North America for anything near the price of a 3520B ?

Dan

[Brian Kent]

Place your bets (figuratively speaking) on the July 1 street price.

The exact words:
Effective July 1, 2013
Powermatic will increase prices,
and all dealers must comply.
Buy now to lock in savings!

[Jack Gaskins]

They already raised the stupid price last year and now again! If I ever needed another lathe it would not be a PM. I would just fork out the extra and by American made. My opinion is that the chiwanese factory workers will be getting better wages over the next decade and anything made over seas will sky rocket. It is getting to where you have to win a small lottery to buy tools anymore!

[Brian Kent]

Excerpt from a 2007 review: "At $2799.99, (4-15-2007) the Powermatic 3520B Lathe certainly is not cheap but in terms of bang for the buck this machine is going to be very difficult to beat…"

So that is about a 6% inflation rate since then.

[Greg Just]

Excerpt from a 2007 review: "At $2799.99, (4-15-2007) the Powermatic 3520B Lathe certainly is not cheap but in terms of bang for the buck this machine is going to be very difficult to beat…"

So that is about a 6% inflation rate since then.
I wish I got 6% pay increases since 2007! I got a measly 2% this year to offset a 40% increase in health benefits costs.

[Matt Mackinnon]

what I find to be quite fantastic is the price jump to get from the 20" throw up to the 24" model. The price point almost doubles. You are also correct that the North American 16" lathes are still more expensive than the Powermatic 20" by about $500 for Oneway and a whopping $1800 for Robust. But if you compare prices for the larger 24" lathes then you save money buying a North American built.

I guess all that you can conclude is to by bigger lathe so you can save money.

[Dick Latshaw]

I guess all that you can conclude is to buy bigger lathe so you can save money.

That works for me. For my wife, not so much. :)

[Scott Haddix]

I wish I got 6% pay increases since 2007! I got a measly 2% this year to offset a 40% increase in health benefits.
Suspect you meant a 40% increase in health benefit costs, not an increase in the benefits themselves, which in all likelihood actually went down.

[Greg Just]

Suspect you meant a 40% increase in health benefit costs, not an increase in the benefits themselves, which in all likelihood actually went down.Yes you are correct and I changed original response. Benefit coverage actually got worse.

[Jack Gaskins]

I wish I got 6% pay increases since 2007! I got a measly 2% this year to offset a 40% increase in health benefits costs.

Amen brother. And on top of that I'm getting FURLOUGHED for 11 days, my health care insurance just doubled this year and is going up again next fiscal year and so on.....eventually the chiwanese made tools are going to level out with American made tool prices IMHO.

[allen thunem]

gonna make my used 3520 just that much more valuable when i go to sell it and buy my SERIOUS LATHE

[Steve Mawson]

You can always look for a used one if you are not in a big hurry. However like Allen said, used ones might be higher as well with no warranty. I would be willing to take my chances with a used one.

[Jason Clark2]

I talked to the lady in charge at the Powermatic/jet booth in Tampa today. She confirmed NO price increase. I showed her the CPOpowermatic website and said its incorrect. There is no price increase on Powermatic tools this year.

Jason

[Brian Kent]

Here's hoping she was right, Jason. We can watch for it tomorrow.

[Brian Kent]

cpopowermatic has removed its warning of a price increase today, along with the "order today to lock in the current price" message. I just wrote to them to ask for an explanation of the previous message. I'll post their answer here. Glad the price did not increase, but I want them to be accountable if this was a manipulative warning.

[David C. Roseman]

[snip]Glad the price did not increase, but I want them to be accountable if this was a manipulative warning.

Now Brian, aren't you being a tad cynical? ;)

Actually, demand-sensitive pricing is fundamental to our market economy. Given how popular and well regarded the 3520B seems to be on this board and others, I would expect the price to tick up from time to time simply as a result of good business management.

David

[Brian Kent]

Now Brian, aren't you being a tad cynical? ;)


Yes, David, I confess.

[Matt Mackinnon]

That ploy is uses so much it's really bothersome. Sort of like stores posting an item as being 60% off sale, and the next week it's selling at the exact same price (sometimes lower). They hold the innate desire to get a deal on something that they will outright lie to fool us. I'm with Brian and say that companies should be held accountable for what they advertise.

[Gary Herrmann]

I paid $2100 (+ free shipping) for my new 3520b in 2008. At that time, the Robust American Beauty and the Oneway 2436 were about twice the price. Now, they're only 50% more. I'd probably buy the Robust now.

But realistically, I don't think I could afford it.

When did lathes of this size start costing more than a 3hp cabinet saw? I don't get it.