Buying a lathe today!

[TonyL]

I'm a beginner - 3 pens to date.

I want to take advantage of the Jet sale which ends today.

I don't foresee the desire to make anything but pens.

I really want your opinions.

Do I need reverse? It will be mounted on my workbench, not on a stand. I have plenty of lighting.

What do you think? I also added a poll.

Thank you!!!!

 

[edicehouse]

Well that is the funny thing with this, I don't foresee the desire to make anything else. . . How many of us had that in mind. LOL. The biggest thing I would suggest is try to get a variable speed, as long as it is not blowing your budget out of the water. Jet is a great brand and you can get plenty of add-ons. Since the things you don't foresee will start to happen,

 

[southernclay]

Hey Tony,

I have the Jet 1014. I wish it was VS for what it's worth. Also Georgia club meeting is this coming Saturday at Woodcraft, swing by and welcome to the forum

Warren

 

[mchech]

I bought the Jet 1221 a year ago and I'm happier than a pig in slop! I turn pens, bottle stoppers, key chains and other little stuff. It's bolted down to an older Craftsman work bench. The pen turning bug hit me about a year and a half ago. I'm a former scroll saw fanatic who made the mistake most make, I had to buy 3 saws before I was satisfied. My old Fisch midi lathe has the job of doing the blank drilling task. The vari-speed feature of the 1221 sure does make turning a pleasure and if I want to turn a mid sized bowl I have enough machine to do it. I guess you can say I'm satisfied with this one.

 

[preacherman]

Of those listed I would certainly go with the 1221VS. Even if you start turning and decide that you want to try other things such a small bowls or hollow forms the 1221VS is big enough, in power and size, that you can do those things with ease. I bought a nova comet a while back and I really like it. However, when I have enough play money I will have a 1221VS and sell the nova.

 

[rblakemore]

My wife and I have a Jet 1221 belt driven; we bought it last year just before the variable speed became available. She wanted a smaller mini-lathe for only pens; but, I insisted on a larger midi, we can do more eventually. And the 1221 has a bed extension available. We are very pleased with it so far.

 

[Cmiles1985]

The extra 6" of bed length is well worth it. I just bought the 1221VS (of course BEFORE the sale!!), and I love it. It has been worth every penny!

 

[flyitfast]

You can always turn small things on a bigger lathe, but not always big things on a smaller lathe.
You never know what you might want to turn as your skills and interests improve.
Good luck with your turning and welcome to IAP from San Antonio, TX
gordon

 

[Ed McDonnell]

The 1221vs has a much more versatile range of speeds. This is a big plus in my opinion.

Ed

 

[Dan Masshardt]

If you have the money and it's not a big stretch, buy the 1221. If funds are tight consider something else.

 

[Charlie69]

I've had the a non vs 10141 for 7 years and never wished it was a vs. Great lathe that runs as good today as the day I bought it. Maintenance on the non vs is easy and moving the belt to change speeds only takes a few seconds. Fewer moving parts on the non vs so less chance of something breaking.

I highly recommend buying a chuck, a lathe without a chuck is like a baseball player without a glove; you can still play the game but you can do so much more with a chuck. It never occurred to me that people would own a lathe with no chuck until I started frequenting this forum. With a chuck you can drill on the lathe, buff, polish and take on other projects. I've had a PSI barracuda for 7 years and love it. The pin jaws are worth their weight in gold and are so accurate I haven't had the need to buy a collet chuck. Though, in all honesty, a thread mount ER32 chuck is on my wish list :beauty:

Have fun with your purchase, the Jets are great and you'll be happy with any one of the lathes you decide to purchase.

Charlie

 

[Haynie]

Get Variable speed.

 

[TonyL]

Well. That was easy. Thank you. I do have the budget. We will see. I am pretty excited about it. Thanks again!

 

[LeeR]

Well. That was easy. Thank you. I do have the budget. We will see. I am pretty excited about it. Thanks again!

The polls have spoken. You MUST buy that 1221 ...

I have a Rikon 79-100, and will add the VS kit this year. I really like the lathe, but having VS would be so nice. Belt changes aren't all that hard, but sometimes I find myself not changing the belt to get the speed I really want, just because it is enough of a hassle to do it every time I want to.

Within a month of getting my lathe, I added a bed extension. I like to turn tool handles and peppermills, and when you have a chuck on both ends, and drilling with about any length bit, you just run out of room.

 

[dudstuen]

Tony, I would definatley go with VS, you will never regret it, it makes turning much more pleasurable

 

[mchech]

We should form our own government as we have done a fine job of agreeing on something. Unfortunately we, much like our leaders, have no problem spending someone else's money. LOL

 

[Quality Pen]

I'm new as well, but I can't emphasize enough to get variable speed. Honestly I don't know what I would do without it. id probably return the lathe within a few turns now that I think about it.

 

[TonyL]

A few hours a go, I bought the 1221. I am sure that others lathes would have produced the same results for pen turning. I had the budget, so I went with the overwhelming vote. Thank you very much. As a beginner, I really needed to hear from those that have walked many more miles in this hobby than I have. Well, pen #4 will be made on my own lathe! But I a I looking to share this hobby and my lathe with others, just as my friend, Stuart, did less than three weeks ago.
Thanks again.

 

[Quality Pen]

A few hours a go, I bought the 1221. I am sure that others lathes would have produced the same results for pen turning. I had the budget, so I went with the overwhelming vote. Thank you very much. As a beginner, I really needed to hear from those that have walked many more miles in this hobby than I have. Well, pen #4 will be made on my own lathe! But I a I looking to share this hobby and my lathe with others, just as my friend, Stuart, did less than three weeks ago.
Thanks again.

Congratulations on the purchase! That thing looks like a beauty!

 

[Dave Turner]

I'll add my further support for getting Variable Speed. It's one feature that I use all the time. Now that I'm spoiled, I'd never even consider buying a lathe that doesn't have it.

By the way, my lathe is a Jet 1642EVS-2 and I love it. If I didn't do larger bowls and such, I'd probably buy the 1221VS. Remember that lathes keep going up in price each year. I paid $1,440 for my brand new lathe in 2007. I could probably sell it for near that today.

 

[KenV]

I have turned while sno-birding in AZ on a Jet 1014 VS -- Nice lathe but if it have been available, would have gone with the 1221 VS

I am hooked on VS -- would not have a lathe without it

(I have a big lathe up north - also a VS -- it has reverse but that feature is not used much and then for sanding.)

 

[mikespenturningz]

I just purchased a 1221 and it is a great lathe so far. I was turning on a Nova Comet 2 and that was also great for turning pens. I like both of them but the jet has a much better tailstock. On the other hand the Comet was quieter and much less expensive? If it were me I would go with the 1221 on sale... In fact I did get mine on sale.

 

[kovalcik]

Congrats. You will not regret it.

 

[TonyL]

I liked your page! Beautiful work!
Made my first pen without any assistance todya. It's not perfect, but I love it!