The Good, the Bad, and ?????

[Gordon Achterhof]

Just sold my 1236. So now I am trying to decide which lathe to buy. I am leaning toward to PM 3520 based on threads on SMC. So what I need to know is how it is delivered. Is it fully assembled or in pieces? And is there anything special that I need to know?

My first bowl contracted a terminal case of crackitis. It has been given a Viking send off an now reposes in the ashes of my fireplace. Maybe the next two will survive.

Cheers
Gordon

[George Conklin]

Nice choice on the lathe, Gordon. I have no idea how it's delivered:rolleyes: .

George

[Chris Barton]

I bought mine from Osolnick's and it was fully assembled and bolted onto a skid and delivered motor freight to my basement door using a lift gate truck.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Mine came unassembled! The box was about 5'x2'! I Bought mine from the www.toolnut.com (http://www.toolnut.com) ! Great service and I'm very happy! I had it in less then a week. The funny part is i expected it to be assembled so I had the forks on my bobcat ready for the unload! The truck back right down my driveway and set it right it my garage at no additional cost! A friend and I had no problem setting it up! Took about half an hour! Your gonna love it! Great choise!

PS: If you wanna quote don't bother filling out that silly online form! I did it twice and received no responce! Just look for your best price and call them with it! They beat Amazons 10% off the difference deal! Good luck!

[Mark Cothren]

My PM came nearly full assembled, best I remember. It was bolted onto a pallet with a heavy duty cardboard box around it.

I have only turned on a PM3520A, so I can't give you a comparison. I will say, however, that I don't see me ever wanting or needing another. I'm a very satisfied mustard yellar owner...:D

[Dave Wimmer]

Kurt,
When you said your PM came unassembled, did you mean you had to attach the legs and headstock? If so that is the 1st one I've heard of. Mine also came assembled, purchased from Toolnut. It was supposed to be delivered, but when the driver called me to deliver it, I asked him what he was driving and he said he was pulling a 53 foot trailer. I told him that if he managed to make it up the mountain, he would have to back up all the way back down. There is nowhere to turn a rig like that around. We met at a factory down the road and they let us use a fork lift to unload on their dock and then set it on my pickup. It slid off my truck pretty easy.

[Peter Dougenik]

my 3520 came from amazon fully assembled, which I then promptly dissassembled to move it into my shop. I love my 3520a so far (just a few turnings in)....it's the best bang for the buck! but dang is it heavy :eek:

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

It came totally broke down! I had to bolt the legs on,install the headstock,tool rest bar and tailstock! It was a flat box about 5' x2'x3'! I was totally shocked also! All the ones i've seen on all the sites I visit came put together! Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! It probly made things easier! Must be something new there doing! If you get it broken down like I did your gonna need a large allen wrench because all the bolts are just that! You would think that they would include one! It's the same size as the allens that hold on the calipers on a Chevy truck so I just happen to have one on hand!