Shopping for a new lathe

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T

tbfoto

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I've been thinking about upgrading my mini lathe to something else. I bought my Ryobi mini lathe to make pens on and it is a very nice little lathe to do that however it does have some limitations.
So I'm looking for one that is a tabletop model, variable speed, MT#2. I want to be able to drill blanks using the tail stock which is something that I cannot do now.
I've really not shopped around yet but I know there are many to choose from. Jet, Delta, Rikon, Nova, Grizzly.
Does anyone here have any strong feelings for or against any particular brand & model?



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The Jet 1221 is a larger table top model with 1 HP motor, variable speed and is large enough for drilling without any problems. It is also big enough to turn decent size bowls and other items if you want. I do not own one but I have used one and I thought it was an extremely nice lathe. If I was in the market for a new bench top lathe it would be my first choice.
 
I have a Jet 1221VS that I can't imagine my pen life without. It's pricey at around $800 but after daily use for over a year and more than $60k of pens ran through it, a worthwhile investment.
 
I am retired and we live n 2 places so I have 2 shops, one at home and another at our New Mexico place, I needed a lathe and bought a Rikon lathe. I was more than satisfied, so I bought a Rikon drill press, it has served me well, so when I upgraded my bandsaw, I chose Rikon, again it has done it's job. This is from a former Delta fan, I have Delta tools that are over 50 years old, their corporate leadership is sinking the company.
 
Of midi lathes you listed, the Jet and Rikon would be my first and second choices.
In case you haven't set it, the Bosch Colt lathe sold by Arizona Silhouette seems to be a good solid lathe. 1hp, 14" swing with an inverter style controller. I read a lathe review recently which put this lathe at the top of the pack. Normally a little more expensive but I now see it listed on sale for $750 at Arizona Silhouette. That knocks the price down in line with the Jet.
I recommend calling Barry Gross and getting more info. Also, I didn't see the distance between centers listed. I think it was in the 20"-22" range as I recall. Barry usually has one at shows for his demos.
Good luck with your choices.
 
dogcatcher said:
I am retired and we live n 2 places so I have 2 shops, one at home and another at our New Mexico place, I needed a lathe and bought a Rikon lathe. I was more than satisfied, so I bought a Rikon drill press, it has served me well, so when I upgraded my bandsaw, I chose Rikon, again it has done it's job. This is from a former Delta fan, I have Delta tools that are over 50 years old, their corporate leadership is sinking the company.
Click to expand...

Delta Power Equipment Corp. is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Taiwan-based Chang Type Industrial Co., Ltd. It is not the Wisconsin based company we grew with.

Rikon and Jet are both good tools with five year warranties and both have very good customer service backing up their products. I think Rikon gives you more bang for the buck, especially when you catch it on sale.
 
For what it's worth, I upgraded from an older Delta Midi to the 46-460 Delta variable speed model. I love it and have used it for over a year with no problems. At $650, it is $200 less than the Jet VS which was a huge factor for me. I don't have experience with the Jet or Rikon lathes mentioned, but my Delta experience has been good.
 
I have a Rikon and wish I would've spent the extra money for a Jet. I've drilled 10mm holes that a 10.5mm tube fits in. The handle for tightening the belts stripped, and when using the high speed pulleys the belt likes to jump off by 1 "track". The live center/quill moves a tiny bit when tightening the quill down too, which causes a lot of vibration. These inaccuracies aren't a problem for boxes, bowls, and the like, but they make penturning a real pain, which is the main reason I bought it and also why I haven't made many in the last several months. I contacted customer support and while friendly, none of the help has solved any of the issues. I'm thinking of just buying a new tailstock to see if that helps with the drilling & live center issues but I hate the thought of putting any money into it. I haven't beat it at all and in fact it hasn't really had a whole lot of use. Maybe I just got a lemon but while I loved it at first, I don't recommend it. FWIW my Rikon grinder started giving me pains after 2-3 months. I'm done with their products.
 
I've only used Jet (have 3) and will stop here. Would by another Jet without hesitating. I bought 2 on Black Fri less 15%. I paid retail for a 1015VS last August as I wanted it now instead of waiting for sale. You will not go wrong with a Jet 1015 or 1221....do get variable speed regardless of which lathe you choose.
 
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I started with a Jet 1014, couldn't get the centers lined properly, even with professional help. Bought a Delta 46-460 and have loved it for the last 7ish years. Have turned on a Nova Comet - hated it, Rikon mini - felt less substantial, Jet 1221 is a solid lathe, the variable speed control is cool.

I'd go with a Delta again, the Jet would be #2.
 
It's a bit of a drive, but we have all of those lathes set up at my makerspace. If you'd like to try them, come over to Columbus. And bring some of that cold XXX Root Beer!
 
thewishman said:
It's a bit of a drive, but we have all of those lathes set up at my makerspace. If you'd like to try them, come over to Columbus. And bring some of that cold XXX Root Beer!
Click to expand...



XXX RootBeer is indeed good!
I called about a lathe I saw on Craigslist yesterday. It's the Delta 46-250 model. It only has the 1/2 hp motor though and he was asking $300. I can probably get it for less but I think I should be able to find one with a 1 hp for same money.


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I started out with a JET mini manual speed, moved up to the JET mini variable speed, and finally to the JET 1642 variable speed. Wish I had skipped the first two steps and saved some money. Couldn't be happier....... well maybe if someone gave me a big One Way.
 
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