Why did you upgrade?

[Nick Mastropietro]

If you have had a Delta 46-460 and upgraded - why did you do so? I guess I'm looking for a reason to not purchase the delta and start with something bigger say like the Jet 1642. I think it would be helpful to know why you would find the delta obsolete.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nick,

I'm not familiar with the Delta you are referencing. I started on a Jet VS Mini which had a maximum throw of 9 1/2".

I upgraded to a PM3520B with an 18" extension.

Reason....I wanted to turn bigger......I wanted AC variable speed instead of DC variable speed to maintain torque at the lower RPMs. I listened to the turners here and too many of them had gone through the upgrade process 2 or more times. I am getting ready to retire and wanted to upgrade once and be done with it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nick you can turn big on big and little on big but you can't turn big on little. I bought 2 lathes before my big one. Of course I still have the two smaller ones. I should have bought the big one and been done with it.

[Gary Max]

If I was going to add a 4th lathe to the shop it would be the Delta 46-460.
Just a all around nice lathe that will do a bunch of work. My big lathe is a Powermatic 4224.

[Bob Haverstock]

Nick,

The first wood lathe that I bought had belonged to my older brother. I bought it from my sister-inlaw after my brother died of colon cancer. It was a 12" Rockwell that my brother bought new in the 70's. The lathe gave me no joy, I couldn't keep my brother's death out of my head. So, I sold it to one of the men he had worked with.

My second lathe, which I still have, is a JWL 1220. It is a great machine, but it is noth really up to the big vase and pots that have caught my fancy. When my son and his family where here in the fall, he had a grand time playing with the Jet. He and the family will be stateside in a year and a half. The JWL and tooling will be a welcome home gift for him.

I have a Vega 12" lathe that is setting on the floor. It is a canidate for a major bed extention. I'm thinking an 8' bed. This is #3. The Vega will be dedicated to long spindle work. It may get a new home instead.

So, last week I bought my Nova 1624-44. This is going to be my last lathe. ( maybe I can self brainwash) It is compact and has a bed extention. There is a limit on the space in my shop. There is a practical limit on the size of the wood that I can safely carry and load by myself.

Most my turnings are given away or sold. You know the drill, " Fire wood in turnings out."

Bob Haverstock

[John Grounds]

Here are a few quote from the net:

"I also have a Jet 1642 but now use the new Delta more than the Jet. Both are good lathes, but just something about the Delta makes it fun to turn on."


"I actually enjoy turning on this lathe as much as I do turning on my Jet 1642. Both are very nice to use, but I use the Delta about 8 times more than my bigger Jet."

"I have a Powermatic 3520 (which I love), and I'm DETERMINED to get that Delta 46-460"

"I already have the PM3520. I'm trying to wrangle the Delta 46/460 now."



http://theperfectcollection.com/deltaforce.gif

[John Keeton]

Nick, as a Delta 46-460 owner, and no experience on a bigger lathe, I can't help much with you decision. But, I think Bernie has it right - "you can turn big on big and little on big but you can't turn big on little", so if you ever want to turn larger than 12.5", then that would be the determining factor I think. Otherwise, it is going to be very difficult to beat the Delta for the money - great lathe!

John, spread the word!!


http://theperfectcollection.com/deltaforce.gif

[Peter Lamb]

There really is only one reason and that is you wish to turn pieces larger in diameter than 12 1/2". Having turned more than thirty years and no interest yet to turn larger, with the bells and whistles the 46-460 has why would I spend more money for any lathe which would take up more space and never use its diameter/ weight capabilities.

I have the 460 and it does everything I have asked of it.

If the issue is "bragging rights" that's a different issue.
Peter

[George Guadiane]

Nick,

I'm not familiar with the Delta you are referencing. I started on a Jet VS Mini which had a maximum throw of 9 1/2".

I upgraded to a PM3520B with an 18" extension.

Reason....I wanted to turn bigger......I wanted AC variable speed instead of DC variable speed to maintain torque at the lower RPMs. I listened to the turners here and too many of them had gone through the upgrade process 2 or more times. I am getting ready to retire and wanted to upgrade once and be done with it.

I started out with a Delta Mini - 10 inch swing lathe - on/off belts for speed change. It's a good lathe...
I traded up to a PM 3520 because it has mass variable speed, a bigger swing, forward/reverse, all the stuff I wanted...
If the 46-460 had been available at the time, I MIGHT just have gone with that and been very happy... I like it so much that I'm going to get one for doing demos and stuff. It's only missing a few less RPMs and mass, AND it has an indexing wheel which the MM doesn't have.
If you have the bucks, get the dream machine (whatever yours is). If not, this lathe could be the best choice available for the money.

Just in case you didn't already, check out this thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=133414
That's my 2 cents.

[Rick Hutcheson]

Well I am not sure why any upgrade is needed. I have the 46-460 and the Jet 1642. I turn almost daily on the Delta. A 12" bowl is a large normal sized bowl. When you start talking to bowl turners the stuff bigger is fun to do once in awhile, but the large bowls are not a practical for use because of the space they take up. The Delta can take the 12" bowls and I use the mini Mcnaughton on it a lot too with the 12" blanks.
http://www.scrollsaws.com/images/Lathe/DeltaLathe/Day184a.jpg
If you would like to see more of what I have turned on the Delta , take a look at this page http://www.scrollsaws.com/deltaVSlathe.htm

[Sean Hughto]

I have the 1642. I knew I would want the ability to turn things like chair parts, table legs, etc., so the 42 sounded very good. Now smaller lathes can have bed extensions and such to get to similar lengths, of course. I also wanted to be able to turn some bowls, and not just small incidental bowls, but some that could be used for large salads and such. Now here, the 16 inch swing was a must. The bigger swing has also made possible things like the top of this stool which is around 15" in diameter:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4201582599_f6e6a24532.jpg

I've not yet wished I had a smaller lathe. I know that if I had bought a midi, I would have already wished for a larger one.

[David E Keller]

I can't give you a reason not to buy the delta, but I can tell you size of turning would be the main reason to upgrade. The good news is that if you decide to upgrade, the delta will make a great second lathe.

[Richard Madison]

Just a matter of available $$ and available space. Must balance the cost of our toys against other financial needs of self and family. Then order the Jet, so you will never have to wonder if you should have bought the Jet.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nick - I upgraded from a Craftsman Mono-Tube lathe, 12" swing to a Jet 1642. Reasons for the Jet was cam-lock tool rest, sliding headstock, 16" swing, 2 hp motor, variable speed, mass of the cast iron and length of bed. I am sure there are a few other reasons but those are the main ones.

I have considered upgrading a few times to a larger lathe but the reality of it is - this lathe will turn everything that I have wanted to turn - so far. It would be nice to have some extra clearance when roughing out blanks - but it's hard to justify the $$$$ for convenience. Still, there's something about a shiny new lathe....

[Reed Gray]

I went from a 4 speed Atlas to a PM 3520A, and now a Robust American Beauty. Primary reason was I got the smaller lathe to see, cheaply, if I really wanted to turn. Of course, that was a big yes. I sell my bowls. A lot of people wanted bowls bigger than 12 inches. I figure 12 inch and smaller bowls are large personal sized salad bowls, or for a couple who have small appetites. Bowls over that size are 'family' sized, and I sell more of them than any others, at least dollar wise. My PM paid for itself 3 times the first year I had it. That means it covered the cost of all the accessories I needed to go along with the bigger lathe. On a professional production basis, you need more horse power. You could easily do with 16 inch swing as bowls over than size are more for entertaining purposes, and not daily use.

robo hippy

[Jim Underwood]

I went from a cheeeeep stamped out sheet metal lathe from Big Lots (think HF) to a Jet mini. A great improvement, but still...

I wanted variable speed, more power, and a bigger swing. I got tired of hearing my wife ask for bigger bowls....

So she let me get the Jet 1642 last year. So far I've only made one payment on it... :o

[Bill Bulloch]

I haven't been turning but for about a year now. When I first started I bought a used Jet 1014. It is a nice little lathe and I still have it, but it wasn't long before I knew I needed a larger one. I bought a New, in the box, Jet 1236 at an IRS Auction for $375.00. What a piece of junk; I am sure glad I didn't pay full price for it. And I surely hope the other, larger Jets that members of the Creek own are better made than that one. Several months ago I bought the Delta 46-460 and haven't used either of the others since. It had done everything I ask it to do -- My only regreat is that I didn't get the bed extension when I bought it. That will be my next purchase. Still, As much as I love my 46-460, if I stumble across a good deal on the PM 3520 I'll be adding it to what my wife calls my "lathe collection".

[Justin Stephen]

Even though I strongly suspect I will buy a larger lathe someday so that i can turn larger pieces, I started with a 46-460 because it seemed to be a good lathe to learn on and it also seemed to be that it is a good idea to own a quality smaller lathe, something you can actually pick up and take somewhere. When that smaller lathe has higher-end features like reverse and variable speed and it would seem to be doubly true.

[Thomas Canfield]

My progression was used Jet 1014 to start.
2.Switch to Jet 1014VS to get variable speed) (no power but variabble speed)
3. Added used Jet 1236 to get power (but 500 min rpm too high for rough blanks
4. Bought Powermatic 3520B - plenty power, speed control, and capacity.

Had the Delta 46-460 been available earlier, it would have been a good choice instead of the Jet 1014VS. It looks like it has the power, speed control, and reasonable capacity for most normal turning and definitely would have fit in my shop easier than the 3520B and quite a few dollars less. Now having turned some larger pieces up to the 20" max I am hooked on some larger work even though I enjoy turning smaller pieces also. The Jet 1014VS gets some use polishing, pens, and little bowls, and also for grandchildren when they visit.

No easy answer but you have better choices now than several years ago.

[Ken Glass]

Nick,
I listened to a lot of people here about wishing they had bought bigger and not upgraded so many times and then purchased my 3520B as my first and most likely my last lathe. I have never regretted it. Good luck with your decision.

[Jeff Nicol]

For me woodworking and the tools that go along with it are an addiction that almost can never be satisfied! If I start at the beginning my first lathe was a brand new 1983 Shopsmith, it really did not get much use as a lathe but it was there when I wanted it. Then many years past before I got an actual stand alone lathe and it was a $235 Jet, Grizzly, HF or whoever knock off made in China. It has a 12" swing and 36" between centers. It is still in the shop but has had some major upgrades to make it VS without the old "Reeves" drive. So I upgraded so I could do larger items and have a lot more power than the old lathe, the 3520B came into my life and it is a complete joy to turn on. Then I guess I downgraded to a Steel City mini VS so I would have something for traveling demo's. Then the 46-460 came out and I wanted one so bad as an upgrade for the little Steel City. So now I have 3 lathes and if my shop was bigger I would build a large lathe to do huge turnings, so that is the story. We all can tell ourselves no more tools, but it seems to never happen!

Keep the wood a spinning!

Jeff

[Nick Mastropietro]

Thanks to all who responded; I took the plunge into the vortex and made the decision to purchase the Jet 1642evs verses the Delta 46-460. That decision was based primarily on one factor - you all upgraded! Now I know that deciding to buy the larger lathe does not mean I will never upgrade, I'm just hoping I won't have to go back to the well too soon, I want to spare the LOL that agony. As for this vortex thing, at first I thought it was a play on the process of turning into or out of the center of the work piece and then thought it may refer to being drawn into a fantastic hobby, but I now realize that the vortex is multidimensional and the most significant dimension is the sucking one. It sucks up time, it creates a mess that is best controlled by sucking, it sucks all the money out of your pockets and if your married, well it requires a fair amount of sucking up to satisfy it's pull. I have certainly been sucked into worse things in my life time and if the truth be known I am willingly relinquishing control and allowing myself to be drawn in. You can too, just keep watching the spinning object.

[Mac Carlton]

Being a Lefty, I want my next lathe to have a sliding headstock such as Jet 16-42, powermatic ,or even robust.
I can shoot better right handed than I can turn the inside of a bowl right handed. This would be one of the biggest reasons for an upgrade for me.
Now turning on 12-20 vari speed, no reverse ,no indexing. Two more reasons to upgrade.
Then there is size. I find that I saw off a lot of wood to get it to fit on my 12'' lathe. Good thing I make small turnings also otherwize the trimmings would be trashed. My .02

[Jamie Straw]

I went from a 4 speed Atlas to a PM 3520A....


Reed, I'm looking for info on an Atlas-made Craftsman lathe that a friend might consider to buy. It's Craftsman model 351-217120, 12" inboard, 36" spindle capacity. What's your opinion on an Atlas for casual turning??

[Reed Gray]

Jamie,
It was a good starter lathe. I replaced the 1/3 or 1/2 hp motor with a 1 hp motor, replaced the headstock spindle and bearings, and put it on a couple of heavy glue lam beams for some weight. It was fine for smaller things, but If I had a chain sawn bowl blank on it, it would try to walk around. Slowest speed was at least 500 rpm. Fine for dry balanced blanks though, and spindles. Now, having variable speed, I am spoiled rotten.

robo hippy

[Jamie Straw]

Thanks, Reed, I'll pass the info along. He's determined to stay under $200 for a used lathe. This one (on Craig's List) has 1HP motor. Seems like it might be one of those older Craftsman power tools that's worth looking at....

[Reed Gray]

For $200, it is a good deal, as long as it is running and the bearings are sound. It says you are in the Northwest. I don't know where, but if you are ever in the Eugene area, stop on by.

robo hippy

[Jamie Straw]

For $200, it is a good deal, as long as it is running and the bearings are sound. It says you are in the Northwest. I don't know where, but if you are ever in the Eugene area, stop on by.

robo hippy

Thanks, Reed. I don't get that far south very often, but if I head that way will drop you a note. Re: the lathe, I saw it today. It's a relatively new lathe. Tailstock moves on a tube, rather than between two flat rails the way my Jet is designed. I was thinking/hoping it was an older lathe, like from the 1950-60's. Comes with a duplicator and 2 face plates. Probably a good buy for someone's first lathe. Not sure about that tube-design though.........?