PM 3520b dimension

Re: PM 3520b dimension

David Gilbert

My 3520b has a spindle height of just under 10 1/4". Maybe about 1/64" under.

Cheers,

David

Re: PM 3520b dimension

Brian Roberts

Mine is 10 3/16"

Re: PM 3520b dimension

John K Jordan

Thank you, gentlemen. I just received a Vermec sphere jig which (needs the cutter to be on the center line) and the lowest position is about 10-1/8". With the lathe not yet in hand I wondered if it was going to work as is.

JKJ

Re: PM 3520b dimension

john Lucas

My 3520A is 10 1/4. I would think you could put a spacer under it if it is too low.

Re: PM 3520b dimension

John K Jordan

It sounds like it should work fine. The jig has an adjustable collar to set the height. The one I got will go from 10-1/8" to over 12".

BTW, I ordered this directly from Vermec in Australia. (the exchange rates are excellent right now) It was shipped UPS last Thursday and arrived on Monday. The thing is massively sturdy - weights about 20 pounds. Now all I need is the lathe...

JKJ

Re: PM 3520b dimension

john Lucas

When I was at the Florida symposium my friend Pat Matranga bought one of the Carter sphere jigs. She also bought some smaller pieces of exotic wood. She said that she had flown and asked if I could haul it back for her since I drove. I volunteered. I had parked about 5 blocks away. Man did that jig get heavy. Well that and the wood which was quite dense.

Their catalog says...

Brian Roberts

the large model goes from 250mm -310mm.

Should translate to (roughly) 9.84" to 12.2"

Re: Their catalog says...

John K Jordan

>the large model goes from 250mm -310mm.

>Should translate to (roughly) 9.84" to 12.2"

Yes, I rehecked the advertised numbers after I measured the jig. There is an adjustment collar which allows raising the cutter to the exact center height. (I didn't measure the colkar thickness but it's about 1/4".) The collar limits the minimum height to about 10.125", about 257.2mm. It won't go down to 250 mm without doing something.

To set the cutter height to exactly 10" would require replacing the collar with a thinner one or perhaps a stack of washers. Without the lathe in hand (coming next week) I hoped to verify the actual lathe clearance before bothering Vermec tech support with an unnecessary question. It looks like the jig will work as advertised assuming all 3520Bs are about the same.

Hey, maybe the lathe could be called a PM3520.375 :-)

JKJ

Or 3220.375...  Hard to get 35" on there!

Re: PM 3520b dimension

Dave Delo

John,

What cutter does the Vermec use? Is it a cupped #4 Hunter like the Carter jig uses or something else?

Re: PM 3520b dimension

John K Jordan

It's a cupped carbide cutter but doesn't look exactly like the cutter on my Hunter tools. I'll take a closer look. I've never seen the Carter.

This thing is surprisingly and pleasantly massive! I can't imaging any flexing or chatter.

JKJ

vermec cutter

John K Jordan

This is the carbide cutter that came on the Vermec sphere jig. (Pic is from my cell phone through a hand lens so it not very professional!)

The cutter is cupped, side angle the same as the Hunter carbide, but the size and shape inside is different - a ring of dimples instead of a smooth flute. It is about 8mm in diameter compared to the 10mm of the Hunter #3. The height is a bit less too, about 3.5mm.

JKJ

Re: vermec cutter

Dave Delo

Thanks for the picture John. I was thinking about getting one of these like several have by ordering direct because of the exchange rate. I'm guessing you need to buy any replacement cutters from Vermec directly. I'd feel a bit better if there was a domestic supplier but not a deal breaker. I'm not in a hurry, my rig works just fine for my needs but that pop-up equator finder sure does look sweet.

Re: vermec cutter

John K Jordan

There is a domestic supplier (Woodworkers Emporium) but they are out of the size I wanted. When I called the guy said maybe April. It was significantly cheaper to buy it directly, even with the overseas UPS shipping, and it came quicker than domestic ground.

I do wish I had thought to order an extra cutter...

JKJ