powermatic vs one way

[jason lambert]

I was set on the powermatic lath but I used a one way and to make a long story short was impressed. I have never had a oppertunity to use the powermatic.

[Rich Souchek]

Yes, the Oneways are impressive, but so are the PM 3520Bs. To me, without being awed at the Oneway, I was hard pressed to spend much moe money for not much more lathe (if any at all.)
I ain't going to knock them, but I ain't going to buy one of their lathes either. But do own 3 of their chucks and misc tools.
Rich s.

[David Walser]

Jason,

The Oneway lathes are wonderful. So, too, are the Robust lathes (and a few other premium brands). For a lot less money, the Powermatic is nearly as nice a lathe. (Some might argue that it is as nice a lathe, I don't want to debate that point.) Only you can say whether the difference in quality and features make any real difference in the way you will use and enjoy your lathe -- and how much you are willing to pay for the difference.

The Powermatic is stable, powerful, and smooth. With an extension bed (or two), you could turn a telephone pole on the thing. With the sliding headstock (assuming the smaller of the two Powermatic lathes), you could turn a bowl that would reach to the floor. Capacity should not be an issue. Nor should reliability. Instead, it'll be the intangibles. Some cars, for certain drivers, just feel better to drive than others. The same is true with lathes and turners. So, find a Powermatic and take it for a spin.

[Brian McInturff]

Chevy vs Mercedes as I see it. Of course, I consider my Stubby a Ferrari.:cool:

[Scott Hubl]

I was lucky and got invited to turn on the BIG Oneway lathe with all the bells and whistles accessories for it. It cost well over $6,000.00.
They are Nice lathes and if money was NO object I might have bought one.
But I'm a Lefty and wanted a sliding headstock to be more comfortable while turning, you do not need to be a lefty to take advantage of that comfort of not having to lean way over the bed while turning bowls either.

I looked at the Oneways, Stubby's , the Robust 25" American Beauty, and the Powermatic 3520B

Keep in mind I have SEVERAL Oneway accessories and like them ALOT, but the lathe was too big for my shop and turning style and costly.
Stubby was small but also costly even a used one was at $4,800.00 and i'd have had to drive across the country to buy it.

The Robust are Nice, Made in the U.S. but the 25" American Beauty Starts at $5,595.00.

I ended up buying the Powermatic 3520B plus a bunch of it's accessories for just under $3,000.00.

I am VERY pleased with my choice. I believe I bought the BEST bang for the buck.

Again IF money was NO object I would have had a hard time picking between the Robust, or the Stubby.( I COULD have spent the money, but looking over the Powermatic, I just could'nt justify it.)

With the 18" bed accessory I can turn up to 38", I can slide the head down for any type of turning and not need to lean over the bed saving my back. I could get the outboard turning stand that's MASSIVE and outboard turn to the floor IF I wanted too.

My style of turning will not include alot of long spindle work so that eliminated the Oneway pretty quick, for me.

Lets face it in this price range there all pretty darn nice lathes .

For me I just felt the 3520B was the Best choice for ME.
Alot will depend on your style of turning and what you want to turn and or be turning in the future.

Good luck with which ever lathe you choose I hope it brings you MANY hours of pure enjoyment.

[Thomas Bennett]

I agree with David and Brian, I consider the PM 3520B is the "Ford" of it's class. The Oneway, Robust, etc. are better machined, better geared. The Oneway will turn at 8 rpm-the PM at 48....it makes a difference. The "fit and finish" are nicer on the Oneway, Robust, etc. . All that costs money, though, and I chose the PM3520B. For $2400-$2500 or so (just recieved my rebate for $100.00!!)I don't feel you can beat it. I just couldn't afford the extra thousand. The moveable headstock is fantastic. You'll be twisted all over that Oneway!

[John Gornall]

An advantage of the Oneway is the many accessories, at added cost of course, which allow you to set it up in so many different configurations. The spindle is the same RH size and thread inboard and outboard so you can turn on both sides. There are numerous outboard setups with swings up to 44 inches and of course you could turn a piece to the floor if you want. With this inboard/outboard turning equality there is no need for a sliding headstock which allows the drive to be located underneath leaving the headstock small and easy to work around on both sides. If most of your turning is big outboard stuff get the 16 inch center shorty - still has 24 inches over the ways.

[Alex Cam]

Lathes are the same as anything else. You get great returns up to a certain point, then the law of diminishing returns starts to kick in and you have to pay the big bucks for small gains.

It seems to me that Powermatic hit the sweet spot when it comes to cost vs benefit for the 3520b. You want more? You're going to pay a lot for it. For ~$2500 you can the 3520b. If you double that and buy a OneWay or Robust are you getting twice the lathe? No. Are you getting stronger bearings, higher quality machining, more weight, & etc? Sure thing. But you're only getting a fraction of the value for your second (or third!) $2500 increment that you did for the first.

Alex

[Keith Burns]

Talk about a can of worms ! The PM is a great machine and works really well. I have turned on them and know they are good and would never badmouth it. I have turned on a Stubby and didn't care for it at all. It was uncomfortable for me. I have a 3HP Oneway 2436 and all I can say is when I walk into my shop and see it setting there, shinning like a bright star and turn it on, a bigger smile you will never see.

[Kurt Bird]

Keith,
You've brought up a good point. It isn't necessarily about the money. If walking into your shop and spotting the 2436 brings a smile to your face, then buy it! If walking in and seeing a PM3520B does the same, is it worth an additional $1200 to $1500 to get that grin from the 2436 - only you can answer that for yourself: if the grin gets bigger, maybe it is worth it.:D
Kurt

[Andy Hoyt]

So much for détente.

Long live Mayo.

[Brian McInturff]

Keith brings up a good point. Can you imagine plopping down 5 grand for a lathe because you think you will like it, but never really turned on one like it? Then the truck shows up to deliver it and you get it all setup to use and after the first 15 minutes you realize that it's not what you thought it would be. It is so important when you get ready to buy a lathe to actually try it out. Try everything you can in your price range The Vicmarc hardly gets mentioned but it is also a great lathe to turn on and not quite as expensive as the Oneway, Stubby, VB, and Robust. I put more time into deciding which lathe I wanted than I did with my Harley.

[Steven Wilson]

I've turned on a few different Powermatic lathes and the 3520's are nice lathe's. However, I like a smaller headstock to work around, enjoy the flexability of 24" swing inboard and outboard with a lathe configured to be a longbed and shortbed at the same time (multi extension mounted outboard on a Oneway 2436). Strangely I also enjoy riding the lathe when necessary. So for my tastes the Oneway 2436 has fit the bill perfectly. The extra money hasn't been missed and I have no desire or need to upgrade to something else. It's a lot of little things that are very well executed on the Oneway that brought out my checkbook over the Powermatic, Stubby, Poolwood, and Vicmark lathes that I was looking at, at the time. I even like having the builtin tool storage on the Oneway.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

So much for détente.

Long live Mayo.


I'll up it with some Mustard ....Thank you!


If it wasn't for you and your Moxified ideas I wouldn't be able to spell lathe.:D

It's comparing Hondas to Cadillacs IMHO.

[Allen Neighbors]

My friend, Bill C., told me, "Life's too short to go through it wishing you hadn't settled for second choice,Al. Sell that RV, sell the truck... sell your firstborn son... get the lathe you want. Then make some of those beautiful yellow bowls, and sell them, and buy back your firstborn son, and buy a new truck and RV."
I took his advice... well... just about not settling for my second choice. Never a regret for getting my 2 hp Oneway 1640.

Edited to add: I also have the 17" extension mounted outboard of the headstock, which lets me turn up to 24" dia bowls. I've turned only one 24", but I turn a lot of 16-20" bowls outboard. I can use the tailstock on the outboard side also, if needed. Or I can remove the extension, and basically turn one 49" in diameter. Fat chance of me doing that, but it gives me the option, just the same as the sliding headstock of the Mustard Monster. I turn from both sides, and the end, of the lathe, and a few times I've even been astraddle of it.

[Hilel Salomon]

One additional consideration when choosing between PM and Oneway lathes is that the lathe itself will not be the only thing you need to buy. Chucks, turning tools, faceplates, live centers...... perhaps later on, bowl or spindle steadies, vacuum pumps etc. Depending on what you want, the total cost of these can far supersede the cost of the lathe itself. The 2436 is substantially more expensive than the PM and those whom I know that have it generally love it. Furthermore, Oneway tech support is absolutely great. I'm not very skilled so I happen to really, really like my PM. I also rely greatly on my local woodworking store which stocks PM and can order optional equipment for me easily.
I would add, as have others in this thread, that the price difference is comparable to Mercedes vs. Chevy, but the quality difference is more comparable to Lexus vs. Camry.
Luck, Hilel

[JerHall]

http://docs.google.com/View?docID=d4b7vjd_26cvf2mh&revision=_latest

[Reed Gray]

When I bought my PM some 8 plus years ago, the only other big lathe out there that I knew of was the Nichols lathe. A nice piece of machinery, but at least twice the cost (now he is out of business because he lost a lot of sales to Oneway). Now I am stepping up to a Robust (should be here in 3 weeks or so). I didn't even consider the Oneway. I have turned on the smaller 12 inch Oneway, and it is a nice lathe, but not big enough. With my turning room, the lathe has to sit in a corner, so I have to have the sliding headstock. Do I need the extra throw? Not really. Do I need the 3 hp? Yes. Do I need the extra weight? Yes. I do prefer the Made in America. I do like the legs that extend so I don't have to put the lathe up on a 4 x 4 to get it to height. Do I need the tilt away tailstock thing? No. The only other lathe I considered is the VB36. But, even with the extended rails for the tailstock, the design said 'bowl lathe' to me, and I do turn spindles and hollowforms that need the longer bed.
soon to be:
Robust hippy

[Dick Strauss]

If I had the money to spend on a lathe, I'd own a PM3520. I've turned on one quite a bit and love them. It offers the best bang for the buck IMO.

I also have a friend that upgraded to a Oneway 2436 from a PM3520. He turns large hats and didn't like the fixed headstock on the PM4224. The Oneway is very well made and is honestly a step up from the PM but it should be at 2x the price.

They are definitely not in the same boat as a Robust lathe though. Everything is so much smoother, more quiet, and better designed on the Robust as I've stated previously. I guess I got a little spoiled (or is it spoled?) turning on Chris Hartley's "Beauty" for 20 minutes.

Reed,
Congrats on the upgrade Robo, I mean Robust Hippy!!!!

[Mike Holbrook]

The thing is I am not considering buying a Oneway 2436 lathe. If I bought a Oneway it would be the 1224 or 1236SD. The Oneways I am looking at are $2400-$3000. I am confused about the Powermatic 3520B because someone above is saying one can be bought for $2500. The list price I see at Woodcraft is $3,999. Am I missing something here? Granted the Powermatic has a 2hp motor, 34 1/2" between centers and a 20" swing. The thing is, I do not think I need the larger motor and additional room on the lathe. I may be wrong here but so far I don't think so.

My main interest is turning spindles under 24". I prefer to work with hand tools when possible. If/when I decide to make larger bowls or plates I will make them in more serviceable rectangular shapes using: Adze, Axe, Inshave, travisher and my collection of heavy duty Swedish bowl gouges. I enjoy using the large hand carving tools for making pieces that I can carve into more artistic shapes. I may want to turn some round bowls/plates, but I am relatively confident everything I would want in this area would be under 12" diameter.

Maybe i am missing something but I don't see the advantage to me in the larger lathes. I think the smaller Oneway 124 would be easier to move around. The tailstock is light but still sturdy...I have not found anything in the small-mdium size lathe category that seems to be built as sturdy and easy to use as the Oneway 1224 with it's sturdy large machine type cabinet. My idea is to put the money into a better quality tool instead of a larger one because I do not see that I have the need/interst for the larger tool. The Robusts and Stubby lathes seem to all be larger tools than I need.

[David Delo]

I am confused about the Powermatic 3520B because someone above is saying one can be bought for $2500. The list price I see at Woodcraft is $3,999. Am I missing something here?

Mike,

The 2.5K above is wrong. You can get the 3520B for 3,499 when Jet and PM have their 15% off sales several times a year. That's the best price I've seen for that machine for the last couple of years.

[Reed Gray]

Well, you may want to compare it to the Jet mini lathe then. Add a bed extension, and you are set. Power wise they are the same. Price wise, huge difference for not much extra goodies.

robo hippy

[David Delo]

Mike,

The 2.5K above is wrong. You can get the 3520B for 3,499 when Jet and PM have their 15% off sales several times a year. That's the best price I've seen for that machine for the last couple of years.

Ouch.......just noticed that this thread was from 2008. $2,500 was probably the price back then.

[Dan Hintz]

The thing is I am not considering buying a Oneway 2436 lathe. If I bought a Oneway it would be the 1224 or 1236SD. The Oneways I am looking at are $2400-$3000. I am confused about the Powermatic 3520B because someone above is saying one can be bought for $2500. The list price I see at Woodcraft is $3,999. Am I missing something here?

Yep... it's a 7-year old thread. Prices have changed dramatically since then. I sold a 2-yo (but unused) Jet lathe for several hundred MORE than what I purchased it for, and that took into account depreciation for being out of the box.

[Mike Holbrook]

Reed there seem to me to be some major advantages to the Oneway for me. First in regard to unique features on the Oneway motors vs Jets: variable speed which will run 0-4500, the Oneway can be bought in a 220 version (which my shop is wired for), the controller comes programmed ready for use with built-in ramp up / ramp down, and dynamic breaking. This is a high quality drive, with single phase AC in / 3 phase out. The Oneway has 24" between centers and the Jet has 20.5 which is not a big difference but most of the chair leg stock I work with is about 24". I am confident I can use the Oneway for all the work I have in mind but I would need an extension on the Jet for sure. The Oneway comes with a very sturdy all metal base, unique for machines this size. I am confident that the Oneway tubular frame, tailstock, banjo...are superior to the Jets.

If I add the cost of a stand/enclosure, bed extension... to the cost of the Jet the price difference becomes a non issue to me. If I were going to buy a Jet Lathe I would buy a 1642EVS which is within $100 of the cost of the Oneway. The Jet 1642EVS has some nice features vs the Oneway 1224 but it's greater distance between centers and extra .5hp would probably be wasted on me. The greater size might actually hinder me when working around the lathe and trying to work it into the space I have for it. I might be able to build some sort of enclosure around the Jet 1642EVS but it would require building a cabinet which would be more money, time and probably not end up as serviceable.

Sorry guys I confused myself, I was reading this post from a post I was making on lathes I have been looking at and did not see I was posting on the old thread.

[Justin Stephen]

Even though his comments are over five years old, I would pretty much echo Scott Hubl's comments from the first page. I am a big Oneway fanboy and you can take my Stronghold when you pry it from my cold dead fingers. However, having now owned my 3520B for a couple of years, I remain thrilled with the decision I made. I would also never spend many thousands on a big lathe without a sliding headstock. I don't use it too often, but when I do, I am very happy to have the feature at my disposal.

If I ever upgrade (based on what is on the market today), it will be to a Robust AB.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I owned a PM3520b. I loved it. No complaints. I now own a Oneway 2436. I love it even more. Here are the differences. The banjo and the tail stock lock down and just don't move. I have stainless steel ways and they are carefree, no rust. The Oneway has a 96 position index (optional) and a spindle lock that does not require holding it in. The spindle is hardened so I can tighten the grub screws without fear of damaging the shaft. The spindle has the same thread inboard and outboard. With the outboard set up with a dedicated banjo and tool rest, I can still hollow bowls over the end of the lathe and don't have to move the headstock. The new models come standard with adjustable leg height. Mine does not have that feature. The 2436 has a 2" larger swing than does the 3520. I find the movable control box to be convenient as is the additional on - off switch box. I feel the vacuum adapter that Oneway sells is far superior to to the add on unit I bought from an outside vendor for my PM. The unit is rock solid and handles anything I have thrown on it. If I call Oneway for parts or support I tell them my serial number and they know exactly what I need. The customer service is quick and personal.
The Oneway has not improved my skills. Only practice does that no matter which lathe you own.
If your price range allows for the PW3520, you will not be disappointed. If you can afford a Oneway, you will be very happy you bought it.
Faust