Damon McLaughlin
06-27-2017, 11:32 AM
It appears that the photos in my original posting of this review were lost and I cannot edit that post. Because photos are a big part of my write up I wanted to repost with the photos, hopefully this time they do not disappear. Maybe a moderator can edit the original post to redirect here.
When I started turning I bought a Rikon 70-220vsr midi lathe. Its a great lathe and served my needs quite well until I decided I wanted to go bigger. Two months ago I found a Jet 1642 for sale a few hours away and later that afternoon it followed me home. What a great lathe, but it lacked one feature that I was hoping to have in a new lathe. Because of some challenges that I have with my feet and back I find it difficult at times to stand at the lathe or to bend over the bed when hollowing. For this reason I wanted a rotating headstock. Being able to sit in a stool while sanding or taking light cuts with the work turned toward me seems like a good idea.
So about ten days ago I was contacted by a gentleman who learned that I had a 1642 and he just had to have one. That was the lathe he wanted and nothing else would do, so he made me an offer that I just couldn’t refuse. With that lathe sold I ended up purchasing the Jet 1640evs, the lathe that I really wanted as an upgrade to begin with. I ordered it through my local Woodcraft in Spokane Valley Washington and have to say that Nick and Rosemary were awesome to work with. Before I placed by order they let me play with the one they had on display for well over an hour. I couldn’t plug it in but I was able to grab a tool off the wall and do some virtual turning to make sure that I felt comfortable with the spindle height and features of the lathe. I also took the time to check out the Nova 1644-II and the Laguna Revo 18|36. I chose the Jet in the end for its features and comfort as well as its five year warranty. Nick and Rosemary placed my order and had it shipped to their store at no additional cost and it arrived exactly when they said it would. They even let me unbox it there on their loading dock and load the pieces into my car, leaving all the packaging material behind.
Detailed specs can be found on Jet’s web site as well as in the manual but here are some quick basics;
Input power – 110 vac
Delta VFD
Low speed – 40-1200
High speed – 100-3200
Spindle Height (with adjustable feet) – 45”
Spindle Height (without adjustable feet) – 44”
Spindle Thread – 1-1/4” x 8tpi
Morse Taper #2
Bed length – 53”
375 Pounds
5 year warranty
Assembly is quite easy. I chose not to install the adjustable feet as that would have added an extra inch to the spindle height and my shop floor is very flat. I am 5’8” and that extra inch would have made the spindle height too high for me. When I had my 1642 set up I didn’t have the adjustable feet installed and had no issues with alignment so I felt confident doing the same with the new lathe. I set the two legs up and with the help of a friend I set the bed on top of the legs. Each end takes four hex bolts. The two outer hex bolts on each end were a pain to get in and tighten because they are right in the corners with little room to maneuver fingers or a hex wrench. Eventually all the bolts were tightened. Next was to clean the grease off the bed. They must use a new type of grease because it came off very easily. I then waxed the bed three times before sliding on the headstock, banjo and tailstock. That was it for setting it up. Using the spur and live center I checked alignment and it was spot on.
https://s25.postimg.org/xch4brr4f/P6220149.jpg
The Delta VFD is physically much larger than the one on the Jet 1642.
https://s25.postimg.org/i282d3gun/P6230006.jpg
Included is a tool rack that can be mounted on either end of the lathe, a spur center, knock out bar, 14” tool rest, face plate wrench and a three inch face plate. The faceplate has two set screws and they must be loosened before removing it from the headstock. The live center is a Oneway knock off just like the one that came with the Jet 1642. Oh, a tool rest extension that mounts in the banjo is also included to extend the reach when turning outboard. Everything seems well built.
https://s25.postimg.org/8kcwqskjz/P6230008.jpg
I turned on the lathe to make sure it works. The low speed is rated from 40 to 1200 rpm, my actual speed was from 31 to 1265 rpm. The high speed is rated from 100 to 3200 and I was able to get 91 to 3242 rpm. The belt is about 50% wider than the one on the 1642. Jet makes it a point to mention that the spindle nose is longer to allow work on the headstock side of the wood but it doesn’t seem to be quite as long as Laguna’s or Nova’s. With a piece of wood chucked up I did notice that there is considerably more space than on the 1642, plenty of access. The motor is very quiet and smooth.
https://s25.postimg.org/6v8ewgu8f/P6220158.jpg
When I started turning I bought a Rikon 70-220vsr midi lathe. Its a great lathe and served my needs quite well until I decided I wanted to go bigger. Two months ago I found a Jet 1642 for sale a few hours away and later that afternoon it followed me home. What a great lathe, but it lacked one feature that I was hoping to have in a new lathe. Because of some challenges that I have with my feet and back I find it difficult at times to stand at the lathe or to bend over the bed when hollowing. For this reason I wanted a rotating headstock. Being able to sit in a stool while sanding or taking light cuts with the work turned toward me seems like a good idea.
So about ten days ago I was contacted by a gentleman who learned that I had a 1642 and he just had to have one. That was the lathe he wanted and nothing else would do, so he made me an offer that I just couldn’t refuse. With that lathe sold I ended up purchasing the Jet 1640evs, the lathe that I really wanted as an upgrade to begin with. I ordered it through my local Woodcraft in Spokane Valley Washington and have to say that Nick and Rosemary were awesome to work with. Before I placed by order they let me play with the one they had on display for well over an hour. I couldn’t plug it in but I was able to grab a tool off the wall and do some virtual turning to make sure that I felt comfortable with the spindle height and features of the lathe. I also took the time to check out the Nova 1644-II and the Laguna Revo 18|36. I chose the Jet in the end for its features and comfort as well as its five year warranty. Nick and Rosemary placed my order and had it shipped to their store at no additional cost and it arrived exactly when they said it would. They even let me unbox it there on their loading dock and load the pieces into my car, leaving all the packaging material behind.
Detailed specs can be found on Jet’s web site as well as in the manual but here are some quick basics;
Input power – 110 vac
Delta VFD
Low speed – 40-1200
High speed – 100-3200
Spindle Height (with adjustable feet) – 45”
Spindle Height (without adjustable feet) – 44”
Spindle Thread – 1-1/4” x 8tpi
Morse Taper #2
Bed length – 53”
375 Pounds
5 year warranty
Assembly is quite easy. I chose not to install the adjustable feet as that would have added an extra inch to the spindle height and my shop floor is very flat. I am 5’8” and that extra inch would have made the spindle height too high for me. When I had my 1642 set up I didn’t have the adjustable feet installed and had no issues with alignment so I felt confident doing the same with the new lathe. I set the two legs up and with the help of a friend I set the bed on top of the legs. Each end takes four hex bolts. The two outer hex bolts on each end were a pain to get in and tighten because they are right in the corners with little room to maneuver fingers or a hex wrench. Eventually all the bolts were tightened. Next was to clean the grease off the bed. They must use a new type of grease because it came off very easily. I then waxed the bed three times before sliding on the headstock, banjo and tailstock. That was it for setting it up. Using the spur and live center I checked alignment and it was spot on.
https://s25.postimg.org/xch4brr4f/P6220149.jpg
The Delta VFD is physically much larger than the one on the Jet 1642.
https://s25.postimg.org/i282d3gun/P6230006.jpg
Included is a tool rack that can be mounted on either end of the lathe, a spur center, knock out bar, 14” tool rest, face plate wrench and a three inch face plate. The faceplate has two set screws and they must be loosened before removing it from the headstock. The live center is a Oneway knock off just like the one that came with the Jet 1642. Oh, a tool rest extension that mounts in the banjo is also included to extend the reach when turning outboard. Everything seems well built.
https://s25.postimg.org/8kcwqskjz/P6230008.jpg
I turned on the lathe to make sure it works. The low speed is rated from 40 to 1200 rpm, my actual speed was from 31 to 1265 rpm. The high speed is rated from 100 to 3200 and I was able to get 91 to 3242 rpm. The belt is about 50% wider than the one on the 1642. Jet makes it a point to mention that the spindle nose is longer to allow work on the headstock side of the wood but it doesn’t seem to be quite as long as Laguna’s or Nova’s. With a piece of wood chucked up I did notice that there is considerably more space than on the 1642, plenty of access. The motor is very quiet and smooth.
https://s25.postimg.org/6v8ewgu8f/P6220158.jpg