Shop Fox Lathe

[Bill Mitchel]

Does anyone have any experience with the Shop Fox Lathe? Looks like a Jet clone. Here's a link http://www.bibbtool.com/product/5386.

Thanks
Bill

[Fred LeBail]

Bill,
Don't know anything about the lathe but am sure happy with my Shop Fox molder which is a clone of the W&H molder.

[Bill Bolen]

600 rpm for the low speed will be a problem with heavier out of balance pieces. In this case slower ismuch better...Bill...

[Bernie Weishapl]

I would be a little hesitant to buy one with the low speed of 600 rpm.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Bill - I agree with everyone else, 600 rpm is pretty fast when roughing out blanks. It can be done (I started out with a Craftsman with a minimum speed of 875 rpm) but it can also be a lot more excitement than you want when turning! Also, I am not an electrician, but the specs say the lathe is 2 hp 110v. I always thought the most you could get with 110v was 1.5 hp. Course, that is probably with a stock 20 amp circuit... Like I said, not an expert but is something I would check into.

Good luck with your research!

[Brian Brown]

I found a listing on Craigslist yesterday for one new for $450. Seemed like a great price, maybe too good, so I did a little research. My current lathe has a low end speed of 500 rpm, and is much too adventerous for roughing out blanks, so the Shopfox 600 rpm low speed is unacceptable for me. The "digital tachometer made it sound like it has electronic variable speed which it does not. I decided to take a pass, because it was missing what I consider the "essentials" for me.

[Mike Lipke]

With lathes, you really do "get what you pay for".

Not only do you lack variable speed, low rpm, it comes in pretty light in the lbs department.

[Rick Prosser]

This is the lathe that I have. As a beginner it has worked ok for me. I can certainly appreciate and look forward to purchasing a "real";) lathe in the future, but this one is serving me for now.

I love the variable speed, but the low speed is too fast - and getting faster. It started at around 600 rpm, but now does not get below 800.

I don't have a big band saw, so my bowl planks are very out of round and chunky from the chain saw when I start, but I only had one (so far) that caused the lathe to walk across the floor. Probably would help to add some weight...

The main issue I have found so far is the the levers that hold the tool rest strip out very easily - especially if you use the articulated arm. They have sent me 2 sets of replacement, and I just stopped using the arm so I could keep turning. The banjo foot is a little short, and is hard to work around the larger bowls without the arm.

The tail stock does not tighten into the correct position always, I have to put a twist on it when I secure it or it will line up a little to the left. With the twist it is spot on.

It has no hand wheel (maybe aftermarket?), and no way to lock the headstock from spinning that I can find.

All in all, it gets the job done, but does not have the polish and the craftsmanship of the bigger lathes.

[Gordon Seto]

Not a Jet.
It is a Grizzly twin in Jet color.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Wood-Lathe-With-Digital-Readout/G0462
It is better to get a good 12" mini. If you need the extra bed length, consider the bed extension to the mini.
I think the entry level full size lathe is the Nova 1624. IMO, there are not too many worth recommending between them.