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Jet 1442 question

I have a Jet 1442 that I have had almost a year. It has what I think is an issue, but maybe I am expecting too much from something made in Taiwan. Overall it is a very good lathe for the money

Whenever I move the headstock, I have to manually align it to the tailstock. I put the spur center in and the live center and slide the tailstock down and rotate the headstock until the point line up. It will rotate back and forth about an 1/8" so if I don't do this it really causes problems if I am roughing out a bowl that is mounted on a chuck or screw chuck and using the tailstock for support. The play is between the headstock casting and the detent ring that mounts it to the bed. I have had Jet send me another detent ring and it was about 5 thousandths bigger but the problem is still there. I don't think the hole in the bottom of the headstock casting is perfectly round. This is not that big of a deal, but if it is not normal, I want Jet to fix it.

Does anyone else have this same issue with their 1442?

thanks,

Chris

Reply to
Chris C
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Chris, It sounds like your going through the same growing pains I did. I had my Jet 1442 for about 8 months and every time I had moved the head stock I had to put the centers in it and line it up. the last few months I had it, it developed play in the pivit at the ring you menchened of .095 of an inche, try roughing ou a blank and never geting it round and the vibration contuing to grow. I beleve the problem with mine was that the pin that locks it into the ring is to week and not to close tollerances. After two months on the phone with Jet and not being abul to use the lathe Jet finaly replaced the whole thing and I up graded to the Powermatic 3520. I said I would never own a sliding or piviting head lathe again but so far the new lahte lines up good and is a dream to use. Well worth the price if your turning bowls and other out of balance stuff. The 1442 is a good lathe to start with and test your ability but I beleve I out grew it. Hope this helps. Rick

Reply to
shingsman

Chris:

I thought that the gadget you pull to release the headstock for rotation was also for aligning the headstock after rotating it. I assumed when I screwed it down tight that I was pulling the headstock into alignment.

If that's not what it does, what is the purpose of the threads to tighten it down?

WaltC

Reply to
Walt Cheever

tailstock down

Reply to
shingsman

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