Joshua Dinerstein
04-22-2009, 10:18 PM
So this last Saturday I had the chance to buy a Jet EVS lathe. It was a Jet 1642 EVS lathe. Now I know what some of you are thinking, didn't you just buy a Mustard Monster? And the answer is yes. The problem is that it is still in the basement in pieces. No shop, no space, no 220v power, no fun. So I started looking around and I ran across a good deal on the Jet that only need 110. So I was weak and spent all fo the recent bonus from work and then some on the Jet. So now I have real speed control the chance to get down below 600 RPMs as the lowest speed.
I know that in the past I have posted a few comments about my HF 34706 being a good lathe. I fear I was seriously mistaken. The best I can say now is that it isn't total crap.
I can't tell you what a difference it is from the old green Harbor Freight lathe that I had in the garage to this new Jet. The weight, the stability, all of it! It is just so smooth! I chucked up the most recent bowl that was jerking the lathe around so bad it was unusable. By the 3rd revolution it looked like it was going to pop the whole headstock off of the lathe. It spun so true that I was able to just start right into turning. It was just so heavy that I was able to round it down and get to work without it trying to walk across the floor. I seriously can't tell you how big a difference it was! It is sheer pleasure now to turn on this lathe.
My wife came out while I was working on the outside of the bowl with the bowl gouge and just stared for a minute or two then asked me what I was doing?!!? As she put it I had this huge goofy grin on my face and was occasionally laughing out loud! It was just so much fun!
All of that stopping I was getting from the motor of the last one when turning bowls is gone. I was able to rough down and hog out the middle in a fraction of the time it has ever taken me and this was the largest bowl I have ever turned!
I hate to admit it but the bowl is substantially smaller than it could have been. The cutting was working so well and was so much fun I kept going playing with shapes and the cuts just enjoying how well it was working.
So now I am not sure what the outcome will be. Right now I want to keep both. If the Jet is the this good I can't help but think that the Mustard will be even better. I might sell the Mustard just to not be too crazy. But right now I can't imagine parting with this Jet.
It gets two thumbs WAY WAY up from me. No wonder Steve likes his so much. I would highly recommend the machine.
And lastly what I can say! This vortex thing is going to kill me or get me killed one of these days! hehehe
I will post some pictures once I find the camera....
Joshua
I know that in the past I have posted a few comments about my HF 34706 being a good lathe. I fear I was seriously mistaken. The best I can say now is that it isn't total crap.
I can't tell you what a difference it is from the old green Harbor Freight lathe that I had in the garage to this new Jet. The weight, the stability, all of it! It is just so smooth! I chucked up the most recent bowl that was jerking the lathe around so bad it was unusable. By the 3rd revolution it looked like it was going to pop the whole headstock off of the lathe. It spun so true that I was able to just start right into turning. It was just so heavy that I was able to round it down and get to work without it trying to walk across the floor. I seriously can't tell you how big a difference it was! It is sheer pleasure now to turn on this lathe.
My wife came out while I was working on the outside of the bowl with the bowl gouge and just stared for a minute or two then asked me what I was doing?!!? As she put it I had this huge goofy grin on my face and was occasionally laughing out loud! It was just so much fun!
All of that stopping I was getting from the motor of the last one when turning bowls is gone. I was able to rough down and hog out the middle in a fraction of the time it has ever taken me and this was the largest bowl I have ever turned!
I hate to admit it but the bowl is substantially smaller than it could have been. The cutting was working so well and was so much fun I kept going playing with shapes and the cuts just enjoying how well it was working.
So now I am not sure what the outcome will be. Right now I want to keep both. If the Jet is the this good I can't help but think that the Mustard will be even better. I might sell the Mustard just to not be too crazy. But right now I can't imagine parting with this Jet.
It gets two thumbs WAY WAY up from me. No wonder Steve likes his so much. I would highly recommend the machine.
And lastly what I can say! This vortex thing is going to kill me or get me killed one of these days! hehehe
I will post some pictures once I find the camera....
Joshua