Thinking of buying a new lathe

[Bill Grumbine]

Greetings all

I am posting this in three places, since while some of you read all three, there are others who only read one, and I am looking for responses. First of all, no, the Poolewood is not being replaced, and I am still as happy with it as the day I got it home. But the student line is getting longer and longer, and one giant lathe and one mini are straining a bit. The Mini Max copy lathe just went down the road (no more factory style production for me!), which frees me (and some money) up to start thinking about adding a mid sized machine to the stable to facilitate class time with a maximum of three students.

Right now there are two lathes in the forefront of my thinking, the Jet 1642 and the Nova DVR. I have done some turning on both of these machines, and each has its strong and weak points. The price for either is pretty much the same at our local Woodcraft store, although I will be investigating some other options. Mail order is probably not going to be one of them though. I do not mind paying more for local support.

The Nova has the advantage of direct drive and a very compact footprint. That is a big plus in my shop right now and into the foreseeable future. Most of what people want to do is bowls, followed by an even mix of short spindle work and hollow forms. However, I think the Jet is going to have the edge in stability and power, and if I need it, it already has the longer bed. That longer bed will need to find a place to live though, and it may not be as easy to shoehorn it into the shop. I think it is also worthwhile to have a lathe in the size/price range of these machines, not just for my own budget, but so that people can see that one does not need the most expensive machine out there to do good work.

So here is what I am looking for. I would like to hear comments either public or private from people who own one of these machines. What do you like, what do you not like, and what would you change if you could? Also, if anyone has a suggestion as to some other machine I should be looking at, I would be glad to hear it.

Thanks.

Bill

[Michael Stafford]

Bill, I have the regular belt driven Nova and I love it. I am no expert on lathes as it is the first lathe I have ever owned. It is a fine machine for me. Dick Parr who posts regularly on here recently bought the DVR and has had several constructive criticisms regarding it. I found some of his comments to be true regarding the 8 speed I have. But in general it is a sturdy reliable machine....IMHO.

[Chris Barton]

Hi Bill,


I have been out of town on business for a week but, I will weigh in on this topic. I think that both the Nova and Jet are good quality products. But, they may be best suited to slightly different objectives. I recently saw a Jet 1642 side by side with a Oneway 1640(?) at my local Woodcraft. Both would essentially do the same thing. And, while the oneway was a little quieter, and a little more polished, it was not worth $3K more than the Jet. The Nova is a great lather but, is primarily limited by bed length. And, while I don't have first hand knowledge, I have read on some links that a few folks have had problems with the DVR motor failing. Long story short, they both are probably good values and will accomplish your goals. If it were me, I would probably choose the Jet...

Chris

[Dennis Peacock]

Bill,

I have to agree with Chris Barton on this issue. For the money, the Jet would be your best overall choice. Howeve, you could get a PM3520A from General Industrial Supply that is "Scratch-N-Dent" for right at the same money as the Jet 1642. Just an idea.

[Ken Salisbury]

Bill,

I have a 1642 and absolutely love it. I have yet to find anything negative about it's design or performance.

[Gary Max]

One of the Big things I look at when buying a machine is service---I would buy the Jet.
Dennis has a good point about powermatic---nice machine and great service. As soon as I make the room--sell a machine---I am adding a second Powermatice to my shop.

[Ed Scolforo]

Bill: If you traded me that big 'ol bandsaw of yours for my Grizzly ( the same one you had in your DVD), I 'm pretty sure you could sneak the 1642 in there .

Ed

[Jim Becker]

I have turned on both, Bill, plus the pre-DVR Nova. All are nice machines. I think this really comes down to shop logistics for you...pick the one that you can fit into your arrangement without seriously impacting your workflow.

[Chris Barton]

Like a lot of folks on this site I own a PM3520a and think it is perhaps the best lathe for the money anywhere. I was set to buy a Oneway 2436 because it it what everyone around my parts says is the "mercedes of lathes." But, then I spent about 3 weeks asking around, doing research, and posting question on SMC. What this taught me is that other peoples experience with a product is the best information to get. The Jet is a WMH group product and looks to share many parts. I know it is a good heavy lathe because I have turned on one. My localWoodcraft store owner has a Nova DVR and says that his biggest issue with the Nova has been the relatively light duty leg set which contributes to a top heavy machine. This can be solved by using a different base, trying to find a pair of the out of production cast iron legs for the Nova, or adding some weight low by making some modifications to the leg system. I don't think you will need to modify the jet in any way...

[Steve Inniss]

Bill,
I have owned the DVR (1st release model) for 5 years now. I have used the Jet, only once or twice and long ago enough that I don't remember enough to compare -seemed good. I started out on an old Delta.
I suppose first of all, I have had no problems with the DVR despite REALLY pushing it at times - ie. frozen Oak and Maple log blanks 20"-24" not rounded on my bandsaw first. I have once had to use compressed air to clean the dust behind the motor filters as the DVR reported an error. My only complaint is the toolrest clamp handle, at least on mine, had cheap plastic ball ends which broke off resulting in me looking for it amongst piles of shavings at times.
There are a couple of things that may be worth considering given your setup. The DVR is, I think, relatively forgiving. If you(or a student) makes a bonehead move, the motor will stop and go into a quick delay mode before returning. This has saved me a number of injuries over the years and I think may do the same for students. I was actually concerned about this feature being a potential weak spot when I first bought the DVR, but have found it to be one of the machine's greatest features. Occasionally(rarely) it gets confused for a second or two when I have a highly unbalanced piece on and it tries it's best to help me out. It then takes over after all of 2-3 seconds and applies the appropriate power.
Since you may be space challenged, the add on beds would allow you to change use depending on classes/production. It all depends on the stand you build.
Related to the stand, I would have to say that for me, as long as you wire it for 220 and overbuild the stand, you'll have more power and stability than any other mid-lathe.
I have not bought the outrigger yet, so I can't comment on that. I'm going to change my stand configuration somewhat and get one, which I feel will create a near perfect setup for bowl or spindle turning. Without the outrigger a caution -I have a couple of times, beginning with a big blank and using the swivel head out at 45degrees and the motor running in reverse(at the press of a button), had the blank unthread itself and run along the floor at 250 rpm.

-Steve

[Carole Valentine]

Is there a way to lock a faceplate...a set screw or something so that won't happen in reverse? Or were you using a worm?

[Harry Pye]

Bill,
I've been casually looking for a lathe that is bigger and better than my Delta Midi. Space for me is also a concern. I think the Jet 1642, Nova 3000 DVR and Oneway 1224 all fall in roughly the same price range. I also need a lathe that will run on 110 volts. The 1224 has a smaller swing (I think) than the others but should be adequate for students.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Nova 3000 DVR and an outboard toolrest attachment. One of our club members turns and sells lots of bowls turned with this attachment. I talked with him last weekend and he has no complaints with the older Nova 3000.

I wouldn't worry about buying mail order. Since I don't believe any of the local stores actually service the lathe. Service will ultimately come from Nova. In fact if you decide on a Nova, I might be willing to drive to Packard Woodworks and pick up one for you and one for me!

Harry

[Cecil Arnold]

While I've never used the Nova, I have a pretty much Jet, Powermatic shop. I had a 1442 and now have a PM 3520, both are good lathes and the part I have really liked is the CUSTOMER SERVICE I've gotten from the people at WMH. From reading your posts I know that is an importaint consideration. I don't know what kind of CS Nova offers, but I don't see how it could be any better than Jet's.

[Bill Grumbine]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I appreciate the time you al took to answer.

Power and capacity questions are easily answered with the Poolewood for my own turning. What I need is something that is going to be a good value for me and able to handle students use and abuse. I have turned on just about every lathe on the market and a few that aren't. The PM 3520 is a nice machine, but too big for what I really need, and not big enough to eclipse Big Blue. The Jet is a very nice machine, and that is why it is in the running, but the biggest features of the DVR are the small footprint and the safety features built into the speed control. Not only that, but two people put me onto the track of refurbished machines at a substantial savings.

I will be sure to post with the results!

Bill

[Mark Stutz]

Bill,
The DVR was my choice because of the smaller footprint. As I am still a novice, I have yet to "stress"it to the limit. The "automatic stall" safety feature has surely saved me more than once, and since this is primariuly for students, that may be a big plus. I have nothing to compare to but am very happy with my DVR.

Mark