Can't make up my mind on a New Lathe

[Jerry Bochenek]

I am looking at upgrading to a full size lathe. I have narrowed my search to a Laguna Revo 1836 and a Nove Galaxi 1644 DVR lathe. I see a lot of comments about the Laguna abut very few about the Nova. Would appreciate any comments and recomendations regarding either of these. Thanks

 

[hockenbery]

I have done a number of demos on the older DVR our club owns And a couple of demos on a couple of other older DVRs.
The positives for the DVR is that unbelievabley stable for light weight machine and has good power.

The older ones have the worse controls of any lathe I have turned on.
I think Nova has fixed this on the new machines adding a red button stop and a dial speed control.
Tailstock and banjo are not real good but adequate.

For the price the DVR is a good machine worth consideration.

I like the jet 1640 and recently did a demo on this machine. Has very positive locks on the banjo and tailstock.
I have never turned on the Laguna.

 

[Dan Bevilacqua]

Was in your shoes not too long ago where I was torn mostly between the Revo 1836, and the Jet 1640 EVS ( the one referenced by hockenbery). I ended up getting the Jet, and I have had it for over 3 months now, and I think very highly of it. Never turned on the Revo or the Nova, so I cannot make any comparison.

 

[David Hill]

I have the Nova 1644-pre DVR and really like it--was my "big" lathe when I bought it Have moved up some since then--but still have it. My friend (aka "student") bought the Revo 1836 and loves it. He turns as I do--for stress relief--seems we share a lot in healthcare--'nother story there.

 

[Jerry Bochenek]

I have done a number of demos on the older DVR our club owns And a couple of demos on a couple of other older DVRs.
The positives for the DVR is that unbelievabley stable for light weight machine and has good power.

The older ones have the worse controls of any lathe I have turned on.
I think Nova has fixed this on the new machines adding a red button stop and a dial speed control.
Tailstock and banjo are not real good but adequate.

For the price the DVR is a good machine worth consideration.

I like the jet 1640 and recently did a demo on this machine. Has very positive locks on the banjo and tailstock.
I have never turned on the Laguna.

Thanks for your suggestion on the Jet 1640. I'm going to look at the 1640 Jet. Seems to get a lot of positive reviews and has some nice features that I am interested in.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Thanks for your suggestion on the Jet 1640.

Hi Jerry, I purchased a Jet 1640 last year and couldn't be any happier. As you stated, it does have a lot of nice features.

 

[hockenbery]

Thanks for your suggestion on the Jet 1640. I'm going to look at the 1640 Jet. Seems to get a lot of positive reviews and has some nice features that I am interested in.

If you are not in hurry, i’m doing a hollow ball Christmas ornament demo for the Handson club November 14. They have the new Jet 1640. If you are up for a trip to Beverly Hills, I’m sure they would enjoy having you visit.
It would be 45 minutes plus or minus drive. Just have to watch for Deer on the way home. We sometimes see a half dozen eating along the roadway which probably means there were 20.

You also might call Don Geiger and tell him what you are looking for. Don helps his Robust customers sell their old lathe. These are often really good machines at reasonable prices.
He may or may not have a lead on a machine you would be interested in.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

I own a recent vintage Nova 1624 to which I have added the DVR upgrade. This is a couple of models down from what you are considering, but I am very pleased with this Nova product.

What I wish I could get Nova to change is their use of blister buttons. I believe they use the same style on the Saturn and Galaxy.

These are difficult to feel and actuate. It often takes a couple of tries to turn the lathe on or off as you can't feel exactly where to place your finger tip or whether you have pressed firmly enough. I don't like them, but that said I just bought a Nova Voyager drill press with the same buttons. (Life is a compromise).

As to speed control there is a knob to make small adjustments. For large speed changes there are user programable buttons which can be set to various speeds (10 settings). This works out great. I think the Galaxy is similar.

I wasn't thrilled with the power off button placement on the DVR upgrade, so I added a big paddle switch I got from Rockler. The lathe is plugged into the switch and the switch into the outlet.

Can't speak to the Galaxy, but I have no issues with the banjo or tail stock on my 1624. They work fine and use the same sort of pressure plate mechanism as I have seen on other brands.

If you can arrange to try before you buy that woukd be great. Even powering up a lathe empty to check out the controls would be worth while. Put a random block of hardwood between centers (do you like the centers?) and crank down on the quill. Does the tail stock move?

 

[robo hippy]

Very little experience with the Laguna, but it is popular. I don't care for the extended cone on the headstock, just puts things too far away from the mount. Nova is okay, and I haven't turned a lot on them, but the DVR has surprising torque for the small looking motor. Like Al says, not bad for a light weight machine. I would take the Jet over these two, 2 hp and 220 volt.

robo hippy

 

[Dave DeJong]

I own a recent vintage Nova 1624 to which I have added the DVR upgrade. This is a couple of models down from what you are considering, but I am very pleased with this Nova product.

What I wish I could get Nova to change is their use of blister buttons. I believe they use the same style on the Saturn and Galaxy.

These are difficult to feel and actuate. It often takes a couple of tries to turn the lathe on or off as you can't feel exactly where to place your finger tip or whether you have pressed firmly enough. I don't like them, but that said I just bought a Nova Voyager drill press with the same buttons. (Life is a compromise).

As to speed control there is a knob to make small adjustments. For large speed changes there are user programable buttons which can be set to various speeds (10 settings). This works out great. I think the Galaxy is similar.

I wasn't thrilled with the power off button placement on the DVR upgrade, so I added a big paddle switch I got from Rockler. The lathe is plugged into the switch and the switch into the outlet.

Can't speak to the Galaxy, but I have no issues with the banjo or tail stock on my 1624. They work fine and use the same sort of pressure plate mechanism as I have seen on other brands.

If you can arrange to try before you buy that woukd be great. Even powering up a lathe empty to check out the controls would be worth while. Put a random block of hardwood between centers (do you like the centers?) and crank down on the quill. Does the tail stock move?

I just bought a Nova Saturn about a month ago and absolutely love the lathe except for the blister buttons. I totally agree with you on that point.

 

[Jerry Bochenek]

Thanks to everyone for your input and suggestions. After doing some additional research I have decided to purchase the Jet 1640EVS lathe. It has the features that I am looking for and comes with a 5 year warranty. I am now looking at various sellers for the best deal.

 

[Fadi Zeidan]

Craft Supplies tend to run 10-15% discount on the lathe few times a year. I’m not sure when their next sale though.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

You can pretty much count on a Jet sale between now and the end of the year. At least 10%.

 

[Jerry Bochenek]

Thanks for the heads up on upcoming sales. I already contacted Craft Supplies and their next Jet sale will be Black Friday and the local WoodCraft is running a Jet sale toward the end of October.

 

[Stan Semeniuk]

Hi Jerry,
I currently own a Laguna 1836 and an older Nova 1644. The Laguna is very new the Nova about 6yrs old. I'll start first with the Nova, It has been extremely reliable and I have had zero problems with it. I do like the swivel head stock but I find the tail stock and bango a little light. I dislike the blister on off buttons and because mine only has 8 speeds the low end is too high of an rpm at times. The Laguna is very new . I really like the variable speed and the fit and finish of it. It is a fair bit heavier in general if you compare all the components with the Nova. I did have a bad relay out of the box which left me pretty upset but Laguna's customer service was very good and they shipped a complete head stock very quickly to replace it and I have had zero issues since.

 

[robo hippy]

I am guessing by 'blister buttons' you mean they have the little plastic bubble over them??? I kind of wish I had that on my Beauty. After 10 years, there is accumulated gunk on the on/off buttons and they are a bit slow to release after pushing in. I may have to do some clean up...

robo hippy

 

[Paul Lajoie]

Don’t want highjack this thread but I have one question. The Jets have been mentioned but only the 1640, does anyone have experience with the 1840? I’ll be in the market in a year or two and that’s the one on top of my list with the revo in second grizzley third. Thanks for all the info given already!

 

[hockenbery]

I haven’t turned on the 1840 but I did get to play with both the 1840EVS and the 1840DVR at the AAW symposium a while back.
My first comment to the jet people after running the 1840EVS was “how do you expect to sell any Powermatics?”

The powermatic is a bit heavier but for most people there is little justification to pay $1500 more for a powermatic when the Jet 1840evs is such a sweet machine.

What Jet did was make a decision to offer the 1640 only in 115V and to offer the 1840 only in 220
The old 1640 had the 115V or 220V as options.

Also Jet put real controls( speed dial, on button, off button) on their DVR.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

I am guessing by 'blister buttons' you mean they have the little plastic bubble over them??? I kind of wish I had that on my Beauty. After 10 years, there is accumulated gunk on the on/off buttons and they are a bit slow to release after pushing in. I may have to do some clean up...

robo hippy

No. At least that is not what I am talking about when I said "blister buttons".
Here is a pic of the original motor and switches that come with the Nova 1624 in the 8 speed-change belt configuration.

The buttons are covered by a clear flexible cover and, at least for me, are easy to operate.

This is the DVR upgrade motor and switch panel.

These buttons are shallow blister of some plastic material. An acurately placed finger tip applying firm pressure will actuate the button. Anything else will not. They don't give any tactile feedback when pressed and no beep. You just have to wait and see if what you intended to happen happens.

Not the best, but the lathe has other virtues.

 

[Jerry Bochenek]

Hi Jerry,
I currently own a Laguna 1836 and an older Nova 1644. The Laguna is very new the Nova about 6yrs old. I'll start first with the Nova, It has been extremely reliable and I have had zero problems with it. I do like the swivel head stock but I find the tail stock and bango a little light. I dislike the blister on off buttons and because mine only has 8 speeds the low end is too high of an rpm at times. The Laguna is very new . I really like the variable speed and the fit and finish of it. It is a fair bit heavier in general if you compare all the components with the Nova. I did have a bad relay out of the box which left me pretty upset but Laguna's customer service was very good and they shipped a complete head stock very quickly to replace it and I have had zero issues since.

 

[Don Bomer]

Hi Mark,
For you, and others who suffer from "Blister Buttons," there is a reprieve. My X-wife is blind and uses numerous appliances, etc. that have these cursed switches. But, the blind community has long used small, self-adhesive plastic pieces called "Bump Dots" which allows them to both locate and actuate the appropriate switch(es) on said appliances. They are relatively soft and come in various sizes and colors. They are available on Amazon, Blind accessories markets, and probably in many department and craft stores as well.
If you search for "Bump Dots" on Amazon you will find them in various quantities and one purchase of $10 or so may supply a relatively large club with all they need.
Hope this made your day
Don...

... What I wish I could get Nova to change is their use of blister buttons. I believe they use the same style on the Saturn and Galaxy.

These are difficult to feel and actuate. It often takes a couple of tries to turn the lathe on or off as you can't feel exactly where to place your finger tip or whether you have pressed firmly enough. I don't like them, but that said I just bought a Nova Voyager drill press with the same buttons. (Life is a compromise).

 

[Peter Bergquist]

I went through the same thing you did Jerry. I was between the Laguna, the Nova Galaxi and the Jet 16" I decided on the Nova and have had it for about a month now. I could not be happier. The plastic cover on the buttons is a bit of a nuisance at times, but I completely understand why it's there. Here's what I consider to be the good, the bad and the ugly with this machine:

The Good.
Controls are great except for the button covers noted. Variable speed control and the options for braking, etc. are incredibly flexible.
Motor torque: This thing is a monster, especially at low speeds. I'm really impressed with the DVR technology.
Big, heavy cast legs make the entire platform quite stable. Probably not Robust or Powermatic stable - but certainly plenty good enough for me.
Machining was excellent. Absolutely perfect alignment with tailstock out of the box.
Crating for shipment was secure and well done.

The Bad.
I'm not a big fan of the banjo. It's a little bit "high waisted" and the offset for the toolrest makes working at the tailstock end more challenging at times. It's not terrible, just not a strong point.
Tailstock lock. It takes quite a bit of force to get the tailstock to not slide when securing work. Clean ALL the cosmolene, then clean it again. After that you'll finally get a bite.
The included spur drive isn't great. That's probably true of most lathes though. I quickly picked up a stebcenter.

The Ugly.
The toolrest. It's got a power coat covering that you need to completely clean off the riding surface before you try to use it (ask me how I know). If you don't, when it starts to peel it'll drive you crazy. I've got my eye on a 12" Robust toolrest to replace this (I might just melt the original down out of spite).

Good luck.

 

[Bryan Lisowski]

I'm in the research phase myself right now. I am currently considering 2 different Grizzly models, Laguna Revo 18/36 and the Nova. Any of these will be a step up over my mini lathe, but trying to decide what size and features is the problem.

 

[John Torchick]

Don, this old dog learned a new trick. Wasn't aware of the articles available for those have limited vision.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I've got my eye on a 12" Robust toolrest to replace this (I might just melt the original down out of spite).

A very long tool rest can be an encumbrance unless you are turning very long spindles. My favorite tool rest is nine inches and I have several all the way down to two inches for close in work. When I need a long tool rest with a long reach I really like the Robust J rests. I have a twelve inch tool rest and it has probably has been years since I last used it for anything other than a paperweight.

 

[Don Bomer]

Don, this old dog learned a new trick. Wasn't aware of the articles available for those have limited vision.

Great John, I hope it helps. The only place I'm currently using a " Bump Dot" is on an Oxygen Concentrator that I must use for a slight case of COPD while I sleep. The room lights are off when I turn the OC on and I had a lot of trouble in locating the totally flat spot on the control panel. The Bump Dot I use is 1/4" and is centered on the switch and easy to find in the near dark. It puts pressure on just the right spot to actuate it. I hope it works for those who have similar problems with their Lathes and other equipment.
Don...

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Hi Mark,
For you, and others who suffer from "Blister Buttons," there is a reprieve. My X-wife is blind and uses numerous appliances, etc. that have these cursed switches. But, the blind community has long used small, self-adhesive plastic pieces called "Bump Dots" which allows them to both locate and actuate the appropriate switch(es) on said appliances. They are relatively soft and come in various sizes and colors. They are available on Amazon, Blind accessories markets, and probably in many department and craft stores as well.
If you search for "Bump Dots" on Amazon you will find them in various quantities and one purchase of $10 or so may supply a relatively large club with all they need.
Hope this made your day
Don...

@Don Bomer, thank you very very much for this information. I will check into this. I am just finishing up a long project and more and more I find these blister buttons frustrating (note, I have installed a big red paddle emergency stop switch).

 

[Richard Chaddock]

I am on the fence about the Jet 1640 and unfortunately there is not one to see before purchasing in my area. My shop has limited space so I am looking for the footprint of the lathe. I like the option of rotating the head stock and being able to slide it. What is the length of the lathe when set up? The manual has 73" however it says the width is 52.5" so I am not sure if that is correct and as mentioned I cannot see before purchasing. I was also looking at the Grizzly G0838 (16X24), Nova Saturn and the Laguna 18/36. I think the Laguna is too big for my shop and not really impressed with the Nova (Judging the book by the cover). Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[hockenbery]

The minimum footprint is in the shipping dimensions
57x31 This is a good size for storage space required.
With the head stock and tailstock at the ends of the bed the motor and handwheel stick out making it longer. Similarly with the headstock swiveled and the banjo extended the width gets bigger.

For working I would want 4 feet on the front and end of the lathe.

Shipping dimensions (LxWxH)................................................................... 57 x 31 x 28 in. (1448 x 788 x 711 mm) Overall dimensions, assembled (LxWxH)........................................... 73 x 52-1/2 x 20 in. (1854 x 1334 x 508 mm)

 

[Dan Bevilacqua]

Richard, I just measured my 1640. The length and width at the feet is approx. 54" x 20". The bolt-on holder (I store my knock-out bar , wrench, drive center and live centers in it) on the left end (you can see it in photos of the lathe) adds about 4 " to the length.

If you place the headstock even with the left end of the bed, the motor extends past the bed by about 12". Obviously, due to the sliding headstock feature, one can move the motor to where it is even with the length of the bed, if needed for space.

The headstock with the inverter is about 16" wide. The inverter hangs off the back of the headstock, adding width to the bedways. If you need more measurements, let me know.

By the way, I hold a very high opinion of the 1640.

 

[Richard Chaddock]

Richard, I just measured my 1640. The length and width at the feet is approx. 54" x 20". The bolt-on holder (I store my knock-out bar , wrench, drive center and live centers in it) on the left end (you can see it in photos of the lathe) adds about 4 " to the length.

If you place the headstock even with the left end of the bed, the motor extends past the bed by about 12". Obviously, due to the sliding headstock feature, one can move the motor to where it is even with the length of the bed, if needed for space.

The headstock with the inverter is about 16" wide. The inverter hangs off the back of the headstock, adding width to the bedways. If you need more measurements, let me know.

By the way, I hold a very high opinion of the 1640.

Thanks Dan, Much appreciated and this is exactly what I needed to know. I would mostly have the headstock moved to the right to save space but this is what is appealing to me about this lathe is that I can do that and also rotate the head stock.

 

[Dan Bevilacqua]

Thanks Dan, Much appreciated and this is exactly what I needed to know. I would mostly have the headstock moved to the right to save space but this is what is appealing to me about this lathe is that I can do that and also rotate the head stock.

You are welcome. I have had mine since June 2018, and I have never rotated the headstock. In fact, I have never even removed the anti-rotation block on the base of the headstock. Some people really like the rotating feature. I actually don't think I need it at this time; but, one never knows what the future may bring.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I had a lathe with a headstock that could both slide and rotate. I tried the rotation feature one time and never used it again.

 

[Dean Center]

Richard,
It's hard to imagine that one of the most popular lathes in America can't be found in your neck of the woods. Have you checked with some of the local clubs to see if there is a member with a 1640 who would let you come take a look? You can find clubs from the main AAW web page.

 

[Richard Chaddock]

Richard,
It's hard to imagine that one of the most popular lathes in America can't be found in your neck of the woods. Have you checked with some of the local clubs to see if there is a member with a 1640 who would let you come take a look? You can find clubs from the main AAW web page.

Dean, Surprisingly I have not found one store that displays anything other than a midi lathe in northern VA, MD and DC, wish that was not the case. I was visiting Atlanta last year and stopped by the local Rockler who had many on display but was not in the market for one at the time and really did not look at them as I was there for something else. The local wood workers club had the Laguna 18/36 and an older Nova DVR XP that they were very nice to let me look at. I will be going to the next meeting at the local wood turning club and will ask. You say this is one of the most popular lathes kind of surprises me since there really is not that much out there about it, YouTube or other forums and was one of the reasons why I came here and I am grateful for the many responses I have gotten. cheers. Rich

 

[Richard Chaddock]

I had a lathe with a headstock that could both slide and rotate. I tried the rotation feature one time and never used it again.

Could I ask why? I would think it would be a positive

 

[hockenbery]

Could I ask why? I would think it would be a positive

If you wanted to do a16-20” platter the swivel would work nicely
Be nice for diving a sanding drum or buffing wheels

 

[Jerry Bochenek]

I have had my Jet 1640 since December 2018 and really like it. I have some back issues so I have used the head swivel feature several times to hollow bowls. swiveling the head stock makes it easier for me to address the front of the bowl while hollowing. And I will add that realigning after swiveling the head back is very easy and accurate. Also, the footprint of the 1640 is the same as the Jet 1840. So maybe you can find someone locally with an 1840 to look at.

 

[Richard Chaddock]

Thanks Jerry. My mom lives in Sumter landing last year she took me over to the awesome workshop you have there in the Villages. We usually come down there in March-April for some sunshine .

 

[Bill Boehme]

Could I ask why? I would think it would be a positive

The lathe was the Delta 1440 which was a mid price lathe at the time. Jet and others had similar lathes with headstocks that could rotate in addition to sliding.There was one lever that locked both sliding and rotation. The rotation used a marble size ball bearing to provide detent stops, but the fit was sloppy enough that there was a few degrees of wiggle room. On top of that, the rotation angle would shift a bit as the locking lever was tightened. It was a big pain to boresight the headstock with the tailstock every time that the headstock is moved so I never unlocked the headstock ... which made it a de facto fixed headstock lathe.