• January Turning Challenge: Thin-Stemmed Something! (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to John Lucas for "Lost and Found" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 13, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Delta 46-460 Variable Speed Midi Lathe

Bart Leetch

Bart Leetch

Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
207
Likes
1
Does anyone have one of these lathes can you give some input on what it really is able to do. Also is the Arbor 1" x 8 TPI" the places I read don't say.
 
Great lathe

Specs HERE
And nice video HERE

I replaced my Jet mini with the Delta 46-460 variable speed. It is portable, very sturdy, smooth, well finished. If I ever have to down size my shop I will keep this lathe. With a sturdy stand I would have no problem turning a 10" bowl. With 1hp, nice variable speed range down to 250rpm and reverse it is a great value.

If it is not clear, I like the lathe, a lot.
 
Ditto, I've turned on one twice now and I've turned on just about every mini lathe on the market. I think this is the best one.
Of course the one I own will be the best once I get the 3 phase motor and controller for it. Mine is an older Nova Comet. It has a gap bed with 2 filler blocks. This gives it a solid bed with 24" between centers. It has 1 1/4x8 spindle so it matches my big lathe. The tailstock is solid and never moves, it has a 3/4" tool post instead of 5/8 like most of the mini's. It will take bed extensions of which I have one that can be installed if I need longer bed. I'm going to build riser blocks for it to turn it into a 12" mini and with the gap bed will let me turn a16" platter. It's been sort of a project lathe since I got it but I love it.
 
I've put up several posts about my involvement with pre-production and production model testing (and, no, I don't work for any part of Delta or sell anything made by them). I've still got the production version they gave me to test a couple of years ago and will absolutely have to buy one if they ever want it back. I use it for demonstrating and smaller work (my big lathe is a Stubby) and have turned hundreds of spindle-type objects and about twenty bowls (up to a full 12" in diameter). I've also a Jet VS mini, but will probably end up donating that one to a club. The 46-460 is the most capable midi I've ever come across - and I think its why Jet came out with their almost equivalent. (And the spindle is 1" x 8tpi.)
 
Delta 46-460

I have one and find it a truly wonderful lathe. Does more than I expected.
I only wish to turn items of less than 12.5 inches after some thirty years of turning. The one HP was important to me having turned on a very old Delta 46-302 which I up graded to a 1 HP motor with forward and reverse.

One of the special and important aspects of the 46-460 is that it can be slowed down sufficiently to be able to chase threads.

For longer work you can add up to two extensions.

I love it!
Peter
 
I'm getting convinced part of it is the cost & the fact I usually don't turn anything over 12" & the fact is my old Delta double duty lathe would do almost 11" but the lowest speed is 750 RPM which isn't much fun to start a bowl on. The current bowl started out as an 8" blank & was well rounded on the band-saw. The lathe & bench all 420 pounds of it is on shook real good at 750 RPM.

Another question does anyone have the bed extension & what does the lathe length measure over all. I'm hoping to use my current bench to mount the lathe to. I may not always need the length but it sure would be nice to have if needed.

Thanks.

Also thanks to Bill Boehme for suggesting this lathe it just took me a while to get around to deciding it may be big enough to do all I need to do.
 
I looked at the Delta at Rockler's. It had the extension and stand which gave it a length sufficient to turn table legs and balusters if that is what you may want to turn occasionally. I do not know if it is long enough to turn peppermills without the extension, but it looks like it might since it is several inches longer than the typical mini like the Jet. For bowls and moderately sized vases, the extension is not necessary. I turned the lathe on and it ran like a sewing machine (well it does not have a bobbin and spool, but it was smooth and quiet). Changing the belt position was quick and easy. Everything is well machined and finished. I like the gray hammertone finish and suspect that it may be a powder coated finish, but I am not certain about that. The tailstock cranked very smoothly. The motor is a DC type, but apparently not a universal motor since it is very quiet. It may be permanent magnet type of motor.

My only criticism is a minor detail -- I wish that the tailstock locking mechanism and tool rest base had used a T-slot nut instead of just a thick flat washer. Older lathes generally used T-slot nuts, but many newer models do not. The advantage of the T-slot nuts is that they are much less likely to cause binding than when using just a thick flat washer.
 
Bill,
My first statement to someone buying a new mini/midi is to get a hold of Randy Privett of Monster Tool fame and order up a pack of two of his rectangular T-slots to replace the round ones that come with the lathe. That is money well spent to overcome the aggravation of slipping banjos and tailstocks.
 
Bill Blasic said:
Bill,
My first statement to someone buying a new mini/midi is to get a hold of Randy Privett of Monster Tool fame and order up a pack of two of his rectangular T-slots to replace the round ones that come with the lathe. That is money well spent to overcome the aggravation of slipping banjos and tailstocks.
Click to expand...

Also, most tool supply dealers stock a wide assortment of T-slot nuts. I think that Enco might also carry some sizes.
 
Last edited:
Bill Those nuts are different. I just ordered some for my metal lathe.
What Monster tool makes is a wide flat adaptor to replace the little round piece on the bottom of the tailstock. The little round ones just don't have enough surface area to lock the tailstock firmly. The monster tool adaptor is very similar to the one I made for my Jet mini which made the tailstock lock firmly every time.
 
john lucas said:
Bill Those nuts are different. I just ordered some for my metal lathe.
What Monster tool makes is a wide flat adaptor to replace the little round piece on the bottom of the tailstock. The little round ones just don't have enough surface area to lock the tailstock firmly. The monster tool adaptor is very similar to the one I made for my Jet mini which made the tailstock lock firmly every time.
Click to expand...

I just bought a handful of them to use on my DP and realized that you are correct about the T-slot nuts -- two of them that are on my large Delta actually have a smooth through hole with a large lock nut on the bottom. However, the one on the sliding headstock is actually a wide T-Slot nut since there is access to the head of the nut in the headstock. On the tool rest base and tailstock, that is not possible since the top end of the bolt has a through hole that the cam lock bar goes through. However, even without the threaded hole, this design prevents the bolt from cocking sideways when the tool rest base or tailstock is moved.

This is the shape that I am talking about:

T-Slot-Block.jpg

My issue with the round washers is not so much with slipping as it is trying to slide the tailstock or tool rest base when the clamp is released. The problem is that the bolt tends to cock sideways and then the edge of the washer digs into the bottom of the ways. I did manage to help alleviate this problem somewhat by using coarse sandpaper of the bottom side of the bed to remove some of the roughness from the casting. For a while, somebody on Sawmill Creek was making T-Slot blocks to fit the Jet mini -- maybe it was Keith.
 
Owners of this specific lathe or other Deltas of similar size (please identify if not the 46-460), what's been your experience getting service while under warranty?

Were problems mostly out-of-the-box issues or due to something that occurred while in use? Was it handled through the selling vendor? Directly through Delta? Repaired by you? Required sending/taking to an "authorized" shop? Repaired correctly the first time? Repaired OK but issue returned later? Anything else?

My own experience is with another brand (which I have no problem recommending), but I'm developing some midi-sized lathe purchase suggestions for a high school woodturning program and looking for feedback on suitable alternatives. They have a couple of pen lathes and a big ol' Powermatic PM-90. I think they could benefit immensely by having a few lathes in the midi class.
 
Last edited:
I have had a 46-460 since last summer. Had one issue with the spur center getting stuck in the head stock. Scored the spur center and Delta sent me a new one with no questions asked. When the lathe was new I turned a pen and the headstock heated up slightly. One of the Delta engineers called to follow up but that was the only time it happened. Customer service has been very good. Would recommend the lathe highly.
 
I've had no problems with either of the two 46-460's I've used. My first lathe was a Delta reeves pulley type and when I had minor problems with that, they sent me parts within three days. I'd rate them as excellent for technical support.
 
I would rate Delta's customer service as top notch. I have not contacted them since they became a part of B&D and customer service was moved from Jackson, TN to the B&D Service Net, but I have heard that they are also good. The folks in Tennessee were extra helpful and went out of their way to take care of any service issues.
 
I just got the 46-460, and the live center had a bad wobble (I've heard on another board that at least two other people had the same problem). I called Delta, and they were very friendly, and sent a new one right out.
 
i use a 46-460 quite regularly. it is indeed a good little lathe. i sometimes have to remind myself that it a midi rather than a full size lathe like my 3520B. heh heh i tend to hog off waste stock and can stop the wood rotation at times. haven't burned the belt in two yet, like i occasionally would do on the delta 360 with its small belt. so the 1 hp and the wider , better belt are certainly two pluses for the 46-460.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top