Different banjo to fit Jet 1642

[Jake Helmboldt]

As many know, the banjo on the Jet 1642 is only marginal. It really needs to be a couple inches longer to reach around large bowls adequately and when extended isn't as secure as I'd like. So....I'm wondering if a nice banjo can be used on the Jet. Perhaps a Oneway or Robust?

I believe it is Bob ??? that uses a Oneway banjo on his Nova lathe. Any thoughts? Has anyone else adapted a different banjo to their 1642?

Jake

[Ryan Baker]

My banjo is rock solid when fully extended. I frequently use it that way and have no issue there. I agree it would have been nice to be a couple inches longer for reaching around those big blanks.

Bob Hamilton is the one who put the Oneway banjo on the Nova lathe. I don't see any problem fitting the Oneway rest to the Jet either. You probably would need a different clamp block to fit the bed-rail spacing on the Jet. Oneway sells blocks, or you might be able to use the Jet block. Bob would have all the details on making the Oneway rest work.

Most likely, any banjo with the right height could be adapted to work. As long as there is enough space between the top of the banjo and the spindle center to handle the height of the tool rest, it should be relatively easy to get it working.

[Jake Helmboldt]

In the past the length has been the limiting factor but not a big deal, but now that I got a McNaughton coring causes the banjo to come loose if it is extended all the way.

[Ryan Baker]

I haven't had that problem with mine, even though I do also core with the McNaughton. You might try to tighten up the clamp nut on the bottom so that it grabs a little tighter to start with. If it's just vibration that loosens things up, there's probably not a lot you can do other than add some sand bags, core more slowly, and periodically check that the banjo is tight. There's no guarantee that a Oneway (or other) banjo would be better in that respect. Make sure the bottom of the banjo is really flat, with no bumps or burrs that could hold up the banjo.

[Fred Perreault]

Jake, I was wondering.... at what point do you need the banjo in a very extended position to use the McNaughton? I find that I position the banjo/tool gate in a way that permits a proper angle of approach, but with as little banjo hanging off as possible due to the torque and stress. Maybe I am not doing it correctly.
It is possible to upturn the banjo and tune the locking mechanism some.... maybe that is all.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Ryan, I respectfuly disagree. The banjo when fully extended will actually lift off the bed when tightened because it doesn't span the gap in the ways. That makes for a very insecure banjo and when turning at max diameter it requires the banjo to be fully extended.

Fred, I just got the McNaughton so I still need to learn the details. But I had a large blank that I was coring (right at the Jet's 16" capacity) and so I had the banjo extended quite a ways (though I don't recall if it was all the way). In general I think the banjo on the 1642 is adequate for most work, but leaves something to be desired when turning or coring large pieces.

[Scott Hubl]

Have you looked at the "Dog Leg" that Robust is selling ?

That Might get you a little extra length and I believe they sell it for $49.00.
(Alot less that buying another banjo if it gets you the little extra length or reach around you want.)

Dog Leg (http://www.turnrobust.com/Images/Dog%20Leg%20Composite.jpg) - Offsets the toolrest to get into those hard to reach places. People who get these wonder how they got by without them! Includes allen wrench.

179098
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/pencil.png

[Dale Bright]

Ryan, I respectfuly disagree. The banjo when fully extended will actually lift off the bed when tightened because it doesn't span the gap in the ways. That makes for a very insecure banjo and when turning at max diameter it requires the banjo to be fully extended.

Fred, I just got the McNaughton so I still need to learn the details. But I had a large blank that I was coring (right at the Jet's 16" capacity) and so I had the banjo extended quite a ways (though I don't recall if it was all the way). In general I think the banjo on the 1642 is adequate for most work, but leaves something to be desired when turning or coring large pieces.

Jake,

I have been turning on a 1642 Jet for over 3 years and I have cored and turned quite a few large blanks like you are talking about.. I have never had an issue with the banjo moving. If I am understanding your issue, the banjo has some play that allows it to rise a little when fully exteneded towards the turner, is this correct? Today, I will check that out on my 1642 but I have never given it any thought, since I have not had an issue while turning or coring.

I am pretty sure you can get a banjo from Oneway. The gap in the bed is the same as the Jet.

Dale

[Bob Hamilton]

Getting the Oneway banjo to work on my Nova lathe bed was not as easy as I had hoped. The banjo clamping mechanism is set up so that there is a threaded stud sticking down through the clamp block and a nut goes on the bottom to hold things together. The problem on the Nova lathe was that the cross webs under the bed do not allow anywhere near enough clearance for the nut to be under the clamp block. I had one of the machinists at the plant where I work counterbore the underside of the clamp block to allow the nut to be recessed into bottom of the block and then still had to use an angle grinder on the cross webs to gain enough clearance. It works well now, though.

The advantage of the Oneway banjo is that it is much more massive than the stock Nova banjo and has considerably more reach. There are a few disadvantages, though most can be worked around fairly easily. The extra thickness of metal around the tool rest post hole means that the tool rest needs some forward offset to be able to get it close to the workpiece without the banjo hitting the workpiece. The Oneway rests that I use have this offset. The stock Nova rest and the round bar "modular" rests that I have do not. The Oneway banjo has a sliding cam block inside it that moves on machined ways to allow the banjo to slide in and out. The cutout to allow insertion/removal of this cam block is right under the tool post. That means that when the banjo is slid all the way in to try to get the tool post close to the lathe centerline the cam block will be partially disengaged from its machined ways and it can sometimes hang up a bit when trying to get it slid back on to move the banjo back out.

The biggest problem in regard to your intended purpose is that the tool rest post on the 16" Oneway banjo is far too tall to allow mounting the McNaughton coring tool gate. If I recall my owner's manual correctly, the McNaughton tool gate assembly requires that the top of the tool rest post be at least 2 7/8" below the lathe spindle centerline. I don't know if the Oneway 12" banjo would be short enough to allow using the McNaughton tool gate or not, but the 16" banjo is WAY too tall to allow it on a 16" lathe. I have to use my Nova banjo when I am coring and put up with it occasionally vibrating loose.

Take care
Bob

[Bob Hamilton]

I put together a video, hopefully explaining more about the Oneway banjo I use:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNp5btnkexM

Take care
Bob

[alan butler]

Laguna Tools has a 1847 lathe that appears to be identical to the Jet 1642 except for 18" swing. They sell the tool rest holder on their website in accessories for $94.

Al