RDU CL - Nova lathe 1624-44 - $800 (Wilson)

[Henry W]

not mine, not endorsing, and this is not a new listing (about a month old)
Seems like a fair price for a capable lathe (uncertain what new costs are). I have the predecessor Nova 3000 (or 2000?!) model and this is an upgrade. This is no Powermatic 3520 or Oneway that'll do the really large heavy duty stuff, but a capable lathe for up to 16" bowls. Swivel head; pulley/belt system to change speeds.

Henry
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Nova lathe

Nova lathe - $800 (Wilson)
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Nova 1624-44 lathe. Very nice lathe. Has some surface rust but should clean up fine. Bring a friend this thing is heavy. Best way to reach me is through text. Will consider trades for festool rotex and dust extractor .

 

[awldune]

I feel that the seller can probably do you a better price, especially considering the rust.

I believe I bought this same lathe for $900 new from Woodcraft in 2013 (on sale from ~$1100). Currently they are selling the "Mk. II" version for $1,200, but it will probably go on sale at some point for a good bit cheaper.

Some thoughts on this lathe:

The 24'' between centers is quite limiting at times, if you are interested in turning tool handles etc. I made a wooden bed extension for mine which is handy.

This lathe lacks variable speed. Moving the belt is reasonably simple, but in my experience laziness will have you turning at the wrong speeds.

If you intend to turn large and unbalanced blanks, be sure to fill the legs of the stand with sand or concrete to get some more stability. I ended up setting studs in my garage floor to bolt down the feet. The lathe really likes to walk.

The spindle is 1 1/4'' x 8, which is great except when you see a nice accessory that is only available in 1'' x 8.

I was attracted to the very low minimum speed of this lathe (~200RPM) but it is very difficult to accomplish anything at this speed. If a blank is THAT out of balance it is better to hog out some of the excess with the bandsaw, chainsaw, etc before mounting it on the lathe.

If you do buy the lathe, do yourself a favor and disassemble it for transport. It is easy to remove the headstock and tailstock from the bed, and the legs from the bed.

Just my opinion as an "intermediate beginner" woodturner.