Is the 14" Delta lathe a good value?

[Tim Pippin]

Hi everyone.
I'm new to the creek and wanted some advice. I just sold my jet mini and am looking for a bigger lathe. I am thinking about the jet 1236, delta 14" and the new grizzly with a 14" swing and cast iron legs. Any thoughs?:confused:

[Andy Hoyt]

Tim - Welcome to the Creek! Hope you like it here.

I don't have an opinion on the machines you noted, but others will be along who surely do. In the meantime, let me ask this question - Are you only considering new machines or would you also entertain the notion of a used one? And if you would consider a used one, advice you receive from the folks here would be more helpful if we knew where you were located. Click the User CP button in the top left corner to add that info.

Again, welcome aboard.

[Tim Pippin]

Hi, Andy

I live about 45 miles south of Atlanta. I would be interested in a used lathe is anyone has one for sale like a powermatic 45 or Jet.:D

[Dick Strauss]

Tim,
I bought a new Delta 1440 about 3 months ago for under $450 including taxes/rebates/discounts. I love it so far though I have had a few problems. The headstock and tailstock won't stay put well enough for my tastes. Tightening the nuts doesn't seem to help. I'm considering roughing up the bottoms of the mounts to make them grip better. I also have a loose belt at high speeds. I was told that it may have shipped with the wrong size belt. Delta sent me a new belt but I've been too lazy to install it yet. The 3/4HP motor is probably underated because it takes some very aggressive turning with a large blank before I can stall the motor, even with a slightly loose belt. It definitely needs a ballast box to add some mass. I haven't got to building the box just yet.

Good luck

[Tim Pippin]

Hi Dick,

Amazon is running a special for the 1440 delta. $419 with rebates and free shipping. I've seen a couple of posts in the past about excessive vibration. I can see with just the steel stand the lathe coud vibrate with large pieces. I really like lathe but have been a little dissapointed with some of Deltas products in the past. At this price point and the features of this lathe I can't see how to go really wrong. I'm stepping up from a jet mini but don't like jets 1236 because it doesn't have a hand wheel and the swing isn't much of an up grade. Amazon is currently out of stock and the free shipping ussually takes forever. Hopefully I will get the lathe by the middle of Feb.


Thanks,
Tim

[Richard Allen]

Hi Tim

The Delta 14" has several known problems. If you like making a lot of adjustments and replaceing parts this lathe could be a good match for you. The reliablity of the Jet mini is MUCH MUCH MUCH higher than the 14" Delta. The Jet 1236 is close to the "issues" of the Delta. All of the mechanical VS lathes have "issues" with the noise of the drive system. Most have wear issues. Moving a belt to different pullys like your Jet mini yeilds a much more satifying woodturning experince. The EVS lathes are a much better turning experince.

[Don Orr]

Hello folks, I'm new to the forum but not new to turning. You might want to consider the Jet 1440. I turned on one this weekend at one of the clubs I belong to and liked it very much. Mechanical variable speed works smoothly with little excessive noise. A heavy and sturdy lathe with some nice features. In my humble opinion, one of the best lathes on the market for the money. I may be a little biased though. Most of the large tools in my shop are Jet. I did a lot of research before buying each one and had a hard time finding better quality for the price.

Hopefully you will see more of me arond here. I usually hang out at WC and WOW, but this place is great also. Just what I need, more forums to watch.:)

Good luck with your decision, Don

[Bob Noles]

Tim and Don....

Just want to welcome you both to SMC.

Good luck on the lathe choices.

[Steve Knowlton]

I Have The 1440 Jet. Very Nice Machine. I Lke The Pivoting Headstock To Do Off Board Turning. I Have Had It 1 Yr With No Problems. It Is Good And Heavy.

[Chris Lee]

Tim,
I can only tell you my experience with the Delta 1440. I have not had any of the problems that this machine suppossedly has. Sure the tailstock can creep a little when tensioned hard, but mine and just about everybody else's Jet mini did that too and nobody called that a bad lathe. You want to add some ballast to the base but most people with an open stand lathe do that too. I think this lathe gets a bad rap because of some problems many years ago or maybe people are expecting a 500 lathe to act like a 2000 lathe. I don't know but I would think for 419 you wont find anything as nice in this size. The jet 14" is a better machine as mentioned but it is also 1000 bucks, more than twice the price.

I have turned hundreds of pens, dozens of bowls, tool handles etc. without any real problems. It's not a Oneway or a Stubby but it will hold me over until I am ready for one of those!

Good Luck in whichever you decide,

Chris

[George Troy Hurlburt]

Tim you should have hung on to your Jet Mini. Someday you will wish you had it for demos and small stuff. I would get the Nova DVR or Powermatic and go on. The more you turn, the more you wish you had a better machine. I know, ben there and done that. GT

[Stephen Hibbs]

I have heard talk that the Harbor Freight 12" lathe (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=34706) is comparable to the Delta 14" for only $280. Does anyone with experience with this lathe have any specific complaints against it? I won't be using it for much more than turning bowls, pens and candle holders.

[Jim Becker]

Stephen, I started out on the 34706. It's pretty much a clone of the Jet 1236 in most ways. (25mm rest post, however, rather than 1") It was a bit underpowered and very light-weight. The Reeves drive for speed control works, but lowest rpm is 300 which is a bit fast for larger and out of balance items and you always must remember to set it back down to the lowest speed at the end of the day...you can only adjust the speed with the machine running and that could be a really safety issue if you mount something bigger on it and turn it on at a higher speed. I found it very easy to stall, even on small pieces, such as 6" bowls in difficult material. Honestly, it's a good value for what it typically sells for (lower than $280!...I paid $159 at the time due to a sale), but I still recommend a VS Mini lathe as a better starter lathe. It has more value retention if you do upgrade and unload it later and also offers the space economy to keep it around as a second machine.

[Gary Max]

I bought a 1440 about 4 years ago-----yah we have had our troubles but at the end of the day it has been a outstanding lathe for the money.
My wife now uses it all the time. Heck the sale that Amazon has going --I don't see how you can go wrong.