A Lathe For All Seasons

Buying a lathe it one of the hardest decisions you will make in putting a shop together. The possibilities are endless, and, as you move up the price curve the cost of a misjudgment can get terrifying. Unless you are willing to settle for a mini-lathe (Jet makes several good lathes in that category as well) the bigger a lathe you can buy (up to a limit) the happier you will be in the long run. ^M
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The 1642, right in the middle of the price range can turn up to a 16" inch diameter bowl and up to 40+ inches in length - in other words, a small log - is one possibility you should seriously consider. At 400+ pounds it is solid enough to dampen vibration without taking a crew to assemble or move it. With a 1-1/2 horsepower motor it has enough power to do just about everything you might want to do.^M
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Spindle speed is controlled by a two-position belt drive (0 - 1700 rpm or 0 - 3200 rpm) and is continuously variable over those ranges. While variable speed isn't a necessity, it's amazing how quickly you learn to depend on the ability to change speed as you turn. This is a superior piece of equipment and to get something better you would have to spend at least twice as much.^M
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There are exactly two things I don't like about this lathe. One is trivial, I would have likes an optional hand turning wheel instead of having to grab a cylindrical turning bar to turn the work about manually. This is only a problem with pieces that are too small to grab onto - like pen mandrels. The other issue is that, to turn a bowl over 16" you have to run the head to the other end of the lathe, rather than turn it in place. This means the lathe takes up a bit more space and is slightly less convenient. But if you are working in that size range you probably should be looking at a more specialized tool.^M
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I would rate this a best buy for the amateur through semi-professional woodshop. I've been using one for a while now, and I've had no reason to regret the decision. Keep in mind that, whatever lathe you buy, your next really big expense will be equipping it with all the neat gadgets that make woodturning a world of it's own.

What a Relief !

After fighting a Grizzly lathe for months, I unloaded it on the next sucker ( Sorry, but it was cheap... and inexpensive, too ). The Jet lathe arrived in good condition via ABF who took forever to deliver it. It is heavy, but one person can easily assemble it with a hand cart and a pair of saw horses. Beautifully built. Everything goes together without any adjustments or rebuilding. The true variable speed is a joy to use. The sliding head stock makes bowl turning feasible for left-handers. If you are going to use a lathe, hock the family silver and consider this one.

Cadillac of Lathes

Jet really thought of everything on this lathe. I previously had a 1/2 HP lathe with turning headstock and one of those cheap stands they typically come with. This thing is HEAVY. The stand is basically two sets of cast iron legs that weigh quite a bit all by themselves. The features on this lathe make it a pleasure to use. The variable speed is simply a dial that works like one of those pushbutton/turning light switches so you can dial in any speed you like. The electronic readout is really neat too. It also has forward/reverse so you can reverse the direction for sanding. ^M
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If you're in the market for a lathe, don't opt for the cheap solution like I originally did. If you're going to get a lathe, get a good one like this one. The features it has and its convienences allow you to get better and better at the lathe over time instead of fighting the equipment. You will end up needing a little more than 1/2 HP over time. This lathe rivals ANY of those costing much more. The only way I wouldn't seriously consider this lathe was if I were going to do many large bowls. ^M
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It never has failed to do anything I asked it to do and I've had it for about 1 year now.^M