Great review. I am definitely a fan of Jet products...I own three.
Jet 1221 VS unboxing and initial impressions and why I didn't buy the Rikon
- Thread starter Schroedc
- Start date
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- #22
Thought I'd give some thoughts now that I've put a few days use on the machine, Have turned about 150 pens on it in the last 3 days (Most single tubes) and I really like it
Soft start- It's fast enough, really not slowing me down, I flip it on, by the time I pick up my tool, get in position to start cutting it's up to speed.
VS- The range is great, I can get slower and faster in the same belt position than I could on the Delta and based on the literature the Rikon. It's making for easier sanding with being able to get really slow for oily woods and acrylics that would normally heat up and load your paper.
Mass- This thing is a beast. Much heavier than my old lathe, and form the literature about 30 pounds heavier than the Rikon. it doesn't move on the bench at all. I still haven't bolted it down but it hasn't walked at all.
General fit and finish- Everything moves smoothly, things are tight, no play in the tailstock even without tightening the quill lock. the Banjo and talistock lock down tight without having to reef on the handle. tool rest clamp works fine, no sliding down as I turn even when getting aggressive with cutting.
Soft start- It's fast enough, really not slowing me down, I flip it on, by the time I pick up my tool, get in position to start cutting it's up to speed.
VS- The range is great, I can get slower and faster in the same belt position than I could on the Delta and based on the literature the Rikon. It's making for easier sanding with being able to get really slow for oily woods and acrylics that would normally heat up and load your paper.
Mass- This thing is a beast. Much heavier than my old lathe, and form the literature about 30 pounds heavier than the Rikon. it doesn't move on the bench at all. I still haven't bolted it down but it hasn't walked at all.
General fit and finish- Everything moves smoothly, things are tight, no play in the tailstock even without tightening the quill lock. the Banjo and talistock lock down tight without having to reef on the handle. tool rest clamp works fine, no sliding down as I turn even when getting aggressive with cutting.
Schroedc, I actually joined this forum because of this thread. I got confirmation today that my Jet 1221 with the Nova G3 and 16 gouges was shipped today.
Q: can you tell if the lock on the tail-stock can be reveres to be on the other side?
Q: can you tell if the lock on the tail-stock can be reveres to be on the other side?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #24
Like you want the lock lever for the tailsstock on the front? If so I can't see why not, remove the dammit clip, pull the handle out and reverse and reinstall.
If you're talking about the quill lock, that lever is adjustable to wherever you want it but has to stay on the back side
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #25
Thanks @Sprung for bringing this one back to the front of my mind- Time for a one year review!
I've beaten the heck out of it. Probably 4500 items or so turned on it in the last year. It's grimy, dirty, and in need of a bath but I have not had a single issue with it yet. Only a couple observations- Starting to see a tiny bit of wear in the tailstock quill, not really slop, just getting a bit loser for cranking in and out but as I turn most between centers it gets run in and out quite a bit. The VS knob- It started to get loose, just pulled the knob, tightened the lock nut back down and no issue. Otherwise I'm still on the original belt, motor isn't making any noise and headstock bearings are still tight and quiet.
I've beaten the heck out of it. Probably 4500 items or so turned on it in the last year. It's grimy, dirty, and in need of a bath but I have not had a single issue with it yet. Only a couple observations- Starting to see a tiny bit of wear in the tailstock quill, not really slop, just getting a bit loser for cranking in and out but as I turn most between centers it gets run in and out quite a bit. The VS knob- It started to get loose, just pulled the knob, tightened the lock nut back down and no issue. Otherwise I'm still on the original belt, motor isn't making any noise and headstock bearings are still tight and quiet.
Thanks, Colin. I like update posts. It is nice to hear how a lathe is holding up after time. It is a factor in my buying decisions. Like I indicated in another thread, I am now looking with some interest at a Nova Comet which is more within my budget. I wish there were more update posts on the web concerning the Comet.
Not sure if you've been lurking, or just arrived altogether, but Colin's year on that lathe is probably the equivalent of most folks 5 years, or more, on a lathe Dan.
I was thinking more along the lines of the lifetime of their owning/using the lathe for probably most guys, lol.
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- #29
And I've got another 600-700 pieces to turn on it on the next 10 days or so.
From your posts lately, it seems like the lathe has spent more time spinning than it has turned off.
Great follow up @Schroedc , I did some demos on that lathe for our local WC when they first came out and was similarly impressed. When (hopefully only if) my Delta dies I'd likely make same choice on the Jet. Would be nice to adjust the soft start, but I expect it will prevent a chuck from unwinding inadvertently or twisting a goblet shaft. 
Great follow up @Schroedc , I did some demos on that lathe for our local WC when they first came out and was similarly impressed. When (hopefully only if) my Delta dies I'd likely make same choice on the Jet. Would be nice to adjust the soft start, but I expect it will prevent a chuck from unwinding inadvertently or twisting a goblet shaft.
Tim, if I'm remembering correctly, I think I saw a brief discussion on the soft start feature here a while ago and it sounds like the newer ones, like mine, start up much quicker than the first ones did. On mine, I turn it on and about the time I've got my tool in place on the rest and my hands in position on the tool, it's up to speed and ready for me to start turning - or my wait at that point is extremely brief if I'm quicker than normal in getting the tool into position.
It's my belief that if there had been anything bad, you'd have seen lots of posts about it -- unhappy turners are seldom quiet
-- but it would still be nice to hear positives rather than judge by "absence of negatives".
Might have been me -- our club bought one of the first batch of 1221vs lathes, and the soft-start takes way longer than necessary to ramp up to speed.
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- #35
Although I have to wonder if that long start contributes to longer bearing and motor life. The second 1221vs I bought is older, has a really quick ramp up compared to mine and did need bearings when I bought it although it had been used in an unheated garage so possible was started cold at some point.
I can't think of a mechanical reason why a shorter ramp-up it would affect the bearings; it requires more torque and places greater stress on the shaft, but I'm not seeing the link from those things to bearings. A more likely explanation for bearing failure IMO would be if out-of-balance pieces were spun at high revs.
Shorter motor life is quite possible: hard starts are often accompanied by current surges through the windings, which could affect control circuitry even if it doesn't cause the copper to burn out.
It's my belief that if there had been anything bad, you'd have seen lots of posts about it -- unhappy turners are seldom quiet
I hope you are correct. I did start a new thread last night on the Comet II (after responding to this thread), and only have had one response so far. It is a good and postive response. Maybe the Comet II is just not too popular on this forum.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #38
Give it a little time, I don't recall seeing a lot of folks with them yet but there might be some out there. I do know we have some owners with the big Nova lathes and nothing but good things to say about them.
That's a walk in the park for you. It is only 60 or 70 a day.
