Powermatic 1791254 Model 4224 24-Inch Swing 42-Inch between Centers 3 Horsepower Woodworking Lathe with Digital Spindle RPM Readout, 230-Volt 1 or 3 Phase

And day is where you want to be, with this Powermatic planted solidly in front of you. It weighs about 900 pounds, and with that kind of heft, you know there'll be no vibration, no traveling - nothing but smooth operation. It stands on cast-iron legs atop 2-inch wide adjustable feet, so you can level it anywhere, and it truly is rock-solid. The headstock and tailstock are cast iron as well, and everything in between is nothing but the best.

With a working distance between centers of a king-sized 42 inches and a 24-inch swing over the bed, imagine what you could make: table legs, custom balusters, enormous bowls, platters, urns and, of course, pens. The three-horsepower motor provides belt-driven quiet speed ranges of 0-910, 0-2000 and 0-3500 rpm, giving you the speed you need for everything from roughing out a huge chunk of maple to wax-finishing a graceful candlestick. Changing speed ranges is a quick job: just lift the motor and slip the V-belt onto the appropriate step.

The 14-inch tool rest has a nice finger guide in its design, but you're likely to want a variety of supports so this machine can do anything you want it to, whether you're doing face work or turning between centers.

With this much power comes size, of course, and this lathe's footprint is more than 5 feet long, something to consider if you have a small shop (or consider what to get rid of to make more room for this!).

There's simply nothing lacking here; even the fit and finish are impeccable, as we'd expect from Powermatic. It's a big investment, but for professional, it's a no-brainer - this will give you years of flawless performance. And anyone whose heart is truly in turning, who loves to transform a chunk of wood into graceful art, you'll never regret a cent. -- Kris Jensen-Van Heste