Power Tools Reviews
JET 708352 JWL-1236 12-Inch Swing by 34-1/2-Inch between Centers 3/4 Horsepower Woodworking Lathe, 115-Volt 1 Phase
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 Good not great I have this lathe after rescuing it from languishing at my employ (yes I had permission). It works well, but if you want to do bowl turning, you'd do better to get one that has more torque, a slower speed, and a reversing motor. That said, this one is cheap, well, inexpensive anyway and has a good feature set for its price (fully rotating head, wide speed range, simple mechanical functionality, completeness). I modified mine, to make the spindle turn slower, though it was a bit tricky and probably voids the warranty (not an issue in my case). The handle which adjusts the speed can be removed and it has a grouping of 6 holes through which a stop attached to the spring-loaded handle passes to lock the speed. The speed could be smoothly variable within its range, but the holes are easier to manufacture and probably more durable and the smooth variability probably wouldn't be that much better anyway, blah, blah. Anyway, what I did was remove the cowling over the motor to see how far the handle could rotate towards the slow end at most and drilled another hole. I guessed at it and got it just right but it wouldn't be too hard do a little more careful measuring to be certain. I oversized the hole slightly. The motor turns two pair of conical pulleys that constitute the transmission and you can see that the lever could go farther. The next modification will be to put the switch in a better location, like the top of the housing. Starting and stopping frequently with the pushbutton switch at knee level is kind of a bore. All in all, it's a great tool for a hobbyist or occasional user. A pro would do better with more machine. (A pro would already know this).  Quality abounds ! I bought this mostly for my 10 year old boy. Figured it to be better than a game boy or other idiot toy. We both love it. Quality is very good. Very glad I didn't buy a delta or other cheaper brand. It's worth the extra $$$ To learn on I've cut ash trees into turning sized pieces. Easy to work with & little dust from the green wood . Watching my son make the chips fly has been very rewarding. Wanna buy a club? Sweet machine I'm a new turner and my rating of 4 stars is only due to my lack of time on any other lathe. With that being said, the Jet went together in a matter of minutes and in spite of my lack of experience, and some operator malfunctioning, I was turning spindles with very little practice and just reference to a couple of books. The height is perfect for me but I'm not tall (5' 9") and I put it on an HTC mobile base. I could see that (walking around) being a potential problem if I was turning bowls but I experimented by adding some sandbags to the lower shelf and that kept it stationary. I just took a look at the current price and in spite of how much I like this machine, I would wait on one of Amazon's sales. Would I buy it again? You bet. Great Lathe! What a surprise with the smooth machine this is!!! Katrina got my old Craftsman (30 years old) so I decieded to go with the Jet 1236 and definately made the correct decision. This machine is so quiet, smooth and versatile that I have to do a reality check every few minutes. Super, just Super! You can't go wrong with this Lathe. The price is good, delivery is good (be sure to enlist some assistance as it is HEAVY) which makes for a good deal. The stand is a little low for me so I used the one that I had made for my old one and it works out just right. If you can find the Lathe without the stand, I have one for sale. Very fine tool. | |||||||||
