Help choosing a 12" lathe

About 15 years ago I purchased a lightly used Grizzly G1496 mostly because the price was a steal. This was my first and still is my only lathe. I never got the turning bug but am getting into it a bit more now. I had more ambitions with it back then but it probably only received about 10 hours of use in those first 12 years. The lathe came with a large, heavy duplicator that I got tired of moving around so I donated it 2 years ago to a local turners club.

Three years ago I started to use the lathe a bit more but only to make small items about 70% of them being Christmas ornaments. Space has become more critical in my shop and (I can hear a lot of you shuddering now) I decided to downsize. I have no ambition to do any bowl turning but if I ever do they would not be large so that is the main reason I have decided to choose one of the 12 inch midi lathes. I know these size lathes don't weigh that much and mass is important; I have a 800 pound old iron metal lathe. A heavy stand with the lathe secured to it can help a lot.

I have done a fair amount of research and there are 4 lathes in my sites, although I am leaning heavily on one of them right now and am hoping that you experienced turners can help me with a final decision. The lathes are the Delta 46-460, the Jet JWL-1221VSR, the Rikon 70-150VS and the Laguna Revo 1216. I am leaning toward the Laguna and was tipped more that way after seeing that Mike Peace has one and likes it. I'm not really too concerned about warranty or customer service as that seems to be a crap shoot much of the time. So if you had to buy one of these machines today which would you choose?

John -- I think you would be satisfied with any of the lathes mentioned. If I were in the market for a 12" swing lathe, I'd go with the Rikon. Of the four, the Jet has a slightly higher reputation for quality. However, most will be unable to distinguish among them based on fit and finish. So, why would I go with the Rikon over others in general and the Laguna in particular?

First, the Rikon's controls are movable. That's both a convenience and a safety factor. By having the controls on the headstock, Laguna forces you to reach past the spinning work to hit the stop button. That can be unsafe. For that reason, I prefer Jet's fixed location for the controls at the tailstock end of the lathe. Still, I have a slight preference for the ability to move the controls. Most of the time, I leave the controls exactly where Jet puts theirs. But, sometimes, I prefer to move the controls elsewhere (say, for example, I'm standing at the headstock and working toward the tailstock -- the exact opposite of the usual case). The Rikon allows that flexibility.

Second, I know you don't place value on the warranty. I do. Both Jet and Rikon have 5-year warranties. The Laguna has a 2-year warranty. I think that speaks volumes about the faith Jet and Rikon have in their machines. YMMV.

Finally, the Rikon costs $100 less.

I’ve owned a Jet 12” lathe but not the one in your list. Also had the Delta previously and now own the Laguna. I chose the Laguna based on the fact it could go to the lowest speed. I use it primarily for pen turning as I have a Nova DVR that is used for most of the larger items. I do a lot of CA finishes on my pens and the ability of the Laguna to go as low as 50 rpm benefits me in the application and drying of those finishes.

it has been a good unit and I have had no problems at all with it. Fit and finish are good and the only thing I don’t like about it is the fact the digital display stays brightly lit whenever the lathe is connected to power. I definitely consider it to be a better unit than the Delta and the Jet that preceded it.

Well, I have 3 mini lathes. One is an old Jet 1 hp. It does not have reverse on it. It does have 6 speeds. I picked up the 12 inch Rikon with a 1 hp DC motor. I do not care for the very slow start up/ramp up to full speed aspect of the DC motor. Supposedly the DC motor keeps the torque better at low speeds. It does have forward and reverse, and 3 speeds. One thing I really don't like about it is the red on/off button. To turn the lathe on, you have to twist the button, then push a green button. To turn it off, you push it in. The first red knob broke off because I was pulling it to start the lathe. I would guess that I am not the only one who has never heard of a button that you twist one way for one operation, and then push for the other. A number of them have broken. They did send me a replacement. That just makes no sense to me. The new Jet is in the box still. It does have forward and reverse. The new Rikon and Jet both have 3 speeds. I do want a reverse option on the lathes. I am seeing if a flex shaft from King Arthur tools, with a right angle adapter can work for sanding bowls, and when I power sand, I run in reverse. Also, I have found, since I got my Baxter Threading jig, that it really helps time wise to have 2 lathes when making threaded boxes. It is kind of a bother to remove and replace the cutter for the different operations. I do prefer the Jet to the Rikon. No experience with other mini lathes.

robo hippy

I have the Laguna. I still use it, but I really want to replace it with a full size lathe, as I have had issues with mine. When I got it, I was still primarily doing pens and small work, but I've been getting more into bowls, and the 12/16 just really isn't well suited for that.

The issues I've had are the forward/reverse switch not working and being stuck in reverse, the banjo cracked, and the live center literally fell apart on me. The last one isn't a big issue since I use a Oneway live center now anyway, but it bears mentioning. The PWM speed control also goes awry every so often too, and drops in RPM while in a shallow cut. I know you said you don't care about customer service, but that is honestly my biggest complaint in regards to the lathe.

I also added a bunch of accessories to the lathe like the stand, mobility kit, extra banjo, 10" extension for outboard turning, and 20" extension. I did also have one of the bushings on the mobility kit fail, and they made me pay $1 for the part, and then something like $13 in shipping. I kept adding the extensions hoping it would add enough to the capabilities of the lathe, but with the issues I've had, I'm ready to jump ship and try a different brand (I'd really like the Rikon 70-3040 with the moving bed).

I do still use it, but I am always paranoid about putting it in reverse. I still use it for bowls too, but I definitely have a pull towards a new lathe!

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Reed -- I understand where you're coming from with Rikon's red E-stop button. It's a design that some hate. In Rikon's defense, the design is used on many types of power tools sold by many brands.

Thank you guys for all your inputs and helping me make up my mind. I spent a little more time looking them over and narrowed it down to the Jet and Laguna as these are the 2 with the lowest speed setting of 60 and 50 respectively and they are the heaviest. After more consideration I decided on the Laguna. I like the idea that the controls are on the headstock.

Mel, I understand the frustration with your issues. I know the one about the banjo but I already have a solution in mind for it. I have several quality live centers and chucks for MT2 for my metal lathe that I have been using on the Grizzly. And being an electrical/electronics guy I'm not worried about problems like a forward/reverse switch.

I picked up one of those small lathes dirt cheap, well, one of the cheap knock offs. After using a 12 x 36 Delta and 12 x 33 HF's for a few years, I do use the small one for quick small items, BUT the working length of the lathe bed has less breadth than my shoulders. I always feel cramped up when using it. In addition, my full size lathe tools are too long and unwieldy for the little thing. I get a tinge of claustrophobia using the thing. Sort of like trying to practice casting a fly rod in a coat closet.

I hear what you're saying Perry and I don't disagree. I guess I'll find out for myself when I finally get my new lathe. But space and the fact that I haven't been, nor intend to, turn anything too long were factored into my decision process. I do intend to purchase the 10" extension, which is usable on either end, which should help with any possible claustrophobic issue.

If, you are not too concerned about the price, you should look at the Oneway 1224. It's a great lathe.

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Originally Posted by Joe Bradshaw

If, you are not too concerned about the price, you should look at the Oneway 1224. It's a great lathe.

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I had the same thought. It has a bit more capacity between centers and is a huge step up in quality from a typical midi lathe. It's also a big step up in price. Of the brands the OP mentioned I would be inclined to go with Jet or Rikon for future support and parts availability. Delta has gone through so many owners lately that I wonder how long the company will be around. And Laguna sometimes switches to a new model/supplier, and then drops support for the old one. I have used the Delta mentioned, as well as an older 10" Jet, and they both worked great!

Thank you Joe and Geoff for your inputs. I didn't know about the Oneway until you mentioned it. It looks like a great lathe and I'm sure it's better than the 4 I mentioned originally. Price is not really a problem for me but realize that I will likely only put about 20 hours a year on a lathe and at my age I probably don't have a lot of woodworking years left. The real reason I wouldn't consider this Oneway is the size. If you look at my first post I am downsizing. The Delta looks like a nice lathe but for the price I can't believe they don't include a RPM readout. I know that's not a problem for experienced turners but I'm not one of them. I could easily add one like I did for my old Logan metal lathe but I shouldn't have to. There are several reasons I decided on the Laguna one of which is having the controls on the head. Parts availability for a simple machine like a lathe is not an issue for me. I am also a metal worker, machinist and an electronics guy so there is nothing on a lathe that I can't take of.

John -- This is the second time you've mentioned that one of the reasons for choosing the Laguna is that its controls are on the headstock. That's a very common location. However, most people now view that location as less safe than having the controls on the tailstock. When turning, most of your time is spent standing at the tailstock end of the lathe. If the controls are on the headstock, if something goes wrong, you'll have to reach past the spinning work (where pieces are flying off or threatening to fly off) -- which is dangerous! On the other hand, having the controls at the other end of the lathe keeps them within easy reach in case of an emergency.

Is this a huge issue? No. Many turners install an emergency stop switch on the tailstock, alleviating the concern. I mention this because, while I might not avoid buying a lathe with controls on the headstock, I certainly wouldn't consider it a plus factor!.

David, thank you for your input and concern. I can easily install an emergency stop switch near the tailstock, and may do that. I think the danger you're talking about is exponentially higher for turners using large chunks of wood. Honestly, I could get by with a lathe that was 6 x 16 but I like the mass and structure of a lathe in this size vs something like a pen turner's lathe. I'd say 4 inches in diameter is the largest item I've turned and for the kind of projects I'll be doing they won't get much bigger.

As far as the placement of the control box, I still keep mine on the headstock. If I need to quick stop the lathe, since I am right handed, I would have to switch my hold to my left hand and then hit the off button. Never considered it an issue to cross that line of fire with my hand. If some thing does blow up, all of my 'experiences' with that, is that everything that is coming off does so instantly. I do have a Vicmark 240, which is the pivoting head model, with that red emergency stop bar. If I turned bowls in long bed style, I would use the stop bar in case of emergency, if I didn't reach across and hit the button first....

robo hippy