Wood Lathe Options in Late 2018

[John Halsted]

I'd like to buy a lathe and have been looking around and reading as much as I can. I'd like to stick with the buy big and don't buy again philosophy. I want to turn big green logs. Given the good reviews of the Grizzly G0800 that would have seemed like a good option but now the price has jumped substantially due to the tariff thing.

The Grizzly G0694 is now comparatively very cheap. After a 10% discount code and $199 freight it is just $2,894.50 including freight. The swing over the bed/rest is a bit small but it comes with an outboard toolrest. The only issue is that there really isn't much information about this machine in terms of reviews. But it seems to me that the lathes affected by the tariff are now very expensive compared to those made in Taiwan, like the G0694. It is unfortunately out of stock right now.

Powermatic's 3hp offering, the 4224B, is almost 3 times the price. Though I do prefer the open stand design with the cast iron legs.

Is there anything else I should be looking at?

[Van Huskey]

The mods will move this to the turning forum but my bet is people steer you toward Grizzly's newer lathes vs the G0694.

[Mike King]

Oneway and Robust. Oh, and Vicmarc.

[Jason Edwards]

Oneway and Robust. Oh, and Vicmarc.

Have to agree with Mike, if your budget supports the 4224B, then definitely look at the non-China/Taiwan options.

[Roger Chandler]

Those tariffs are a tough chew for sure! That being said, I have turned on some of the best lathes available, including the Robust American Beauty, many Powermatic 3520b's and numerous other lathes. I have two Grizzly lathes in my shop, the 22/42 G0766 and the 24/48 G0800 with the bed extension.

I was actually saving for the American Beauty, but the G0800 really caught my eye, and I decided to dive deeply into the specs, build, etc. First off, it is made by the same company that makes the Powermatic lathes, which is Harvey Industries Co, and it is a clone of their Harvey Turbo-60 unit, which is their flagship model.

It does have a premium A/C motor/inverter combo on it that is top notch, and my G0800 is truly impressive with the torque at low speeds. That small belt is especially made for high torque applications, and I have not had it slip, not once! I have turned some big/heavy wood in it! I just finished a roughout yesterday from green red maple that came from my next door neighbors yard, that was storm damaged last week, which started out at about 125 lbs, and is 15.5 inches diameter.

I have also turned on a Serious SL2542, which is almost 1600 lbs. of premium beast, and this is my honest opinion. To me, turning on my G0800 feels like turning on the Serious and Robust. It is smooth and powerful. The machining is top notch, and the build is very precise and refined. The centers line up to an exacting degree, and it is pretty heavy. My unit with the bed extension is about 900 lbs, and I like the leg casting design, as it has a wide splay for stability, and the castings allow for shelving for even more added ballast.

The headstock design is ergonomic, it has three massive bearings on the headstock spindle, which are all larger than a baseball, and the lock down of headstock, banjo and tailstock are rock solid, and the weight of all three are heavy duty as is all the lathe. It has beefy castings throughout, and as stated earlier, the machining is as good as anything I've seen anywhere, and better than most! The tool rest has a 1" wide bar of drill rod material, turned on its side and welded in place, so the tool rest has a smooth, basically ding free surface for the gouge to ride on.

If money is no object, then the Robust is a fine machine, and a super warranty. I can tell you, having turned on it, it is a sweet machine! The G0800 is a sweet machine! I could have waited a couple more years and perhaps gotten a fully tricked out American Beauty, but honestly, there is nothing that the Beauty or the Serious can do that my G0800 can't also do! The bed extension allows for versatility in setup, and can be mounted on either end of the bed, or the front of the bed for getting behind a turning, but I have mine set up for turning off the tailstock end.

The tariff situation may cause some heartburn, and make the Robust a more pleasing option, but that is something you will have to decide.

All I wanted to do with this post was to share my own personal experience and perspective. I am really happy with my decision to go ahead with the G0800......and the G0766 for that matter, but the G0800 is definitely more machine!

I compare the Jet 1642 Evs, the Nova DVR, that class of lathes is sort of like having a small Ford Ranger pickup and the G0800 like having a Super Duty 350 with all the heavy duty build.

[Van Huskey]

John, it may help if you stated your actual budget. If you are willing to pay Canadian or American built prices then the discussion is a completely different discussion. I will say there is ZERO chance I personally would buy a tariffed machine (the tariffs would work there magic on me as a consumer. I just could not spend 25% more than last months price and get NOTHING in return for the extra money. However, I am stubborn like that.

[carl mesaros]

I totally agree with what Roger said. I have turned on the Laguna 24/36 ( the same as the GO800) for over three years now. Wonderful machine.
Really too bad what these tariffs are doing and what they going to do.

[John Halsted]

I am not a poor person, but I am frugal. The answer to the budget question is that I can afford anything that will offer a reasonable amount of enjoyment, satisfaction, and productivity for each marginal dollar increase over it's competitor. When I start looking at equipment and I see one machine is multiple times more expensive than another, there had better be some damn good reasons for that. When you use a machine every day, even small marginal improvements make a big difference over time, but when you use a machine only now and then (like I would be as a hobbyist), those small marginal improvements are just luxury items.

Another way I look at machine value is to compare the new vs used prices on a machine. If a machine doesn't have solid resale value then something is wrong with the pricing/value model. Festool products are a good example: used tools seem to sell pretty close to their new price.

So, that doesn't answer the budget question in a way that provides any limits, which I realize isn't so helpful. I guess my answer says, "tempt me".

[Roger Chandler]

John, if you could find some turners within a reasonable area for you to take a test drive on the machines you are considering, it might go a long way towards helping you make up your mind which unit to purchase. May I inquire where you are located? There may be some turners fairly near you who might offer up a couple of hours for you to turn on their lathes.

[John Halsted]

I'm in Champaign, Illinois. I can't seem to find anyone in my area that has respectable machinery, except for perhaps the physical plant that manages all of the upkeep for the university here. Even the local woodshop store doesn't keep anything in stock bigger than an 8" jointer.

[Bill Dufour]

Where do you live? that will influence your choices. If you are in the USA I would buy used old American cast iron. I know Italy and Austria and soviet countries have a good history of metal working lathes, no idea if that translates into wood machines.
I need to sell my old ,cast iron delta 14x40 built in the 1950's? . Are we even on the same continent?
Bill D.
USA

[Mike King]

John, there is an ad in classifieds for a woodturning shop in Denver that’s an awesome deal. It has a powermatic lathe and a huge amount of ancillary equipment.

i have an older grizzly that I turn on. I’ve turned on a powermatic, robust, and an one way. There is no comparison between the former and the latter.

i have no experience with the Harvey equipment except that they’ve bought bridge city and have been making many of their tools.

mike

[Rob Price]

I’d have a hard time paying an extra $1000 for nothing as well. The tariff situation stinks. Grizzly has made their name as the direct to consumer great bang for your buck tool company. Their biggest advantage has always been price. The G800 looks like a great machine though. If I were buying a lathe 2 months ago it would be a serious contender for sure.

I’m super happy with my Powermatic 3520B. The C seems to have some decent upgrades and is worth a look. They will frequently have 10% off Black Friday sales and miscellaneous throughout the year. Craft Supplies just had a 10% off Jet/Powermatic and I bought a bandsaw. I haven’t turned on any other similar lathes- it was my first ‘big’ lathe.

[Roger Chandler]

I would think that tariffs will become a problem for Jet/Powermatic also because they are manufactured in China/Tiwaan ROC as well. Some of the foundries that make the castings are the same for Grizzly & Powermatics as well.

[Rob Price]

I’ve wondered about that- if other tools would start going up. Makes me wonder if there’s any big tool purchase I should make now.

[John Halsted]

On the American Beauty, it has this tilt-away option, which looks nice but pricey. My question is, if you want to turn outboard, is the idea that you slide the head all the way to the other end and lock it down? Wouldn't you be locking the head to this tilt-away dealy? It doesn't seem solid.

[Van Huskey]

I would think that tariffs will become a problem for Jet/Powermatic also because they are manufactured in China/Tiwaan ROC as well. Some of the foundries that make the castings are the same for Grizzly & Powermatics as well.

The tariffs obviously impact all the importers. Taiwan made machines don't have the direct tariff but have/will be impacted by raw material costs which in some cases have their own tariffs. Grizzly seems to be at somewhat of a disadvantage since despite the fact they have very large warehouses the other importers have a large dealer networks that each have their own albeit small inventory. Grizzly has also had supply chain problems over the last year which prevented them from having stock for many of their machines meaning they are having to add the tariff on every new sale. I know dealers that have been stocking up on machines over the last couple of months to avoid the tariffs for as long as possible in the hopes they could outlast the tariffs.

The fact that anyone is even considering a Chinese made Grizzly with the new pricing (vs machines that have not seen an increase) is a testament to the perceived value.

In the end turners are at a distinct financial advantage to flat workers in regards to having an all North American or all US built shop. Just buying the basic 5 flat working machines new and made in America will have you writing a 6 figure check.

[Chris A Lawrence]

The tilt away is for getting the tailstock out of the way. The G0800 has the same feature so you dont have to muscle the tailstock off the lathe to turn off the end.

[Ted Baxter]

I see Grizzly has a GO835 for $3195.00 plus freight in stock it is the same as the GO800 except it is 24" X24" if you can't live with only 24" spindle length then order the 20" extention bed for it that would give you 44" length and you would be at around $4200.00 including shipping. I have the GO800 and am very happy with it the GO835 should be just as good.:)

[Alex Zeller]

Unfortunately if you are going to buy new then your best option is not to wait. As current supplies dwindle down the tariffs will be kicking in. It impacted Grizzly because they always seam to be sold out and waiting on their next shipment but it'll hit the other Asian made lathes to one degree or another.

[Thomas Wilson80]

Assuming Laguna will be affected too???

[Roger Chandler]

Assuming Laguna will be affected too???yep, just a matter of time...

[John Halsted]

The tilt away is for getting the tailstock out of the way. The G0800 has the same feature so you dont have to muscle the tailstock off the lathe to turn off the end.

I understand that but the tilt-away has two sets of ways like a train transfer station. When you rotate the tailstock, the other set of ways moves into position. Now suppose you want to to some outboard turning, so you slide the headstock down to the end, and instead of locking onto the big solid ways, you're just locked onto this little rotating dealy. Am I missing something?

[Roger Chandler]

I understand that but the tilt-away has two sets of ways like a train transfer station. When you rotate the tailstock, the other set of ways moves into position. Now suppose you want to to some outboard turning, so you slide the headstock down to the end, and instead of locking onto the big solid ways, you're just locked onto this little rotating dealy. Am I missing something?

Pretty much John. The swing away feature on the G0800 allows the tailstock to be out of the way, and turn off the main end of the bed, directly over the leg, which is the most stable and strong position for the headstock to be in. It also has a bed extension available, which I have for my G0800.

[Paul Crofton]

I have no experience with them but I believe Vega lathes are made in Decatur Illinois. That roughly an hour from Champaign. Go right to the factory and pick it up it's cute that way (Johnny Cash song). You'll have to ask people here about Vega lathes. Don't know about them.

[Stephen Kuznicki]

Those tariffs are a tough chew for sure! That being said, I have turned on some of the best lathes available, including the Robust American Beauty, many Powermatic 3520b's and numerous other lathes. I have two Grizzly lathes in my shop, the 22/42 G0766 and the 24/48 G0800 with the bed extension.

I was actually saving for the American Beauty, but the G0800 really caught my eye, and I decided to dive deeply into the specs, build, etc. First off, it is made by the same company that makes the Powermatic lathes, which is Harvey Industries Co, and it is a clone of their Harvey Turbo-60 unit, which is their flagship model.

It does have a premium A/C motor/inverter combo on it that is top notch, and my G0800 is truly impressive with the torque at low speeds. That small belt is especially made for high torque applications, and I have not had it slip, not once! I have turned some big/heavy wood in it! I just finished a roughout yesterday from green red maple that came from my next door neighbors yard, that was storm damaged last week, which started out at about 125 lbs, and is 15.5 inches diameter.

I have also turned on a Serious SL2542, which is almost 1600 lbs. of premium beast, and this is my honest opinion. To me, turning on my G0800 feels like turning on the Serious and Robust. It is smooth and powerful. The machining is top notch, and the build is very precise and refined. The centers line up to an exacting degree, and it is pretty heavy. My unit with the bed extension is about 900 lbs, and I like the leg casting design, as it has a wide splay for stability, and the castings allow for shelving for even more added ballast.

The headstock design is ergonomic, it has three massive bearings on the headstock spindle, which are all larger than a baseball, and the lock down of headstock, banjo and tailstock are rock solid, and the weight of all three are heavy duty as is all the lathe. It has beefy castings throughout, and as stated earlier, the machining is as good as anything I've seen anywhere, and better than most! The tool rest has a 1" wide bar of drill rod material, turned on its side and welded in place, so the tool rest has a smooth, basically ding free surface for the gouge to ride on.

If money is no object, then the Robust is a fine machine, and a super warranty. I can tell you, having turned on it, it is a sweet machine! The G0800 is a sweet machine! I could have waited a couple more years and perhaps gotten a fully tricked out American Beauty, but honestly, there is nothing that the Beauty or the Serious can do that my G0800 can't also do! The bed extension allows for versatility in setup, and can be mounted on either end of the bed, or the front of the bed for getting behind a turning, but I have mine set up for turning off the tailstock end.

The tariff situation may cause some heartburn, and make the Robust a more pleasing option, but that is something you will have to decide.

All I wanted to do with this post was to share my own personal experience and perspective. I am really happy with my decision to go ahead with the G0800......and the G0766 for that matter, but the G0800 is definitely more machine!

I compare the Jet 1642 Evs, the Nova DVR, that class of lathes is sort of like having a small Ford Ranger pickup and the G0800 like having a Super Duty 350 with all the heavy duty build.

I have two points to offer on this. One as a Robust AB owner, and one as a member of the US steel industry. As a Robust owner my point is simple, you wouldn't be disappointed with it. I just received mine in February. Man is it a beast. I haven't made it sweat yet, but I have to find some bigger wood to do it. My other point, which I have to disagree with Roger on, is yes there is a few things a Robust can do that a Grizzly can't. Keeps Americans working. Yes the tariffs are painful for the foreign manufacturers, but that's the point. Although I can't give specific numbers, since before the tariffs went into effect there has been an increase in iron orders. My livelihood depends on the sale of American steel and the prevention of Chinese steel dumping. Please don't take this as I am bashing on Grizzly, far from it. I own a couple of their machines. Great machines for their price. I had looked at the G0800 and the Oneway 2436 before I decided (more like my wife decided for me) to get the AB. The biggest selling point of the AB was it was American made. Not to mention that Brent and Deb are awesome people to deal with. I hope you all understand the point I am trying to make, and I'm sure I'll take some heat for this post. For me I buy American whenever I can, even if it is more expensive. Keep your neighbor working. :D

[matteo furbacchione]

I'd like to buy a lathe and have been looking around and reading as much as I can. I'd like to stick with the buy big and don't buy again philosophy. I want to turn big green logs. Given the good reviews of the Grizzly G0800 that would have seemed like a good option but now the price has jumped substantially due to the tariff thing.

The Grizzly G0694 is now comparatively very cheap. After a 10% discount code and $199 freight it is just $2,894.50 including freight. The swing over the bed/rest is a bit small but it comes with an outboard toolrest. The only issue is that there really isn't much information about this machine in terms of reviews. But it seems to me that the lathes affected by the tariff are now very expensive compared to those made in Taiwan, like the G0694. It is unfortunately out of stock right now.

Powermatic's 3hp offering, the 4224B, is almost 3 times the price. Though I do prefer the open stand design with the cast iron legs.

Is there anything else I should be looking at?

Your options are proportional to what you are willing to pay. Grizzly is a second tier chinese product and that's why it's the price it is. Try looking for used North American made lathes and you'll not regret it. There's got to be many out there as there as turning was all the rage 15 years ago and there are so many people that bought huge lathes and found they weren't all that keen on the hobby after all...

[Roger Chandler]

I have two points to offer on this. One as a Robust AB owner, and one as a member of the US steel industry. As a Robust owner my point is simple, you wouldn't be disappointed with it. I just received mine in February. Man is it a beast. I haven't made it sweat yet, but I have to find some bigger wood to do it. My other point, which I have to disagree with Roger on, is yes there is a few things a Robust can do that a Grizzly can't. Keeps Americans working. Yes the tariffs are painful for the foreign manufacturers, but that's the point. Although I can't give specific numbers, since before the tariffs went into effect there has been an increase in iron orders. My livelihood depends on the sale of American steel and the prevention of Chinese steel dumping. Please don't take this as I am bashing on Grizzly, far from it. I own a couple of their machines. Great machines for their price. I had looked at the G0800 and the Oneway 2436 before I decided (more like my wife decided for me) to get the AB. The biggest selling point of the AB was it was American made. Not to mention that Brent and Deb are awesome people to deal with. I hope you all understand the point I am trying to make, and I'm sure I'll take some heat for this post. For me I buy American whenever I can, even if it is more expensive. Keep your neighbor working. :D
I have no issues with your post. It makes sense to buy American if you can, but in my instance it was going to be another couple of years until I could save enough to manage the American Beauty, and that was if everything went well, and did not demand my savings. I had the cash on hand for the G0800, and was not about to finance anything, knew it was a really good lathe, and really liked the build, so it made sense for me.

I agree totally about Brent and his company, and have purchased toolrests from him, which are top notch for sure. That was all before any of this tariff stuff hit.

[Randy Heinemann]

Before buying any tool, please check the warranty and the process for getting service and parts. It's my understanding that Grizzly will never provide onsite service under warranty. For me, regardless of whether it's American made or not, that would be a huge problem. I own a Jet helical head jointer and had one issue over the 5-year warranty which was remedied by sending a service person onsite from a third party service contractor. Without that I would have had to remove and replace the motor merely to replace a simple part. For me, the issue is always service and quality, not where it is made.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

On the American Beauty, it has this tilt-away option, which looks nice but pricey. My question is, if you want to turn outboard, is the idea that you slide the head all the way to the other end and lock it down? Wouldn't you be locking the head to this tilt-away dealy? It doesn't seem solid.
The tilt away is a very substantial piece of equipment. I use it regularly, and turn at the end of the ways often as well. With the headstock at the end of the ways, there is still room (on the tilt away) for the banjo. With the tilt away locked in place there is effectively no difference in stability from the ways. In use, it is solid as a rock. I’ve never had it off, but I’d guess that the base casting, stainless bed extensions (4) and the attaching hardware must weigh in at well over 50 pounds. The weight of the also substantial tailstock also adds stability. Yet with the gas assist strut it’s all a two-finger operation. Sliding the head after roughing out wet, green blanks can take some muscle for the 3hp version - just have to remeber to give the ways a good wipe before sliding.
I turn most large bowls this way and core large blanks - I’ve never seen anything move no matter what kind of stupid move I’ve made...you get a lot for the price.