Such a Deal

[Scott Kuykendall]

Well, I scored yesterday. On a local Facebook for sale page was a Jet 1014 Mini Lathe. He was asking $125.00, which was great. When I got there to look at it, it was real rusty and the banjo and tail stock wouldn't move. I really didn't need another since I have a Rickon, so I offered $50.00 and he said ok. I couldn't get the money out fast enough. So after alot of WD 40 and a few hours work this is what I ended up with.
I think its never been used since it still had the burr on the tool rest. Now I have to convince the wife I need another lathe lol.
Scott

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

And you slept last night?

[John K Jordan]

...Jet 1014 Mini Lathe.... Now I have to convince the wife I need another lathe lol.

Hey, every turner needs a second lathe in the shop! I have two Jet minis and some three big lathes and keep two of the larger lathes set up in the shop all the time. I use the mini to take places and to set up if a few people are coming and I need an extra one in the shop. It's especially handy if they both have the same spindle threads and can share chucks and things. I bought one mini new and the second used at a great deal.

The second one is great for keeping a turning set up while working on another, to make a quick jam piece, or especially, when a friend comes to play. When turning this spindles it saves time to turn a morse taper on one lathe and check it in the headstock of the second lathe. I have been doing some threaded boxes lately so I turn on one lathe and have a threading jig set up on the other.

I took this one to the bookstore when the Harry Potter books were released!

367882

JKJ

[Sid Matheny]

WOW did you keep an eye out for blue lights coming after you after stealing it! :)

[Don Jarvie]

Nice score. I got my 1014VS with a stand plus tools for 250. I actually offered 200 and he accepted but I felt bad so I kicked in 50 more. The tools were worth 200 so I basically got the lathe for free.

It's a nice lathe but got the big so I got the PM 3250. Turning is habit forming!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Congrats! I scored a Jet mini (i already had one) for 200 bucks, and it came with a bunch of tools, a chuck, pen turning mandrel and parts. You got a great deal! Having an extra lathe or 2 comes in handy.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Been meaning to ask someone, how is that jet lathe different from the Harbor freight 5 speed lathe https://www.harborfreight.com/5-speed-bench-top-wood-lathe-65345.html

they look nearly identical right down to the design and knobs, placement of controls etc.

I remember back in the days that was assistant manager of a gun shop, Italian cap and ball revolvers would come out of the same factory to US importers with varying degrees of quality control and finish. An discount importer might buy the $30 per unit model, Another importer might order the $40 fit and finish model and a high end seller might get the $60 models that were specially polished and finished inside and out. The guns were still off the same assembly line despite the different names on the guns. Parts interchanged too. Looks like that may be the case here.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

That's just it. "varying degrees of quality control and fit". They may be the "same" but not really. Cadillac and Chevy, Lincoln and Ford, Infiniti and Nissan, Toyota and Lexus? Just saying...... My $0.02. I'm all about saving a buck. Please don't get me wrong. If I could save a buck, I would.

[John K Jordan]

Been meaning to ask someone, how is that jet lathe different from the Harbor freight 5 speed lathe https://www.harborfreight.com/5-speed-bench-top-wood-lathe-65345.html

they look nearly identical right down to the design and knobs, placement of controls etc.

I remember back in the days that was assistant manager of a gun shop, Italian cap and ball revolvers would come out of the same factory to US importers with varying degrees of quality control and finish. An discount importer might buy the $30 per unit model, Another importer might order the $40 fit and finish model and a high end seller might get the $60 models that were specially polished and finished inside and out. The guns were still off the same assembly line despite the different names on the guns. Parts interchanged too. Looks like that may be the case here.

I don't know about the wood lathes, but when researching small metal lathes I found lots of stories about the difference between the same lathe from different suppliers, exactly as you mention. I eventually bought the HiTorque 8.5x20 from Little Machine Shop which had a good reputation among users. https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3540&category=

LMS told me they are built at the same factory as cheaper models available from HF and elsewhere but they paid more to have them made to their own specifications, including some design improvements. The wood lathe is a far simpler machine so who knows, perhaps the difference in quality is not as much of an issue as with a metal cutting lathe.

A friend of mine did buy a cheaper model metal cutting lathe. He totally disassembled it, deburring and polishing every moving or sliding part. It took a while but he said the difference was worth it. That might be an possibility with the wood lathe too.

JKJ

[Thomas Wilson80]

Been meaning to ask someone, how is that jet lathe different from the Harbor freight 5 speed lathe https://www.harborfreight.com/5-speed-bench-top-wood-lathe-65345.html

they look nearly identical right down to the design and knobs, placement of controls etc.

I remember back in the days that was assistant manager of a gun shop, Italian cap and ball revolvers would come out of the same factory to US importers with varying degrees of quality control and finish. An discount importer might buy the $30 per unit model, Another importer might order the $40 fit and finish model and a high end seller might get the $60 models that were specially polished and finished inside and out. The guns were still off the same assembly line despite the different names on the guns. Parts interchanged too. Looks like that may be the case here.



I started on the smallest HF lathe and while it got me hooked and I was able to make some small ornaments and even a small bowl, once I bought a used mini jet, to me the quality was head and shoulders above the HF - the stability, smoothness, etc. make it much easier to get a better finish. Though now when things don't turn out I can't blame the lathe any more!

[Jay Rasmussen]

Good one Scott, nice job cleaning it up.

Never understood why some folks don't take care of there tools.