Thread: Opinions on The Jet 1220VS lathe

CV, I've had a Jet 1642 since Oct. '05 and it has never missed a beat. Very impressed with the build quality and overall finish.

You might find this interesting.

Here is the jet website. The 1229 has a 3/4 hp motor and only 50mm tailstock travel. (i think) speed is 200 upwards with 6 speeds (if the website is right) The banjo, bed, head and tailstock all look reasonably strong. I think a 1" 10 TPI shaft.

Here is the woodfast (halfway down the page for the X model)
3 speeds 400 upwards, 1/2 hp motor, 64 mm tailstock travel, 30 x3.5 shaft thread no stand.

Check the centres line up. and you should be right As GJ said his is a ripper of a lathe for the money and being EVS.

Cheers

Curious to see what sort of motor and electronics they use on the Jet.

Looks like a DC motor which does not have the same efficiency as the motor and electronics on the Woodfast V/s M305

The motor and electronics used by woodfast have been well proven over a very long time wheras the jet seem to have troubles in their V/s setups.

Jet always produce good quality machinery I have just found that the motors and controls let them down on their lathes.

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

Curious to see what sort of motor and electronics they use on the Jet.

Looks like a DC motor which does not have the same efficiency as the motor and electronics on the Woodfast V/s M305

The motor and electronics used by woodfast have been well proven over a very long time wheras the jet seem to have troubles in their V/s setups.

Jet always produce good quality machinery I have just found that the motors and controls let them down on their lathes.

Sorry, Jim. I can't agree. The Jet 10 inch table saw I have is absolute,,,, you know what. I spent $1800, then upgraded the fence etc for another $500. Plus freight.

I know, less than half the price of my other TS, but about 1/10th the quality.

Jet??? Not for me. (And I have a few other of their make, including 2 overhead air filters..... ).

I counter your post with I have a JET Tablesaw, Bandsaw and Lathe and they all work well and would recommend them to others. I have had no trouble with motors, they are generally bigger and have more grunt than other branded similar models, but the switches are a bit dodgy at times as Jim suggested.

Having said that, the smaller Jet Lathes have proved problematic, whereas I have been very impressed with the smaller Woodfast.

Originally Posted by dai sensei

I counter your post with I have a JET Tablesaw, Bandsaw and Lathe and they all work well and would recommend them to others. I have had no trouble with motors, they are generally bigger and have more grunt than other branded similar models, but the switches are a bit dodgy at times as Jim suggested.

Having said that, the smaller Jet Lathes have proved problematic, whereas I have been very impressed with the smaller Woodfast.

Neil, I hear you.

As a Jet lathe owner, you are probably in a better position than I to give a recommendation.

But I will not withdraw my remark about my Jet TS. At Xmas - assuming a few from the Board arrive - they can do a test run on the offending machine.

Back on topic....

Didn't someone a few months back do a table up with a comparison??? Not sure.

Originally Posted by jefferson

Neil, I hear you.

As a Jet lathe owner, you are probably in a better position than I to give a recommendation.

But I will not withdraw my remark about my Jet TS. At Xmas - assuming a few from the Board arrive - they can do a test run on the offending machine.

Back on topic....

Didn't someone a few months back do a table up with a comparison??? Not sure.

Wet the bed Grasshopper?

Up and at em at 8 am - a new leaf turned over aye Remember its the early bird that catches the worm

Cheers

David he has to get up at at em to get the renovations finished.

The forman {Anne} wants it done quickly.

Buy a Vicmarc and you will have no worries (apart from the financial sort)!

I would love a Vicmarc... hope to get one....

In the meantime I have the Woodfast M305 (6 speed no variable control). 2 years old now and I have learned to live with the manual speed changing.

Most of my turning is under 200 mm dia but I have turned things up to 250 mm (max 300) including burls and natural edge bowls.

It works well but you just have to remember to take lighter cuts which is safer for me anyway. The tailstock lines up well for between centre turning. Only issue I have had is the pulley on the motor working loose but retightening the allen key fixed that.

Got the money... get a Vicmarc!

Cheers,

Chipman

Originally Posted by Calm

Wet the bed Grasshopper?

Up and at em at 8 am - a new leaf turned over aye

I'm LITTLE GRASSHOPPER to you, David.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

David he has to get up at at em to get the renovations finished.

The forman {Anne} wants it done quickly.

Jim, Xmas may be cutting it a little fine. Builder here at 3pm....

Originally Posted by brendan stemp

Buy a Vicmarc and you will have no worries (apart from the financial sort)!

Do i see bias here after a stint on the 250 STUBBY at the www show

cheers

Thanks for all the replies. After considering the comments and discounting some obvious biases I have come to the decision that I am still undecided
Would love Vicmarc but limited by finances and shed space.

CV,

Whatever you decide to buy - assuming you can - ask / insist that you see YOUR machine in action. See if the head and tail stocks align. Is the bed flat or warped? Bearings OK etc. etc. Basic stuff. That may mean buying a used demo lathe.

The vendor may not like it, but there is so much variation in quality in some machines. One Stubby owner I know sent the machine back for one of the above reasons. Big $ does not always equate with quality.

And also, talk with Andy AKA Skew. He's posted over 10,000 (very helpful) times and "knows his onions". He's played on Vicmarcs and Stubbies - which he likes - but KNOWS he can do just as well on his (I think) MC 900?? And he turns very nicely.

I inspected a VB 36 the other day - imported from the UK for around $15K. A great if not over-engineered lathe for bowl and platter turners.

Where does it all end? My experience is that it starts with you. Buy SOMETHING and turn the damn thing on every day and practice.

(Down at the Phillip Island turnaround, there were maybe 6 decent lathes out of near 80. But a lot of nice pieces were turned on small and cheap mini/midi lathes.

Variable speed is nice though.....