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A Oneway question for Powermatic 3520A Owners

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Not even. If I ever upgrade I'll get a Stubby 1000. The PM3520 represents an excellent lathe for the price range. For most people it will last a lifetime of turning.

The most versatile feature of the PM3520 is the ability to move the headstock down to the end of the lathe. It makes it whole lot easier to access the inside of bowls and small vases. The large fixed headstock lathes all lack that feature.

Too bad there is not an option to get a bigger motor on the 3520 chassis. I could use it, since I process some big pieces.
 
R

Ron Sardo

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Moving Head Stock

Where does the tool rest go when you move the head stock to the end?
 
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Not at this........

stage of my life. Only way would be if I won the lottery. The Oneway is a beautiful machine, well designed, and faithfully rendered. A couple things it doesn't have is the moveable head stock and my additional $3000+. I bought what I could afford (fixed, not like spayed or anything,but fixed income.) :D I haven't found any 3520 drawbacks that can't easily be handled. An excellent product for the money.

Jake
 
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Ron

I don't move the headstock all the way. The headstock gets moved to 12-15" away from the end and that leaves room for the toolrest. But you can still readily access the innards of the current bowl. This was one of the main reasons I bought the PM3520. The following pic illustrates this.
 

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john lucas

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powermatic

If you do move the headstock all the way to the end to turn something like a large platter then I use free standing tool rest. I had one for my Nova 3000 and gave it away. Now i'm going to build a heavier one for the Powermatic.
 
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Offboard too rest

John, Please let us see the tool rest when you get it built. The plans/drawings would be wonderful to see. Do you plan on copywrite? I hope not but would be willing to spend a few bucks to get the drawings. Thanks, Phil
 
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UPgrade?

Ron Sardo said:
Do you ever think about upgrading to a Oneway?
So, what is an upgrade when you already own a PM 3520!! I must be confused on the meaning of upgrade g :D Phil
 
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Ron Sardo

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Moving the headstock question

Jeff Jilg said:
Ron

I don't move the headstock all the way. The headstock gets moved to 12-15" away from the end and that leaves room for the toolrest. But you can still readily access the innards of the current bowl. This was one of the main reasons I bought the PM3520. The following pic illustrates this.


Thanks Jeff. Two questions if I may.

Is there just a large nut under the headstock to loosen when you want to move it.

After the headstock is moved do you have to realign it square to the ways?
 
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Count me in as a confirmed 3250 owner. I haven't found anything that I wanted to do on this lathe that it couldn't do. I also slide the headstock to the right end to gain access to bowls and shallow hollow forms. For deep hollow forms I have a boring bar and trap that I built from plans in an old AAW issue.
I have had poor luck using a freestanding toolrest, maybe due to my uneven cellar floor. But I would also like to see the plans for the setup.
B
 
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Hi Ron,

Feel free to ask more questions.

Q1: Is there just a large nut under the headstock to loosen when you want to move it?
A1: No, instead they have a lever similar to the lever on the tailstock. I created an oak handle for it, and tapped the inside so it seats firmly on the lever. They could have put this on the front to make it easier to get to. However, in regular usage I don't move it back and forth that often. Pictured below.

Q1: After the headstock is moved do you have to realign it square to the ways?
A1: No, it firmly rides the ways (bed) and is self aligning. I have detected no play at all. There is no detectable misalignment, it stays 100% square.
 

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Ron Sardo

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White Box?

Thanks again Jeff

If you don't mind, what is that white box?
 
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The white box is "the magic". It is a variable speed controller. It takes 220v single phase input (from your house) and converts it to 220v three phase output. It also converts the output to a variable power setting based on the speed knob which you turn on the front of the lathe.

The variable speed controller is programmable but I haven't touched it. It works just fine, and I never even look at it. The factory has a preset amount of braking force which they programmed into the controller. That way when you are turning a 50 lb piece at 600 RPM and you push stop, it will stop within 10-20 seconds. Otherwise you would have to go get a cup of coffee while it spun down. The braking force is pretty small but it is effective.
 
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If you won the lottery?

If you won the lotto and price was no object which lathe would you get? Maybe one day it will happen to me and I want to be prepared :D Sounds like most of you are happy with the PM. Currently I have a jet 1442 and occasionally dream of something bigger.
 

john lucas

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Phil
I don't know when I will get the tool rest built. I just moved and fixing the shop so I can work is the #1 priority. However I want to get it built soon because all the metal is laying around the shop and I'd like to get it out of my way. I will post photos. It probably won't be great to look at but hopefully will work better than my last one. John
 
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A note when sliding the headstock. I don't know about anyone else but Ihave gotten my fingers jammed between the lower part of the bed and the ball on the locking handle. :eek:
B
 
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Lotto-o-o

gran said:
If you won the lotto and price was no object which lathe would you get? Maybe one day it will happen to me and I want to be prepared :D Sounds like most of you are happy with the PM. Currently I have a jet 1442 and occasionally dream of something bigger.


If I won I would buy the exact lathe I have now; a Stubby 1000. For my money, in any amount, there is not a better lathe for bowls and hollow forms in production today.

Now, there are, I'm sure, a number of custom lathe builders out there for those turners to whom money is meaningless . . . ;)
 
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Ron Sardo

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Stubby vs Oneway?

Wouldn't one consider a Stubby and a Oneway two different types of lathes? One that does spindle turning that can be adapted to bowl turning while the other does bowl turning that can be adapted to spindle turning? Sometimes, couldn't this be a big difference?

I'm beginning to think, because of the fact that the 3520A's head can be moved down to the end, one can get the benefit of both worlds. I'm leaning towards this lathe.

Another question for the 3520A owners. what do you think is the biggest negative about the powermatic?
 
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Long on Stubby

Ron,

As I indicated, Stubby is primarily a bowl and hollowform machine, however I can turn 39" spindles on it, and it takes me less that 5 minutes to set up to do. Not an "adaptation" at all. Plus I don't need a floor-stand tool rest to turn up to 42" in diameter. :cool2:

If I wanted longer spindles (I don't), I can set up a satellite tailstock up to 15' (the width of my shop area)

M

PS: I think the 3520A is probably the best lathe for anything near its price on the market today. Go For it!!!
 
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Yeah, I agree with Mark. You can analyze this thing to death. For the price range, the PM3520 is the best of class machine out there. If you feel there is another contender for a machine in this price range, maybe you could list the comparative features side by side to determine which features you like best.
 
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Hmm

Another question for the 3520A owners. what do you think is the biggest negative about the powermatic?[/QUOTE]


To subjective a question. There are no "BIG" negatives. At least I haven't found any. As I said earlier in the thread there is nothing that can't easily be handled in the shop. :)

Jake
 

john lucas

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I have a few minor negatives. I love the lathe and think it was the right choice for me. I wish Indexing was built in. I wish the headstock wasn't so large. It's hard to work around it sometimes although some people are using spindle extensions and I might try that.
I wish the lock spindle lock had more than 2 postions. many lathes don't have that however. My Nova comet uses the index as a spindle lock and boy is that nice for sanding natural edge bowls. You move it just a few degrees at a time a lock it in place.
I wish the alignment castings on the tailstock went all the way back instead of just one on the front and one on the rear. Sometimes it's hard to get the tailstock on because you don't have it aligned right. It weights 57lbs so it can be a hoss once in a while.
I wish they would grind the tool rests differently. I use many of my tools with the handle fairly low and the casting from the tool post sticks up to far and gets in the way. My friend ground his off and it works much better.
Like I said these are all minor things and I could nit pick any machine apart. When you turn a great deal on a lathe it's the little things that get annoying. None of them really matter you just with you could change them.
 
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John is correct with his "minor negatives", but I don't consider them to be negative enough to be worth the extra $3000 a "better" lathe would cost. If I was doing production work, that's a different story. The only thing that would be worth that extra money is the paint job. :p
Jake
 
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Ron Sardo

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Jake Debski said:
John is correct with his "minor negatives", but I don't consider them to be negative enough to be worth the extra $3000 a "better" lathe would cost. If I was doing production work, that's a different story. The only thing that would be worth that extra money is the paint job. :p
Jake

Neither do I Jake, I'm pretty much sold on the 3520A.

Like all equipment, regardless if it's a lathe or anything else, they all have their "quarks" and "work arounds". I'm just looking for info. The one thing I didn't know about was the spindle lock. A easy workaround is building a index for the lathe.

Thanks
 
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The 2 position spindle lock has not been a problem with me. Sure it would be nice to have 4 to 6 positions. But mostly the lock is designed so there is a mechanism to ease the removal of a faceplate or a chuck.

Ron - once you get your lathe, you probably want to open the cover to the belt area and put locktite on the grub screws which lock the pulleys to the motor shaft and the spindle shaft. If not, then after awhile the screws get loose and the symptom is a ticking noise in the pulley area.
 
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3520 controller

Does anyone have the 3520 power controller password? I'd like to adjust the braking ramp time. If you don't want to post it, can you email it to me. thanks...Jeff
 
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3520 a/c inverter

After a very brief conversation with the engineers I decided to leave the inverter alone. It is actually manufactured by Delta they tell me. I have the manual somewhere in my shop, but I am not going to touch mine. From what they indicated it's best left alone. I agree it would be nice if the brake was a little steeper.
Jim :cool2:
 
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Hi All,

Back to the "minor negative points" on the Powermatic, I have one of the few PMs here in the UK and, being a full time turner it gets a lot of use as does most of my other lathes when teaching.

I would like the chance to swivell the head as I have on my Poolewoods, A spindle lock that works hands free and a built in indexing system.

I appreciate that all this would add cost to the lathe but it would make it my opinion one of the best lathes available. As it is it's still better than than all the other lathes in my workshop.

Regards....Mike Swain RPT
 
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Hi Mark,

Thanks for that, they're currently not available over here. That just leaves the swivelling head and the positive spindle lock, we're getting there.

Regards....Mike Swain RPT
 
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RE: Powermatic Issues

I've just bought my 3520A. I used to have a 46-715 Delta 14" swing. Unfortunately, due to shipping damage I haven't been able to use it yet.

I see a real difference in the fit and finish of the lathe over my old delta. The tool rest slides very smoothly. Tailstock is smoother, and the bed is highly polished.

Main Issue: Packaging.
The lathe arrives in a cardboard box (double cardboard) and bolted to a pallet. During shipping someone bumped it. When it was delivered there wasn't much visible damage, just a little rip in the cardboard on the side.

The result is that the inverter is damaged and so is the motor. Now its time to argue with the freight company and Amazon about getting things replaced.

This said, I'm more than willing to wait it all out to begin turning on this lathe. Just the way it responds, without power, gives me hope for great bowls in the future.

For those thinking of moving from 1 Jet to another, don't bother. If you've got 12 or 14 swing and are encountering problems, weight the lathe down with cement or sand. Save your money for the big mustard lathe or a Stubby. Its not worth moving up 2" or to stiffer legs when it really won't solve anything. I've seen the oneways and they look fantastic, but way to expensive for someone not production turning.

Brodie
 
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Availability

Mike,

While they won't sell machines directly, the JET organizations will sell parts and optional stuff. You can therefore contact P'matic direct and order that indexer addition for your machine Just be sure to get the instalation "contructions." :D

A swiveling head is gonna need a good machine shop and major modifications because the headstock casting is not configured for anything but straight mounting.

Mark
 
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Cutting Crew said:
Hi Mark,

Thanks for that, they're currently not available over here. That just leaves the swivelling head and the positive spindle lock, we're getting there.

Regards....Mike Swain RPT

Mike,

Remove the guard from the spinde-lock button (2 allen screws) drill a clearance hole for a 3/16" pin through the "ears" of the guard centered over the lock button and as close to the bottom of the "ears" as possible. Replace guard. To lock spindle depress button and insert pin. Mine is aluminium and bent in such a manner as to lie over the on/off switch. That way I can't turn on the machine while forgetting the spindle lock.

I hope to, in the future, redrill the "ears" to allow an axle and eccentric to replace the pin. :D
 
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Hello Jake,

I was always told the simplest ideas were the best, that's a great idea.

That only leaves the swivelling head and I've got an engineer coming on a course next week so hopefully I can use his brains to see what can and what can't be done to solve that.

Thanks for the help.

REgards....Mike Swain RPT
 
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