Powermatic vs jet 1640
John Lucas
>Wolf
You can get the Powermatic much cheaper I think. check with www.toolnut.com They have free shipping and have been very good to deal with.
The difference is weight is the biggest factor. It really makes a difference. The difference in length is negligable because very few people turn longer than 32" which is a standard table leg length.
I like indexing but can live without it. Most poeple don't use it either. If you need to index the lathe for a certain project it's easy to build an index attachment. I do miss using the indexing for holding the work while sanding natural edge or winged vessels but there was a good tip in American Woodturner a few months back on using a strap to apply tension to the chuck to hold the work while sanding.
I like the Jet. If I did not get such a good deal on the PM I would probably be turning on the jet.