I have a Jet 1442 that I have had almost a year. It has what I think is an
issue, but maybe I am expecting too much from something made in Taiwan.
Overall it is a very good lathe for the money

Whenever I move the headstock, I have to manually align it to the tailstock.
I put the spur center in and the live center and slide the tailstock down
and rotate the headstock until the point line up. It will rotate back and
forth about an 1/8" so if I don't do this it really causes problems if I am
roughing out a bowl that is mounted on a chuck or screw chuck and using the
tailstock for support.
The play is between the headstock casting and the detent ring that mounts it
to the bed. I have had Jet send me another detent ring and it was about 5
thousandths bigger but the problem is still there. I don't think the hole in
the bottom of the headstock casting is perfectly round. This is not that
big of a deal, but if it is not normal, I want Jet to fix it.

Does anyone else have this same issue with their 1442?

thanks,

Chris

Chris C wrote:
I have a Jet 1442 that I have had almost a year. It has what I think
is an
issue, but maybe I am expecting too much from something made in
Taiwan.
Overall it is a very good lathe for the money

Whenever I move the headstock, I have to manually align it to the
tailstock.
I put the spur center in and the live center and slide the tailstock
down
and rotate the headstock until the point line up. It will rotate back
and
forth about an 1/8" so if I don't do this it really causes problems
if I am
roughing out a bowl that is mounted on a chuck or screw chuck and
using the
tailstock for support.
The play is between the headstock casting and the detent ring that
mounts it
to the bed. I have had Jet send me another detent ring and it was
about 5
thousandths bigger but the problem is still there. I don't think the
hole in
the bottom of the headstock casting is perfectly round. This is not
that
big of a deal, but if it is not normal, I want Jet to fix it.

Does anyone else have this same issue with their 1442?

thanks,

Chris

Chris, It sounds like your going through the same growing pains I did.
I had my Jet 1442 for about 8 months and every time I had moved the
head stock I had to put the centers in it and line it up. the last few
months I had it, it developed play in the pivit at the ring you
menchened of .095 of an inche, try roughing ou a blank and never geting
it round and the vibration contuing to grow. I beleve the problem with
mine was that the pin that locks it into the ring is to week and not to
close tollerances. After two months on the phone with Jet and not being
abul to use the lathe Jet finaly replaced the whole thing and I up
graded to the Powermatic 3520. I said I would never own a sliding or
piviting head lathe again but so far the new lahte lines up good and is
a dream to use. Well worth the price if your turning bowls and other
out of balance stuff. The 1442 is a good lathe to start with and test
your ability but I beleve I out grew it. Hope this helps.
Rick

Chris:

I thought that the gadget you pull to release the headstock for rotation was
also for aligning the headstock after rotating it. I assumed when I screwed
it down tight that I was pulling the headstock into alignment.

If that's not what it does, what is the purpose of the threads to tighten it
down?

WaltC


"Chris C" wrote in message news:20FHd.31763$jn.10619@lakeread06...
I have a Jet 1442 that I have had almost a year. It has what I think is an
issue, but maybe I am expecting too much from something made in Taiwan.
Overall it is a very good lathe for the money

Whenever I move the headstock, I have to manually align it to the
tailstock.
I put the spur center in and the live center and slide the tailstock down
and rotate the headstock until the point line up. It will rotate back and
forth about an 1/8" so if I don't do this it really causes problems if I
am
roughing out a bowl that is mounted on a chuck or screw chuck and using
the
tailstock for support.
The play is between the headstock casting and the detent ring that mounts
it
to the bed. I have had Jet send me another detent ring and it was about 5
thousandths bigger but the problem is still there. I don't think the hole
in
the bottom of the headstock casting is perfectly round. This is not that
big of a deal, but if it is not normal, I want Jet to fix it.

Does anyone else have this same issue with their 1442?

thanks,

Chris

It is but the tollerance on the pin and the groves in the disc and the
grove that slides between the ways all add up to some big alingnment
problems with the tail stock. Mine moved when clamped tight with all my
body weight at the pin and groved disk.
Rick
Walt Cheever wrote:
Chris:

I thought that the gadget you pull to release the headstock for
rotation was
also for aligning the headstock after rotating it. I assumed when I
screwed
it down tight that I was pulling the headstock into alignment.

If that's not what it does, what is the purpose of the threads to
tighten it
down?

WaltC


"Chris C" wrote in message
news:20FHd.31763$jn.10619@lakeread06...
I have a Jet 1442 that I have had almost a year. It has what I think
is an
issue, but maybe I am expecting too much from something made in
Taiwan.
Overall it is a very good lathe for the money

Whenever I move the headstock, I have to manually align it to the
tailstock.
I put the spur center in and the live center and slide the
tailstock down
and rotate the headstock until the point line up. It will rotate
back and
forth about an 1/8" so if I don't do this it really causes problems
if I
am
roughing out a bowl that is mounted on a chuck or screw chuck and
using
the
tailstock for support.
The play is between the headstock casting and the detent ring that
mounts
it
to the bed. I have had Jet send me another detent ring and it was
about 5
thousandths bigger but the problem is still there. I don't think
the hole
in
the bottom of the headstock casting is perfectly round. This is
not that
big of a deal, but if it is not normal, I want Jet to fix it.

Does anyone else have this same issue with their 1442?

thanks,

Chris