American Beauty Debut Pic heavy

[Bob Bergstrom]

After 7 weeks waiting and an additional 5 days of it sitting in an UPS depot 10 minutes from my house my new AB was delivered. Six members of our turning club showed up to help get it into my basement (another reason for club membership). They had it uncrated by the time I got my iPhone out. Hydraulic table supported the bed while legs were detached and reassembled. Strapped the bed and headstock to a hand truck and guided it down the stairs with ropes as reins holding it back from rolling down the stairs. Got it dirty coring 18" x 8" cherry blank.

313995313997313998313999314000314001314002314003

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Is it ok to say I'm Jealous . Your a lucky man Bob. Congrats on your new toy.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

you didn't get the tilt-a-way tailstock?

[Michael Mason]

Congratulations! You will enjoy it. I have never regretted getting mine.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Looks great! You are going to love using it!

[Bob Bergstrom]

you didn't get the tilt-a-way tailstock?
Nope 6ft bed so just slide it to the end and parked.

[John Terefenko]

Don't look now but i think your garage got hit by an earthquake. That is some fault line:D

Good luck with your new toy.

[Steve Doerr]

Bob, welcome to the AB club. I can't believe all of your work to get the AB in your basement shop. You and your club members did a GREAT job on the move. Love all of your shaving from you coring. You broke it in right. What coring system did you us?

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Bob - that last picture is classic - My AB loves to be knee deep in shavings. Welcome to the club, you're gonna love that lathe.

[Bill Bulloch]

What a Beauty...........

[David Delo]

Congrats on your new piece of equipment Bob. Enjoy!

[charlie knighton]

enjoy, Bob

[William C Rogers]

American Beauty says it all. Picture 8 is great way to show off your new lathe. Enjoy ,

[Dale Miner]

I love the way you BEAUTIFIED your shop.

That is one sweet machine.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Bob, welcome to the AB club. I can't believe all of your work to get the AB in your basement shop. You and your club members did a GREAT job on the move. Love all of your shaving from you coring. You broke it in right. What coring system did you us?

Steve, I have th mcNaughton system with standard and large blades. The next to the largest bowl is 14" and it took all of the largest blade and still had about 1" spindle holding it in. A good rap popped it out. It is a 3hp motor with two step pulleys instead of the older model with 3 step pulleys. Bret told me when I toured the plant that the government made the motor manufacturators increase the effiency of them so the motor is bigger and wouldn't fit properly. Something had to go so 1 less step on the 3 hp model. When coring the largest one the belt squealed quite a bit, but the motor kept turning. My Powermatic did that also. Once the belt got broken in and more flexible. It will get a better grip pull better.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Bob, welcome to the AB club. I can't believe all of your work to get the AB in your basement shop. You and your club members did a GREAT job on the move. Love all of your shaving from you coring. You broke it in right. What coring system did you us?

It didn't take that long with all the help. I wanted all to stay safe. Not a scratch was incurred. They must have worked up a good appetite because the fiesta size pizza didn't last long. I believe the bed is close to 400 lbs by itself.

[Dan Hintz]

Steve, I have th mcNaughton system with standard and large blades. The next to the largest bowl is 14" and it took all of the largest blade and still had about 1" spindle holding it in. A good rap popped it out. It is a 3hp motor with two step pulleys instead of the older model with 3 step pulleys. Bret told me when I toured the plant that the government made the motor manufacturators increase the effiency of them so the motor is bigger and wouldn't fit properly. Something had to go so 1 less step on the 3 hp model. When coring the largest one the belt squealed quite a bit, but the motor kept turning. My Powermatic did that also. Once the belt got broken in and more flexible. It will get a better grip pull better.

Mine has the 3-step pulley... not sure if I would like the 2- or 3-step better. In the end, the 3hp is so much torque it's difficult to stop the thing and you can get it to run plenty slow for big items.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Mine has the 3-step pulley... not sure if I would like the 2- or 3-step better. In the end, the 3hp is so much torque it's difficult to stop the thing and you can get it to run plenty slow for big items.

Dan, I know what your saying there may be some trade offs. Low side is 50 to 1500. High is 100 to 3,000. The motor looks like a 5 hp compared to a 2 hp one! Being able to run up to 1500 without changing the pulley will be the good part. Will see about toque at the low speeds. My 7/8" swept back bowl gouge was throwing some big chips and the motor was slowing down on the 18" bowl. I will test it out some more.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Bob, I have the 2-step pulley and it works just fine. I use the low setting for all large and out-of-balance pieces because the braking will kick in when you go to stop. If you have a super heavy piece on and the pulley is in the high range... you will get to watch it spin for a long time before it stops!

Also, you can pull down on the motor a little to create additional tension on the belt so things don't slip under load. Have fun making shavings!!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Congratulations! It didn't take long for you to cover up the bling in your shop!

[Doug Herzberg]

Looks like it made a real mess of your shop in a hurry.

[Doug Ladendorf]

That sure is a sweet lathe! Congratulations. Now you'll never make it up for dinner on time. :D

[Bob Bergstrom]

Bob, I have the 2-step pulley and it works just fine. I use the low setting for all large and out-of-balance pieces because the braking will kick in when you go to stop. If you have a super heavy piece on and the pulley is in the high range... you will get to watch it spin for a long time before it stops!

Also, you can pull down on the motor a little to create additional tension on the belt so things don't slip under load. Have fun making shavings!!


Thanks Steve, the first time I changed pulleys and dropped the motor down I pinched my finger. Learned a quick lesson there. Didn't realize the high speed rolls to a very slow stop. I always pushed on the motor on my Powermatic. I'm sure it will get better and I learn to get the right tension on it.

[Reed Gray]

Hmm, a few things for me to ponder here... Looks like it is a one piece bed rather than the 4 foot bed with a 2 foot extension, which my earlier version has. I know Brent has a different phase converter on the new machines, and I am thinking possibly a different motor, but can't remember. The speed range from 50 to 1500, and 50 to 3000 is what the original 3520A had, well except that the PM would go down to almost 0 before turning off. That was handy for sanding my warped bowls. I have the 3 speed pulley system. I keep it in mid range, which now goes from about 20 to 2200, which Brent helped me set it up to. The slow speed range was too slow, only going up to 1100, after adjustments. I could easily stall it in low range, and as well in mid range, but I am on the 'Brute Squad', or like Bill Grumbine commented once, 'I haven't met a lathe I can't stall, including the VB36'. I do scratch my head over bowl turners who have the sliding headstock, and don't use it for bowls, but that is just my way of doing things. That, in particular, makes the tilt away tailstock a blessing. You will have a lot of fun with this lathe.

robo hippy

[Bob Bergstrom]

[QUOTE=Reed Gray;2420700]Hmm, a few things for me to ponder here... Looks like it is a one piece bed rather than the 4 foot bed with a 2 foot extension, which my earlier version has. I know Brent has a different phase converter on the new machines, and I am thinking possibly a different motor, but can't remember. The speed range from 50 to 1500, and 50 to 3000 is what the original 3520A had, well except that the PM would go down to almost 0 before turning off. That was handy for sanding my warped bowls. I have the 3 speed pulley system. I keep it in mid range, which now goes from about 20 to 2200, which Brent helped me set it up to. The slow speed range was too slow, only going up to 1100, after adjustments. I could easily stall it in low range, and as well in mid range, but I am on the 'Brute Squad', or like Bill Grumbine commented once, 'I haven't met a lathe I can't stall, including the VB36'. I do scratch my head over bowl turners who have the sliding headstock, and don't use it for bowls, but that is just my way of doing things. That, in particular, makes the tilt away tailstock a blessing. You will have a lot of fun with this lathe.


That was one of the reasons I choose the long bed. It is a solid one piece six foot long bed. I didn't like the extension on the lower position on my 3520B. Big bowl rough outs caused vibration on the extension. I am sure I can stall this one, but am finding that extra 1 hp making rounding blanks a lot quicker. I've always turned on the wall and am quite comfortable. Between the wide stance of the lathe, the low height of the ways (34") and the extra power I'm already spoiled.

[Reed Gray]

I did find that with the extra height of the headstock spindle, the difference between 20 and 25 inch throw, that the remote, if it is on the lathe bed is too low. I keep it, most of the time in the same place it was on the PM. One reason I went with the AB was the 3 hp motor, which wasn't available with a sliding headstock on any other lathe.

robo hippy

[Curtis Myers]

Beautify American Machinery

[Bob Bergstrom]

I did find that with the extra height of the headstock spindle, the difference between 20 and 25 inch throw, that the remote, if it is on the lathe bed is too low. I keep it, most of the time in the same place it was on the PM. One reason I went with the AB was the 3 hp motor, which wasn't available with a sliding headstock on any other lathe.

robo hippy

same here it wouldn't be hard to thro a leg over the ways and ride it. The controls on the bed (won't stick to stainless ways) is hard to read in the shadows or curls hanging off it. The headstock is the best spot for the controls so far.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

The headstock is the best spot for the controls so far.
I leave it on the headstock most often, but also find the banjo and the tailstock convenient at times. When turning off the end, the banjo is really a convenient position for the controls.

[hu lowery]

Here it is three o'clock in the morning and I am looking at porn, lathe porn. That is one more sexy lady! Looks like you had a fine team of helpers and a plan getting her in place and put together. Like many, the American Beauty is my daydream lathe. Probably never happen but nice to dream.

Hu

[William Bachtel]

You need a bigger shop. Oh you knew that. Nice lathe, I'll be looking into getting one of those.

[Alan Trout]

Hmm, a few things for me to ponder here... Looks like it is a one piece bed rather than the 4 foot bed with a 2 foot extension, which my earlier version has. I know Brent has a different phase converter on the new machines, and I am thinking possibly a different motor, but can't remember. The speed range from 50 to 1500, and 50 to 3000 is what the original 3520A had, well except that the PM would go down to almost 0 before turning off. That was handy for sanding my warped bowls. I have the 3 speed pulley system. I keep it in mid range, which now goes from about 20 to 2200, which Brent helped me set it up to. The slow speed range was too slow, only going up to 1100, after adjustments. I could easily stall it in low range, and as well in mid range, but I am on the 'Brute Squad', or like Bill Grumbine commented once, 'I haven't met a lathe I can't stall, including the VB36'. I do scratch my head over bowl turners who have the sliding headstock, and don't use it for bowls, but that is just my way of doing things. That, in particular, makes the tilt away tailstock a blessing. You will have a lot of fun with this lathe.

robo hippy


Brent told me one time the reason the bed was two piece because he did not have a way to machine the ways on a long bed if it were one piece. Evidently he does now. I also have the two piece bed and the way it is made there is no or will have any rigidity issues. It would not flex anymore the a one piece design but the two piece design was a lot more work. I am sure it saves a bunch of time in production for the one piece bed. I was like Bob and did not want the swing down tailstock and I did not think I would use it with all that real estate of that long bed. Brent said he would put it on and if I liked it pay him later. Well I found out that I used it a bunch and gladly paid for it.

Bob, This will be prized by you for many years to come. In reality the little extra spent on a premium lathe IMHO is well worth it in the long run.

Congratulations

Alan

[Bob Bergstrom]

Brent told me one time the reason the bed was two piece because he did not have a way to machine the ways on a long bed if it were one piece. Evidently he does now. I also have the two piece bed and the way it is made there is no or will have any rigidity issues. It would not flex anymore the a one piece design but the two piece design was a lot more work. I am sure it saves a bunch of time in production for the one piece bed. I was like Bob and did not want the swing down tailstock and I did not think I would use it with all that real estate of that long bed. Brent said he would put it on and if I liked it pay him later. Well I found out that I used it a bunch and gladly paid for it.

Bob, This will be prized by you for many years to come. In reality the little extra spent on a premium lathe IMHO is well worth it in the long run.

Congratulations

Alan


Dick Sing and I were talking and when Dick ( a retired tool and die worker) was doing a demo at Robust Bret told him they now had a long bed surface planer and could do it.

[Bob Bergstrom]

You need a bigger shop. Oh you knew that. Nice lathe, I'll be looking into getting one of those.
Most of my other stationary tools have become placees to stack turning stuff. It takes a few hours to convert the shop if I need to do flat work. The vortex has had a choke hold on me for a long, long time.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I leave it on the headstock most often, but also find the banjo and the tailstock convenient at times. When turning off the end, the banjo is really a convenient position for the controls.


Jeff, thanks for the tip. I found if I put the control module on the tailstock side of the banjo it worked out great. I, at first, had it resting on the top. Slid it onto and parallel to the beveled edge and it was a lot less likely to get in the way or have chips covering the control dial. This was yesterday's play time. About 16" x 14" from cherry with some very interesting black lines in the grain. Turned about 3/8" to 1/2" thick and now in a paper lawn bag for a couple weeks to dry before sanding.
314164

[Jeffrey J Smith]

I found if I put the control module on the tailstock side of the banjo it worked out great. I, at first, had it resting on the top. Slid it onto and parallel to the beveled edge and it was a lot less likely to get in the way

That's where I put it most often. Nice and close in case I need to access it in a hurry. A word of caution if you put it on the tailstock, though - the pendant is long enough to get it there on mine, but if you swing the tailstock away with it attached it can position the wire through the ways where it could be pinched in the process. Make sure you either check the wire's path or move it before swinging the tailstock down.

Looks like you're having fun making shavings...

[Mike Goetzke]

Wow Bob - I know why they call it American Beauty! I remember seeing your 3520B in that corner never would have thought you could stuff a larger lathe in there but that looooong bed makes an extension unnecessary. What I noticed from the pictures was the size of the tail stock is massive on this lathe. Waiting for more turning post for my educational purposes.

Thanks for sharing,

Mike