Jet mini lathe stand???

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Dario

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LOML is twisting my arm to buy the stand for Jet mini :D LOL ...since I want to please her and want to take advantage of the 10% off Amazon, I have to decide today if possible.

Question. Is it worth it? Or am I better off putting the lathe on a bench or my table?

My space is limited (half of a 2 car garage)...but at the same time available counter/table top is also limited. Should I go for it???

Thanks you,
 
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Dario, I have all my lathes at home bench mounted. I purchased the stand for the new one for when I go out and do demos. Also, I am hoping it can be lowerd enough I can use it in the shop when seated, (such as sitting my toushy down in a chair) to do my finishing work. (my one knee is not what it use to be). When at the AZ Turn A Thon, Tom had brought his mini & stand, very stable stand, the only knock on it was, one of the feet protrudes to where you want to place your foot while standing.
 
Dario,

When I bought my Jet Mini I opted not to go with the stand. I have plenty of space in the garage and the bench I have on the lathe on is perfect for now.

I have thought about buying a stand to use this summer to turn outside when the wether is nice. The other option I have considered is build a mobile cabinet for my lathe. This would have drawers for storage and at one end a wood vise for pressing pens together.

I think the thing that you will need to consider is to decide how valuable the workbecnch space? It is more vauluable then since you have permission go ahead and get the stand. If not you could pass and always pick one up later if you changed you mind.
 
Anthony, My shop table is a dinnette table and is a bit low...how difficult is it to turn seating? Other than your special case...any advantage/disadvantage?

Richard, You just mentioned a MAJOR advantage for the stand. Summer in Texas can get unbearable inside the garage. Being able to move around (or out) will surely help a lot. This may sway the decision making enough for the stand.

Thank you,
 
Dario, in the long run I think you are better off building a stand for yourself..
There was one posted in an issue of the AAW magazine about 2 yrs ago that was great... one of these days I will find the issue and build one for myself... [:p]
 
Originally posted by Dario
<br />
Richard, You just mentioned a MAJOR advantage for the stand. Summer in Texas can get unbearable inside the garage. Being able to move around (or out) will surely help a lot. This may sway the decision making enough for the stand.

Thank you,
Click to expand...

I thought all us Texans had air conditioned shops, why go out in the heat?
 
I bought a stand with my Jet mini. I'm pretty happy with it. As long as you spend the time to adjust the leveling feet, it's plenty stable. I too use half of a 2 car garage and had no available table top space. My only complaint is very minor, and most likely wold be common to any stand. When moving around the headstock area, need to be careful not to trip over a stand leg. It hasn't been a real problem for me, but I do notice it. The up side is that I think I have much more room to move around the lathe with the stand than I otherwise would if on a table top.
 
Originally posted by Hemibee
<br />
Originally posted by Dario
<br />
Richard, You just mentioned a MAJOR advantage for the stand. Summer in Texas can get unbearable inside the garage. Being able to move around (or out) will surely help a lot. This may sway the decision making enough for the stand.

Thank you,
Click to expand...

I thought all us Texans had air conditioned shops, why go out in the heat?
Click to expand...

Reality check...not all Texans can afford air conditioned shop. I actually don't even have a shop [V]. I am squatting in my garage.

I will not go out in the heat...will stay under the shade. Still hot but with a breeze it won't be like the oven heat inside my garage.
 
Send some of the heat over here if you are trying to hide from it! LOL
It is always cold in my shop, I have a single car garage all to myself now, need to invest in heating.[xx(][:D]
 
Dario,

When I first started turning pens I had my Jet Mini on a cabinet. It did fine. Then later I sold it and got a VS Jet Mini, and I got the Jet stand for the mini, and I love it! It is very stable! And one of the neat things is you can mount kind of a table top between the stand and the lathe, so you have a place to set stuff down. I recommend it!

Scott.
 
I tried to put it off forever but eventually bought the stand for it. I hated paying the price but it works very well for. I put locking casters on it (I know . . . but I have a 1642 for bigger pieces) which makes it very easy to move around. I also built a bench with a tool holder and mounted between the lathe and stand. I definately don't regret it even though the price was high.
 
I had my dad look at the jet mini stand for his opinion on it.

My dad did not think the stand was worth the money. He said that it appeared to be cheaply made and not very strong.
My dad has always gone alittle extreme when it comes to stands for tools. some background on this: dad and i built a motorcyle trailer for a friend. the trailer was built so strong/beefy that you could drive a ford f250 on it and not have it break.
Dad found a used frame that we converted into a stand for my jet mini lathe. the stand takes 2 people to move around. i can turn a out of round 6" diameter log without the lathe bouncing around without adding weight to the stand.

if you are or know someone that can weld metal check out the metal scrap yards for a frame that you can modify into a stand.
my opinion is you would have a better stand and it would be cheaper than the ready made stand from amazon.
 
I have the Jet stand w/extension. Started w a bench i made just for the lathe. I have rollers on mine and like it much more than my home made rig. It's easy to move, plenty solid and actually gives me much more space.
Jim
 
I found an old conference table that was 16" by 6', maybe 30" high, at a garage sale. They are also avaiable new at places like Sam's and Costco. I mounted the lathe down near one end and the grinder on the other end. The lathe was a little low for my towering 5'10" height [;)] so I cut some short blocks of 2x4 and longer bolts to get it up some. Also mounted a light, one of those little clamp-on models from the fabric store on parallel arms. It really worked pretty good, better than I thought it would.

More than once I had a buddy help me pick up the whole table and put in my truck to take to club meetings for demos. When I bought my new bigger 1642 lathe I kept the mini (moved it over to another bench) and the grinder, but auctioned off the table at a club meeting to put some much needed $$$ into the club kitty. Got more for it after two years of use, with extra holes drilled in it and with finish spilled on it, for more than I paid for it originally. [8D]
 
I go back and forth. Sometimes I like it on the bench. Other times on the stand. Just depend on what other jobs demand space in my 10x14 shop. I do favor the stand though due to the mobility. First I installed an 18"x24" 3/4' thick MDF platform on the top of the stand and drilled holes in it to hold turning tools, sandpaper etc. I also installed 3" locking swivel casters from Woodcraft on the base. I am planning on making a custom cabinet with drawers to go in the base. If I really need the shop sapce for something else I roll it into the storage room next door.
 
Check out Rockler. They have the stuff to build a stand whatever size you need. Buy the legs and stretchers, add a top and middle shelf and mount the lathe. I am a welder by trade, and you should be able to make your own knockoff of the Jet stand for around $40-60. If you have to pay someone for the work, you may be screwed. I have the Rockler stand, bolted it together, welded it solid and have no vibration. It is very stable and I can pick it up to move it outside. You folks in Texas, I'll trade your dry heat for the crap we have in Minnesota any day. 90 degree day, 90% humidity and dew point in the 80's make for very soggy shorts. Right now it is in the low 30's, so it is just about right.
 
Originally posted by Dario
<br />....I will not go out in the heat...will stay under the shade. Still hot but with a breeze it won't be like the oven heat inside my garage....
Click to expand...

Dario: I picked up a ceiling fan at a yard sale for 5 bucks and hung it in the garage directly over my lathe. Also found a fan motor and blade from an A/C condenser on the curb awaiting the trash men. I rescued it and built a little box for it. Pluged it into my 240V outlet and created my own breeze!!

Everything does need to be shut down for a while before the finishing operations as the fans do move the dust around!!
 
Dario,
I have a stand for mine and as someone else mentioned you can place a board between the lathe and stand to put things on, I also used a hole saw on the back part of the board to make 6 holes and put my turning tools in the holes.

jim
 
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