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Nova 1624-44 Lathe (Read 616 times)
 
Terry Louis
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Nova DVR XP
Nova 1624-44 Lathe
May 19th, 2020 at 10:54pm
 
I have found one on Craigslist for $550. And I am seriously Considering it, There would be a couple hours worth of driving involved. But I anyone could send some pro or cons about it, Please do. Right now I am working with an old, fading Harbor freight lathe. Thank you.
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Richard Shelby
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NOVA 1624
Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #1 - May 20th, 2020 at 6:16am
 
The 1624 will be a sweet upgrade from your HF clunker. That price is about half the cost of a new 1624. It's a deal if it passes a thorough inspection. Check the bearings for play and noises while running. Swivel the headstock and check for play. Check the alignment of the tail stock.  You will eventually want to buy the DVR motor upgrade.
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Glenn Roberts
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #2 - May 20th, 2020 at 6:31am
 
Fine for me - but I don't turn large bowls, heavy items, or core. Use the alignment tool for proper head stock and tail stock alignment, after you perfectly level the lathe. 2 things on my wish list: VSR and a remote safety switch for that lathe. I have a beefy treadmill motor I will try sometime when I get roundtoit. I paid 899 on sale at Woodcraft.
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« Last Edit: May 20th, 2020 at 6:32am by Glenn Roberts »  

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Bill Moschler
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #3 - May 20th, 2020 at 8:15am
 
I have a 16/24-44.  I paid around $850 for it new at Woodcraft 12 or more years about.  The normal price is a lot more but Woodcraft did a sale every year.

I like the lathe.  I have use it for some big,  unbalanced turning and it did well.  I also make reel seats for fly rods and it did well for the small stuff.   For the money it sure seems to be a good lathe.  It is not machined as smoothly as the Jet and other better lathes.  I use the swiveling headstock quit a bit even for some smaller bowls because the access is better and I can see better where I can turn.

Features I like and use are the fairly large through hole in the headstock (fly rods go through there when I am turning the handles), the index lock, the reasonably long quill on the tailstock, the swiveling head, and the fact that you can add almost any length bed extension,  It also reverses for sanding but I do not do that.  It replaced a home built 8' bed lathe that I used for turning columns and a smaller Reeves drive Delta.

A future I do not like.  I am old and the handles for locking things are too short and the threads are not as nice as on a Powermatic.  It takes me a lot of force to lock things tightly.

The only issue I have had with this lathe is that the insert for the chuck that came from Woodcraft wobbled.  Eventually when I got it diagnosed a new insert from Novel fixed it perfectly.  I have had to lightly ream the Morse Taper.  That might be my fault rather than Novas.  I was turning heavy 8" spindles with a older drive spur from another lathe and it gauled a bit.

I bought a bed extension and the outboard turning rest.  A huge outlay of money now.  You might look down the road and decide if Nova is where you want to end up before you invest a lot in accessories.  But..I expect I could sell the bed extension and outriggers if I wanted to,  If the one you are looking at has a bed extension that is another $250 or so of value added.

I get along fine with the belt changes.  Have gotten pretty fast at it.  I bought the lathe because of the price and I am not about to spend 750 upgrading it to VS.  I have thought about selling it and going to a Laguna or maybe to a Nova DVR and keeping all my accessories.

My opinion is that the used Nova will be a huge improvement over anything at Harbor Freight for up to twice the money and maybe even then.
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« Last Edit: May 20th, 2020 at 8:39am by Bill Moschler »  
 
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Mike Mills
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #4 - May 20th, 2020 at 4:14pm
 
I've had mine about 12 years also and have had no problems at all.
I did make a couple of modifications. 
Adding an emergency shut off switch at the end of the right side ($14). 
To see the belt position with the "lid" closed was difficult for me.  I removed the plate and carefully removed the stickum with goo gone, then added strip maganet around the edge.  Very easy to lift the plate with a fingernail to check speed (it has never vibrated or fallen off).

I really like the swivel head and use it with almost every bowl or platter.  I did get the MT alignment tool but only used it once.   If your eyesight is decent and your points are true it is no problem to set it correctly when you swivel it back.  If you have a Nova live center you should be able to set the alignment with the "threaded insert" that comes with the live center as it is 2MT on both end; only problem may be that it is very short.
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Glenn Roberts
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #5 - May 20th, 2020 at 9:01pm
 
I was able to drill straight after using the alignment tool because even though the points lined up horizontally and vertically, the tail stock and head stock axes were not lined up.
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Terry Louis
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #6 - May 20th, 2020 at 9:34pm
 
Well people, Thank you very much. I think I am going to try a see it this weekend. I do not get to turn as much as I would like. And the 3/4 hp lathe I have now is slipping away, it bogs down so easy. With 1 1/2 hp,much shorter than what I have. Well sum it up. I'm excited.
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John Grace
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #7 - May 21st, 2020 at 7:51am
 
Bill Moschler wrote on May 20th, 2020 at 8:15am:
A future I do not like.  I am old and the handles for locking things are too short and the threads are not as nice as on a Powermatic.  It takes me a lot of force to lock things tightly.


I have the same issues with the Nova handles.  My hands have a bit of arthritis due to a lifetime of golfing and tennis.  I mentioned it in passing to my older brother one, a high-end machinist, and he put me onto some 'better' handles available through McMaster-Carr.  Better in that their longer so I use less force to gain more leverage.  Also, I bought what they refer to as a 'safety adjustable' handle such that the handle is spring-loaded on the hub and it be placed in best location for you.  I found original Nova handle for my rest was always in an awkward spot.  Just a thought...
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Bill Moschler
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #8 - May 21st, 2020 at 8:17am
 
John, thanks for posting this.  I checked the MC website and found a good selection of handles,  When I get home in 2 weeks and get my mail forwarding straight I am going to order some.

Bill
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John Grace
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #9 - May 21st, 2020 at 1:42pm
 
Bill Moschler wrote on May 21st, 2020 at 8:17am:
I checked the MC website and found a good selection of handles, 


No problem...check carefully, they have many different versions from steel to plastic or handles that pop out or in, etc.  Obviously metric though I've long since forgotten what size.  I was kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner.  That little T-handle was always in the way and too small to gain much torque.
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larry packwood
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #10 - May 22nd, 2020 at 1:41pm
 
Glenn Roberts wrote on May 20th, 2020 at 9:01pm:
I was able to drill straight after using the alignment tool because even though the points lined up horizontally and vertically, the tail stock and head stock axes were not lined up.


I have the 1624 and insert a drive center in the chuck and bring the tailstock and live center up close and then lock when they are just right but sometimes  when i turn between centers it is obvious that they are not perfectly aligned.  Is there enough play in the tailstock thatit could be out of line and would the tool fix that?
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larry packwood
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #11 - May 22nd, 2020 at 2:04pm
 
Terry Louis wrote on May 19th, 2020 at 10:54pm:
I have found one on Craigslist for $550. And I am seriously Considering it, There would be a couple hours worth of driving involved. But I anyone could send some pro or cons about it, Please do. Right now I am working with an old, fading Harbor freight lathe. Thank you. 


I have had a 1624 for about 7-8 years.  First the good:  I have really gotten used to the swiveling headstock and it has adequate power for what I do, turning bowls up to 12" and lately turning lidded boxes.  I think a DVR would be a great improvement and am thinking about upgrading.  I have had a few problems.  For the last 3-4 years the switch occasionally does not respond.  Sometimes rapping on the top of the switch box brings it back and sometimes just waiting a few minutes does it.  I've never had to give up and leave the shop because it would not start.  I have taken the switch all apart and cleaned all the connections and it still happened occasionally after that but in the last  2-3 weeks of turning everyday it has not failed once.  Knock on wood.  The other issue I had was a vibration that turned out to be the tailstock side bearing in the headstock had come out about 14 thousandths so you could push and pull on a chuck and move it it in and out.  I took a dead blow hammer and tapped it back in and resolved the problem.  Whenever I have the chuck off, I try to check to be sure it has not come out again.  If it does, I think a small machine screw tapped in and a washer would hold it in well.  If you call the support line now, you will get a customer service rep, not a technician.  He relays your question and then gets back to you (not quickly) and it seemed like he did not convey my questions as I posed them.  And then you have to start all over.  When I called (or emailed?) about the switch problem about 3 years ago, I was able to talk to a tech and he was very helpful but I think they have take a different course, unfortunately. In contrast, a friend has a Oneway that came with a bent headstock spindle.  they sent him a new on without any hesitation.  That was also bent and they sent another which was good.  certainly bad that two spindles were bent but they stood behind their product.  Of course that is a $6000 machine.  Larry
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Glenn Roberts
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #12 - May 22nd, 2020 at 8:45pm
 
Larry, There is. 4 allen head bolts underneath. If you put a jacobs chuck in the tail stock with a long straight drill bit, and get the point of the bit to meet the point of the drive center on the head stock, you will get close if the jacobs chuck is true. Seat the chuck somewhat loose and twist by hand with the drill in it to see if the end of the bit does not draw a circle. Also check to see if the tail stock has left to right play - standing at the end of the bed facing the head stock - without it being clamped. If so, before clamping, bias the tail stock in the truest position, determined by the drill bit.
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larry packwood
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #13 - May 23rd, 2020 at 6:15am
 
Glenn Roberts wrote on May 22nd, 2020 at 8:45pm:
Larry, There is. 4 allen head bolts underneath. If you put a jacobs chuck in the tail stock with a long straight drill bit, and get the point of the bit to meet the point of the drive center on the head stock, you will get close if the jacobs chuck is true. Seat the chuck somewhat loose and twist by hand with the drill in it to see if the end of the bit does not draw a circle. Also check to see if the tail stock has left to right play - standing at the end of the bed facing the head stock - without it being clamped. If so, before clamping, bias the tail stock in the truest position, determined by the drill bit.


Thanks.  Unfortunately the only chuck I have is from Harbor Freight and I don't have much faith that it is true, but I do have a dial indicator with a magnetic base so I could check it.  In any case, I usually turn between centers until the piece is close to round and then slide the tailstock out of the way for finishing cuts.    Larry
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Robert Fischer
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Re: Nova 1624-44 Lathe
Reply #14 - May 23rd, 2020 at 7:07am
 
larry packwood wrote on May 23rd, 2020 at 6:15am:
Thanks.  Unfortunately the only chuck I have is from Harbor Freight...
What wood turning chuck does Harbor Freight sell?   I know that they include faceplates with their lathes but I haven't seen a chuck.   They have a metal turning chuck, but that's dangerous to use with wood.
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