How to spend over $300 on a $14 bandsaw part....

[Robert McGowen]

Easy answer...... Go to Woodcraft for the $14 bandsaw part while they are unloading a pallet of Jet 1220 lathes. I have been wanting to upsize the mini for a while and could not resist. They unloaded it straight off of the pallet into the backseat of my car. I have to do some fl*t work today to pay the bills, but if you have been looking at the 1220, I will give the obligatory review after this weekend. :)

[Dennis Peacock]

Congrats Robert!!! No fair....hidden new lathe gloat in disguise of a new part. :p :D

[Martin Shupe]

I keep hearing about this lathe, but cannot find any information on it. Even the Jet site says something like "details coming soon".

Is it variable speed? Can you get an extension for it? Most important, does it have an indexer?

I am a little disappointed in my Jet mini, as I have found out an indexer would be very useful. I don't have my dream shop, so a big lathe is out for now; I am out of room in my garage. So I am interested in this 1220, but cannot find any details on its features!

If you can fill me in, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[Pete Jordan]

Way to go Robert!

With all the great stuff you have been turning out lately you deserve a reward!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Congrats Robert. Thats pretty sneaky. Let us know how you like it.

[Robert McGowen]

Short response as I haven't even plugged it in yet.

Yes, it has an indexer.

6 speed pulley from 500 to 3900. No electronic control. It is just like the regular mini.

It comes with two tool rests, one of which is fairly long, built in flexible work light, a face plate, and a couple of other small items.

An extension and a stand are available, but I haven't seen them.

Weighs in at an even 100 lbs.

It appears to be considerably heavier and stronger than the mini. 12" swing and 20" long. ( but you knew that already. :) ) The footprint is a couple of inches wider also.

The motor is 3/4 HP, which is 50% more than the mini.

Now you got me going......... I'll be back in about 2 hours. :D :D :D :D :D

[Dennis Peacock]

Now you got me going......... I'll be back in about 2 hours. :D :D :D :D :D

The suspense is killing me. :eek: ;)

PICS and SPECS......purdy pleeze???? :)

[Robert McGowen]

Turned a small mesquite bowl just because, well because, well, you know why........

Everything worked as described.

It has real handles on each end. They were very useful.

The light is a nice feature for sanding or once things are very smooth, but it tended to bounce around when rounding things off. (duh....) It seems to be one of those "we have one and you don't features." It should be nice in the winter because I could feel the heat from the bulb with no problem!

Having the long rest come with the machine is a nice feature. The banjo and spindle are the same size as a mini, so everything is interchangeable.

You could easily stall it when roughing a green blank, but you probably already figured that it would. I plan on mostly doing larger segmented work on it, so it should be great.

It is advertised at 20" long, but you would have a hard time turning anything over 18" long.

The tailstock and spindle lined up exactly.

The 1220 doesn't really even compare to the mini, it is a lot more machine.

[Dennis Peacock]

The new lathe looks really good Robert.!!!! Congrats and thanks for the mini-review and the pics. :D :D

[Gary Herrmann]

Turned a small mesquite bowl just because, well because, well, you know why........




Uh, wheres the bowl? I want to see what I can expect... ;)

Congrats on the lathe.

[Barry Stratton]

Sweet new lathe!!!! Congrats. That light sounds like it would come in handy up here in the winter;)

[Tom Sherman]

Congrats Robert, nice new lathe.

[Jim Underwood]

Congratulations on that $300 part!:D

Thanks for the review and pix.

If I get over to my neighbors house and play with his (he just bought one of these) I'll give you my impression.

It does look like a great upgrade from the mini, (which in my opinion is a great little lathe*). It also appears to be Jet's answer to the Rikon, which boasted a tad larger capacity without sacrificing mobility.

*Even without indexing I think the Jet mini is a great little lathe (current problems with mine notwithstanding), but the newer models do have indexing. Martin, you can put an indexing wheel on these rather easily and inexpensively.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on your new Lathe!! Thanks for the pics - looking forward to seeing the finished bowl!

[Pat Salter]

Bowl? what bowl. no picture....it didn't happen..... that's the rules :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Uh....Robert.....You're just trying to make us suffer! First new lathe....no photos.....new bowl turned on new lathe.....no photo......


Congrats on both accounts!

[Robert McGowen]

You guys are killing me...... 3 photos of the TEST piece off the lathe. 5" wide by 3" tall. Danish oil wiped on. All photos are of the same bowl. I have been trying out a couple of different shapes as I want to make a set of chips and salsa bowls. Pictures are crummy, so you don't need to tell me. :) This wood has a lot of heartwood/sapwood mix. The sap wood is almost yellow with the heartwood a very dark chocolate color.

[Pat Salter]

Nice gloat, nice lathe, nice bowl (yeah, i'm a believer now :rolleyes: ). and yeah, I like the color on that mesquite too. I'd tell you about the natural edge box I made from mesqute but then you'd want pictures so I'll be quiet about it ;)

[Martin Shupe]

*Even without indexing I think the Jet mini is a great little lathe (current problems with mine notwithstanding), but the newer models do have indexing. Martin, you can put an indexing wheel on these rather easily and inexpensively.

Hmm... I didn't know that...

Sounds like if the newer minis have indexing, perhaps I can get the parts from Jet to refit my older model.

Thanks for the tip.

Now I just have to wonder how much Jet will charge me!

[Patrick Taylor]

Hmm... I didn't know that...

Sounds like if the newer minis have indexing, perhaps I can get the parts from Jet to refit my older model.

Thanks for the tip.

Now I just have to wonder how much Jet will charge me!

If you do retro fit your mini, let us know how it goes. I'd consider the same thing for mine.

[Martin Shupe]

If you do retro fit your mini, let us know how it goes. I'd consider the same thing for mine.

I'll let you know what I find out.

[Jim Underwood]

Well actually,

I didn't think of that either. I was thinking of using an indexing wheel like those you can get from Ironfire's website.
http://www.ironfirellc.com/shop/category.asp?catid=2
You just mount this thing behind your chuck or a nut that fits on your spindle (if you're doing a spindle between centers). You have to rig a pin to put in the holes somehow, but that's not too big a deal.

Yes.. please do let us know what you find out. I wouldn't mind retrofitting my mini with the Jet indexing capability either.