Jet 1642evs-2 vs Grizzly G0698 low speed

[Paul Singer]

I was all set to get the Jet 1642EVS-2 when the G0698 came on the scene. So far there has been alot of discussion on the low speed problems with the G0698 but I wanted to hear from Jet users as to how slow can their lathes go and still be usable.

[Jeff Rich]

I use mine down to about 100rpm but usually not much lower.
I havent turned anything that large that would require really low speed.
It will run at 50rpm though.

[Roger Chandler]

I was all set to get the Jet 1642EVS-2 when the G0698 came on the scene. So far there has been alot of discussion on the low speed problems with the G0698 but I wanted to hear from Jet users as to how slow can their lathes go and still be usable.


I think that if you were to ask the tech guys at Grizzly, they would probably say that the "low speed problem" you mentioned on the Go698 is not really a problem at all. The lathe will go to zero, but it simply has a consistent and smooth revolution at 100 rpm. It will turn a lower speed but with the "Hunt" that the electrical engineer on the "other forum" talked about.

Owners of the Powermatic 3520b which is the "big brother" of the Jet told me that the machines that are coming out now are programmed to shut off at 50 rpm, and that there is a little of this same "hunt" as you get to the lowest setting.

The G0698 really performs. It is quiet, smooth, reverses, has 2 hp, 1-1/4 spindle, has quality machined pulleys and bed, and wiring is first rate.

I am very pleased with mine, and did not want anyone to misunderstand my postings on the other forum, as some of my pushing about this issue was a lack of understanding as to the nature of inverters. It turned out that after having the issue explained by tech support and having it confirmed by the electrical engineer, that what I had thought was a difference with other vendors versions of this same lathes was not true.

I had thought other iterations of this lathe were not having the issue, and that one vendor had something different in the motor that made a difference, but that is not the case, as I understand.

Having used mine for about a month now, and putting it to the test, it has performed flawlessly, and if I were looking to buy a lathe today, knowing what I have learned and my experience with the performance, I would buy the same lathe again.

[Steve Schlumpf]

George - in the high range the lathe goes down to 127 rpm, low range is 50 rpm. I use the 127 rpm setting a lot for power sanding. Have used the low range 50 rpm only a few times for large turnings that were very out of balance.

[Ryan Baker]

The JET will easily run at 50 rpm, and I have not experienced any hunting problems at all, even with full capacity blanks mounted. That is where the inverter is programmed to shut off. I haven't ever needed to run it slower than that anyway.

[Richard Madison]

+1 what they said. 50 rpm in low range with no hunting.

[Dick Strauss]

Sanding out of round or NE bowls is much easier with the extra slow speeds (less than 50 rpms). Reed Gray from this forum does it on a regular basis and wouldn't want to be without it.

An older PM3520A will go all the way to zero with no searching issues but can't speak for the Jet.

[Roger Chandler]

My question is there really any measurable differences in the results one gets from turning or sanding at 50 rpms vs. 100 rpm, in the end result of a project?

While the preferences of the individual turner might be different, for whatever reason they have their individual preference, is the end result any different?

If not, then one cannot really fault a particular machine. We all have our ways of doing things based upon what has worked for us and the habits we have developed. There are many ways to get to the same destination.

[Reed Gray]

The only real benefit of sanding at slow speeds (less than 50 rpm) is for warped bowls. You can not keep your abrasives, either power, inertial sanders, or hand sanding on a seriously warped bowl at those speeds. If I have bowls that are barely warped, then I can up the speed to around 100 (I am just guessing here as I don't have a read out, and never have). Even if the bowl is almost perfectly round, lower speeds help you keep the abrasives on the wood with no skipping. If you are sanding at higher speeds, like above 300 or so, you will get some skipping. Try to apply some wet finish by hand at those speeds and see the dry spots. There is also less heat at slow speeds, and from my experience, sanding just works better, and though the wood is moving slower, the abrasives seem to cut better.

All that being said, in the latest Woodturning Design magazine, there was an article on high speed sanding, with the power sander running at 6,000 rpm, and just brushing the surface of the wood. I think I will bring out my high speed Sioux sander (3200 rpm) and try it again. The risk of the loop coming off the abrasive disk is minimal, unless I get them hot, so no discs are going to whizz past my ears. I think that you need a certain amount of pressure for optimum sanding performance, and don't expect to see any real benefits, but I need to experiment.

Some times I think that all the experimenting around with different techniques is a major part of the fun of woodturning.

robo hippy

[Roger Chandler]

in every sanding situation, there is indeed a "certain amount of pressure" needed to keep the abrasive in contact with the surface being sanded. the lathe I previously had [before it broke] only went down to 400 rpm, and I sanded for 8 years with it, and never had problems getting a good finish, even on warped bowls, or other things.

It may have taken me a little longer to get to this good finish, than it might have had I been able to go slower, so time being valuable to all of us [we only get so much of it] I could see some advantage to slower speed, but not that much between 50 and 100 rpm. The difference could be made up for in the pressure we put on the abrasive as it contacts the surface.

Just a different way of getting to the same destination.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I go down to 50 rpm's when sanding NE bowls, square lid on a lidded box and square bowls. On square bowls it will definitely make a difference between 50 and 100.