Which Lathe

[Larry Nelms]

I have decided to take up turning. I am going to my first AAW meeting tomorrow night. I have also registered to take a beginning turning class.I am trying to decide which lathe to buy. A local supplyer has a reconditioned Delta 46-715 for $299. They also have a Jet Mini with a Nova chuck for $279.

[John Hart]

Welcome Larry!! Sounds like you are taking the responsible, well thought out approach to this stuff. Smart man. Unlike m'self.;) :rolleyes:

Depending on the conditions of the machines...that Delta sure sounds like the cat's meow. More capacity, more horsepower, more weight. Don't know which Nova model comes with the Jet...but it could be a $40 chuck or a $300 chuck.

Me gut sez Delta. Good luck with your decision! :)

[Neal Addy]

Welcome to SMC!

I started on a Jet mini and make no bones about being a huge Jet fan (I also own a 1442). But that said, you are doing it the right way. You'll get a lot out of the club and the class. If possible I'd hold off on your decision of which lathe to buy until you've had a chance to talk to some folks and get some hands-on trials.

Also, be aware that the lathe can often be the cheapest part of getting set up to turn. There's a long list of "essentials" to consider.

[Bob Noles]

Welcome to the creek Larry. From what I gather from your post, you must live in the Atlanta area?

Neal has given you some good adviceand you may want to follow by holding off just a little if you can.

[Dario Octaviano]

Jet is coming up with new (upgraded) line of mini lathes next month...the non-VS will be on sale for $199.00

I own and love Jet mini VS.

[Dennis Peacock]

Welcome to SMC Larry.

First of all, a 1st lathe purchase usually leads to purchasing a larger lathe fairly soon after you get into turning. If you get into woodturning like many of us have? You'll be looking for a larger lathe in less than 2 years time. I've had 2 lathes before I settled on my PM3520 that I have now and don't feel the need to upgrade any further.

IMHO? It would be nice to have the Jet Mini with the Nova Chuck to start with and then save your money and buy a larger lathe later on (if this becomes your desire).

There's only one person that I personally know that did not go through the buy, sell, buy bigger, sell, buy bigger progression steps.....and that was Mark Cothren. He was able to purchase exactly what he wanted for a lathe from the word "go". In my experiences, Mark got to save a lot of head-scratching as well as money due to getting his particular purchase off to the right start based on his desires and needs.

If I had done what Mark did? I could have saved about 1/2 the price of a new PM3520 due to my buy, sell, buy, sell, buy...type dealings.

But hey, we all have to learn some how and I wish you the very best of luck with your decision, no matter what that decision is. I hope I haven't confused you with all this. Just wanted to help provide a little "food for thought". :)

Besides, all this stuff I said and $5 will get you a cup of coffee at the local Macky-D's. :D

[John Miliunas]

Welcome to the Creek, Larry! Great place to hang out. :)

Now, for your lathe choice dilemma. I'm going to stray a bit from the current popular "vote"; I think I would get the Mini. Why? Well, you get the chuck with it (it's probably Nova's latest Compact chuck. Tommy bars but, works nice.) My second "main" reason is, there's a really good chance that you'll enjoy turning....A lot!!! :D If/when that happens, you'll be soon looking for a larger lathe and yes, even larger than the Delta. When that time comes, the mini's are really quite easy to re-sell OR, you may elect to keep it as a second lathe for doing pens, small potpourri bowls, small project spindles, etc... The thing doesn't take up a whole lot of room and would leave your larger lathe to tackle the larger bowls, hf's and what have you. Just my $00.02. :) :cool:

[Gordon Seto]

Another vote for the Jet mini.
If you find out turning is not for you. Jet mini has a higher resale value.
Most likely you won't, then the Delta won't be you last lathe either. The mini is a joy to turn on. Most of us who upgrade from the minis, won't sell them. But I cannot say that if they had other lathes.
I wished I had listened to others' advice and got the mini instead of the Jet 1236 as my first lathe. I UPGRADED to the Jet mini within 1 year. I still enjoy it. It is the quality that counts.

Gordon

[Neal Addy]

OK, I tried to remain neutral...

My advice would be to agonize over the Delta vs Jet, attend the club meeting and try your hand on their Jet minis, agonize some more, attend the class (and learn on their Jet mini), then... go buy the Jet mini.

Seriously, at the risk of sounding like a cheerleader the comments you are seeing here regarding the mini are very common. It is a nice machine. That's taking nothing away from the Delta but Jet mini owners are fiercely loyal. That tells you something.

Don't think that just because it is a 'mini' it is too small for serious work. Granted I mostly turn smaller pieces (10" and under) but there has never been anything I've done on my 1442 that couldn't have been done on the little guy. When you are ready to turn larger pieces you will most likely be eyeing something bigger (and much beefier) than the Delta. But you'll keep the mini. Trust me.

[Mark Cothren]

Welcome to the Creek!

I'll only add one more comment to help confuse you...:D This is just food for thought...

As Dennis has already mentioned, I started out with the PM3520A... and now I'm trying to figger out how to hide enough money from my wife so that I can purchase a VS Jet mini as my "backup" lathe...;)

Good luck with you decision!

[Gordon Seto]

That's taking nothing away from the Delta but Jet mini owners are fiercely loyal.

This is nothing about brand loyality. I am glad that Jet discontinued the 1236. I belong to two local clubs, each has over 100 members. One of the club has 10 Club Jet mini lathes for turn and learn. A lot of members have mini lathes. Jet out numbered other brands several folds, but I heard about minor lathe problems of other brands more often.

Gordon

[Bernie Weishapl]

Larry I would get the Jet mini to learn on and then when you want to upgrade keep the mini as a second lathe. I bought a Delta midi and kept it for pen turning along with other small turnings even after I bought my big lathe.

[Dick Strauss]

Larry,
I'll be the voice for the Delta here since I own one. I chose the Delta because I intended to turn bowls larger than 9" on the Jet. I turned on a Jet mini VS a few times before buying the Delta. I wasn't impressed with the Jet after I found how easy it was to halt the motor during a good size cut on a 6" diameter piece. The components of the Jet weren't as heavy duty. The Jet is definitely portable if you can't dedicate space for a lathe.

The Delta motor runs so much stronger even though it is rated for 3/4hp (vs 1/2hp for the Jet). The Delta also weighs over 300# which helps with the large chunks I turn.

Don't get me wrong...the Jet is a nice little machine but doesn't do what I need a lathe to do.

If you think you'll turn mostly smaller items (pens, boxes, smaller bowls), go with the Jet. If you think you'll want to turn something larger, go with the Delta.

Best of luck,
Dick

[Bill Boehme]

.... Now, for your lathe choice dilemma. I'm going to stray a bit from the current popular "vote"; I think I would get the Mini. Why? Well, you get the chuck with it (it's probably Nova's latest Compact chuck. Tommy bars but, works nice.) My second "main" reason is, there's a really good chance that you'll enjoy turning....A lot!!! :D If/when that happens, you'll be soon looking for a larger lathe and yes, even larger than the Delta........
Sorry, John, but it looks like you may not be straying away from the current popular vote, after all. The winds of sentiment are shifting and I am also recommending the Jet mini as the first choice. My reason is based on the fact that I happen to own both of the lathes mentioned. I got the Delta 1440 (model 46-715) first and then about a year later got the Jet mini.

The Jet mini (fixed speeds, NOT the VS -- please don't get the VS) is one sweet running machine and is well made except that Jet uses some sort of crummy paint that is soluble in almost anything that you can name. Ignoring the paint issue, everything else about the Jet mini is very nice.

Now about the Delta -- woof, woof, woof!!!! Would you like more details? Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!! There that should just about do it. I am not too surprised that they were selling a refurbished one at fire sale prices. When they work, they work great and when they break -- well, the folks at the Delta parts department are very nice and I got to know all of them on a first name basis.

John more or less nailed it -- it is one of those lathes that are mostly bought by beginning woodturners along with some comparable models from Grizzly, etc. that seem to the greenhorn to be the "perfect" machine. For certain, it is quite a bit more lathe than a mini ..... and also it is far less than what you will eventually want. Even for a tinkerer like me who likes tweaking a machine as much as using one, it is a bit too much of a tinkerers machine.

Bill

[Chris Barton]

I would suggest one additional consideration; the General Maxi Lathe. I looked at one this past week and it's a very real contender to any other lathe in this class. Comes in at $500+ but, far more versatile than anything else in it's range...

[Larry Nelms]

Thanks for all the helpful information. I am leaning toward the jet mini. I think i will attend a couple of meetings and wait until the end of Febuary when the new Jet model comes out. Unfortunatly my first turning class is not until the end of March. I have also registerd for a weekend class at the John C. Cambell school in North Carolina.

[Reed Gray]

You can also ask at the club meeting if any one has a used lathe for sale. You might get a better deal there, as well as tools, and chucks.
robo hippy

[Phil St.Germain]

I have to throw my 2cents in here. I agree with Bill about the Delta lathe. I currently own both the Delta 1442 and the Jet mini(not VS). I use the Delta as the stand for the Jet.
The Delta was never a quiet machine, but after replacing the broken Reeves pulleys, the machine is even louder. I have taken it apart and put it back together now three time and still loud.
I am now looking for a bigger and better lathe to replace the Delta. The Jet will never go away. It is just to useful.

Thanks,
Phil

[Bill Boehme]

........The Delta was never a quiet machine, but after replacing the broken Reeves pulleys, the machine is even louder. I have taken it apart and put it back together now three time and still loud........

I have figured out how to reduce the noise that the lathe makes if you are interested, but it is still a major woof'er. I have a collection of worn-out Reeves pulleys. That woof'er eats them (wolfs them down) like they are hotcakes.

I like cats and I want a lathe that purrs like one.

Bill

[Gordon Seto]

I have also registerd for a weekend class at the John C. Cambell school in North Carolina.
Larry,

After your class at John C. Campbell and turn on some real lathes, you will bring your expectation on lathe to the next level.
IMO, there is no close to perfect lathe under $2K range. You just have to work around the pros and cons to fit your style of turning.
Don't spend too much on your first lathe.
You may be able to get a good deal on a used lathe at your local Club.
Be sure to get common spindle size (1" X 8 TPI or 1¼" X 8 TPI) and Morse Taper #2 when shopping for used lathe. Be warned, lathe is the cheapest part. Accessories and tools are the dark hole.

You will be doing fine. You will start in the right direction with those classes. I wish I started the way you do.

Gordon

[Steven Wilson]

Our woodturning club has a half dozen or so Jet Mini Lathes with Oneway Talon chucks on them. They've been used for countless demonstrations, teaching sessions, and turn-a-thons and I don't recall anyone having a problem with them. I would get the Jet mini and then you can either sell it when you get a larger lathe or keep it around for turning small parts (or set it up for buffing).

[Phil St.Germain]

Bill,

I would be very interested on how to reduce the noise.

By the way, my pully did not wear out, it actually broke in the think section just above the flange that rides on the shaft.

Like you said, when this lathe works it is a very good machine.

Thanks,

Phil