I had a Delta 1440 on the stand that came with the lathe. It was not very heavy and it was too low for me so I built a stand using a 2 x 12 for the top and splayed 2 x 4's for the legs and 1 x 4's for the spacers/shelf. it worked ok.
I now have a Jet 1442 and the Delta is long gone (good riddance). You won't be sorry you bought the Jet. The Jet legs have slots cast into them so you can drop in a couple 2 x 4's for a weight/storage shelf. The cast iron legs are very heavy and I haven't seen the need to add any weight. I turn a lot of 10-12 bowls with no problem and they are the right height for me.
With the Jet legs you get leveling legs and after about an hour of setup you can be turning. On the other hand you may save some money and get the exact height you like with the home made stand. Either way you will like the 1442.
Happy turning