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For Powermatic 3520 owners

Well, I don't own a Powermatic (yet) but I'm always impressed when I see a man reach for a wrench to tighten a mounting bolt and observe that it isn't a crescent wrench.
 
Ed,
That looks real nice but it seems the tailstock is still in the way if one wanted to slide the headstock down and work on a bowl or hollow form from the end of the lathe. I'd sure like to hear more on your impressions after you've worked with it more. And thanks for the video. It sure helped a lot more than looking at Butler's web site.
 
I have looked at those and feel the same way. When I use my arm brace or captured bar system it would get in the way unless I move the headstock down to the end which I often do for the armbrace. When I do bowls I often just remove the tailstock so I can swing the gouge handle around and swinging it to the side would not get it out of the way.
I've seen a homemade version where the tailstock rotated over so it was out of the way horizontally but then stuck out on the end of the lathe so it would still get in the way when I hollow vessels. What I would like to see is something that swings away and then rotates over so it's on the back side of the lathe but out of the way.
 
I saw the dust collector also but didn't realize that it came with the mounting bracket and all. I don't have the 3520B tool rest but might be able to adapt it to the Unistrut bracket I mounted to the back side of my lathe. That makes it worth the $68.
 
Swing?

Ed,

Could you measure the swing of the lathe in that area while tailstock is parked off to the side?

In other words, the horizontal distance from the center of the bed to the side of the tailstock.

Thanks,
Kurt
 
Kurt,

When the tailstock is parked, as shown in this photo, the clearance from bed centerline to edge of the tailstock is exactly 7".
 

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nicktodd said:
It appears there is some flex in the steel. How do you think it will hold up?
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing, and with that small pivot point holding 50lb makes me wonder too.

At least the price is right.
 
Thanks Ed for taking the time and effort to do the review. Based on your review, I'm sold; mine is on the way.

Dave
 
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