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She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

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She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#1

She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>Whew! Best $200 I ever spent hiring movers to bring the 3520a in the basement. I didn't have to lift a finger. Those guys brought it in on the skid in one piece, all 650 pounds of it.

Prettiest mustard colored thing I've ever seen.

Figures that I dropped, and broke, my digital camera this morning. Oh well. Anyway...

Wired her up with no problems, read the manual, etc.. but couldn't find the faceplate (was screwed on the headstock).

I just _had_ to screw on a 16 inch wet tulip poplar blank..yeah..yeah I know, start small but I had to do it. Turned the rpm down to zero, pressed the start button...and the nickel didn't fall over!! (oops, wrong power tool test!). Slowly turned the rpms up, not a mm of wiggle out of the thing. No movement at all. WONDERFUL! Trued up the blank and started shaping the bottom, slowly at first then experimenting. I went at that blank with pretty strong force, using the Ellsworth grind to take off damn near 1/4" at a time. Not even a wiggle of a complaint from the motor. Ended the experiment, wrapped the blank, and now I have to drop off the old lathe at Woodcraft.

I'M TOTALLY THRILLED! This tool will definitely improve the language coming out of my basement, and allow me to do things I couldn't even contemplate before. She's about 2" too tall for me, but then again I like'm tall, my wife is almost 4" taller than me.

Thanks everybody for the encouragement to take the plunge, and especially Richard Allen for talking me into using the Woodcraft warranty. I wouldn't have been able to justify it otherwise.

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#2

Richard Allen

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

Richard Allen

>Hi Mike

Congratulations on the new lathe. It is funny how spending more for a lathe will result in less interaction with the lathe. The nightmare of the Delta, always putzing with this or that while you are turning is over. Those times, when you were, adjusting stuff on the Delta because you HAD too will now be times that you can pause and reflect on the object you are turning.

I hope you get the camera fixed or replaced soon. I know I am looking forward to seeing pictures of the lathe and the stuff you will make on it.

Thanks

Richard

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#3

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

John Lucas

>Mike

That's exactly how I felt when I got my Powermatic only I've had to work to much to put it to good use yet. John

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#4

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

RonZ

>Congratulations Mike.

I felt the same way when I got my VL300. Had movers bring it in and watched them turn purple carrying it [350kg]while my back relaxed.

Nothing like having the right tool for the job.

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#5

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

revdoug

>"Pardon the gloat" my foot. You meant to make the majority of us turn green with envy. Congratulations on getting the old one out of the way and the replacement in place. I think I would have thrown on the biggest piece I had in the shop too. I'm sure you'll have a good time with it.

By the way, I'll do my own gloating when I get my shop built lathe together and painted. You can bet I'll get pictures on the board asap. Have fun spinning the bigger wood.

Turn 'em round,

RevDoug

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#6

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

David Eaves

>Hi Mike,

Great news, shame about the camera. Hope you get a replacemnet or that one sorted soon so you can show us the monster in it's home.. and more importantly what comes off it in the near future.

Cheers

David

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#7

Keith Tompkins

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

Keith Tompkins

>Congrats, Mike. You will be amazed at the improvement in your turning, due to the mass and accuracy of the new machine. Good luck! Keith

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#8

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Hi Mike,

Wow! Congrats on the new addition to your shop! I know how I felt when I got my General and so I know you could barely sleep last night. Have a blast with it.

Ya-Hoo!

Jen : )

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#9

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

Mike Schwing from Md

>Hey, where have you been? Haven't seen any posting from you in a while!

I slept fine last night, it was the previous night I was awake, just like a little kid at Christmas time.

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#10

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

Mike Rubes

>Hi Mike,

Sweet! Glad to hear things are going well with the big mustard monster. I know exactly what you mean about having to mount something large first just to see what she would do, I'd be in the same boat!

Looking forward to pics of your new big turnings :)

Mike

Feeling like Spring in Apex, NC!

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#11

Hey Mike, What's the big idea

Alan Tolchinsky

>of breaking your camera? We need pictures and we need them now! :) But seriously, a big congrats on the new cast iron brute. Maybe if I'm up your neck of the woods sometime, I can come and see it? I'd love to see that baby in action. Have fun and be safe. Alan in Md.

Re: She's up and runnin' (pardon the gloat)

#12

Congratulations!

John Cahall

>I got mine in June and love it. Check out the latest AAW Woodturning magazine for an article on the spindle stop. Works great. Have fun.

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