There are a number of features to look for when selecting a wood lathe, fortunately, Jet Tools has packed a lot of these benefits into their line of wood lathes geared towards the professional or serious woodworker.
The most important feature to look for when selecting a wood lathe is the material the item is primarily made from. The heavier your wood lathe is, the more stable your project will be while it’s turning. All Jet wood lathes are built with high grade, heavy-duty cast iron beds giving you a solid foundation that minimizes vibration while providing complete stability.
A close second on your wood lathe features list should be the speed of the unit and how that speed is delivered to the machine. Entry level machines will have a belt and pulley mechanism allowing the woodworker to achieve up to six speeds by adjusting the belt position on various pulleys within the motor housing. In some applications, six speeds are all you need so the process of stopping the lathe and adjusting the belt position has little impact on the user. In many applications, however, having the flexibility of a continuous variable speed motor can make all the difference in the world. Finely tuning your wood lathe to the exact speed required for the material is what can transform a project into a work of art. If you have the means, always consider a comparable variable speed lathe over one with set speeds.
Now that you have a rock solid, fast machine, you need a wood lathe that’s going to fit the type of materials you plan to work on. Because wood lathes always spin around a center, the distance from the center to the bed represents ½ of the maximum wood stock you can put in the unit. For Jet wood lathes, the first number in their model number represents the “swing over bed” distance or radius of your project. For example, in this product number (JWL-1236) the 12 means the distance from the center to the bed is 12 inches so the maximum diameter material you can put on this unit is 24 inches. The second number represents the distance between centers with is in essence, the maximum length your wood stock can be when put in the lathe (36 inches in the JWL-1236 example above).
Looking for a unit with a swiveling or movable headstock will give you the most flexibility for selecting various sized wood blanks. Once the headstock is turned 180 degrees or moved to the opposite end of the lathe, the diameter of the wood blank can be increased to anything that is safely supported by the weight of the machine.
Cam-lock mechanisms on the Jet wood lathe products allow the woodworker to quickly set, and reset the machine without using additional tools. All Jet wood lathes have cam-locks in place on the tailstock and tool rest bases. Higher end units will have moveable headstocks that are also held in place with cam-locks.
Consider your foundation when determining stability. For small jobs, a bench top mini lathe usually offers a strong stable footing. For industrial applications or larger pieces, a floor standing model with a heavy duty base will not only position the turning piece at the correct height, but it will also minimize the movement of the entire lathe setup.
Two other considerations to make are for a hollow tail stock and a live center with a removable pin. Both allow a woodworker to bore long holes for things like lamps and flutes. Fortunately, all Jet wood lathes come with both of these features at no additional charge.
