Nova DVR vs. Nova 3000

Hello Carl,

I've owned both the Nova 3000 and currently the Nova DVR 3000. The $900 machine is an excellent lathe with an ac motor and speed changes are made by changing belts. I had a 1 HP dc variable speed motor on my Nova 3000, which brought its price up to almost $1500. My lathe would have been much nicer to use than the $900 version because of the variable speed. If you've never had variable speed, you might not miss it. The Nova DVR 3000 is a great step up from the Nova 3000 that I had. There is no belt to insert vibration (belts take a set and then introduce a small amount of vibration), the motor is somewhere around 2 hp, they list it as 1.7 hp, but from what I've heard all of the units that Teknatool has tested produces up to 2.2 hp. Yes, the tailstock is heavier and that is a plus, but I never had any problems with the tailstock on my Nova 3000. Overall, the NOva DVR 3000 is a much better lathe than the Nova 3000. However, the Nova 3000 would be a great improvement over the lathe that you currently have. I had the Nova 3000 for about three years and have had the Nova DVR 3000 for two years. At this time, I see no need for anything better.

Fred Holder

Buying a lathe is like buying a car. It really depends on what you think your going to do, what your friends have and how much you want to spend. I know people that have jet minis and are very happy with them and I know people with some of the big iron lathes and a few that have DVR. Many turners have more than one lathe. Like a car owner they have a pickuptruck lathe to rough out and you don't mind abusing with chunks that are maybe a bit large, another lathe for general use that you use more and maybe a sportscar lathe that you got because of your midlife crises required something flashy to impress turners of a different gender

I've had a DVR for about 4 months and love it. The only problems I've had with my DVR is getting 5 minutes of time from my teenage son so he could help me put it on the stand and the problem with a burr developing in the taper that required the use of a reamer. I've turned both tiny mini bowls and large bowls with a recent maple chunk that was 17 inches across and with a weight of mybe 50 pounds that I roughed out a couple months ago (filling 2 40 gallon trash bags with shavings in the process).

I looked at the bigger and heavier lathes but I had the requirment that the lathe be semi-portable and I wanted a low RPM for unballanced chunks. I started out with a grizzly that would bog down at the slightest touch and start dancing if things were just slightly off ballence. I love how the DVR puts more power into the motor to maintain the RPM that you select. One of these days I'm going to convert my lathe to 220 but I'm not seeing the need at this point.

My DVR sits on a wooden stand made out of 2x4s and 2x6s with wheels at one end so I can move it out onto the driveway and keep the shavings out of the garage. This creates a minor problem in that during the sunny heat of the day the LCD display goes black and hard to read. However, I generally don't pay too much attention to the RPM. I turn at the speed I'm comfortable with for the piece I'm turning (if it seems too fast I slow it down a bit..if it is taking too long I speed it up..sometimes I turn something slower just because I'm trying to relax and enjoy the process) Learning on the grizzly I got used to going slow so I have to keep reminding myself that I have more power and I can go faster without bogging the lathe down.

Carl McCarty wrote:

If you can afford the DVR, buy it.

I've had my DVR for several months as well, I'm still glad I chose it every time I turn it on. So far it has turned anything I've asked it to without complaint, from pens to 18" diameter Madrone bowl blanks. I've switched it over to 220 and I've made a few basic modifications to it, including an extremely heavy duty stand and a modified outrigger toolrest that has a post that extends to the floor (if any other DVR owners want one, drop me a note - lil_mike at earthlink dot net).

To sum up the DVR, it is far far more lathe than I currently warrant as a turner, that's for sure. Teknatool's support has been top-notch as well, they helped me through the little difficulties I had when I got the lathe.

The 2 HP motor with variable speed on the DVR is very nice, as is reverse. Adding these items would bring the cost of a 3000 to very near that of the DVR, and though the speed control would start at 0 rpm, you'd still be dealing with a belt and pulleys.

Mike

Carl, be sure you add up the cost of all the "parts" on the DVR before you compare lathe prices. Did you include the stand and/or cast iron legs? Bed extension? Outboard tool rest?

Barry