Another this vs that thread

[Chris Steffen]

Hello Everyone.

This is my first time posting but have been reading for a long time. I really appreciate all of the knowledge and information that flys around this forum. It's simply amazing.

I am looking to upgrade from a bench top lathe to a full sized. I have it narrowed down to a couple of models but am having a hard time deciding which is the best for me, and I am hoping someone can give me some insight to put one over the top. I do some medium sized bowl turning, and some minor spinle turning, mostly things like ornaments and pens. I am 5' 10" on a good day so I have ruled out the Grizzly line for the most part as I think they are too tall. Although I do love my Grizzly Table Saw. Footprint is not a concern as I have plenty of space - maybe too much because it lets me spend up on tools haha. I have also mostly ruled out Jet as I don't think the additional cost adds enough value wise, and there seems to be some quality control issues with things like paint, which while petty would drive me nuts on a $3,000 hopefully forever lathe.

I am down to the Laguna 1836 or the Nova Galaxi. Both on 220 power.

I do not have a dealer near me that has them in stock for me to play with so I have to rely on You Tube etc to make my decision. What gives me the most pause on the Galaxi are the electronics. I live in Colorado Springs and it is extremely dry here. I saw some reports of Galaxi's failing from static shock which happens here a lot. I also for the life of me cannot find the measurement for the floor to spindle which seems odd to me. What gives me the most pause on the Laguna is in a similar line of thought in that some of the switches and relays appear to be on the lower end of quality, as well as the bearing configuration. Price point is close with the Galaxi being a bit cheaper, but all lathes are expensive in this range now a days haha.

I sincerely appreciate any help or insight this amazing community can offer.

Thanks again.

Chris

[Edward Weber]

One thing I would suggest is, don't worry too much about spindle height.
Yes it's a consideration when it comes to turning comfort, but it can easily be compensated for by making a small platform to stand on, usually with an anti fatigue mat.

Also, as we get older, we typically don't enjoy bending over as much. I would say your spindle height would be about 45.5 or 46 inches.
I would say get the lathe you want and worry about the height after you get it. You may find yourself adding leveling legs, wheels or some type of mobile base.
Once all those things are established, then you can address the height.

[Chris Steffen]

So if I throw out height, is the Grizzly line a superior build than the Galaxi or 1836?

[Sam Force]

I've got 2 friends with the Grizzly G0766 and both are extremely satisfied with that lathe. 22 inch swing and 3hp motor, makes a good lathe.

[Chris Steffen]

I had scratched the Grizzly off my list so my memory may be a bit off, but I think some of the other concerns I had were related to the banjo needing to be drilled out to accept a 1" rest, some strangeness in how the head locked and some high level consistency concerns. In addition to the height, oh and the high cost of shipping. I think I am pretty set on the Galaxi or 1836, leaning toward the 1836.

[tom lucas]

You have old information on the Grizzly G0766. Banjo has been enlarged, improved, and has a true 1" hole. Lathe is actually on the tall side, at least for me. I'm 5'9" and use 2" of floor mat to make it more comfortable for me. No issues of any kind with it. Simple headstock lock with no mechanical things to fail. Modern phase converter and speed control. Works great. Best bang for the buck, I think. I've turned on some Novas, and I much prefer my Grizzly. I really didn't care for the digital interface. I didn't perceive one thing about the Novas that stood out as better. Nothing wrong with Novas, nor Grizzly, nor many others. But you'd be hard pressed to find 3 HP, sliding head, 22" cut, and 46" length in any other lathe for the price. If I were buying again today the G0766 would still be high on my list.

[Sam Force]

Will add that both of my friends that own the G0766 have turned multiple times on my PM3520 and decided for the price difference to go with the Grizzly. Where are you located? Maybe you could turn on some of the options you are looking at if owners are close by. There is a Grizzly Green Monster Group on this website, check it out

https://sawmillcreek.org/group.php?groupid=29

[Chris Steffen]

I live in Colorado Springs, CO. I'll check out the group thank you! I live up a dirt driveway, when Grizzly delivered my table saw I'll just say my delivery experience wasn't amazing haha. I may still be bitter about that.

It's funny I kind of expected folks to say Laguna 1836 all day and twice on Sunday, but Grizzly may have a better reputation in lathes than I thought.

[John Keeton]

Chris, just so you don’t think the limited responses you have received weigh heavily against the 1836, just know that I love my Laguna and would put it up against any lathe. The ergonomics of the 1836 are great, at 2hp I have never seen the need for more. Quality is superb and with the bed extension mounted low one has 32” of swing. I have had mine for several years and no issues.

[John Kananis]

I'm not as skilled or proficient as some of the guys here but I'll say that I really like my 18/36 and haven't been jealous of another machine since I bought it.

[tom lucas]

I live in Colorado Springs, CO. I'll check out the group thank you! I live up a dirt driveway, when Grizzly delivered my table saw I'll just say my delivery experience wasn't amazing haha. I may still be bitter about that.

It's funny I kind of expected folks to say Laguna 1836 all day and twice on Sunday, but Grizzly may have a better reputation in lathes than I thought.

Issues with delivery are a reflection on the trucking company. They are not Grizzly. Likely depends on the quality of the trucking companies/drivers that frequent your neighborhood. So any tool delivered by freight truck would likely use the same carriers.

I've had several tools delivered. Mostly good experiences. Only once did I get a lazy driver who only wanted to do the bare minimum required of him: Left it at the end of my short and flat driveway in the rain. Refused to use his forklift to pull it into my garage only 75 feet away.

[Chris Steffen]

Hm, found a Laguna 2436 used for about 3300, have to admit that's tempting.

The more I look at the Galaxi the more the electronics worry me. Only a 2 year warranty on the motor and if that cooks it seems like the machine is a paperweight with the cost and ability to fix.

[Reed Gray]

I would guess that there is a club in Colorado Springs. Ask friends if you can play on their lathes. My preference for bowl turning would be 2 hp motor, 220 volt, and 16 to 18 height/bowl size. You seldom will turn over 14 inches, or anyway, I don't. I have always been leery of Grizzly. Mostly because their quality is hit or miss. I think their quality has improved though. Of the ;atjes I know of, I would prefer the Jet 16 inch lathe. I don't know if they still make it or not since they now make an 18 inch version. I think they have the best warranty out there. My favorite to turn on is my Vicmark 240, which has the pivoting headstock. It has 3 speed ranges which I prefer, mostly for coring bowls. High speed range on most lathes doesn't like coring. Low speed range is too slow for me when it comes to turning smaller bowls. The mid range is perfect for both. The Vic also has a minimum speed of about 10 rpm, which I need for sanding out my warped bowls. Many lathes turn off at 50 rpm, which is way too fast for sanding warped bowls. Banjos are another thing to consider. Not sure if Grizzly has changed this or not, but they used to need a much longer post on their tool rests. Not a fan of that idea at all. I think Robust has the best locking mechanism for tool rests, which pulls 2 wedges up against the tool rest post. The single set screw tends to get loose. I don't like my tool rest moving when I am turning. The 3520C has a similar mechanism. I think Oneway uses a longer handle on their set screw which works well for keeping the tool rest in place. On my old 3520A, I ended up using 2 set screws to keep the tool rest from slipping.

robo hippy

[John Keeton]

Chris, unless there are some accessories with the 2436 the price seems a little high. But, you would be saving sales tax depending on your locale. The spindle height at 44 1/2” may fit you better than the 1836, but as mentioned one can accommodate various heights. I am 5’ 7” and the 1836 is perfect for me.

[Chris Steffen]

Oh interesting. It's $4000 new, I thought the $600 saving on the used market was actually pretty good. Admittedly so few full sized lathes come up I might not be properly calibrated on my expectations. Appreciate the feedback!