Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Re: Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Arch

>Hi Brad, some Spring today in N.E. eh?

For reliability,lower speeds and value, perhaps buying two lathes or many accessories, consider the Nova 3000 with 1.5 hp VS. Many good turners have. Arch

Re: Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Peter Teubel

>Brad,

I have had my DVR for about 6 months. I use it everyday and have had no problems with it whatsoever. The only thing that irks me is the time it takes to change the speed....S-L-O-W! For my small projects that require frequent speed changes (pens, stoppers, etc) I find it unbearable (for production) so I use my Jet 1236 instead. But for other stuff, its great. Good power and VERY smooth/quiet.

Re: Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Jerry Whitaker

>I have never owned a Nova DVR but I saw a demonstration in a Woodcraft store and the harmonics produced by that motor was driving everyone crazy. It may have been that that particular lathe had a problem but I definitely would not purchase one unless I could hear the one I was buying before handing over any $$$.

Re: Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Russell Seaton

>I'm especially interested in how well it would work with a number of different (competent) users -- must be easy to learn how to use the touchpad controlls for this purpose, and especially re-starting the lathe with a heavy blank attached during rough turning operations. We want to insure that someone doesn't start a chunk of wood at 2500 RPM.

No turning experience with the DVR lathe but I have played with it at Woodcraft. Pluses for the club lathe include quality, capacity, short bed, relatively easy to move.

Negatives are its not a normal lathe. My club has many competent turners. That does not mean they pick up operating new lathes quickly, or at all. We have used a General 26020, Delta USA made swivel lathe, Delta mini, and the newer Jets as our demo lathes. All reasonably normal uncomplicated lathes. On/Off button, change belts for speed, or turn button for speed. Many demos have had some kind of lathe operator problem. Turning on a lathe that is not your lathe, even if its run of the mill ordinary, flusters more than a few turning demonstrators. Add in the buttons and unusual control panel of the DVR, and it would be much worse. With a normal lathe someone in the audience can always come up and fix the problem. Maybe not with the DVR.

Re: Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Mike Sloan

>I have a new Nova DVR (Dec 2003). I'm definitely a newby turner (first post here as well), and don't have much experience with other lathes, but I find the controls on the Nova DVR to be very easy and simple and intuitive.

When I use the touchpad controls to turn the machine off, it will start again at the last speed that was being used.

When I shut off the lathe using the master cutoff switch, the lathe starts at the default setting (mine was set at 500 RPM when I got the lathe, and I have not changed it).

I don't know of any way that the lathe might start up faster than the last speed in use, other than the default setting (500 RPM), unless the operator deliberately changes the speed before startup. Since you have to press a button, and hold it down to change the speed, I don't think it is possible to change the speed inadvertantly by more than 10 or 20 RPM.

I have never had any problems whatsoever in making the lathe do what I want it to. Changing speeds is also very easy and intuitive, even though it might be a little slower process than other VS lathes.

Re: Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Robert Simmons, Atlanta

>I've had one for a good while now and have enjoyed it a lot. I've worked with General, Delta and still have a Jet Mini, so I've run a lathe or two. Mine has been a stable machine and has served me well. There is a slight learning curve with it, but then again you have to find the new knobs and switch positions on any new piece of equipment. It doesn't sound the same as belt-driven lathes, but you wouldn't expect it to. I try to not be in a big rush when turning so the apparent slow changes in speed don't bother me. I like the 10rpm increments that allow me to find just the speed I want for a given piece. It may not be the perfect lathe for all turners, but I've enjoyed mine and continue to use it every chance I get.

Robert

Re: Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Peter Teubel

>Mike wrote:

"When I shut off the lathe using the master cutoff switch, the lathe starts at the default setting (mine was set at 500 RPM when I got the lathe, and I have not changed it). "

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Is it even possible to change the power-off-default-starting-speed"? That would be a feature I would LOVE to change for different production runs.

FWIW: I have a Delta VFD controller on my big lathe and it actually has a PC interface. If that was my production lathe, I'd hook it up so I could change parameters via a macro.

DISCLAIMER: I used to be a computer techie in my previous life and while I have given it up, the urge to hack/customize still comes thru every now and then...

Re: Nova 3000 DVR -- Impressions Please.

Mike Sloan

>My recollection is that the owners manual warns against pressing certain of the buttons at the same time since that puts you into program mode. Once in program mode, I presume that the default speed would be one of the variables that could be changed. Haven't tried it though, so don't really know.