DIYbanter - View Single Post - Jet 1442--my last lathe?

Owen Lowe

In article . com,
wrote:

Hi Phil, good to see you over here on the right side of woodworking ...
:-) You've gotten a boatload of good advice so far, but that never stops
me from adding my 1 cent's worth...

Many of us speak from our own personal journey with turning about how
our initial interests and then-current needs morphed into what we're
interested in today. A common story (mine, also) is that we wanted to
turn knobs or handles or whatnot for our "flat" work and just wanted a
basic lathe to get that done. Before long we began turning bowls,
platters, mirrors, vases; we began looking at yard trees and electric
company line-trimming crew's efforts with interest; we spot a piece of
firewood or driftwood and wondered how it would look as a turning; a
chain saw's echo through the neighborhood draws us like a moth to flame;
and somewhere along the way, we began looking for larger lathes. Quite a
few of us started out on a10" "mini" or 12" "midi" then later acquired a
16" or larger to accommodate our creative wonderings. With that all too
frequent scenario in mind, I offer my comments.

2. Is the Jet 1442 the last lathe I'm likely to ever need? I
understand that $5K on a Oneway is likely to be the last lathe I'll
ever need, but realistically? In my mind, the Jet 1442 appears to be
on the same par with a solid contractor's saw, but definitely no
Unisaur. However, lots of folks get by with contractor's saws, and
make beautiful stuff with them.

I really like the 1642's electronic variable speed over the 1442's
Reeves drive. Plus it weighs over 2x as much, which in turning is never
a bad thing. The 2" extra swing may or may not be worth it. Along
similar lines, I would really push you to the 1442 over the 1236, but
not the 1236 over the 1014 "mini". If your perceived needs and budget
focus on the 1442, I don't think you can go wrong the that lathe. You
can accomplish your spindle work with ease and a solid tool, plus make
quite a few nice cross-axis (e.g. - bowls) just shy of 14".

3. Am I missing some critical point in lathe comparisons? Jet, Delta,
Grizzly and Nova were all machines I looked at in the price range, and
the 1HP motor and price sold me on Jet over the others. I figured that
with a twisty headstock, the extra swing wasn't worth the money, but
the larger motor was. I also like the fact that, apparently, the Jet
can be put closer to the wall than the other models. Mass was also a
consideration.

I'd agree that the Jet stands above the others - in quality, service and
features (I used to be very pro-Delta, but no longer). I believe the
headstock also slides to the other end of the bed for somewhat larger
then 14" pieces, but then the excessively high, low speed is a safety
factor. With some accessories for bowl turning, I understand the motor
can get in the way of mounting the wood.

4. I'm thinking of purchasing midrange turning tools--we'd all like
the Sorby stuff, but is a Sorby gouge 3 or 4 times better than an
off-brand? Any recommendations to that effect?

My personal opinion is that Sorby is over-priced. They have store
saturation and market presence, but that doesn't guarantee a superior
tool. I have a number of Sorby tools but as time passes and steel is
ground away, I've begun looking at Crown, Ashley Isles, Henry Taylor and
P&N brands. Fred Holder gave you very good advice on his recommended
tool selection. I aim for the HSS, but don't see too much need for the
"exotic" M-2 or M-4 flavors - they're expensive and I'm not sold on
their cut quality or longevity for the money. I have a couple Crown
Powdered Metal tools and they're attractive from a price point, but I
believe the edge is more serrated than a regular HSS tool. I'm now on
the lookout for some old-fashioned carbon steel spindle and bowl gouges
(Ashley Isles is one manufacturer) as I'm of the opinion they leave a
finer cut. For a new turner though, I'd stay with the HSS until you
develop the tool and grinder control.

5. Am I missing anything? Am I now an informed consumer?

I'm also with the others that a sharpening jig is the way to go on a
steady grinder with good wheels. Don't forget the face shield and some
sort dust collection for the sanding dust.

--
Owen Lowe

Northwest Woodturners
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Tips fer Turnin': Place a sign, easily seen as you switch on your lathe, warning you to remove any and all rings from your fingers. Called degloving, extended hardware can grab your ring and rip it off your finger. A pic for the strong of stomach: www.itim.nsw.gov.au/go/objectid/2A3AC703-1321-1C29-70B067DC88E16BFC/index.cfm

Besides, rings can easily mar the surface of a turning as you check for finished smoothness.