Questions on a new mustard colored machine

[Jay Drew]

Unfortunately I started this addicting hobby a few months ago and I am already looking to upgrade my little Rikon lathe. When researching my new purchase I stumbled onto this great resource and I have read many helpful threads about Powermatic lathes. But as far as I can tell there aren’t many comparisons between the 4224 and the 3520B. Which one should I purchase? I want to start doing some very large bowls and platters. I was also thinking of turning a big frame or 2 for some mirrors that I have and I eventually want to get into spindle work. It seems like there are some neat bells and whistles on the 3520B like the groves to mount the dust hood to the banjo, shelf brackets, and brackets to hold a spindle to copy… but are they really needed? Does the dust hood get in the way when it is attached to the banjo? Can you do outboard turning with the 3520B by just sliding the headstock down to the end? The 4224 looks like it just has a handwheel on the outboard side so how do you do outboard turning on it? Does the shaft have to be reversed or is there an adapter that fits into the handwheel that gives you threads on the outboard side? Does the extra 1HP of the 4224 make that much of a difference? Is it better to have a sliding headstock? Is there anything I would gain by going with the 4224? The difference in price doesn’t really matter I am just looking to purchase one more lathe and want it to be the right one. I was actually ready to buy the 4224 before reading all the rave reviews of the 3520B.

Sorry for the 50 questions. Thanks in advance for your help.

-JD

[Sean Troy]

I have the 4224 and would not trade it for the world. It weighs in at around 1,000 pounds and has the thickest ways on the market. The headstock handwheel comes off so you can thread on a face plate or chuck for outboard turning. 48" outboard turning is within range. the 3hp motor makes coring a breeze. Thats one hard motor to stop. Check here for prices http://astore.amazon.com/woodturnedd...lathe&x=6&y=12 sometimes you can get the best deal here. Osolnik Machinery is another good place to look. Joe will treat you right. I've turned on most of the lathes out there and would always prefer the 4224. Sean

[David Walser]

Either lathe would be all you'll ever need. Some comments on the 3520B's sliding headstock. First, yes, you can turn all the way to the floor by sliding the headstock all the way to the end. That's just about the largest turning capacity any lathe can offer. (Want to turn a larger bowl, put your lathe up on blocks!) Second, you'll find the sliding headstock a nice feature even if you don't want to turn something greater than 20" in diameter. Sometimes it's just easier to turn if you can stand at the end of the lathe or even on the other side of it. That's why "short bed" lathes are popular. Well, slide the headstock of a 3520B halfway down the ways and you've got an instant short bed lathe. Need to turn a longer spindle? Slide the headstock on back. It's the best of both worlds in one lathe.

The larger Powermatic has its advantages, but the flexibility provided by the sliding headstock is not one of them.

[Patrick Taylor]

I'd like to bump this thread, because I'm sure there are more opinions out there on this issue, and becaues I'm considering a 3520 and want to know if I should just get the 4224 instead, or if there's some reason not to? Is bigger not always better? The sliding headstock issue makes me wonder. Also, does 4 inches not really matter because I can just go outboard to turn larger than 20" on the 3520?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Randy Johnson]

Jay, I was asking the same questions two months ago and wound up with the 3520B. However, before taking the plunge I thought seriously about the 4224.
The main, maybe even the ONLY real objection I had to the 3520 was distance between centers. I solved this by getting the bed extension. The real clincher was talking to Joe Osolnik and finding out that the 4224 arrives fully assembled while the 3520 comes in the "some assembly required" mode. Even if the larger lathe was heads and tails better (and it isn't, it just has different strengths) there would have been no way for me to get it from the back of my truck to the shop. I was able to bring the 3520 in in smaller, lighter, pieces. Even at that I was glad to have the help of a few friends.
Like you, I wanted the capability - even if I never do such a project - to turn things like table tops. The sliding headstock will allow me do do so.
What makes this a hard decision is that it is just about impossible to find an owner of either lathe that wishes they bought something else. It's hard to compare pros and cons when you can't find any cons. I was fortunate to visit a shop where the guy had both and I could make a side by side comparison.
Mine has been in operation for a little over a month now and I'm satisfied that I will probaly never outgrow it. I've turned a few pretty heavy out of balance blanks with no problems.
The discussion of price always comes up. I bought mine from Osolnik Machinery. The price will be close to any place else, better than most, and you aren't dealing with some huge outfit that routes customer service through India. You will be talking to the owner of the company. I bought the value package that included an extra tool rest for bowls, bed extension, tool rest extension, and remote switch. He includes a couple of DVDs, one just on the lathe and one on general turning, and a nice little booklet on his father's work. The pictures alone make the book worth having.
The 3520 is the fourth Powermatic machine I've bought. I'm happy with all of them but the newest is the favorite.

[Patrick Taylor]

Thanks Randy, especially the comments about Osolnik. That package is exactly what I was looking at.

[Jay Drew]

Patrick,
I actually bought the 3520B soon after I originally posted this message and I also bought the value package from Osolnik Machine. With the bed extension you can mount it almost 9" lower than the ways and turn a 38" bowl. If you do this you don't need the clunky free standing tool rest because you can put your banjo right on the lowered bed extension.

-JD

[Jay Drew]

Oh...one more thing... I find it very hard to locate wood big enough for a 38" bowl never mind the wood for the bathtub you could turn outboard without the lowered bed extension. (unless you are into making yourself crazy by creating big blanks out of thousands of little scraps. )

[Patrick Taylor]

Patrick,
I actually bought the 3520B soon after I originally posted this message and I also bought the value package from Osolnik Machine. With the bed extension you can mount it almost 9" lower than the ways and turn a 38" bowl. If you do this you don't need the clunky free standing tool rest because you can put your banjo right on the lowered bed extension.

-JD

I realized later that you can mount the extension lower and that sold me. The 3520 is now on my wishlist.

[Reed Gray]

I have a 3520A model and love it. The sliding headstock is a huge deciding factor and is a huge back saver, no more leaning over the ways to turn out the insides of bowls and boxes and vases. The long bed is for turning spindles. The only other lathe I have lusted over is the Robust lathe. You can get 2 or 3hp, and it has the sliding tailstock. The bigger motor would be excellent for hogging off material. The biggest question for me would be how big am I really going to turn. If I was turning a lot of bigger bowls (in the 20 inch plus range) then it would be a no brainer. That size of a bowl is more in the specialty market, and I seldom get into that range. You can turn very big on the 3520 lathe, but that is kind of like riser blocks on a bandsaw that was designed to cut 6 inches high. It does work, but one that is designed and built for that works better.
robo hippy