Nova DVR Lathe

Kevin,

I bought one last fall. If you have specific questions, contact me off-line and I'll try to help. BTW, mine is not the very latest model.

Neither having mentioned it -

and read between the lines or ask. The direct drive seems a nice feature, but too complicated for me. Other thing is the price, which is closing in on a 3520.

..

I suppose that $2200 (US list) vrs $3200 (US list) is "closing in" to some, but not me. Street prices can be as low as $1900 (I got mine for that price two weeks ago)

Well, I got my DVR-XP two weeks ago and have limited experience with it (to date)

*Both units that arrived on the truck (in this order) had shipping damage, we suspect it was Carrier caused. Mine was minor (tail-stock out of alignment), the other, wasn't. *There was some minor QA issues (tool rests didn't fit, despite the QA stamp that they did). *The Vendor (WoodChips), US Distributor and Factory have been very proactive in resolving any issues that resulted from the above (I got a phone call from New Zealand) *Once the above issues were resolved, I have been very impressed with the Lathe

Closer than you think, and freight included.

I've had a Nova DVR 3000 since about six months after they hit the market in the United States. We were in the process of moving or I would have had it earlier. So that was about July 2001 if I remember right. It is one of the best lathes that I've ever turned on. The report from my friend in New Zealand, who has had an original DVR even longer than I, says that the new xp version is even better than the old model. Lyn M. did an extensive three or four part review in More Woodturning when he got his. Our reviews started at about the same issue, but his was in much greater depth than mine.

I would not hesitate to purchase one if I were in the market for a lathe. Incidentally, the price is around $2100 US Dollars, but you can run up the price by buying cast iron legs, bed extensions, and outboard turning attachments. Mine has been setting on a stand built from 2" x 6" fir lumber with a box in the base containing several hundred pounds of railroad skips and other metal scrap. I built that stand for my Nova 3000 several years ago. The Nova 3000 simply lifted off and the Nova DVR bolted into place with the same holes. The vibration is minimal to non existant.

Fred Holder