How much to pay for my last lathe

Hello Stephen,

The Nova 3000 with an AC motor and one bed extension should come in at about $1000 and would provide you a good solid lathe that would turn your spindles and also a few bowls if you so choose. The Nova 3000 would have a minimum speed of about 200 rpm and a maximum of around 3000 with a number of steps. In case you want indexing to perhaps do some fluting on your spindles, the Nova 3000 has a

I had a Nova 3000 for about three years and now have a Nova DVR 3000 for the last 1-1/2 years. I have a bed extension on my Nova DVR, which gives me about

There are a lot of lathes on the market that will turn spindles, but you will find the Nova 3000 hard to beat for the price.

Good Luck in your selection.

Fred Holder

Hi Stephen, While I've been turning only since October 03, I can offer some advice. The Jet Mini has an extension as well as variable speed and from the comments on this group the extension does not appear to be a kludge. With the extenstion it should be long enough for your needs and is under $500. Tools, grinders, chucks and whatnot if you haven't got them already will add a few more hundred to your total. I looked at 3 or 4 different lathe models and remember that they all had swiveling headstocks. Indexing - there are equally-spaced stops built into the headstock/spindle. By inserting a pin (at least in the Jet 1236, one can hold the spindle at a particular place while performing other work on your piece. Turning ballisters would be a good example. You've turned the ballister to the dimension you wish. Then, set up a router above the ballister and run decorative troughs* down the sides. Once the particlar trough is finished, remove pin, rotate spindle by hand to next index point, insert pin and repeat.

From the comments on this group the Nova DVR is a nice lathe and since you mentioned that you wnat this lathe purchase to be your last, perhaps saving is the way to go. Assuming of course that the wife will allow the purchase once you've saved the bucks.

-k

Hi Stephen, Probably you just want a new lathe but want some discussion and justification for buying it. There's nothing wrong with that. It's what rcw is for. If you want a new lathe, go for it. We will help you justify it.

You seem to have inferred the answers to your questions as well or better than rcw will. I agree (which is worth nil) that from your research & questions, the N3K seems your best bet for now and for the foreseeable future, but I urge you to include variable speed. Jack shafts or movable sheaves or the various surplus motors aren't good options because the drive motor is attached to the headstock and a swivelling headstock is a good thing.

You have a lathe on which you turned sets of table legs and many more balusters than most of us ever thought of. Now you need to turn 60 more. What's changed? You could begin turning small bowls on your present lathe, but that's not your question and I doubt you want to hear it. ;)

You have never turned a bowl, but you want a lathe that will suit you from now till..... Some will tell you that the woodturning lathe hasn't much changed over the ages. Maybe not, but I don't recall seeing any Stubbys, or Oneways or DVRs in books from even 30 years ago. How many of us bought our ultimate lathe and have exchanged it several times? It didn't wear out. It was superseded by today's ultimate machine which will be in the want-ads tomorrow. Don't plan on being satisfied with any 2004 lathe in 2034, no matter what you pay for it now.

If you want a new lathe for turning people sized bowls until you become a professional or win the lottery go for a VS Nova 3000. If you want to turn 60 balusters and learn how to turn modest or even large bowls while you gain experience and cash, the Craftsman is the answer. I predict it will be the N3K or something more expensive. ;)

If this comes over as preachy and condescending, it isn't meant to be. I'm sure you will get some proper answers.

All best, Arch

Fortiter,

You can put a variable spped drive on for a lot less than that. If you want it pre-packaged, you may be correct.

A good bed extension is better than a bad long bed - for instance, the midi lathe with extension .vs. the 1236 types. A well-done bed extension is probably equivalent to a long bed of the same overall size - but many lathes with longer beds also have larger, stiffer beds than the common extensions.

Ability to pin the spindle at reqular intervals - useful for reeding or other non-turning decorative work.

Depends on you. I don't feel the need; I also don't like the kludge of a swivel. A dedicated bowl lathe would be better if you feel the need.

I have a lathe that will turn 20" diameter (over the bed) and 60" between centers, all solid USA cast iron (a lot of it), set me back $250. It is from the 1880's, and a nice variable speed setup which can go very, very slowly did set me back a bit more than the price of the lathe - but it's still a lot more lathe for a lot less money than what you can get new, IME. The quiet Babbitt bearings are fine, and should outlast me if I keep them oiled - they can be repoured if they get too worn, but that has not been a problem.

You do need to have a bit of patience, or pay markup to a used equipment dealer if you lack patience, and you need to have some ability to evaluate condition - but old lathes can be a great deal.

Is the Nova 3000 still available? Woodcraft and Teknatool seem to have dropped it from their websites.

Jim

Fred Holder wrote:

Call John Jordan and buy a Stubby

Ray

Yes, its been re-released and is currently available at Woodcraft (or at least they have them in their warehouse). The part number is 145486. Put the number in the "Quick Order" field, NOT the search field. Its now equipped with a 1.5hp AC motor (which presumably has a larger shaft diameter it reduce the number of shaft breakage incidents). 215 to 3600 rpm.

Peter Teubel Milford, MA

If you can get the Hegner 200 your side of the pond it may be worth your while to check it out.

The downer for you folks is the Spindle Thread ... 33mm X 3.5mm and a

The Dealer is the Manufacturer of the VB36. (nice piece of kit) I have owned one for the past 2 years ...Hegner that is... well pleased. All I have to do now is find a tree and some time to switch it on....I Wish!!!

Tim

Last things first, no offense taken. I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Yes I do want a new lathe. but the key is to do it once and not have to di it again.

You're not the first to say that.

Let me understant this correctly. To have a swivel head you either have to have the motor integrated into the head stock of have a complicated drive mechanism and the Nova DVR is the best (cleanest, simplest) implementation?

Good question. 2 Things: Spousal encouragement and volume.

Dinner conversation:

ME: I had to dissasemble my lathe tonight because there was play in the tailstock causing it to be non-coaxial with the headstock. It's fighting me on the reassembly

HER: Why don't you buy a new one?

ME: I just dropped a grand+ on a bandsaw and it would be irresponsible at this point.

HER: I don't *need* the new laptop...

ME: It's a P75, you sure do.

not your question and I doubt you want to hear it. ;)

I have too much on my plate right now to mess with bowls. I have 6 months of projects lined up. The point is that If I make an investment now I would like some resonable assurance that it will meet (the vast majority of) my future needs.

I'm compost.

Hmm. The current re.woodworking philosophy on tablre saws is that there is a reasonable upper bound on what will meet 99% of hobyist needs: that's a UNISAW (or PM66, Gen350 etc, all of which are *around* the same price point). Are you of the opinin that such a clear line does not exist in the Lathe world?

We'll see

Thanks Arch.

Did you upgrade the existing lathe or buy a new one? I see that they offer an upgrade, but it's a new headstock *and* tailstock, I have to question the sense replacing 3/4 of a machine.

It that like a router speed control or a mechanical thing? I really don't mind fiddling with belts on my current machine, I just don't like the speed range. Why don't belt-based systems just have a wider range of pully ratios?

Am I missing something, or is that not a $5K machine?

Stephen A friend was recently in the same situation. After examining a number of options we settled on the Jet 1442, for around $800. It has a variable speed drive (mechanical reeves), swivel head, 1hp motor, and

Yes it is about $5K and worth every penny!

I own one and am very pleased that AI will never have to by another lathe again!

Ray

I wrote (with typos):

No - neither. It was a replacement motor with variable speed control box. Not the same as a router speed control, which are quite limited as to the motor you can use (brush-type universal only) and the power they can handle. DC in my case, AC Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) with a 3 phase motor is another common approach. Reverse capability is common with these drives.

If you don't mind fiddling with belts, add a jackshaft for more adjustment range. Off-the-shelf belt systems are generally saving money and/or space, which is why they don't have as much adjustment range as we might like. A homebrew with jackshaft (or several jackshafts, if you like) can have all the range in the world, and costs even less than a variable speed drive system.

Another thought on better bowl options than the "swivel head" is to get a lathe with an outboard spindle (and no swivel). IMHO the best arrangement is similar to what I understand One-Way does - RH threads on both ends, reversing motor, no need for left hand threaded anything, no "backwards" turning when outboard.

I freely admit to not being a fan of swivelling headstocks. They limit the drive options and add a place for things to be mal-adjusted which is not needed, IMHO.

If you go with the dc version of the Nova 300,absolutely.positively,stay away from any Leeson Motors,,The old ones did not hold up to the mounting system of that lathe..Maybe the new one is better but at least confirm the shaft diameter has been changed,,I know of 5 different motors breaking,(three of them mine)..If you get the Nova 3000 at least opt for the dvr tailstock as an add on,the one that used to come with the standard Nova

least they have them in their warehouse). The part number

field. Its now equipped with a 1.5hp AC motor (which

breakage incidents). 215 to 3600 rpm.

This shaft breakage problem wasn't limited to Leeson only. I know of 3 Baldor motors that broke shafts on novas "cam-over" motor mount system. But I have to say that these lathe owners only broke 1 shaft each.

You also might want to consider a lathe that you can add a duplicator to. I would not want to turn 60 (having to measure each then turn it to shape and risk not being exactly the same.

Hello Stephen,

I purchased a whole new lathe. At the time I got mine, they didn't have the upgrade kit and I doubt that I would have messed with it anyway.

Fred Holder