Cheap mini-lathe for modelling

At ~200, it's tough to say anything bad about that JET.

Never said "I wish I'd bought a worse tool."

Jet has a similar lathe for "pens" that is being sold for under $150 so might look at that too.

Brian

I have seen that litle lathe at HBF and I would not waste my 39>95 for it. It looks like a real cheap plastic junk. Non standard drive center and tail center holes, nothing will fit it. It is about 12 inches long total and looks more like a toy.

Got curious myself and found the following Jet pen lathe:

Really? What model? Where can one see it? Never heard of it, myself. I thought the Mini was the only small lathe they made.

-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

Guess that's why they call it a Pen Lathe.

-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

I was using the new Jet Pen lathe last week for a few hours at a demo (turning pens, of course). When I first opened the box and examined the unit, I had some serious doubts of its ability to turn anything. But it really does work fine as strictly a pen lathe. Two speeds (1600 & 3000), 1/12th HP, and weighs in at a little over

12lbs. 3/4-16 spindle, but I cannot imagine trying to put a chuck on it. Its not without issues, though. 1) It comes with a decent pen mandrel, but its a proprietary size. Its taper is smaller than a #1MT. 2) The tool rest and tailstock lock down handles are a joke. They are VERY chintzy and awkward to use. However, I can see how one can replace them with standard bolts and operate them with a box end wrench quite easily. 3) The tool rest works, but its quite thin and you have to take light cuts when you're at the end because it can flex and cause your tool to chatter (3/4" roughing gouge). It also doesn't get as close as I'd like to the work (I use a 1/4" skew for pens and don't want much overhang). 4) The 3-piece pen turning tool set that comes with it is beyond cheap. Leave them in the box when you throw it out.

I was surprised with the unit overall (not quite impressed, just surprised). It could fit into the glove box of some SUVs. Obviously, you'll have to clamp or bolt it to something, otherwise it'll just tip over. Woodcraft sells them for $134.99. While a regular Jet mini is only $65 more (and gives you the ability to do much more), the pen lathe is FAR more portable.

You can store the unit in your desk drawer and pull it out at lunch time to get your turning fix. This is truly a "turn-anywhere" pen lathe.

Peter Teubel Milford, MA

pens, of course). When I first opened the box and

But it really does work fine as strictly a pen

12lbs. 3/4-16 spindle, but I cannot imagine trying to

is smaller than a #1MT.

chintzy and awkward to use. However, I can see how one

quite easily.

when you're at the end because it can flex and cause

I'd like to the work (I use a 1/4" skew for pens and

them in the box when you throw it out.

It could fit into the glove box of some SUVs.

tip over. Woodcraft sells them for $134.99. While a

the pen lathe is FAR more portable.

get your turning fix. This is truly a "turn-anywhere"

Hi Peter,

You're the first person I've come across who has actually seen this thing, perhaps you could answer a couple questions?

I'm looking for a small lathe to turn miniature vases for dollhouses - I wouldn't be doing anything any bigger than maybe 1 1/4" diameter and perhaps 2" long - and most would be much smaller than that. So - could I do that on this lathe? Is there some sort of a small (preferably not too expensive) 4-jaw or 3-jaw chuck I could use with it to hold these pieces (I'm thinking that most of the pieces I want to make could be made from pen blanks). I know the other Jet is a much better lathe, but space and weight are major considerations - and the bigger Jet is a lot heavier. Does anyone know if Woodcraft keeps these in stock, so I could run up there and look at it? Also - Sears Craftsman makes a mini pen lathe about the same size as this one, is anyone familiar with that? It's a catalog-only item, so unfortunately I can't run down to sears and take a look at it.

Thanks, Deb

Peter Teubel wrote:

pens, of course). When I first opened the box and

But it really does work fine as strictly a pen

12lbs. 3/4-16 spindle, but I cannot imagine trying to

is smaller than a #1MT.

chintzy and awkward to use. However, I can see how one

quite easily.

when you're at the end because it can flex and cause

I'd like to the work (I use a 1/4" skew for pens and

PMFJI Deb.

Especially for miniature (and sub-miniature and micro) woodturnings and especially for hollow vessels like the vases you mentioned, you need some heft and extreme smooth running in your lathe equipment. For larger turnings of the same type it's not as MUCH of an issue. I've never seen or heard of this pen-lathe by Jet before it was presented here so I don't know how steady and smooth it is so I'll just talk in generalities.

It's not that the lathe has to weigh 2 tons to be sufficient either. Many large lathes I've worked on are no good to make miniatures just because they're not smooth enough running for it. They were wonderful for making large hollow vessels but that's an entirely different type of turning. I'm not saying all large lathes are no good at the small scale stuff ... just that it's no guarantee just because of the heft.

Another issue that you need to be watchful for in doing your small scale work is that the toolrest needs to be "thin" at the top where the tool actually touches it but yet allows NO (absolutely none!) vibration. Many toolrests are just too wide when working with smaller scale tools. Normally, on my small scale stuff, I use normally sized tools but especially for the hollowing, I use custom made tools and keep the shafts short. This causes you to need a thin toolrest (at least at the top) to get as much of the shaft past it and into the woodturning as possible.

As for an inexpensive chuck for this type of turning, you can use a Jacobs chuck (like goes into a drill press) that has the Morse taper ready to go into your headstock. Get a 1/2" Jacobs chuck and it'll hold most pen blanks. I've used it a bunch and sometimes still do. It's not as good as a regular scroll chuck with pin jaws or small step jaws though (more contact surface area and you don't need a draw bar or gravity to hold it into the headstock) but it's a whole lot cheaper.

The main idea here is that you shouldn't think that simply because you're doing smaller scale work that you can get by with a lightweight of a lathe and equipment. Small scale work is often more demanding of the equipment and the turner than the larger stuff. There's just far less of a margin for error there.

- Andrew

I wonder how much room is left for the actual piece being turned once a Jacobs chuck etc for instance is inserted? By the time you add it to the end of a morse taper I suspect it won't be much.

FWIW, I have a much larger HF lathe for whatever big stuff I do & bought a Jacobs 1/2" key chuck at HF for $4.99, and paid like $12 at Sears for the threaded Morse taper to hold it.

AHilt> PMFJI Deb.

In what sense are you talking about? What situation? I'd only be using a Jacobs chuck for small things anyway and the message I responded to was a question about doing small scale work. The Jacobs chuck is longer by far than any other holding device I use for any scale of work. Use of the Scroll chuck and pin/step jaws is shorter by about 1/3rd with my equipment. I've hung about 8" off the Jacobs chuck (without tailstock support) and worked that entire length (including hollowing the end) on my standard Jet Mini before.

What really limits you is using a scroll chuck / hollowform / forstner bit / Jacobs chuck / tailstock on the standard Jet Mini setup. Not much space in-between there. In that case, you need the extension table.

I paid around $25US at Grizzly for the Jacobs chuck and a morse taper I use on the Mini. Add another couple of bucks for a homemade drawbar.

- Andrew

The Woodcraft store in Woburn, MA has them in stock. They have a 3/4" 16TPI thread, but I don't know of any chuck that will fit its 3 1/2" swing. For miniatures on this lathe, I'd stick with glue blocks (no pun intended). Its a very smooth lathe and ultra portable. As I mentioned in my review, the banjo and tailstock handles are a joke and really should be replaced with a standard bolt and operated with a box-end wrench. Keep in mind that is does NOT have a standard Morse taper. Its actually smaller than a MT#1, so you'll have trouble (at the very least) finding accessories to fit. Of course, you could just turn your own tapers from wood and glue your work to that. ts marketed as a pen lathe and it does that well. For pen blank sized stuff, it should work fine.

Peter Teubel Milford, MA

The size of the lathe has nothing to do with what you can turn. You can turn small things on a large lathe. You just can't turn large things on a small lathe. I've turned cribbage pegs on a 24" swing lathe.

Bob, Naugatuck Ct.

thread, but I don't know of any chuck that will fit

pun intended). Its a very smooth lathe and ultra

joke and really should be replaced with a standard

standard Morse taper. Its actually smaller than a

Of course, you could just turn your own tapers from

well. For pen blank sized stuff, it should work fine.

Hi Deb,

I bought a mini lathe here in Israel from the orient that I see is now available at Penn State. They are selling it for $140. It's compact, stable, variable speed, and is fun to work with. It has a 3/4"x16 &

1MT headstock which is compatible with many items. I was able to put an old Nova chuck on there too. I bought this one for demonstrations. Because it' so small and compact it's a pleasure to take to shows. Mine is not exactly like this one and has no name but it appears to be the exact same thing. You can do lots of turning on this, especially any of the Bonnie Klein type projects which include your vases

hope it turns out for the best, Ron

thread, but I don't know of any chuck that will fit

(no pun intended). Its a very smooth lathe and ultra

a joke and really should be replaced with a standard

a standard Morse taper. Its actually smaller than a

FWIW there is am MT#0 - I got some with an old round column type Craftsman I bought used many moons ago

could the taper be MT#0 - ?

Dale

so you'll have trouble (at the very least) finding accessories to fit. Of course, you could just turn your own tapers from

that well. For pen blank sized stuff, it should work fine.

Could be.

Peter Teubel Milford, MA