Banjo advice needed

[Roger Holzmacher]

I've been using my neighbor's 12" J-Line (Brodhead Garrett) lathe lately since my shop has been below freezing inside. But the banjo is awful. Anyone have any suggestions for a 12" banjo replacement? I posted a WTB but it didn't get any responses so am looking for info. My friend is willing to purchase a new banjo but I don't know where to look or what would be a quality replacement. He'll probably need new tool rests also as the J-Line ones are 1 1/8" posts.

 

[hockenbery]

The ONEWAY banjo is the best out there.
They sell a lot of aftermarket banjos to fit many lathes.
Give them a call they can tell you which one will fit your lathe.

ps I turned a little on a 12” j-line I bought at auction from a school system in the 80s
Decent machine for that size.

 

[hockenbery]

You may be able to rehabilitate your banjo. A new one may cost more than the lathe.

cleaning it with WD-40 will make it slide and lock more smoothly.
Thte banjo will have a metal plate on a bolt that pulls up when the locking lever is locked.
These plate wear and sometimes crack. These are east to make or you can use some heavy washers in a pinch.
The tool post lock can be more problematic to fix if the threads are bad. A new locking bolt is easy to replace.

 

[Roger Holzmacher]

Thanks.

The lathe is ok but the banjo is probably beyond reasonable repair. Would a Oneway dealer be able to order one or is dealing directly with Oneway the best option?

 

[hockenbery]

Thanks.

The lathe is ok but the banjo is probably beyond reasonable repair. Would a Oneway dealer be able to order one or is dealing directly with Oneway the best option?

I suggest calling ONEWAY direct. They can tell you which banjo will fit.
They may need you to make some measurements.

 

[Rick Crawford]

I used to have the Yates-American J170 lathe (before it became BG), and the problem with the banjo lock I crudely fixed by using a box end wrench to tighten the nut. Time consuming, but I wasn't a production turner, and it was cheaper than cheap, because I already had the wrench. I considered the Oneway banjo, but its height would limit the swing. Zoom in on the lathe pic to get an idea of the low height of the Yates banjo. It was a great lathe...modified with a 2hp DC motor and industrial controller...true variable speed. I sold it after purchasing my Stubby 750.

 

[John King]

Skip the dealer. Go directly to Oneway. Talk with Kevin Clay. - John