Buying new lathe for bowl blanks

[Ray Hammer]

Wood Turners,

I am looking to purchase a new lathe primarily for turning bowls and things from larger blanks. I have turned some in the past but not many bowls. I have used some old Powermatic Lathes and a Jet 1440. My budget is 1500-1800. I am looking at Grizzly but prefer a Jet, nothing used has popped up in my area. I have mixed feelings on the Grizzly but you guys seem to have good luck with them are they are most definitely in my price range, which will allow for some extra turning tools and chucks. If you guys could throw some ideas out there on what you would do i appreciate your experience and wisdom. I have thought about the NOVA 16 X 24 but i don't know if its powerful enough to handle larger blanks?
Any thoughts or ideas appreciated.
Thanks
Ray

[Mark Greenbaum]

Grizzly G0766 is my first real lathe (can't count a 1956 Shopsmith). I have turned lots of bowls and urns and spindles, and ornaments. It works well, and has plenty of power. I bought it before they had even shipped a single unit into the US. I am very happy with the purchase, and if minor problems have occurred (bad speed potentiometer 2x) Grizzly Customer Service has come through with speed and reliability. It gets my vote, if I ever have to do it again.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ray, you don't list your location and that might help with suggestions. My first thought is to get with your local turning club. Seems someone is always trying to upgrade and you might find a good deal on a used 'larger' lathe. Good luck and I hope you consider all the brands and don't get talked into a machine just because it is heavily promoted here.

[richard shelby]

I turn large blanks on a Nova 1624; wet sweetgum, pecan, oak, 14-15" . Minimum speed 178 RPM. The only way to make it work is to make them round on the band saw, then trim the odd bumps using a 4" grinder with a Lancelot or similar carving disc. I've never stalled it, but I have made the drive belt slip. You also can turn the drive head 270 degrees and mount the rest on the back side so that you don't hit the rails until you have clearance diameter. Still....it's a sphincter-tightener.

[Gary Baler]

I have a 16-24 Nova and have maxed it out many many times /// and it handled everything I've thrown at it. Without the DVR it is a great buy. I have a Powermatic 3520b ...and I stall it regularly. For the money, I think the Grizley 0766 is a GREAT BUY.

[Ray Hammer]

Location Bowling Green KY.

[Ray Hammer]

Thanks for the info, do you guys think the older Powermatic 45 and 90 are out of the question for serious bowl turning? I see them for sale quite often but i didn't know about low speed and power.

[Reed Gray]

Well, my main question for you would be are you planning to sell your bowls? If so, then you will want 220 volts and 2 hp. There are a lot of options in that range. Perhaps the other consideration is how big to you want to turn. The market for bowls over 14 to 16 inch diameter is fairly small and more of a specialty market, and the jump up from 16 inch lathes to 20 to 24 inch lathes is considerable. As a 'semi-pro' I buy my tools not based on cost, but based on how much money they will make for me, so value is more important.

robo hippy

[Ray Hammer]

i would more than likely try to sell the finished product. I have too many hobbies to pass up a chance to make money!

[Mark Greenbaum]

Location Bowling Green KY.

Ray, if you'd like to try turning on a Grizzly G0766, I am located just below Nashville, TN, and I could have you come out and try mine. Or post a thread on the Green Giant Monster Group (GGMG) forum under Community - Groups header above, and maybe there's someone even closer.

If you want to try Powermatics or Jet lathes, there's probably someone very close to you that would let you try out turning on there equipment. We're all pretty open to showing off our cool tools. (I hope I am not speaking out of turn - no pun intended).

[Dusty Ward]

Ray, I live relatively close to you in Elizabethtown, KY and own a G0766. I was looking on the Louisville craigslist the other day and there was a used G0766 in Louisville with several accessories for $2000 I believe. I don't know if that was a good price or not, but probably worth looking into

[Mark Greenbaum]

https://louisville.craigslist.org/tls/d/grizzly-22x42-variable-speed/6541212302.html, yep, it's still listed - seems like a few chucks, tool rests and gouges. Might be worth a call. No warranty, but... parts if ever needed can be purchased from Grizzly.

[Ray Hammer]

I have had my eye on that, apparently the larger grizzly lathes are all on back order. So a new one may not be an option for a while.

[John Grace]

Ray, I live relatively close to you in Elizabethtown, KY and own a G0766. I was looking on the Louisville craigslist the other day and there was a used G0766 in Louisville with several accessories for $2000 I believe. I don't know if that was a good price or not, but probably worth looking into

Small world...my Father's family is from Hopkinsville and Todd Cy

[Mark Greenbaum]

I have had my eye on that, apparently the larger grizzly lathes are all on back order. So a new one may not be an option for a while.
What is Grizzly's projected next shipment of available to purchase units due to hit the US?

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

My lowest lathe speed is 300, and not slow enough for large rough blanks. So my view, would be to get something that offers speeds down to almost zero. I don't turn enough large bowls to make it worth while switching to another lathe.

[Mark Greenbaum]

I currently have my G0766 set on the low speed pulleys, and can run easily down to about 50 rpm, and it's pretty steady. Once I get the corners knocked off of a rough log piece, and steadily increase speed to as much as I feel safe. The only stalling I've ever noticed is when I get a catch, and the spur drive drills into the wood. The lathe does not stall, the wood does.

If I am turning spindles or small lidded boxes, I go to the high speed pulley setting. Lowest speed on that combination might be about 100 rpm.

[William C Rogers]

Thanks for the info, do you guys think the older Powermatic 45 and 90 are out of the question for serious bowl turning? I see them for sale quite often but i didn't know about low speed and power.

I had a PM90. I don't think this is the lathe you want. Most are three phase and usually the ones for sale do not have a VFD with them. Most are 1 hp, where 2 hp is much better. The PM 90 has a 12" swing meaning 11" bowl is the biggest you could turn. I raised mine to 18", but this is another mod and expense. For bowls, having a sliding headstock is very nice and the PM 90 headstock does not slide. They are great lathes, but you give up several features vs newer lathes. I have sold mine and bought a Laguna Revo 18-36. I like the Laguna much better having features the PM 90 did not.

[Ray Hammer]

What is Grizzly's projected next shipment of available to purchase units due to hit the US?

Per grizzly customer service, they will start filling back-orders May 29th!

[Mark Greenbaum]

Per grizzly customer service, they will start filling back-orders May 29th!

That CL listing looks pretty tempting with all of the additional tools thrown in. Maybe $5-600 worth of extras if you had to go out and buy them.