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New Powermatic! PM2020

hello Douglas.......

Are you short on space?

Since the Powermatic lathe has a sliding headstock anyway, I can't think of a reason to own one of the 2020's otherwise.

Matter of fact, a long bed will be more resistant to vibration than a short bed, so you might be giving something to get something.......

ko
 
Hey Odie, space is always a premium for me but I would just love a better lathe for bigger work. It's dreaming now.

I wonder how successful this will be. At the nearly $4000 price you can get a 3420 on sale.

Doug
 
Douglas Ladendorf said:
Hey Odie, space is always a premium for me but I would just love a better lathe for bigger work. It's dreaming now.

I wonder how successful this will be. At the nearly $4000 price you can get a 3420 on sale.

Doug
Click to expand...

Doug......I can see it, if space is the determining factor. Others who have recently produced Powermatic lathes seem to be very happy with them. (John Lucas has one.....ask him.) It looks like the 2020 is the same price as the full sized 3520B, so the "footprint" seems to be the only reason for wanting the 2020.

I've never had a Powermatic, but I considered one at one time. The things that were a turn-off for me, were the controls on the headstock, limited access to the back side of a turning because the headstock gets in the way. Perfection here is the Robust American Beauty.....look at one and see that it's designed perfectly for access to the turning without the bulk of the headstock getting in the way.

I would rather have the sliding headstock than what I have....fixed headstock longbed Woodfast. This doesn't mean I can't do whatever I need to do, but a sliding headstock, or swivel headstock would be better. Even lathes like the Vicmarc VL300 short bed seem too long to really overcome the disadvantages of the long bed.......

Like you, I'm continually dreaming of upgrading to a nicer lathe.......but, I never really pull the lever, simply because I've learned to overcome the shortcomings of a long bed fixed headstock.....with some minor inconveniences at times.......:D

ko
 
Bill Boehme said:
The price comparison that I was making was the actual selling price at an authorized dealer.
Click to expand...

We bought a ONEWAY 2416 in 2008. It was not a whole lot less than the 2436.
The size is perfect for the platters and bowls turned on it.
We put a 17" bed on the outboard side. It could be mounted on the inboard side to give 33" between centers.

Robust has done quite well with a 28" between centers lathe.

You only need a 36" bed for baseball bats and furniture legs and not too many folks turn them.

Al
 
I turn a fair amount of things longer than 32" Mostly lamps and some pedestals for a customer. Of course my Gun Lamp was 54". I've considered buying another bed extension to give me another 18" They aren't terribly hard to install or remove (although quite heavy). So If I end up with a space problem in my new shop that may be the way I go, is to store them until needed.

Wow I didn't realize they had raised the price that much. I bought my 3520A in 2003 and it was $2000 and going up the next month. Sounds like it goes up every year. Wonder if the 2020 will take the 18" bed extension. If it would then you could install it on the rare occasion you need it.

I don't use my sliding headstock as much as I thought I would. Most of my bowls are fairly small and it only takes a few minutes to hollow them. Faster to just do it than it is to slide the bed. I do it on occasion for larger platters because it's easier to get that long flat cut when I'm standing more upright. Lately I've been turning the platters bottom in reverse and not moving the headstock. The downside of that is I don't have setscrews in my chucks to lock them on the spindle so you have to take lighter cuts early on when getting out to the edge of the platter or you can unscrew the chuck. BTDT.

I think the 2020 fills a little market niche, especially overseas. I notice that many of the shops in England that we see photos of are quite small. Of course if heating costs keep going up my goal of getting a bigger shop may have to face the reality of economics and I'll have to either live with a smaller shop or put everything on wheels so it can be stored until needed.
 
john lucas said:
Do they make a really really really really short bed for doing my miniature goblets. :)
Click to expand...

:-) Yes! Look for a jewelers lathe.
One would fit inside the cabinet of the Powermatic tailstock.

Here's a link to one in use turning a tiny cannon.
I could do that on my big machine!!!!! :-)

http://youtu.be/k0VXYBc6PPQ
 
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hockenbery said:
We bought a ONEWAY 2416 in 2008. It was not a whole lot less than the 2436.
The size is perfect for the platters and bowls turned on it.
We put a 17" bed on the outboard side. It could be mounted on the inboard side to give 33" between centers.

Robust has done quite well with a 28" between centers lathe.

You only need a 36" bed for baseball bats and furniture legs and not too many folks turn them.

Al
Click to expand...

While the Robust AB advertizes 28" between centers, it is quite a bit more with the tilt-away tailstock option. Even without that option, it is no problem to turn a standard 29" table leg.
 
oil $ down, copper $ down, ngas $ down, iron (produce steel) $ down

seems we ought to get some deflation 1st of the year on woodturning machines and gouges

Steve W. is having big sale

what say u?????????????
 
Bill Boehme said:
While the Robust AB advertizes 28" between centers, it is quite a bit more with the tilt-away tailstock option. Even without that option, it is no problem to turn a standard 29" table leg.
Click to expand...

Bill,
I know the tilt away can be a bed extension. Kind of a cool idea.
AB has a 52" long bed as an option too. Turn any bat a human can swing.

Point is they are selling a lot of 28" between centers.
People aren't feeling too confined with the 28". And most of them have friends with big lathes if they need to turn a long spindle. :-)


How ya gonna turn a 35" baseball bat or even a 33" ? You still have tee ball sizes covered... :-)
 
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hockenbery said:
.... How ya gonna turn a 35" baseball bat or even a 33" ? You still have tee ball sizes covered... :-)
Click to expand...

Well, I bought an ash blank for a baseball bat, but I plan to turn balls from it. I don't see myself turning any bats, but I could by getting this 16" bed extension
 
Bill Boehme said:
Well, I bought an ash blank for a baseball bat, but I plan to turn balls from it. I don't see myself turning any bats, but I could by getting this 16" bed extension
Click to expand...

That would do it.
Or you could take a Florida vacation, stop by and turn on one of our lathes. :-)

The Oneways and Robusts have lost of options for bed extensions.
 
i would consider the shorter version due to being able to stand at the end of the lathe which i've been known to do on my jet 1220. i loved my even shorter
jet 1015, but not enough power and it only ran one direction. most of what i turn are bowls and platters. with the sliding head stock, i could get even closer AND with a short extension AND the lower mounting holes for the extension, this lathe is capable of turning 30"+ diameter turnings. i see that as a bonus.
 
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