I am thinking about adding a mini lathe to my arsenal of equipment. I have heard Delta's service is lacking. Does anyone have an opinion of both?
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Jet mini vs Delta mini
- Thread starter Gary Chapman
- Start date
Go with Jet for sure. Delta has serious issues -- no parts availability. That's one of the reasons that Woodcraft has dropped Delta according to my brother who works there.
Don't forget to check out the new Jet 1221 VS. I have heard good things about it and nothing bad yet.
I have the delta midi......the vs model 46-460 as my second lathe to my big one. While the lathe is almost identical in motor and inside parts, the fact that Delta has service and parts issues makes me recommend the Jet 1221 vs! Although the two lathes are likely manufactured by the same company for Jet and Delta, the parts and warranty availability for the Jet makes it a better option in my opinion.
I have nothing but good to say after owning my delta midi for nearly two years, but I am aware of switch issues and such on the Delta. The Jet 1221 VS is a tad heavier as well, so that is a plus!
I have nothing but good to say after owning my delta midi for nearly two years, but I am aware of switch issues and such on the Delta. The Jet 1221 VS is a tad heavier as well, so that is a plus!
I have no experience with the Delta lathes but I have heard about people not being able to get parts or service for them. I have had a Jet 1014 since 2002 and I have had no trouble with it. I bought the VS conversion kit from PSI last year and I love the variable speed. If I had it to do over again I would have bought the 1014VS for my initial purchase. Good luck with whichever lathe you buy.
Tim.
Tim.
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The Jet 1221vs seems to be the best small lathe available for under a $1000
I has a nice look and feel, a wide belt, easy belt change, enough power, index, spindle lock, banjo & tailstock lock well, tool rest locks as well as the powermatic.
I have one to use in classes don't turn on it much because I have bigger machines.
Jet has sales promotions every once in a while, One drove me over the edge last December
The ONEWAY and Vicmarc 12" machines are really nice and have nice price tags too.
Al
I has a nice look and feel, a wide belt, easy belt change, enough power, index, spindle lock, banjo & tailstock lock well, tool rest locks as well as the powermatic.
I have one to use in classes don't turn on it much because I have bigger machines.
Jet has sales promotions every once in a while, One drove me over the edge last December
The ONEWAY and Vicmarc 12" machines are really nice and have nice price tags too.
Al
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I also own the delta midi a d love it. However for the reasons above I find it hard to recommend. Rikon and Nova bothe sell an excellent lathe if you find one used. New I would probably go with one of the jets. They have a very good reputation
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The one complaint that I have heard about the Jet is that it takes forever to come up to speed.
Hardly forever, though it is less prompt than my 1642, for example. Perhaps a couple seconds, and only mildly distracting at first. I have turned on one, for a Woodcraft instore demo, and you adapt quickly. In any event, when I'm turning on any lathe, I don't start touching the tool to the wood within a split second of turning the lathe on. The 1221 was fine to work on, even when my introduction was in public in the demo.
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At SWAT, I bought the Jet 1221VS from Woodworkers Emporium as a second lathe for doing demos and love it. At 1 HP and weighing over 100 pounds, it was an easy choice. It is well built and the finish is outstanding. Yes, the spin up is a little slow, but not enough to worry about, given the other benefits. Prior to that I had a 1/2 HP Rikon and it just didn't do the job.
Delta vs Jet
I bought the Delta mini in 2000 in the USA, and have had no problems with it. I chose the Delta over the Jet because it was that months special , would have gone for the Jet if I had been a month later. Now after 14 yrs of use I would choose the Delta again because of the front opening belt guard allowing you to change speeds from the front and the positioning of the switch. It is easier to operate with the left hand while the right holds the chisel.
Problems
the only problems I have had is the availability of belts here in South Africa. It uses Imperial belts and we are a metric country so I solved the problem by lifting the head and tailstock by 12mm to fit the metric sized belts. Now its a 11x14 rather than 10x14.
No other spares have been required in 14 yrs so availability of spares is a non issue.
I bought the Delta mini in 2000 in the USA, and have had no problems with it. I chose the Delta over the Jet because it was that months special , would have gone for the Jet if I had been a month later. Now after 14 yrs of use I would choose the Delta again because of the front opening belt guard allowing you to change speeds from the front and the positioning of the switch. It is easier to operate with the left hand while the right holds the chisel.
Problems
the only problems I have had is the availability of belts here in South Africa. It uses Imperial belts and we are a metric country so I solved the problem by lifting the head and tailstock by 12mm to fit the metric sized belts. Now its a 11x14 rather than 10x14.
No other spares have been required in 14 yrs so availability of spares is a non issue.
I also dislike the slow ramp up on the Jet. I flip a switch, I want it on. Hate the DVR for the same reason. I've had the Delta for 2 years. Took forever to get a rebate as well as parts issues for most. They killed the demand on one of the best midi lathes on the market. Too bad!