Can anyone give me...

[Cathy Schaewe]

a good reason to keep the Delta, once I get the Jet set up satisfactorily? (by the way, it shipped today .... will be here a week from tomorrow - about 190 hours .... but who's counting?)

[Matt Hutchinson]

I love having more than one lathe. I can dedicate one machine to one setup, and work on other things using the other lathe. Also, just because of the particular nature of my machines, one is used for work 8" and under, while the big machine is used for everything else. You may be able to do something similar.

But at a certain level it may be tough to justify holding onto the Delta. I say this mainly cuz you can get some awesome tools, accessories, wood, etc... with the money you could get from selling it.

If you don't need the money for future tools/accessories then I would say keep it. Later on if you find you don't use it very much you can sell it then.

Hutch

P.S. If I had my way, I would have about 5 lathes, each with different strengths/weaknesses. :D

[Richard Madden]

I'd say keep the Delta if at all possible. Wish I had the room for two lathes (but I don't), I would leave one set up for buffing, or threading or...another turning project. If you have the room, keep it, at least for awhile.

[John Keeton]

Surprisingly, I can! When you start doing hollow forms, and you will, it would be so cool to have the form on one lathe, hollowed, and working on the lid or finial on another lathe to get everything fitted just right.

That from some poor sap that just has a tiny, mediocre Delta.....:(:(:(

[John Hart]

Yeah...I'd like to have two. Just for the reasons Mr. Keeton said....although, I like to do multi-piece vases. Leaving the main body on one lathe while turning the mouth would be very convenient.

[David E Keller]

I agree with the others... I've got my PM and a Rikon midi. I don't use the midi all that often, but I leave it set up for buffing which is really handy. I've also used it a few times when I've had friends over who want to try turning... I can show them what to do on one lathe while they actually do it on the other. Most of the lathe virgins I've lured to the shop are a little less intimidated by the midi lathe.

[Richard Madison]

Definitely keep it if feasible. As mentioned, buffing, turning more than one part of a project, finishing on one lathe while turning on the other, little projects that interfer with progress on big project, disc sander on one lathe, etc. The compact size of the Delta is also a big plus for keeping it.

[Karl Card]

I have 2 lathes right now, a jet 1014 and a rikon and hope to add a large one to the fleet early next year.

As others have said it is very nice to have one setup for a particular thing and be able to do other things on the second lathe.

In my case I have one setup for turning free handed and then one setup with my duplicator, makes it easy to change moods without the hassle.

[Baxter Smith]

That from some poor sap that just has a tiny, mediocre Delta.....:(:(:(
What happened to "Long Live Delta Force"?

[Keith Burns]

Sure keep it if you can until you see if you use it. I use my midi with the 3 wheel beall buffing system now to use on small pieces even though I have a dedicated buffer. Also plan to convert it to a dedicated threading station at some point.

[Allen Neighbors]

I have two. OW1640 and Vicmarc VL100. I use them both, daily. Turning something on one, and have to wait for something, like epoxy/inlay or something of the sort, and I can be turning something else on the other one.
Right now, I'm trying to get enough pens for my Craft Show next month, and have two going at the same time.
A second lathe will always be handy...

[Tom Sherman]

Agree with the keep it stragety, I have three, jet 1442, jet midi, and a little variable speed from penn state. None of them have seen use recently but that is about to change.

[Paul Douglass]

I'd like to havae two. Not sure why, but I'd even be happy with three!

[David DeCristoforo]

You mean and have only two?

[Brian Brown]

I disagree with all. It is a terrible waste of space to have 2.. So send 1 to me for proper funeral and burial..... and no you can't be here to watch it get "sent off". :D:D Most of us beg our wives for a second lathe, but it doesn't work. But that's the way the cookie crumbles.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Cathy I would keep it. You will find you will have big projects on the Jet and may want to turn something small quick.

[Roger Chandler]

Yeah, what Bernie said, and most of the other posters who replied also!

You will never regret having two, but if you sell the delta, then you most likely will always wish you hadn't, and then what about all those accessories for the 1x8 tpi spindle, you can buy adapters for the new Jet 16/42 and still use those as well.

Congratulations Cathy!

[Tony Pridmore]

There were 2 major reasons for keeping my Jet 1014 when I bought a bigger lathe. One was portability... Our club has quarterly hands-on workshops and frequently does public demos (fair, art festivals, charity work, etc.). The second, and more important reason, was that it can easily be setup at the proper height for my son to use.

-Tony

[Reed Gray]

My big lathe is a Robust. I now have (for a year or two) a Jet 1220VS. I had to get it because of taking a Bonnie Klein workshop. I wanted to do the threaded boxes, and her jig would have been a royal pain to set up on the Robust. I have reverse chucked some small bowls on it, but really, could you see turning boxes that are maybe 2 by 1 1/2 inches on a lathe that size? It would look funny.

robo hippy

[Fred Perreault]

Cathy,
I agree with all who suggest keeping the 2nd lathe. If you have room to leave it set up for use, just let it set there and see how often and for what uses it would compliment your shop. At some point you will find the answer to your dillema. Good luck....

[Cathy Schaewe]

You people are an addict's worst nightmare!:eek:

Or best dream. :rolleyes:

I'm not sure which .....:D

[Jess Wetherhold]

What they said. Down the road you will question why you ever thought of selling it :)

[Joe Bradshaw]

Cathy, I currently have 5 lathes. A Oneway 2436, a Oneway 1224, a Jet 1220, a Jet 1014(in the process of converting it to a 2 and 1/2 hp variable speed) and an old Carbtec that I bought for pens. I agree with the others in that it is nice to be able to move from lathe to lathe. Now chucks are another story, I currently have about 12.

[Chris Stolicky]

Cathy, I currently have 5 lathes. A Oneway 2436, a Oneway 1224, a Jet 1220, a Jet 1014(in the process of converting it to a 2 and 1/2 hp variable speed) and an old Carbtec that I bought for pens. I agree with the others in that it is nice to be able to move from lathe to lathe. Now chucks are another story, I currently have about 12.

Is that 2.5hp on a Jet 1014i? Wow :eek:

Not sure if it would sit still with all of the torque unless it is bolted down!

[Thomas Canfield]

I agree with what has been said earlier:

1. Portability to take to classes, demos, or adjust for grandchildren
2. Smaller items to fill in time when something bigger is on big lathe and in progress
3. Use big lathe with buffing wheels for bowl exteriors, and use bowl buffs on mini for bowl/hollow form interiors. I use the Don Pencil shaft (8" and 12" for Powermatic and 8" for mini) and not the 3 on 1 buffing wheels that I also have.
4. Mini works well for pens and small items using a lot less power than the 2HP
5. Used price not that attractive, and you probably have some special tools, jigs, etc already for the mini that will not work with the larger lathe.