HF vs Jet Lathes

[Robert foster]

What if any difference is there between the HF T34706 lathe and the Jet JWL-1236 lathe? They look the same. Anyone have any experience with them?

Bob

[Bob Hampton]

I have the HF34706 ...ive had it for almost 8 yrs and to me its been a good lathe ..done everything ive asked of it .
In comparison to the jet..the jet is much better quality..its moving parts are better built..such as the reeves drive set up ..its made heavier and better ..the HF pulleys are lighter quality and jets are much heavier..i know because last yr i had to replace the one's on my hf and couldnt get them immediately from HF so went to my local jet dealer and bought a set from them ..granted more $ but quality was far better.
If choosing between the 2 i would go with the jet

Bob

[Rick Huelsbeck]

I've had it about 6 months, and it's done everything I've thrown at it. Keep your eyes open you may be able to pick it for less than retail.:D

[Gordon Seto]

I think the only difference is the resale value.

The Jet 1236 was my first lathe. I upgraded to a Jet mini 1014VS, which IMO a better lathe than the 1236 except for capacity. The little brother, even lighter weight but more steady within its capacity. I believe the Reeves drive is the problem. I have more enjoyment out of the mini. I regret I didn't listen to the advices I got and had the mini in the first place. I thought both are made by the same company; a bigger, more expensive lathe should be better.

If I am going to start again, I would consider the new Jet 1220 VS, which has the 270 minimum rpm. That would be suitable to do even slightly off balance bowls.