New Lathe, which direction......

[IPD_Mrs]

OK I got a Rockler import mini last year for christmas. I did not want to sink a bunch of money into turning if I did not like or was not decent at it. Well I love it and find it much more enjoyable than I would have ever dreamed. Not to mention that the wife loves it too and wants to learn to do some bowl turning. So the little import got my feet wet but to be honest the quality/precission is not there. The wheel on the head stock wobbles and it just is not the quality of equipment I am used to as woodworking is a side business for us.

In a year or so we will probably invest in the Powermatic 3520B if things continue and we get into the larger bowls. But in the mean time we need to upgrade our mini. We had though about a midi lathe but there are so few and the better ones such as the Oneway are close to the 3520's price. So my thought is to go with the JET variable speed mini and switch the the Powermatic in a year or so.

I would really like some input from folks that have been turning for a while. I would love to pop the Oneway 1224 but I can't justify the 2k for a midi and to be honest a little steep until we begin to sell more of our products.

Thanks,
Mike & Linda

 

[Rifleman1776]

The penturning forums are practically houses of worship for the Jet. That's gotta tell you something.

 

[Russb]

There are about a billion Jets out there. I have two Vicmarc VL100's that I consider to be of a much higher quality than the Jet.

 

[Dario]

I currently have a Jet mini VS and a PM3520B. I think between the 2, I can tackle almost anything (limited only by myself [])

Given my budget...I will get the same exact equipments today if I have to do it again. [^]

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Frank,
If my memory serves me correct don't you use the Jet VS mini?

 

[jaywood1207]

You might want to consider the General Maxi as well. A little bigger than the Jet and nice machine. Has the pivoting headstock for outboard turning and can go up to about 18" if I remember correctly.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

We had actually though about finding a happy medium between a mini and the machine we want and had looked at Grizzly and General International. For now our main concern is quality and precision. So many are happy with the Jet I think we will go that route. The Mrs can do a few 5"-7" bowls on it and see how much we will grow in the hobby. The we can get the mustard machine for the big stuff and the mini for the pens.

Mike & Linda

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by MLKWoodWorking
<br />Frank,
If my memory serves me correct don't you use the Jet VS mini?

I'm supposed to be the old guy with fading memory. [] Nope, I use a full-sized Grizzly G1067Z.

 

[cypressslough]

Mike, you might also look at the Jet 1220 and 1236. Both are good lathes. The 1220 doesn't have a variable speed drive, but the 1236 does. I've been turning on a 1236 for 14 years and have been very pleased with it. I am upgrading to a 3520B this Fall, but the 1236 will still have it's place in my shop.


Brian.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Thats the nice thing about going with the 10" as I am not sinking that much in the lathe so I am that much closer to the PM3520B []
I looked at the 1236 but the stand is crap and I do not have the time to build a cabinet for it right now. The mini will fit on the stand I have the import on and the import will be deligated to the portable eq table where things get rotated around.

Mike