Considering a new lathe...

[Warren White]

I see that Craft Supplies has a reduced price for a Powermatic PM2020 lathe. I like the idea of the smaller size and I would like something a bit beefier than my Jet 1015VS as I would like to turn bowls.

Your thoughts regarding Powermatic in general and this lathe in specific would be most appreciated.

 

[jttheclockman]

Powermatic is not the same company as years ago. They are chinese built lathes too. Just a different color. Have to stress this, this is my opinion. Get beat up too much here when people take word as gospel.

 

[Fish30114]

JT is spot on, my woodturning idol is Nick Cook and he is sponsored by Powermatic, and he only has Jet and Powermatic gear in his shop--I can tell you from experience, that both the Jet and Powermatic lathes are not what they once were. I've worked on a 2020 at a school and they were worn out after one year, I can say. It's like anything else though, to step up is pricey--If you look at Robust or Vicmarc or Serious your in the zone of 6-8k for a lathe--a serious upgrade for sure, but that's the cost

I might consider a Nova again, I've had pretty good luck with mine, but have major issues with the staff at Nova.

 

[Wildman]

I don't know anything about that lathe but found Wood Craft has them listed for same price as Crafts Supplies.

Looked for reviews online and could not find any.

Good luck!

 

[Dan Masshardt]

I've not heard too many serious complaints about the powermatic lathes. They are good as are most of the jets.

I'm extremely happy with my jet 1642 that I got used. If you have a mini and want to turn bowls, it's a great step without spending a fortune.

Oh if you buy a big lathe, keep your little one too for pens. Having two lathes is great.

Now if prob prefer a robust or vicmarc if money was no object...always this factor though isn't it...

 

[Charlie_W]

Unless space is a critical factor, I would go with a lathe with a longer bed.

Have you looked at OneWay lathes? ....made in North America/Canada

Robust is made in the US. Look at their Sweet 16 model. It is very versatile. Small footprint but bed section comes out to give huge turning diameter and the bed section can be mounted in a couple of different positions for either a longer bed or to extend out in front of the lathe for those big bowls. Only loosen two bolts to move bed section!
If serious about bigger bowls, I would go with the larger motor option too.
I turned on a Robust American Beauty for two weeks recently at Arrowmont! That is a very nice lathe!

Both are quality in my book. Vicmark is another top grade lathe.

If you can find a used Stubby lathe, you will have a monster lathe in a small footprint. They are solid and run very smooth!

Good luck!

 

[Warren White]

I've worked on a 2020 at a school and they were worn out after one year, I can say. It's like anything else though, to step up is pricey--If you look at Robust or Vicmarc or Serious your in the zone of 6-8k for a lathe--a serious upgrade for sure, but that's the cost

I might consider a Nova again, I've had pretty good luck with mine, but have major issues with the staff at Nova.

I thought the PM2020 was fairly new, but you say that it has been out over a year. I haven't found many reviews on that particular model.

I turned on a Robust Sweet 16 at the CSI class and it was really nice, but it is way too expensive for me.

I am concerned about your last comment about Nova's staff. Almost negative enough to discourage me.

Thank you for your input!

 

[Warren White]

Unless space is a critical factor, I would go with a lathe with a longer bed.

Have you looked at OneWay lathes? ....made in North America/Canada

Robust is made in the US. Look at their Sweet 16 model. It is very versatile. Small footprint but bed section comes out to give huge turning diameter and the bed section can be mounted in a couple of different positions for either a longer bed or to extend out in front of the lathe for those big bowls. Only loosen two bolts to move bed section!
If serious about bigger bowls, I would go with the larger motor option too.
I turned on a Robust American Beauty for two weeks recently at Arrowmont! That is a very nice lathe!

Both are quality in my book. Vicmark is another top grade lathe.

If you can find a used Stubby lathe, you will have a monster lathe in a small footprint. They are solid and run very smooth!

Good luck!

Space is really a factor, Charlie. My garage shares space with all my woodworking tools. I turned with a Robust Sweet 16 at a CSI class, and it was really great, but that much money just isn't right for me. This is just a hobby and I give almost everything I turn to friends and family.

I will look at OneWay; that isn't something that has yet caught my eye.

Thanks,
Warren

 

[Warren White]

I've not heard too many serious complaints about the powermatic lathes. They are good as are most of the jets.

I'm extremely happy with my jet 1642 that I got used. If you have a mini and want to turn bowls, it's a great step without spending a fortune.

Oh if you buy a big lathe, keep your little one too for pens. Having two lathes is great.

Now if prob prefer a robust or vicmarc if money was no object...always this factor though isn't it...

I really like my Jet mini, but it just is too small for anything but a small bowl. As for keeping it to turn pens, between my better half and my garage with little space that won't be happening. :giggle: And yes, money is a concern.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Charlie_W]

Robust has a new lathe...the Scout as I recall. I saw one at AAW.

ONEWAY has the 12/24. Very nice machine but limits you to 12"diameter.

Do take a look at the Nova DVR line, a number of our club members have different models and like them. I have an older Nova 16/24. This was before the DVR series. It turns very nicely and doesn't take up a lot of space. Can't speak as to customer service as it just keeps on running. With these, you can swing the head around for larger turning if you get the outboard turning set up.

 

[Old Codger]

Yes Warren, Jet, Powermatic and most beginner and middle range lathes are made in China...U.S. and Canadian made lathe are generally, MUCH more expensive and well made, but regrettably, out of the price range of most hobbiest and weekend turners... If you've got the bucks and are a professional, look at the mid range lathes... I am a hobbiest, and I'm quite happy with Jet lathes, recently purchased the Jet 1640EVS for around $2,500 but understand that even a larger and VERY similar model (Jet 1840EVS/DVR) models are available for approx. $500 more... Jet's Customer Service is OUTSTANDING and I couldn't be more pleased with their warranty or service with my previous smaller lathes. Check out what your local wood turning club uses for demo's and training and you'll likely find Jets in use and not sooo many higher end models... Think about it, talk to fellow turners and good luck on your decision...something like buying a nice Ford/Chevy or Rolls Royce/Bentley...ALL get the job done pretty darn well, but not the bragging rights... ;>)

 

[Warren White]

Kenn

I am a hobbiest, and I'm quite happy with Jet lathes, recently purchased the Jet 1640EVS for around $2,500 but understand that even a larger and VERY similar model (Jet 1840EVS/DVR) models are available for approx. $500 more... Jet's Customer Service is OUTSTANDING and I couldn't be more pleased with their warranty or service with my previous smaller lathes.

Thanks for your thoughts, Kenn. I, like you, just do this as a hobby (which I love) but it doesn't make sense to me to throw BIG money at something I just do for fun. If money was no object, I would buy the short bed Robust lathe which is REALLY nice.

I have been happy with my Jet 1015VS that I purchased used on Craigslist. It is just too small for me after getting my feet wet with a larger lathe. To tell the truth, I would be more interested in the new Jets, but 40" swing is too much for me. i don't have the room to store something that long where my lathe goes while it rests. I am kind of intrigued with the PM2020 since it gives me plenty of diameter at a very small footprint.

I would like someone who has a Powermatic 3520 (similar but longer than the one I am considering) to chime in.

My thanks to all who have added their perspectives!

 

[Fish30114]

Warren, yes the 2020 is over a year old, I'm thinking around 3 years IIRC, I will say that I have the Nova DVR and it has been a good lathe to me--it is plenty powerful for even big bowls, and is very versatile. The negatives I have with it are Non stainless bed, I do a lot of wet sanding, especially on acrylic pen blanks and the bed on my lathe rusts instantly--I'm continuously sanding it down to remove rust, and then coating it with various waxes/coatings to try to keep it rust free--all to no avail. Secondly the paint Job on mine is a total POS, it is very thin and became looking like a 15 year old lathe in about 90 days--I actually made a post once asking for advice on painting my lathe--it's that bad. Another issue I have is the digital adjustment is right under your left arm and it is easy to hit it with your left elbow while working and shut your lathe off, or inadvertently change the speed on your lathe--can be bad--and one other issue is the lock up on the tool rest banjo needs to be adjusted frequently or your handle ends up slamming into the lathe bed and won't tighten down the banjo unless you adjust the locking fixture--which is a medium PITA.

My issue with the Nova staff is that they are inconsistent in responding to issues, and once I mistakenly sent them some items that were intended for a different party, and they stole them, and the head guy I could get to at Nova told me to go f myself!!
Having said all that, I have a couple of key contact names if you get a Nova lathe, and despite all the PITA items I listed, my lathe has performed pretty darn well, and is powerful and smooth. I would definitely look at One Way stuff, again it's pretty pricey if I remember right.

 

[alankulwicki7]

I have a 3520 and I love it. I wish I could have afforded a Robust but they are just too pricy for my blood. I'm a hobbiest the who does about 4 or 5 shows a year and the PM does everything I need. Maybe if I win the lottery I will upgrade but I'm very happy with the 3520.

 

[robutacion]

For me, the Nova DVRXP would be the go, if that model is a little too pricey for you (as it was for me) the Nova 1624-44 is the same lathe only the head is different, you will need to change belts to change speeds but apart from that, I turn everything on it...!

Cheers
George

 

[Charlie_W]

Warren, two of our local clubs have PM 3520 lathes. Both are older. One is an A model and I think the other is a B model. They both are solid and run very smoothly. As long as the bed is clean and waxed, the headstock, banjo and tailstock slide nicely. A good workhorse lathe.
Can't speak as to the newer models.

Perhaps if you do get the 2020, you might consider the swing away for the tailstock. Otherwise, you will need to take it off for every bowl you turn.......unless you have very short tools!..... (Not recommended for bowl work)

Let us know what you end up with.

 

[dbrown117]

Hey Warren,
I was consiering that exact lathe a few months ago. I have the Jet 1221vs, and wanted something beefier for bowls. After a lot of research and questions, I bought the Laguna 18-36, at a little over half the price of the Powermatic. This lathe is made in Taiwan, and, so far, is excellent! I love everything about it. Yes, it's longer, but I can hollow a bowl without taking the tailstock off.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

If you move the motor headstock all the way to the left on the 2020 (where you will almost always want it), the motor will hang out a foot or so. If you get the 3520, you can move the headstock so the motor is over the ways most of the time. The 3520 is about 15" longer than the 2020 (both set to maximum working distance between centers) . The 3520 with the motor over the ways will probably take up about as much space as the 2020 with the headstock at the end of the ways. If you ever find yourself with more space or the need to do something bigger, you will be glad you got the 3520 over the 2020. Another option is to get the 2020 and an 18" bed extension. I think the 3520 is $100 more than the 2020 and the bed extension is way more than $100. It's also HEAVY. Not something you want to be taking off an on. But it is a way to get an extra 18" on the 2020.

I bought my 3520 about 8 years ago. It was made in China. It's been a great lathe. Powermatic support has been excellent when I needed it, but I haven't needed it in about 6 years. Things change, so I don't know how much my comments are worth today.

You might consider giving Powermatic tech support a call. Ask them how much space a 3520 with the motor over the ways will take up vs a 2020 with maximum working distance between centers. If you can't get anyone to answer the phone or have a good discussion with you, it might be an indication that you should be looking elsewhere for a lathe.

Ed

 

[cleve]

I live in Canada and have bought both the Comet II and the DVR20-24 neither has given me any trouble . I would recommend these as very good lathes. I know there is always worse ones and better ones . I bought mine through KMS and they have been great to deal with.
Good luck on deciding which one to buy.

 

[Old Codger]

Warren...You've really got your 'homework' cut out for you if you want to upgrade from a Jet 1015VS... I too, like many others, have recently upgraded... Things you might want to take into consideration is 'total cost'... Just the cost of the lathe is only a partial cost of an upgrade... i.e.; going from a small Jet 1015VS 110VAC requirement to a larger lathe may require a 220VAC electrical requirement...consider lathe footprint...the 1015 is a small, bench top size lathe while many larger lathes require much more room. Don't forget the larger spindle size (i.e.; 1" X 8TIP vs 1 1/4" X 8TPI), which requires different chuck and accessory adapters at the very least, plus larger tool rests (i.e.; 5/8" vice 1" posts and larger heights...), etc., etc., etc. I don't mean to dissuade you and your new beauty, but these costly upgrades also add to the cost of a major lathe size upgrade...
Being only a hobbiest, I did my research over a year or so, and decided on a 'mid-size/cost' Jet 1640EVS... I took Jet's excellent C/S, warranty, and replacement parts into consideration, plus my past Jet experience...cost (a MAJOR consideration...) plus electrical power considerations. I've probably spent an additional $400 - $500 on new accessories (chuck adapters, spindle adapters, tool rests, etc.), but knew what I was walking into before I made my decision. Am I totally satisfied, YES!!! Couldn't be happier other than wishing I had the space to keep my previous Jet 1221VS as a second lathe... The fellow who bought it got a great deal and many like new accessories, etc. Have fun making your decision, but check out what's out there and your TOTAL budget before making your decision! Safe turning to you always!

 

[Warren White]

WDon't forget the larger spindle size (i.e.; 1" X 8TIP vs 1 1/4" X 8TPI), which requires different chuck and accessory adapters at the very least, plus larger tool rests (i.e.; 5/8" vice 1" posts and larger heights...), etc., etc., etc. I don't mean to dissuade you and your new beauty, but these costly upgrades also add to the cost of a major lathe size upgrade...

Kenn,
Once again you have opened my eyes to something that frankly I hadn't considered. I have a Nova G3 Chuck, a PSI Dedicated Pen Drilling Chuck, and a PSI Collet Chuck system, none of which will work directly with the 1 1/4X8 Powermatic. I think that there are a couple of makers of an adapter that will allow me to use them.

As for the 220V issue, that isn't a problem. My garage has 220 that I had wired for my Unisaw. It should be just fine. I don't have anything else that would not work on the Powermatic. My plan is to sell the Jet, the accessories that came with it, and the stand that I built.

Thanks for your input as well as all of the other well considered and reasoned advice provided. The ball is clearly in my court now.

 

[alankulwicki7]

WDon't forget the larger spindle size (i.e.; 1" X 8TIP vs 1 1/4" X 8TPI), which requires different chuck and accessory adapters at the very least, plus larger tool rests (i.e.; 5/8" vice 1" posts and larger heights...), etc., etc., etc. I don't mean to dissuade you and your new beauty, but these costly upgrades also add to the cost of a major lathe size upgrade...

Kenn,
Once again you have opened my eyes to something that frankly I hadn't considered. I have a Nova G3 Chuck, a PSI Dedicated Pen Drilling Chuck, and a PSI Collet Chuck system, none of which will work directly with the 1 1/4X8 Powermatic. I think that there are a couple of makers of an adapter that will allow me to use them.

As for the 220V issue, that isn't a problem. My garage has 220 that I had wired for my Unisaw. It should be just fine. I don't have anything else that would not work on the Powermatic. My plan is to sell the Jet, the accessories that came with it, and the stand that I built.

Thanks for your input as well as all of the other well considered and reasoned advice provided. The ball is clearly in my court now.

When I went from a Jet 1236 to my 3520 I had to upgrade all my accessories, too. I knew that going in and I looked at it as a chance to buy better accessories. I had 2 PSI chucks, the PSI pen chuck and a few other things that I thought were nice but just didn't seem to have the fit/finish as my Nova chuck. I ended up selling all the PSI stuff and over time bought more Nova chucks. Now I have 4 Super Nova 2 chucks with different jaws (I hate changing jaws) and am glad I switched. I could have used an adapter and used the PSI stuff but I've heard about runout issues so I just made the switch.

 

[Warren White]

I have made my choice...

I thought it was only fair to let everyone know. I have learned A LOT from the exchange of information. Two considerations drove me; price and footprint. As pointed out buyout comments, there are many excellent lathes on the market.

I went on a trip to Disneyland last week and there is a Woodcraft store not too far away. They were quite knowledgeable and helpful, and had several lathes on the floor. I didn't see anything on display that dissuaded me from my interest in the Powermatic PM2020 (which wasn't on display, but the PM3520B was. They are the same lathes, but with a smaller footprint). In fact, one of the lathes that I went to see really turned me off because of the quality of the casting! It looked like junk! Since I can't remember which on it was, I cannot comment further.

I ordered the PM2020 from Craft Supply this afternoon. Roger, their lathe specialist, was VERY helpful.

I will have a Jet 1015VS for sale once I get the lathe delivered and up and running.

Thank you all for your advice and counsel. I studied all of your comments and suggestions and every bit helped.

 

[adirondak5]

Congrats on the new lathe .

 

[Warren White]

Prepping the Powermatic P2020...

I haven't been serious yet about turning on the new P2020, but have been prepping it to make it more 'user friendly' for me.

First off, I am 5'7" and the lathe stands a bit too tall for me. I understand the the ideal height is 'crook of the elbow' for the drive centers. Accordingly, I built a 'make Warren taller" box. As you can see in the picture below, it has a fatigue mat on top. I find that helps keep my feet happy when I turn.

Second, the dust collection I had for my Jet 1015 would not work on the Powermatic for many reasons. After some research, I bought the Rockler Dust Right Lathe Collection system. I had to have the part that fits under the ways fabricated for the larger lathe, but it works quite well.

Third, I needed a smaller tool rest, and bought one from Rick Herrell. As you can see in the picture, it is a work of art! WOW!

Fourth, I needed some additional external storage for odds and ends, so I came up with something I could add to the end of the lathe.

All I need to do now is work on more tool storage under the lathe. I thought I could get that done today, but I bit off more than I could chew in the time I had this afternoon.

Your comments and suggestions are most welcome!

 

[TonyL]

Enjoy the new lathe!