Doug, I'm sure you're right about all of that. So far, though, I love the access the sliding head on the 3520C gives me for hollowing. I bought the swing away and would have regardless. Taking the tailstock off for any reason is a chore and something I don't really want to do. Anyway, in the end, I think it just comes down to preference and what you get used to. Since I now have a new 3520C, I'm sure that is what I'll get used to. I already love it.
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Best Full-Sized Lathe / Upgrade Help
- Thread starter Allen Mattsen
- Start date
I'm loving it! Zero problems with the machine, very happy with my decision. I use it every day.
The only negative thing I can find is that the tail stock locking lever for the live center quill had the bolt snapped off during shipping, but the store swapped it out with another one immediately and it was no problem.
I ordered the riser blocks, too, and the fit for me (I'm 6'2) is excellent. Picked mine up from a local Woodcrafters to avoid shipping & sales tax. They had it to me within 10 days despite a backorder every place else of 6 weeks or more. Good folks to work with. If you're in the Portland, OR area they had another one in stock
Sweet rig, Allen! I'm still turning on the Laguna 12/16 you upgrade from, though I may be getting a very nice OneWay 16/40 with accessories from my mentor in the near future. Funny thing-my new neighbor is a power-lifter who just took down two of our dreaded sweetgums (though the heartwood is beautiful). I let him bring over a stout, straight limb today for his 1st turning session working on a mallet, and he's a natural, with very fine motor coordination and super-smooth roughing cuts, possibly from power-lifting. He loved it, and wants to do more. So who know, I could have a buyer for my Laguna 12/16 when the time comes.
Enjoy that grown-up Laguna!
Enjoy that grown-up Laguna!
What size breaker did u install? I know the specs say 30, but the plug is a 20A.
Aaron,
Totally off the original topic, but I have an observation about new turners for you if you're going to teach. A very strong person might get away with turning just with hands/wrists/arms, rather than learning the correct whole body ergonomics of turning. As you assist him, make sure he's locking the handle to his hip or trunk, using his legs and moving his trunk correctly for the type of cuts he is making. Much easier to learn proper technique from the beginning than relearning it all later.
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Thanks for the tip, Dean-That locking the tool handle into the hip is one of the 1st things I taught him, along with ABC and all the other fundamentals. He took to it like a duck to water, and I think his tremendous physical strength really helped him with motor control. I've been teaching high school English for 25 years, but he was/is my 1st student on the lathe. I'm still quite new myself, but I know the fundamentals, and I knew he would like to make a mallet with a tree he cut down in his yard. He didn't finish it, so I sealed it to finish in another session.
I had to learn the basics mostly from YouTube videos, though I had a beginner class at Woodcraft and now have a mentor. It was amazing to me how quickly he picked it up with hands-on teaching versus my months-long individual struggle. As with guiding student writing, constant feedback is key. I very much enjoyed this 1st teaching session.
I had to learn the basics mostly from YouTube videos, though I had a beginner class at Woodcraft and now have a mentor. It was amazing to me how quickly he picked it up with hands-on teaching versus my months-long individual struggle. As with guiding student writing, constant feedback is key. I very much enjoyed this 1st teaching session.
I installed a 20-amp, 220v circuit which I plan to also use for a larger bandsaw in the very near future; one tool at a time. Considered a 30A but my friend who did my wiring is also an electrical engineer and we decided it was unnecessary.
The 2436 manual's spec sheet calls for 15A (even though it mentions 30A in another section), and Lagunalathe dot com also says 15A recommended. We felt 20A was sufficient and it's been no problem at all.
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Would love to have you over!! We can make some videos...
The primary function of the circuit breaker is to protect conductors feeding the lathe, the secondary function is to protect the lathe motor, for motor powered equipment a motor rated breaker is the best option, when you have a residential load center your options for breakers are somewhat limited. If you have a heavy load on a motor operated piece of equipment and it takes time for the equipment to come up to speed the motor can draw a large amount of current until it comes up to speed some breakers will trip off from this high inrush of current, a motor rated breaker is designed to deal with this problem, in some instances a larger residential grade breaker can be used to solve this problem. A VFD can be programmed to also deal with heavy torque starting and braking issues for heavy loads if you run into starting and stopping issues.