Powermatic 3520B or Nova DVR XP?

[Alan Trout]

Matt,

I just sketched the stand out wrote rough dimensions from there. It have severed me very well. Like i said I did not spend much money on making the stand but If you have to hire it done it may cost a bit.

Sweet stand! Would you mind sharing the plan for that stand?! I am not a metal worker (have my hands full being one with wood, thanks) but I might want to have one made by a machinist though. I have been pondering the question posed by this thread for while and I think my needs and budget are best served by the DVR XP too.

Thanks...Matt

[Greg McClurg]

Jim,

I would suggest you contact Nevins Machinery Concepts, Inc and get a quote from them on the PM. I purchased mine from them and saved $200 over the sale price. Easy to work with and great customer service.

Greg

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Alas, I live in MA so the sales tax would negate the savings.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Alas, I live in MA so the sales tax would negate the savings.

Try Sean at Tool Nut. Don't know the contact info, but just Google. I got my Jet 1642 from him.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Another plus for Tool Nut. Sean will give you a great price on the PM. Jim, I went through a similar exercise a couple years ago and the DVR suddenly isn't a bargain by the time you pay for all the bells and whistles. And by then the few hundred extra for the PM are well worth it.

[Bob Altig]

I own and use a NOVA DVR XP. I have not regretted the purchase for a single minute. It is every bit as smooth and vibration free as the Powermatic I used one time. The 1 1/4x8 spindle required me to purchase an adaptor to fit all the chucks I used with my Jet, but that was easy. The adaptor didn't have a hole in the middle to accommodate a knock out rod, but a trip to a local machine shop and $10 later it had one. I couldn't be happier and my bank account is much happier.

[Ron Kanter]

I am fairly new to turning so I can't compare lathes based on experience. I am posting to see if I am missing something as far as relative cost is concerned. My research on the pricing of the Powermatic 3520B versus the Nova DVR XP doesn't match what some other folks have said.

Today the Nova is on sale for $1,850 from Woodcraft. The PM is $4,000 everywhere. Even assuming that the PM can be found for $3,400, that's a big spread. When I add in the cost of a DVR XP with a cast iron stand and compare it to a PM 3520B that comes with a stand, it still looks like the PM is around $1,000 more expensive. Other than the stand, what bells and whistles does the PM have that would have to be bought as extras for the Nova? I'm not trolling here. Just trying to understand the pricing part of the comparison.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Another plus for Tool Nut. Sean will give you a great price on the PM. Jim, I went through a similar exercise a couple years ago and the DVR suddenly isn't a bargain by the time you pay for all the bells and whistles. And by then the few hundred extra for the PM are well worth it.

I emailed Sean a couple of days ago to no avail. Greg, the folks at Nevins Machinery Concepts are matching the price, reducing it enough so that even with the tax it totals $3400. But I have to wait until Black Friday which I don't mind. Apparently, for a week starting on Black Friday, Powermatic is having a 15% off sale. I don't think I'll find one cheaper than $3200, but it would be nice to find one out of state vendor that will match that price. It pays to dig around for good deals. Thanks for all the tips, guys!

[Gerald McGrantham]

I thought that I would post a photo of my Nova DVR (which I sold) and my 3520B just to show the size difference. The DVR is not on a stand, but the different size of the head stocks and the bed (ways) can be seen.

Monster.jpg

Gerald

[David C. Roseman]

I emailed Sean a couple of days ago to no avail. Greg, the folks at Nevins Machinery Concepts are matching the price, reducing it enough so that even with the tax it totals $3400. But I have to wait until Black Friday which I don't mind. Apparently, for a week starting on Black Friday, Powermatic is having a 15% off sale. I don't think I'll find one cheaper than $3200, but it would be nice to find one out of state vendor that will match that price. It pays to dig around for good deals. Thanks for all the tips, guys!

Sounds like a good way to go. Keep in mind that Massachusetts, like a bunch of states, has a use tax that equals the sales tax. So even if you bought from an out-of-state vendor via a phone order, email or the Internet, you'd still be responsible for paying the difference between any sales tax paid to the vendor (typically none) and the 6.25 use tax!
http://www.mass.gov/dor/individuals/...tax-guide.html

Some states are more aggressive than others in going after this, but on big-ticket purchases, it's not unusual for the buyer to get a bill months later for the tax, plus interest and penalties, if not declared and paid. Interstate carriers often cooperate with local jurisdictions by providing copies of manifests or bills of lading.

David

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

I thought that I would post a photo of my Nova DVR (which I sold) and my 3520B just to show the size difference. The DVR is not on a stand, but the different size of the head stocks and the bed (ways) can be seen.

Monster.jpg

Gerald

Gerald, your picture really puts things in perspective. I've seen them both in Woodcraft but they were no where near as close together. In fact, they were actually in different aisles and for good reason. The Nova is a mere shadow to the 3520b. You sealed the deal for me. Thanks for posting!