American Beauty Delivered - not without some excitement

[Glen Blanchard]

Well UPS freight delivered my beast yesterday afternoon. This thing is the heaviest item in my shop next to my 12" jointer which weighs in at 1050 lbs. I had paid for liftgate service and the driver was kind enough to wheel the pallet jack down to my shop and place the crate there. I showed my appreciation with a $20 bill and a can of Coke. However, getting the crate off the truck was a bit anxiety producing.



The crate is/was longer than it is wide while the liftgate was just the opposite. I bet you know where this tale is headed. As he was bringing the crate onto the liftgate, due to the dimensions of the liftgate, he was also trying to turn the crate 90 degrees at the same time. Mind you, the liftgate at this point is like five feet above the ground. Anyway, in the process of making the 90 degree turn, the wheels at the operators end of the pallet jack slid off the liftgate!!! Yikes. In my mind's eye I saw that crate (with my AB inside) falling five feet to the the street. Luckily, that didn't happen, but it sure got my heart rate to jump!! Whew!

[Roger Chandler]

I look at that [drool :D ] and it really is a "beautiful" thing! Glad she didn't get a scratch! Your bed configuration...........interesting that your legs are not on then ends where the headstock is. I turned on a friends AB, and he had his at the ends...........any particular reason for your choice to do it the way you have it in the picture? [just curious! :confused:]

[Reed Gray]

I noticed the leg set up as well. Mine has the bed extension as well, and the legs are on the far ends. The 2 foot extension shouldn't be a problem with the motor on it, though when I asked Brent about mine, as I was wanting the extension on the tailstock end, so I wouldn't have to straddle the legs when bowl turning at that end, he was concerned that it might be a bit much with tailstock added to the extension. Hmm, maybe I need to set mine up that way.....

robo hippy

[Harry Robinette]

Glad to see it's all ok!!!!!!! But why is there wood in the chuck and no curly's ?

[Doug Ladendorf]

Boy, that is a thing of beauty all right. Enjoy for the rest of us OK?!

[Brian Kent]

I would never get a tool like that all dirty with wood shavings! Pristine!

[Paul Vicchitto]

Man that is a sweet looking rig. Ah....someday!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Glen - Congrats on your new Beauty! You are going to love everything about it!! Have fun!!

[charlie knighton]

congratulations and enjoy

[Brad Adams]

That thing is sweet! Now we need a picture with a big ol' log set up on it!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Enjoy it in good health and for a very long time.
faust

[Dok Yager]

Congratulations on a Great lathe! Hmm I can see some Monster pieces of tree on there. I can only hope some day at this point.

[Thomas Canfield]

It's a beauty for sure. I had to do a double take when I saw the drive on the bed extension end. I know that I wanted the drive on my Powermatic 3520B over the bed and not hanging out to amplify any out of balance action wagging the tailstock end and somewhat have equal loading on all mount points. I use the extension as a tailstock rest since I don't have a swing-a-way and I'm jealous. I don't think that you would unload the tailstock feet, but definitely make it less stable with large unbalanced loads.

[Ed Loudermilk]

What a beautiful machine!!

[Rich Aldrich]

Congrats! Nice machine. Maybe I can get one someday as an early retirement present....that is before I retire....

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Glen - glad to see it arrived - it is a thing of beauty - I remember when mine was still clean...you're going to love getting to know her.

Robo and Roger - that's the new 16" bed extension for the American Beauty. It installs at the end, not possible to put the legs at the end of it...it is different from the older 24" bed extension that went between the legs. As I understand it, they've changed that, too. Now when you order the extended bed, it is all one weldment rather than a bolted on 24" piece.

[Josh Bowman]

I've already opened you pictures 3 times!! That is one beast of a machine. Hummmm, if I could get a good price from my PM3520......Glad you got it unloaded and set up.

[Alan Trout]

You will really enjoy the lathe. I really like mine. Once you get using it, it is fun getting it dirty.

[Dan Kralemann]

Glen - glad to see it arrived - it is a thing of beauty - I remember when mine was still clean...you're going to love getting to know her.

+1 Enjoy!!

[George Morris]

Great Lathe! Congrats ! Turn safe and enjoy!