Gonna join the mustard gang...

[Rob Price]

After turning on a 4224 and a 3520, I decided whenever I upgraded it would be a Powermatic 3520. Found the right deal today and put my order in. I've got some work to do in my shop. I'm keeping my Delta 46-600 for now (my 10yr old wants to turn pens, I can drop it down to his height). Either I move it and put the 3520 in its place, or make a new home for the Powermatic. From a wiring/dust collection standpoint I think I'm going to get rid of my sheet goods corner (I don't do much plywood work anymore) and make an all new home for the beast. Pics to follow this weekend (hopefully).

[Roger Chandler]

After turning on a 4224 and a 3520, I decided whenever I upgraded it would be a Powermatic 3520. Found the right deal today and put my order in. I've got some work to do in my shop. I'm keeping my Delta 46-600 for now (my 10yr old wants to turn pens, I can drop it down to his height). Either I move it and put the 3520 in its place, or make a new home for the Powermatic. From a wiring/dust collection standpoint I think I'm going to get rid of my sheet goods corner (I don't do much plywood work anymore) and make an all new home for the beast. Pics to follow this weekend (hopefully).

So you're turnin' yeller, are ya? :D Nice choice.............congrats on your new acquisition and the deeper level into the vortex!

[Steve Doerr]

Rob, great news. Your thread picture must have been taken with this purchase in mind:) Looking forward to seeing the pictures.
Steve

[Joe Kaufman]

Congratulations on the new PM 3520. I’ve had mine about 3-4 weeks. Be sure to consider and allow space to turn at the end of the bed for bowl work. It’s so much easier, probably proportional to the age of the turner. I was pleasantly surprised by the general quality and workmanship on the lathe. I can’t say the same for other accessory purchases, like faceplates, spindle adaptors and chuck. Like much of this type of imported product, the quality function is left up the end user and what they will accept.

During assembly, one thing to keep in mind is the lathe bed is not secured to the pallet. I didn’t have any problems but I went under the assumption that the bed was bolted to the pallet and did not exercise as much care as I would have, knowing that fact.

Joe

[bob svoboda]

Welcome to the mustard gang. I've had mine 3 years and have never regretted the purchase!

[Jon Nuckles]

Congratulations! One more caution: make sure you loosen the locking screw before removing the faceplate. DAMHIKT.

[Brian Kent]

Really happy for you, Rob. Thanks for bringing us along on your mustard journey!

[Joe Kaufman]

yep, there's even a big warning label on the face plate. Remove the label to get to the second setscrew.:eek:

[Jim Seyfried]

Congratulations Rob! I got one a couple of years ago, it is definitely my favorite machine. I easily use it more than all my other woodworking tools combined! There is a Mustard Monster web site that has tips and a lot of other information that I found useful when I got mine. You may already know this, but here is a link to the site. Mustard Monster (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UyscS8Zo3pUggyU8bMX4EpzZJnfaEkxEM6hVIyVJ4oc/edit?pli=1)

[David Delo]

What he said........


Congratulations Rob! I got one a couple of years ago, it is definitely my favorite machine. I easily use it more than all my other woodworking tools combined! There is a Mustard Monster web site that has tips and a lot of other information that I found useful when I got mine. You may already know this, but here is a link to the site. Mustard Monster (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UyscS8Zo3pUggyU8bMX4EpzZJnfaEkxEM6hVIyVJ4oc/edit?pli=1)

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Welcome to the yellow, Rob. It's funny that Jon mentioned loosening the set screws on the face plate before removing it. I did the same thing Jon obviously did when I purchased mine a few years ago. The spindle is not hardened so the set screws eat a good groove if you force the removal. Here's the funny part, my chucks grab tightly enough I have never had one come loose while sanding in reverse. However, my Oneway vacuum chucks will come loose so I tighten the set screws when using them. Half the time I still forget to loosen them until I feel resistance when removing the chuck.
Good luck with the new machine.
faust

[Rob Price]

Jim, I did not know about that site. I'll be sure to check it out. Spent several hours today cleaning out the shop and re-arranging things. It was well overdue. Trying to find a spot where I can get to the end of the lathe for bowl turning with the sliding headstock. Gonna take a few more hours and then I'm going to run the power line as well. Trying to be ready before the crate gets here.

[Thomas Canfield]

Rob,

I bought the bed extension as part of my original 3520B purchase almost 7 years ago. I normally have the headstock with motor at end of stand, more weight over legs, and have only removed my tailstock probably less than a dozen times due to weight. I did have to remove it to allow for deeper hollowing with my hollowing rig, but find that I can do bowls pretty well with tailstock in place, but do see the merit. I do remove the tailstock on my little Nova Comet II when doing bowls. I find the little lathe handy to have for doing some of the sanding and finishing on smaller pieces, and for smaller buffing or bowl buffs to avoid changing the larger buffing wheel on the 3520. Get ready for a lot of enjoyment.

[Rob Price]

I am going to need some smaller tool rests. Considering the robust comfort rests, bestwoods modular rests, any other rests you guys use? I may end up selling my delta to my brother- if I do I'll need a smaller rest for pens, pepper mills, etc. I thought about getting some of the smaller rests from pen state and using their 5/8" sleeve. This would just be for small projects, not going to take a huge beating.

[Dok Yager]

Congratulations Rob! That's the one I want when I get that far. I got to use one for a couple of hours and Man is it Sweet! If you are looking for tool rests may I suggest getting stainless steel ones, they slide like butter.

[Jim Seyfried]

I bought several of the robust comfort rests and really like the versatility and the way they work. I like them better than the PM stock ones. I haven't used other brands so can't say how they compare to them.

[Robert Henrickson]

I have several of the Robust comfort rests and really like them. They are much preferable to the stock Jet/PM ones. I've been doing a lot of thin spindle turning recently, however, and the Robust "low profile" rests would be preferable for those, but I have yet to order any.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Robust "low profile" rests would be preferable for those, but I have yet to order any.
I own several Robust tool rests and like them but I also like the shape of the 14" rest that came with the 3520. It needs a bit of up keep to remove nicks and dings but is really a sweet profile.
If you do a lot of small spindle work, like finials, Robust sells a wonderful offset gizmo that accepts any length tool rest and allows that rest to get 2" closer to the center of the lathe.
faust

[Rob Price]

Just ordered 4" and 9" toolrests from Robust. Waiting on shipping info from Toolnut. I ordered over the phone, so I don't have an email from them. Shop is in total disarray trying to make room for the new monster, but I've figured out where it's going and I've got the space cleared and power run.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I have found that the 15" Powermatic rest really doesn't need much filing. I think I have only done it a couple times in four years. I did round over the entire top surface into a gentile curve instead of the inclined ledge. I did it with my 3x21 belt sander by sliding the sander back and forth with the tool rest in the banjo. 10 minute job. A little paste wax and the tool glides effortlessly at any angle.

[Rob Price]

So apparently, ToolNut never sent the order to Powermatic, I called again on Monday and they got the lathe shipped out (only 5 hours from where I live, I should have just driven to Nashville). Arrived in Atl that day but now its stuck there until the roads dry out :mad:. Hopefully by Monday I'll have it.

I have a wiring question for you guys. I tapped off of my 220V that I use for the TS and ran a new line over to where the lathe will be. With the wiring I had on hand, I had enough but had to put a junction box at about eye level to use a second piece of 12/2 wire to get all the way to the lathe. I put in a double pole switch there, I like to kill the power to all my tools when I leave the shop. (I have a switch for all the 110v outlets in the shop, another for the DC, and the TS is a sawstop, it has a switch plus the paddle, so I never put a switch on the 220 line until now) I was thinking about just direct wiring the lathe to the 12/2 coming off the double pole switch and not messing with a plug. Any reason not to? I wouldn't use this for on/off while turning, just at the end of the day when I leave the shop. Thoughts?

[charlie knighton]

its just that visually i am more positive that it is done.....if i see that the power plug is pulled out of the socket, i know postively that the power to lathe is cut

[George Morris]

Congrats! For the money you can not beat the Mustard Monster!

[Rob Price]

New lathe is here. Snapped the hinge on the belt change door trying to get the headstock downstairs. $20 for the tiny plastic part and $10 shipping. Awesome. The price of buying a premium lathe I guess. I may have to just buy a little hinge at Home Depot snd retrofit.

[Jay MacDougall]

You got yourself a good one there!

[David Delo]

Had to laugh out loud reading your down the stairs adventure. After setting up my 3520B a few months ago, while putting it through its paces before making any dust, I put the faceplate on and tightened the set screw and forgot to loosen before putting the wrench to it to get it off. Nothing major to fix with a file and emory cloth but it does want you to think of some bad words.



New lathe is here. Snapped the hinge on the belt change door trying to get the headstock downstairs. $20 for the tiny plastic part and $10 shipping. Awesome. The price of buying a premium lathe I guess. I may have to just buy a little hinge at Home Depot snd retrofit.

[Jim Underwood]

Congrats on the new lathe Rob. Let's see some stuff you turned on it!

[Rob Price]

Hoping my leveling casters will get here Saturday and I'll get this thing assembled. May have to duct tape the belt door until I get a new hinge.

I've got a rare day to myself Monday, and a couple of logs (elm, orange osage, and cherry) that a friend brought me from Ohio that will need roughing out. Fingers crossed.

[David Delo]

I put the Zambus leveling casters on mine. What brand did you decide on?

[Rob Price]

I bought some from AccessCasters. I looked around at several sites, I think they are FootMaster brand. They have identical specs to the footmaster page and use the same pictures as several other sites. It seems all these industrial caster sites sell them unlabeled basically, from $20-40 per foot. The 2" wheel will get me about 3.5" off the floor when the pads are down. I'm 6'6", I wanted that extra height. They were on the way until they got to Atlanta Monday morning. They didn't leave Atlanta until today. It seems like Fedex sees bad weather coming and uses it as an excuse to delay shipments- 5 days without moving seems a bit extreme, even if Atl was a disaster for 12 hours. I know you guys up north got a kick out of that.

Either way, I don't want to assemble this thing and then have to retrofit the feet. Patience May be a virtue, but it's not one of my strengths.

[allen thunem]

I put the Zambus leveling casters on mine. What brand did you decide on?
not to high jack the thread but i have a question pertaining to caster use.
with them on wouldnt the lathe be more prone to "walking " across the floor??
woould love to get some myself but would be worried about unbalanced blanks.
please advise and share your thoughts and experiences.

[Rob Price]

These are the type where you screw down feet that lift the lathe off the casters- thus the 'leveling' part if the name- and the lathe sits on those feet when turning- no different from the included feet. When you need to move it you lower it down on the casters. For me I have a small shop that just got smaller. Everything has to be mobile so it can be moved away when needed. Plus it lifts the lathe without needing a secondary base.

[David Delo]

For me, mobility was the most important part of the equation when deciding to step up to the 3520B. So the choices were the lift and lock from Craft Supplies ($350.00), hydraulic lift from Harbor Freight or choice of the same basic caster from 4 or 5 vendors. As said for me casters seemed to be the better choice. Since I'm in a basement shop, my floor slopes in about 18 different directions so leveling the unit is a challenge. Currently, I have the machine in its 2nd of 3 locations that I use it. The 3rd location will require a major moving around of other machines that I don't want to do just yet. Right now I have 1 caster just barely engaged with single wood shim of different thickness under the other 3 legs. I'm sure I could probably find something to make it walk but so far it's been rock solid. I did a 13" plywood bowl glue up that was about 35-40 pounds off the end of the machine with the table extension without any issues. Short of bolting to the floor there probably isn't any way to stop movement 100 percent for anything and everything you can throw at the machine but so far the casters have worked for me.
not to high jack the thread but i have a question pertaining to caster use.
with them on wouldnt the lathe be more prone to "walking " across the floor??
woould love to get some myself but would be worried about unbalanced blanks.
please advise and share your thoughts and experiences.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I don't use castors of any kind on my lathe. First of all, I am not tall enough and casters will cause the lathe to be higher. Secondly, I want as solid a connection to the floor as I can get. We had the 3520 at our turning club on wheels and it was horrible. I would bolt mine to the floor if I were willing to give up the ability to move it as needed.
To move my lathe I use a $135 hydraulic table from HF. I roll it under the bed and hike up the lathe and roll it anywhere.
faust

[Rob Price]

Finally got the casters and got the lathe assembled over the weekend. I like the casters. When the feet are up it rolls around very easily. With the feet down it's planted firmly on the floor.

Got to rough out two bowls today. One is a 13" cherry platter and this one, some Osage orange a friend brought me from Ohio. Doesn't grow around here. Somehow yellow curlies seemed fitting for the new lathe.

Other than the Osage being hard as nails it was a good day. My gouge is probably 1/8 shorter after that thing. I'm dreading when it's dry.