Woo Hoo! It's Here!

[Gordon Seto]

Is it better to leave an open space under the rails to let dust and chips fall through?

Bonnie,

A definite yes, wood chips would fill up between the ways very fast. They would interfere with the free positioning of your tool rest. One option is to lower the bench and use some blocks under the bolting holes to increase the gap between the ways and bench.

Gordon

[Bonnie Campbell]

Thanks Gordon. I'd just never thought about it with my smaller lathe. I just kept cleaning it out as I went along. I'll go ahead and figure the opening in the table design. I appreciate your help

[Bob Hallowell]

I used the open space design but I am sore blocks would be fine. You just need something.

Bob

[Gordon Seto]

I'd just never thought about it with my smaller lathe.

Bonnie,

Bigger lathes do generate more chips. Especially in hollowing, the fine chips drop directly over the lathe bed. Don't feel bad for not having think about the chip clearance problem. The bench design from Nova DVR manual, which was supposed to be writen by people who knows lathe, has not addressed this issue either. Thanks to those who follwed the design and suggested some solutions in forums like this.

Gordon

[Mike Ramsey]

Congratulations Bob! This lathe tends to be a little noisy but you
get used to it....Happy turnings!

[George Tokarev]

I think you'll re-think the open area under the ways about the second time you drop a hollowing scraper bit down there or, if you're dumb like some people I know and try to change jaws on the lathe, drop a screw. I tried it for a while as a way to hitch the dust collector in a central gravity feed position, but it just didn't work out for me.

[Jeff Yates]

Well I hemmed and hawed about it for a couple of weeks...

Finally, just thirty mins ago, I pulled the trigger and ordered one of them myself...

I can honestly say this has now doubled the cost of my little shop...*laugh*

Now I just need some tools to learn with...Harbor Freight...here I come

[Daniel Heine]

Andrew,

Depending upon how old your lathe is, the problem with rapid belt wear was corected by Palmgren, and does not exist for lathes made now. I beleive the fix has been in place for about 2 years, and the instructions and kit for retrofitting your lathe can be aquired from Palmgren. Palmgren is the manufacturer of this lahe. I bought one last spring, and have been thrilled with it. I've been turning bowls, spindles, pens, and all other kinds of things. It has been a joy to use. I think this is one heck of a nice tool, especially with the sale price now. Not much more than a Jet mini!!!

If any of you Palmgren/Craftsman owners have problems, I encourage you to contact Palmgren via email or a phone call. They are very nice people, and have provided the very best service for anything I have wanted or needed.

One last point, there is an accessory called the Bowl Turning Rest that attaches to the lathe for outboard turning. You can see it here:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes

If you plan to do a lot of outboard turning, I would reccomend it.

Happy Turning,
Dan Heine

[Bobby Perry]

Still waiting for delivery. Was supposed to be here between 1 and 5 pm. I have a feeling it won't be delivered tonight. I live on a sand bar east of Galveston that you have to ride a ferry to get here.

[Corey Hallagan]

Sweet lathe and congrats. You sound so excited and I don't blame you. Be safe and have fun!

corey

[Bobby Perry]

Darn delivery company. Took them 2 days to get the lathe from Chicago to Houston. Now they have had it for a week in Houston and can't get it to me till Friday. 2 days Chicago to houston 8 days from Houston to Galveston. And it still is not here.

[Bonnie Campbell]

My lathe is still in the twilight zone, no information at all on tracking

[Bobby Perry]

Do you know if they shipped it with Eagle USA? If they did and you have a tracking number try this web page to track it.
http://www.eaglegl.com/

They give a little more information.
I just got a call from them they are putting my lathe on a special truck with one delivery ME. Should be here between 1 and 2 PM. Driver is to call me if he is going to be late.

[Bonnie Campbell]

Yep, supposed to of shipped Eagle. Can't track it on amazon OR Eagles site. Called Amazon and they 'know it must of shipped', but no idea where it's at or why the tracking number doesn't work.... Oh well, eventually it'll get here.

[Bobby Perry]

At that address for EGL there is a contact number. It is a 800 number that will connect you to a live person that should be able to tell you where you lathe is at.