Shopping for new lathe

[Harold Walsh]

Who among you out there, have purchased the Laguna 1524 or the Powermatic PM2014? I've not had any experience with either brand. Heretofore I've owned Nova lathes without any disappointment. Just checked on the Robust Scout which I'm sure is a fine lathe but they seem to be very proud them, did I say pricy?

[roger wiegand]

Can't help with your specific question. I bought a Robust; to me it's worth paying a premium to support American manufacturing and small businesses. And it's a darn nice lathe too, no compromise on quality required.

[David Walser]

Harold -- I think you'll find that the Powermatic is a better lathe and will hold its value longer compared to the Laguna. As long as you can live with the Powermatic's slightly smaller swing and shorter distance between centers, it would be my recommendation. There are better lathes in that size category. You already mentioned the Robust. Oneway makes a lathe with a 16" swing and Vicmarc also has a lathe with a 15+" swing. Any of those three would be a better quality lathe than the Powermatic, but the amount you spend to get that additional quality would be a practical example of the law of diminishing returns.

Good luck!

Update: I should have added I went through a similar thought process earlier this year and ultimately decided to buy the PM 3520C. Laguna makes a lathe with similar specs for a little less money. Robust (which is what I really wanted), makes a 'full-sized' lathe -- for a lot more money. I decided that the Robust, while a better lathe, wasn't that much better than the Powermatic. At more than twice the cost, I would only be picking up a little in terms of quality and features. I could have afforded the Robust, but my father would have turned over in his grave to see me 'waste' my money in that fashion. Others might feel the same way about my PM 3520C as I do about the Robust. In their minds, the Laguna (or a Rikon) is nearly as good as the Powermatic, so much so that the PM is not worth the extra cost. I disagreed with that view. Others on this board disagree with my view of the Robust. They have one and would buy one again today rather than 'settle' for the 3520C. My point, is this is a very personal decision. Only you can determine if the increase or decrease in quality and features is worth what you're getting in terms of price.

[tom lucas]

Everyone has their own opinion. And all are worthy. For me, I just want a reliable machine that'll do what a lathe does: spin wood and hold wood (as in indexing). I would love to have a Robust, Oneway, Vicmarc, or even the "lesser" powermatic. But again, it's bang for the buck to me. So I bought a Grizzly G0766 for about half the cost of a powermatic. For a hobbiest like me, it's all the lathe I'll ever need. It's big and powerful. In terms of function, little is compromised except perhaps indexing and a nicer spindle lock. The difference from a PM 3520C (~$2000) isn't worth it for me. The Griz isn't perfect but it's close enough for me. If I were someone who turned for a living, I'd choose differently to get bigger/more bearings and components just due to the extra wear and tear of professional turning. Then I'd probably go with a Robust or Oneway. As a hobbiest, Robust and Oneway are just out of reach. If they were all at that price point, I like would never have taken up turning. It's too bad because it would be nice to support American made. I do sent robust money for toolrests from time to time.


I turned on a Nova with a digital readout and membrane button controls. I didn't much like it. It was OK to me, at best. The Laguna's seem OK. Their customer service has an up and down record though. I don't know much about the Rikon, but the extendable bed model sure seems attractive if there is a need to save space.

If you can afford any of them, get the one you WANT. You'll be happier in the end and won't ever second guess your choice.

[Timothy Thorpe Allen]

If you can afford any of them, get the one you WANT. You'll be happier in the end and won't ever second guess your choice.

Yes to This!

[Harold Walsh]

This is not my first lathe by any sense of the word and have owned several Nova models. I was mainly seeking info and your experiences with the Laguna and Powermatic models mentioned. I wanted to stay with a 110 volt lathe rather than 220 volt. What I like about the Nova lathes is the rotating headstock not many lathes offer that feature. The most recent Nova's are computer controlled and I'm not sure how reliable that would be over time and cost for replacement parts ?

[David Walser]

... The most recent Nova's are computer controlled and I'm not sure how reliable that would be over time and cost for replacement parts ?

Harold -- Nova's DVR lathes have been around for years and years. It's a mature technology. They have a solid reputation for reliability and Nova, generally, has a good record of supporting their customers. (The company is based in New Zealand, but most of its product is made in Asia. This results in a long parts supply chain in the US. Parts are made in China, shipped to N.Z., and then shipped to the US. So, at times, there can be a wait to receive parts.) If you like Nova's lathes, you should really like their DVR lathes.

[Timothy Thorpe Allen]

Aren't almost all modern variable speed lathes "computer" controlled? Robust, Powermatic, Oneway, Jet, Grizzly -- I think they all are relying on a computer chip somewhere in their drive systems....

[roger wiegand]

Aren't almost all modern variable speed lathes "computer" controlled? Robust, Powermatic, Oneway, Jet, Grizzly -- I think they all are relying on a computer chip somewhere in their drive systems....

I think they all use a VFD to achieve variable speed, but that's it. The VFD should be a readily swappable part (mine is), no reliance on the original manufacturer required to replace it if if it breaks down the line. If a manufacturer somehow integrates it into their system rather than using a bolt-on unit that would be good cause to avoid that maker.

[Harold Walsh]

I'm familiar with Nova'a DVR's ,very smooth, very quiet. I've owned two, the Galaxi and most recently the newest Orion. I recently had an issue with the braking on the Orion. The control panel was replaced ( a bad chip ) under warranty, no problem. Perhaps it's just paranoia but I'm not sure how all this new computer technology will hold up over the long haul for woodturning, dust, vibration and etc. ? I'll step back, take a deep breath and do more research. I might even consider going back to basics like the Nova 1624? Thanks for everyones response.

[Timothy Thorpe Allen]

I think they all use a VFD to achieve variable speed, but that's it. The VFD should be a readily swappable part (mine is), no reliance on the original manufacturer required to replace it if if it breaks down the line. If a manufacturer somehow integrates it into their system rather than using a bolt-on unit that would be good cause to avoid that maker.

Harold was thinking of moving away from Nova's because they were "computer controlled," when the issue doesn't seem to be the fact of computer control, but that Nova DVR's are so fully integrated that the lathe spindle IS the motor shaft -- and almost all other parts are proprietary as well... Indeed I agree with you Roger, that major sub-systems of our machines (motors, motor controllers, etc...) ought to be independently replaceable