Making the plunge

Hello all. I've been woodworking (flat) for a while and have been amazed at turning long enough - I want to play too.

I need some feedback on lathe opinions. I will not be buying a oneway so I don't need that kind of advice. I am a very hobby woodworker who buys way more tools than he needs. With that said I was thinking the Jet 1442. Seems to be a decent lathe and the right price range. I thought about the 1236 or a midi but I just can't get past a posting where someone said 3/4 hp just wasn't enough for face turning. Opinions? I'd rather buy big once but I have too much going on to be dedicated to just turning. Will be strickly hobby work.

What I really want to do is to turn bowls and vases and maybe lidded boxes. I'll do spindles and pens and everything once I get started. Maybe make a chess set.

Also, Woodcraft is having a 30% off sale next month on Sorby tools. Gotta watch the budget (buying the whole "flat" shop as well) so is that a bargain that can't be passed up?

Reply to
Ron S
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2 things I forgot

  1. How about Grizzly? I have an 8" jointer that I love. The lathes seem to have too high of a low end speed though.

  2. Buffalo woodworking show is in less than 2 weeks and I've never been. Any idea if it's reasonable to expect a deal on a Jet lathe there or should I drop 50+8% at Woodcraft and have it on it's way?

Thanks.

R> Hello all. I've been woodworking (flat) for a while and have been

Reply to
Ron S

Reply to
robo hippy

Ron The 14442 seems to be well thought of here on the rec. I use the Craftsman

Reply to
Darrell Feltmate

Many Grizzly's have too high a low end and a weird head-stock size (1-12tpi) I would avoid those

Look at the General Internation 25-650, should be able to get it for under $2K (US)

Reply to
Ralph E Lindberg

Reply to
acat40

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

Did you mean to send us to a alcholism site?

Patriarch

Reply to
Patriarch

Which may mean reducing an older piece of iron. Not difficult to do. I have eight speeds, use two (360/690) regularly, one (180) occasionally. So if you 2:1 one of the old types you'd have pretty much what you wanted, but the older were mostly 12" swing or less.

Reply to
George

Ron I bought the Jet 1442 VS last year at Woodcraft. It happened to be on sale for around $650 at the time. Even without that, it beat the Delta IMHO for features, at a similar price. For instance, it was heavier, the legs alone weighed well over 100 lbs. Since then, I have been very pleased. I, too, am a hobbiest, turn mostly bowls and pens and the occasional lamp or other spindle project. I had been using an old Craftsman, with tubular steel bed, very light and prone to much vibration. I am quite happy with the Jet. I am also sure there are as many opinions here as there are turners. :\ .

Whatever you choose, welcome to the turning world.

Reply to
Doc Ron

It would be useful if you get even close to the website. Do you mean the American Association of Woodturners at

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Now I've been a member for a little while, but I've never heard of this. Also, the web site's search engine has no reference to -any- Delta lathes. In fact the only reference to any lathe I could find is the Powermatic they are giving away to some lucky member

Reply to
Ralph E Lindberg

Reply to
George

Been thinking more about this discussion, as to what lathe to get. As I said, probably as many opinions as people. I think, mostly, that whatever lathe we have will work for us. There are certainly bad pieces of technology and engineering out there. The marketplace may get rid of them eventually, and this and other such forums are certainly great places to spot the problems that do exist, to help us avoid them.

This craft we practice has elements of science, engineering, art, and beauty - that's why this old scientist loves it, he gets to use both halves of his brain. I have had only two lathes. I used the one until the machine's limitations became too bothersome, then I moved on. So my advice is - research the features and ask questions of the knowedgeable and experienced folks here. Then buy whatever seems reasonable within your budget. Practice, practice, take lessons, talk to turners, look at videos, read books, join a club -- and you will be amazed at how far you get. When you get to the point when you need to, save your pennies and move up - or not. Ultimately, it may well be that the process we experience and the products we make are limited more by our own abilities than by the equipment. I think I made some pretty nice things on that old Craftsman, even though I did have to wedge blocks under the lathe bed to stop the vibration sometimes when I tried to work beyond its capacity.

Good luck!

Reply to
Doc Ron

Been thinking more about this discussion, as to what lathe to get. As I said, probably as many opinions as people. I think, mostly, that whatever lathe we have will work for us. There are certainly bad pieces of technology and engineering out there. The marketplace may get rid of them eventually, and this and other such forums are certainly great places to spot the problems that do exist, to help us avoid them.

This craft we paractice has elements of science, engineering, art, and beauty - that's why this old scientist loves it, he gets to use both halves of his brain. I have had only two lathes. I used the one until the machine's limitations became too bothersome, then I moved on. So my advice is - research the features and ask questions of the knowedgeable and experienced folks here. Then buy whatever seems reasonable within your budget. Practice, practice, take lessons, talk to turners, look at videos, read books, join a club -- and you will be amazed at how far you get. When you get to the point when you need to, save your pennies and move up - or not. Ultimately, it may well be that the process we experience and the products we make are limited more by our own abilities than by the equipment. I think I made some pretty nice things on that old Craftsman, even though I did have to wedge blocks under the lathe bed to stop the vibration sometimes when I tried to work beyond its capacity.

Good luck!

Reply to
Doc Ron

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