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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Powermatic 3520C Nov 18^th, 2017 at 5:10pm For those that are interested Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or
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Tom Ferone WR Noob Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 4 Raleigh North Carolina USA Gender: Jet 1642evs	Re: Powermatic 3520C Reply #1 - Nov 18^th, 2017 at 9:36pm I turned on one couple weeks ago. Nice machine.
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Lee Watermann Senior Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 416	Re: Powermatic 3520C Reply #2 - Nov 18^th, 2017 at 9:47pm Now if they only made the head stock rotate they would have it all. I would sell my B if they had.
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Re: Powermatic 3520C
Reply #3 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 8:14am

It will be interesting to track sales and feedback from others within the turning community. Hopefully someone will have the opportunity to do a point for point comparison between the 'C' and the new Laguna and Grizzly units. As all appear to now be made in China, will the data points add up to make the Powermatic worth the extra dollars?

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Ed Weber

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Re: Powermatic 3520C
Reply #4 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 11:47am

IMO,
"Most" all lathes are extremely overpriced for what they are. I'm all but positive this one will have a hefty price tag. Somewhere between the 3520b and the 4224b which gives it a wide range.
A comparison would be good since most all of today's lathes are made overseas. It's really just a matter of how well the parent company controls the quality not where it's built.
From their list of "upgrades", it sounds like some things that should have always been there.
• Moveable control box
• Ergonomic spindle design
• Adjustable riser blocks
• Anti-rotation tailstock key
• Digital indexing readout
• Increased weight
• Increased working capacity between centers

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Ron Sardo

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Re: Powermatic 3520C
Reply #5 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 12:40pm

Ed Weber wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 11:47am:

Increased working capacity between centers

I had caught that before, so maybe its really a 3820 and not a 3620 since the 36 always referenced the capacity between centers? Cool

Comparisons have been made numerous times, like Ed Weber wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 11:47am:

It's really just a matter of how well the parent company controls the quality not where it's built.

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John Grace WR Addict Offline Everyone needs a good wingman... Posts: 1,278 Bel Air Maryland USA	Re: Powermatic 3520C Reply #6 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 1:13pm Ed Weber wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 11:47am: It's really just a matter of how well the parent company controls the quality not where it's built. Agreed.
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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Powermatic 3520C Reply #7 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 2:00pm Price comparison will be the biggest issue IMO
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Ralph Fahringer

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Re: Powermatic 3520C
Reply #8 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 2:27pm

At this point in my life I have the last lathe I will ever use.. 3520b and am quite happy with it.
My new bandsaw is also the last one I will need.

I can see an advantage to a longer bed whenever i use my Ellsworth gouges with that ginormous handle....tho i could just cut a couple of inches off...or i could just pull the tailstock out onto the swing away.

I see no reason to want a lathe whose head swivels when this one already slides down to the end. Smiley

I already have a remote switch I added and it sits on the tail end of the lathe.

What is a digital indexing readout? Shocked

Should i be depressed because I don't have one?

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Re: Powermatic 3520C
Reply #9 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 2:54pm

Ralph Fahringer wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 2:27pm:

At this point in my life I have the last lathe I will ever use

Interesting point. When I got back into turning I bought the NOVA DVR XP and 'thought' someday I'd get a big boy lathe. After six plus years, however, I recognized I rarely ever came close to max-ing out the lathe...I do mostly bowls (10"-13") and the odd vase or two. This past summer, I finally had an occasion to turn some 16" pieces and I immediately recognized those would be very few and far between. The only thing I wish my DVR had that many of the newer and 'better' models have is the sliding headstock...that does make me envious, but not envious enough to drop several grand. That said though...I suspect I'll have to 'fight' the urge to buy something shiny down the road.

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Ron Sardo

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Re: Powermatic 3520C
Reply #10 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 3:40pm

Ralph Fahringer wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 2:27pm:

Should i be depressed because I don't have one?

Absolutely Grin

Ralph Fahringer wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 2:27pm:

What is a digital indexing readout?

Lets you know how far you rotated the head. 0°, 15°, 22.5° and so on.

All the new bells and whistles that are on the 3520C that I like are I already installed on my 3520B.

As to the swivel head, when I had a 1236 and was looking to upgrade I knew I wanted a rotating head and felt that was very important. I looked at all the big lathes and settled on the 3520B because I felt it was the best bang for my buck. 10+ years later, there wasn't a single time when I missed having a head that swiveled. It turned out to be a non-issue.

I suspect I won't miss having digital readout for indexing in the next 10+ years either.

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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Powermatic 3520C Reply #11 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 4:33pm Ron Sardo wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 3:40pm: Ralph Fahringer wrote Today at 11:27:50: What is a digital indexing readout? Lets you know how far you rotated the head. 0°, 15°, 22.5° and so on. A $5 sensor that probably raises the price of the lathe $300 OR An indexing wheel/plate for $100 I guess those are the choices now
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Tony Rozendaal

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Re: Powermatic 3520C
Reply #12 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 6:30pm

Ron Sardo wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 3:40pm:

Ralph Fahringer wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 2:27pm:

What is a digital indexing readout?

Lets you know how far you rotated the head. 0°, 15°, 22.5° and so on.

Unless there is a way to lock the rotation at each desired degree this will be of little use. It will be interesting to learn how this works.

At any rate, I'm thinking it is more than a $5 sensor...

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Robert Hayward WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 774 Tampa area Florida USA Gender: 3520b	Re: Powermatic 3520C Reply #13 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 6:38pm Lee Watermann wrote on Nov 18^th, 2017 at 9:47pm: Now if they only made the head stock rotate they would have it all. What would be gained with a rotating headstock ? I turn the inside of bowls as a matter of routine off the right end of my 3520b.
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Ed Weber

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Re: Powermatic 3520C
Reply #14 - Nov 19^th, 2017 at 8:53pm

Tony Rozendaal wrote on Nov 19^th, 2017 at 6:30pm:

At any rate, I'm thinking it is more than a $5 sensor... Smiley

They may not be $5 but they are inexpensive since they are more common than people realize. Your car probably has several of them, cam shaft, steering shaft, axles, etc.
Lots of way to achieve the task at hand, magnetic, optical, and so on.
Sensors for this type of application can be as cheap or as expensive as you want them to be. Simply an add-on (slip over the shaft) or built into one of the bearings.
Whatever they use, I'm sure they'll get more than enough to cover it. Cheesy

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