Powermatic Lathe

[Bruce Gray]

My existing lathe has become just too light weight, and I'm about ready to bite the bullet and buy a Powermatic 3520A. The dilemma that I face is where to buy it. One choice is a local dealer, who will deliver to my shop, and (hopefully) respond to any issues that arise. The other choice, of course, is Amazon et al, where I can get lift gate service to my driveway, but then it's my 700 pound problem. I'm the far opposite of a 300 pound gorilla, but I do have experience moving "heavy stuff". I recently bought a 600 pound planer, and moved it across a lawn to my ground-level shop (with my LOML's help).... rollers and crow bars are great tools.

I would naturally prefer to buy locally, but the cost will be about $300 more, when taxes are included. Maybe I can negotiate some of that difference, but it's clearly going to be much more locally.

The question that I have for the 3520 is this: How is it crated? Is it fully assembled ? Top heavy so that moving it with rollers would be dangerous ? Is the pallet/crate rugged enough to handle this way ? etc, etc.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated (even including whether the 3520 is a good choice).

Bruce

[Roger Myers]

I'm a fairly recent 3520A owner and I think it's a great choice.
My vote would be to buy from the local dealer for a number of reasons, including delivery and service, and also to do your part to keep the local guy viable, since he is the one you will go to if and when you have problems... I hope you can negotiate the difference down some, but IMHO I'll pay a little more to keep the "local guy" around.
As to shipping and crating.... It's all assembled and in one crate. Bolted to a pallet with a corrugated cardboard container strapped to the pallet. That said, once you have it on the gorund, you can easily remove the headstock and tailstock. Then unbolt the bed from the legs, and the various pieces are then easily moved and re-assembled. So I'd move it from the driveway in pieces, and not try to move the crated assembly.
Good luck, and let us know (with pics ) how it works out!
Roger

[Dennis Peacock]

Bruce,

The PM3520A is a GREAT lathe. There are two of them sitting inside my shop right now. One of them is mine and the 2nd one belongs to a local ww buddy of mine that is currently building his shop.

The 3520A comes lag bolted to a pallet of sorts. The pallet is kinda "flimsy" to support all that the lathe really is, but does just fine if you are dragging it around on the ground. The lathe is fully assembled and is covered by a double cardboard box, a large plastic bag, and metal strapped to the skid. The accessories are attached to the top side of the skid, inside the cardboard crating. It is best to off-load this lathe "lengthwise" from a low-bedded trailer. Cut a hole in one side of the box, just big enough to locate which end has the headstock. This is the heaviest end of the crate. Scoot that end off the trailer FIRST and let it teeter on the end of the trailer. Then, unhook the trailer from your truck and let the trailer gently tilt it's tailend down and allow the heaviest part of the lathe and crate rest on your shop floor. The two of you can push the lathe and crate onto the floor and one of you will have to let the trailer tilt back UP.

If you need more details about uncrating and putting the screw-feet on the legs of the lathe, PM me.

[Richard Allen]

There is noise that the PM3520B is being released. The "B" is said to add indexing and a better spindle lock. I doubt that stuff is worth a waiting for the upgrade.

[Chris Barton]

I just bought a 3520A from Osolnik woodworking on the web. They had the very best price, free shipping, and the order was perfect. The infamous "B" model is not expected out for well over a year (I know because I called VMH group and asked).

[Bruce Smith]

I don't have a PM but from what I hear it is quite a lathe. If I were you I would support the local dealer, you won't be sorry and they will no doubt place it in you shop right where you want it. The other thing is that any future problems could be addressed locally and not over the phone, just my thoughts. From one Bruce to another Bruce, Good Luck.

Bruce in Saint John, N.B.

[Keith Nielsen]

Bruce,

Like most of the turners in this forum I too would normally support the local hardware store for my needs. But just thought I would share something with you all that most may not know. I recently bought an 18" Jet bandsaw. When I went to the local dealer they could only get a 16" for me and would not be able to support the 16" if I did purchase it there. So I did some researching and found this company http://www.southern-tool.com/store/w...ng_lathes.html
They gave me a price that was great and they shipped it for FREE. When it got to me it was in a crate. it was in one piece and they put it where I wanted it. It has run fantastic ever since. Just something more to chew on.

P. S. they sell PowerMatic too.

Thanks
Keith

[Steve Rowe]

Bruce,

I don't have a PM but, last year I had a 1500 lb lathe delivered to the ground at the end of my driveway. It was then my problem and the crate sat at the end of my driveway for the next 3 days (thankfully it didn't rain). The last delivery I had from this trucking company, they brought a pallet jack and took it back to my shop so imagine my surprise. It ended up costing me about $200 to have someone come out with a forklift and just get it into my garage (forklift too tall to actually go in through my 7' doors). That just got it in out of the weather and was still not the end of my problem as I needed to get it to the back of the shop. Then, I discovered that in my town of 25K people with three rental companies, no one has a pallet jack to rent. I ended up begging the guy with the forklift to lend me his and he grudgingly did (I guess he felt guilty about the $200 charge for his 10 minutes of work). The moral of this story is; it would have been a no-brainer if I could have bought this locally and paid only $300 more for setup. Plus this helps your neighbors and local economy.
Steve

[Earl Eyre]

I, like Keith, bought my 3520 from Southern Tools. At least at that time, they beat Osolnik by a couple hundred dollars. It was delivered to Oregon in less than three weeks, and the driver actually wheeled it into my garage. I simply uncrated it, levered it onto my dolly and rolled it into the shop. They were great folks to deal with.

Earl

[Gary Max]

Heck I called all over the USA for about two hours---found the very best deal I could get. Then called Amazon.com up and they beat the price----deliverd to my shop doorway---no sales tax. I ended up saving a ton of money. Plus if I need something-- Powermatic is just a phone call away in the next state. Not on the other side of the world.