Best Midi Lathe Series: Delta Industrial 46-460 Variable-Speed Midi Lathe

Guest Post by Emma K. 

One of a kind in its class 

My husband and I love writing reviews for woodworking tools. Woodworking is our hobby, something we enjoy doing together.. We have several wood lathes in our workshop, Powermatic is the queen I must admit. I heard and read about Delta midi lathe's superior quality of design and great performance comparable if not better with that of Jet lathes. We don't own this machine ourselves but this excellent fellow in out local craft shop happened to have one and it is Delta Industrial 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe. First thing I noticed is the quality of Delta design. Even though the owner has used it for two and half years I could still see solid, sturdy well-machined parts, accurate joints and quality welding. For a mid-range lathe it possesses features not found on competitor brand lathes of the same size. 

Photo Courtesy of Sherlock77 (James)

 

Variable Speed, Forward and Reverse Features

Some of the best features 

Delta Industrial 46-460 is a powerful mid-range powered by reversible motor of 1hp, with speeds ranging from 250 to 4000 rpm. Reversible and forward motor functions makes turning possible in both directions which I find very convenient. On a uni-directional lathe motor you have to reset you workpiece backwards to rotate you piece in other direction. If it becomes too bothersome for you Delta simplified it all with a turn of a switch. Delta lathes will turn workpieces up to 12-1/2" (318 mm) in diameter over the bed and 9" (229 mm) in diameter over the tool rest base, with the utmost distance in between centers 16-1/2" (419 mm).

Photo Courtesy of Sherlock77 (James)

Changing Speeds

Easy and simple

Delta 46-460 comes with electronic variable speed control. To change to the required speed you need to select among the three pulleys to determine the lathe's speed range. Then with the control dial you can change the speed up or down within that range. With the three pulleys you can have three ranges of speed: 250-750 RPMs, 600-1800 RPMs and 1350-4000 RPMs. The levers are made of metal as opposed to plastic I saw on some cheap machines.

 Motor Overload Protection 

With the powerful 1HP motor the stalling of Delta 46-460 should be minimal provided it is not overloaded, but in case it does the unit is equipped with overload protection feature. If the lathe is stalling the circuit breaker will trip triggering the machine to switch off.

The Features We Love About Delta Industrial 46-460 Variable-Speed Midi Lathe 

Good craftsmanship 

• The head stock and tail stock centers line up dead on.
• The lathe offers the lowest speed of 250 rpm and fast speed of 4000 rpm.
• The reversible feature is so useful during sanding and polishing stage.
• 1 HP motor: Effortless management of large workpieces.
• Changing the belt on the step pulley was very straightforward and easy.
• The lever was perfect to set the correct belt tension every time we changed belts.
• This lathe is reasonably portable.
• Great price with all extra features that others lathe brands don't offer.
• Versatility and expandability. Even with two extensions, it is much less expensive than any lathe of 67".

Delta Industrial 46-460 Accessories 

What's in the box 

 

What Do Other Customers Say About It?

Some of the customer reviews

We found the best place to check for unbiased customer reviews is the Amazon, and they often have woodworking bargain deals there.  


Delta 46-460 Warranty
This machine comes with 5-year warranty.

Best Price on Delta Industrial 46-460 Wood Lathe 

Best Deal

I had a bad experience of dealing with some smaller, less known retailers out there who offered one of the lathes I own at the cheapest price I have seen at that time online. I went for it, the unit wasn't in stock, it took a whole month for me finally to receive it, and it was damaged too. The discount was there for a reason to make you buy, the customer service was non-existent. What I want to say is that don't bicker at additional $30-$40 and choose a well-known, trusted online retailer to deal with.

 

 

Amazon Customer Rating: 4 stars out of 5 

At the moment of writing this post the Delta 46-460 is available at 38% off with Free Super Saver Shipping option on Amazon.

Are There Any Complaints? 

Pros and Cons

We searched for reviews on Delta Industrial 46-460 throughout the woodworking forums and retailers, there are mostly 4.5 to 5 star reviews about this lathe. Though some customers wished for more robust toolrests. One customer mentioned he wasn't happy with the weight and wished it was more portable. The cast-iron construction is what gives this great lathe stability and solidity which helps a lot when you turn heavy unbalanced workpieces. Below are some of the quotes about Delta Industrial 46-460 from real customer reviews we found on the web.

Photo Courtesy of alasam

Delta Industrial 46-460 Wood Lathe Presentations

Video reviews 

 

 

Powermatic 3520B Wood Lathe Review

Powermatic 3520B Wood Lathe is considered one of the top-range powerful wood lathes. Designed both for beginners and experienced woodworkers this machine is a solid and stable well-designed piece of equipment. Like in most good quality lathes it's base is constructed using carefully machined thick walled cast iron parts. The heavier the base the better since there will be no need to add those sand bags or weights for to keep the machine from vibrating when working on unbalanced workpieces.

 

Powermatic 3520B Wood Lathe Power Capacity

20'' swing and 341/2 between center capacity allows turning wide variety of projects sizes. But this is not all: the extension kits are available to allow working on huge projects sized from 38" to 50" in diameter. To be able to handle such huge workpiece sized the Powermatic 3520B Wood Lathe is geared up with a 2HP 220 volt powerful motor that can function with either a single phase or three phase power supply. Three phase power supply is normally used in large power grids around the world. Since residential areas are normally powered up by a single phase supply in order to use Powermatic 3520B Wood Lathe in three-phase mode in your home workshop the inverter is integrated into the electrical system of the machine which is both convenient and economical in terms of power usage.

Powermatic 1352001 Model 3520B 20x35-Inch Wood Lathe with RPM Digital Readout

 

Powermatic 3520B Wood Lathe Control Features

• All the controls are conveniently located on the headstock front.
• Speed control dial regulating unlimited RPM during forward and reverse settings in both 50-1200 and 125-3200 ranges.
• Toggle switch for forward and reverse
• Simple and easy to read LED display
• A pull ON, push Off switch to power the lathe on and off.
• Built in inverter incorporates a safety feature preventing the sudden start up of the lathe in case the power goes out and then comes back on. The switch has to be pressed into off setting to switch the lathe back on.
• A specially designed Poly V-Belt resistant to surging connects a set of two pulleys. Access to the pulleys is conveniently located on the right side of the headstock front, tension levers are used to change the RPM speeds.

 Spindle Locking Mechanism


Spring operated button operating a spindle locking mechanism is conveniently located on the front of the headstock. The button activates two locking detents for fitting in and removing the adds-on. There are 24 indexing positions allowing to drill evenly spaced hole patterns for various ornamental purposes like routing flutes etc.  


Spindle Bearings


Only high quality spindle bearings are used on Powermatic 3520B for the best possible stability of the machine. They can be spaced nearly 12' apart thanks to wider than normal power head. The machine presents another convenient feature namely endplay bearing adjustment which is located right behind the hand wheel. In years to come there will be no need to send the head for re-adjustment as it can all be done by yourself easily by turning the adjustment nut gently to stop the endplay.  


Awesome Tailstock


Heavy cast iron tailstock is a usual feature in a high quality lathe and Powermatic 3520B is of no exception. Tailstock contains a storage compartment with the hinged door to store all those bits of pieces of equipment you will often need to be close at hand. 1 3/8 inch ram has 4 1/2 inches of movement controlled by way of good sized 5 7/8”-diameter cast iron hand wheel built with a free wheeling speed handle. Drilling holes with precision can be achieved easily as there is a laser-engraved scale on the top of a wheel. The tailstock ram is built with a #2 Morse taper to allow a broad range of add-ons. With full retraction the tailstock ram (or quill ) automated ejection mechanism will free the addon accessory you have in the Morse taper.  


Can be regarded as money-saver in the long run


Many novice woodworkers buy this lathe as their first lathe and there is sense in this. According to many customers purchasing the best you can afford will actually be cheaper if you are going to be serious about your new hobby. As you progress you might want to try big projects and have to upgrade. The small projects can be turned on a big lathe but big projects cannot be turned on small lathe.  


Customer Reviews


Powermatic 3520B receives consistent 4,5-5 star reviews. Though there are minor complaints about the state of packaging and scratched paint and some shipment the one thing the overwhelming majority of customers say about this lathe is that it is "dream lathe", easy to set up and get running.


For the price this lathe is hard to beat in this cost category - under 4k. This lathe runs quite smooth - but...
 Read more 

There isn't much I can say, that others haven't already said. I have owned mine for a little over 2 years. This is a great lathe, and for most users, will probably be the last lathe you will ever need or want.
 Read more  


Warranty


Powermatic 3520B is supported by a 5-year warranty.  


Price 


  Powermatic 3520B is a superior quality professional wood lathe and there are not many places that will offer a substantial discount unless you don't mind buying it used. The lathe is currently available on Amazon at 17% off including free shipping.    

Best Wood Lathe Reviews: Jet JWL-1220VS (1221VS new version)

Guest Post by Jerry K.

Why Is JET JWL-1220VS So Popular Among Woodworkers? 

Jet 708376 JWL-1220VS features a middle range lathe capable of performing the tasks fit for both mini and full size lathes. This lathe's exceptionally expandable between centre capacity, reliable operation, 12" swing makes this lathe suitable both for a newbie and experienced woodworker. JET JWL-1220VS can be a good money saver for a beginner since he/she can get started on the basic lathe and modify the spindle capacity when desired.

This tool's capacity can be classified as a midi range lathe with its 12" swing capacity and a 20" to 50" bed extension. We found that JET JWL-1220 is very much the same Jet quality machine as 10141 model but with a more powerful engine. Attachments such as tool holder, tool rest and attached light are new features thus adding a nice touch . Extended headstock cross section width resulted in the increased mass of the machine ensuring the additional stability and rigidity. The Jet 708376 JWL-1220 Wood Lathe spindle comes loaded with speeds ranging from 500 to 3975 rpm.

Jet 708376 JWL-1220VS Indexing System 

Straightforward and user-friendly 

24-position, very user friendly indexing system feature has been added to Jet JWL-1220. Continuous spacing and precision whilst drilling and fluting is easy when using the indexing feature that allows you to cut uniformly spaced features in a woodpiece and at the same time keeping the Lathe headstock spindle locked. We use it, for instance, when cutting flutes on a spindle blank with a router, while the spindle blank is anchored within the Lathe centers. The system within is operated by a button which is spring-loaded on the headstock and can be engaged by either pressing the button for temporary lock to remove chucks or faceplates. Or it can be screwed in for a hands-free operation.

Work Lamp Jet 708376 JWL-1220 Wood Lathe

Jet JWL 1220VS view from the back 

 

Jet 708376 JWL-1220 vs Jet JWL-1220VS (variable speed version) 

Speed control box and pulleys 

 Both types are identical except the addition of a advanced electronic speed control box to the side and well-crafted six step pulleys to to the VS version. The variable speeds of the Jet JWL-1220VS Variable Speed Wood Lathe are managed by the speed dial on the control box and also the setting of the belt on the pulleys. All together they manage complete spindle RPM control, which ranges from 200 to 4300 RPM. You can turn various sized of wood with no fear of the machine overheating. Changing settings is easy, with speed control dial having 5 dial settings, we liked the simplicity of selecting RPM settings for a certain speed.

 

Changing Speeds

Changing spindle speeds is achieved by moving the belt to the wanted pulley groove. There is speed chart you can use on the inside of the headstock access door. Belt must be aligned with spindle pulley as well as motor pulley. The handle on the motor plate is used to adjust the belt tension and should be locked in place.

 

Power switch

Power switch regulates the supply of electric power to lathe motor unit. Turn toggle switch on ON position to start the motor. The lathe will initiate rotating and driving the headstock spindle. The machine is going to arrive at its maximum speed in about 1 to 3 seconds. Keep in mind the size and weight of the workpiece will decide when the motor achieves the speed established by the speed control.

 

Speed Control Dial And The Reset Button

Speed Control Dial is turned clockwise to increase spindle speed, anti-clockwise to decrease speed. The Reset Button between the power switch and speed control dial is another very useful feature that comes with VS version, in case the unit get overloaded it provides overload protection. You use it if the lathe suddenly stops during operation or won't start with the power switch in the on position.

JET JWL-1014 vs JET JWL-1220VS 

Same quality just more power

Speaking from our own experience and according to customer reviews on woodworking forums who worked on the JET JWL-1014 for many years this machine is a reliable, quiet and smooth running unit. The JET JWL-1220VS possesses same great quality features and build but with extended capabilities and more power giving this great unit even more flexibility and superb functionality. 

1. Powerful Motor And Increased Capacity Stocks in measure from 12 inches in diameter and 20 inches in length can be turned on JWL-1220 with ease thanks to a strong 3/4 HP motor. The motor performs with consistent RPM, is flexible and can handle various projects of different sizes without slowing down your lathe. 2. Overall Stability, Spindle Lock Convenience A heavy-duty cast-iron lathe bed provides steadiness and solidity whereas significantly reducing vibrations throughout operation ensuring highly accurate final results. Despite heavy cast iron construction and weight of about 100 lb the lathe is portable and can be moved easily on the workbench for maintenance. Spindle change is straightforward and the spindle itself incorporates a locking mechanism rendering it much easier to take off faceplates, chucks, and other components using one hand only. 3.Ease Of Adjustments Designed to be simple to operate, the JWL-1220 features a cam-lock mechanism system that allows you to adjust the headstock, tailstock, and tool-rest base without the need of additional equipment. 4.Very Portable, Includes Handles With dimensions 15.5 x 12 x 32 and weight of 98.3 pounds, the lathe is very portable with built in, large-diameter, retractable carry handles and a cord wrap. Also included six-inch and 10-inch tool-rests for versatility, a storage tray, and a three-inch faceplate. 5.Compatibility With Various Accessories #2 Morse taper and popular 1X8 spindle thread makes JWL-1220 wood lathe compatible with a vast range of extra components and accessories.

Jet 708376 JWL-1220 Included Attachments 

 What's in the box 

The new additions are a 10"-long tool rest, a pair of good quality safety glasses,a tool rack and cord-wrap bracket and a work lamp that is connected to the lathe electrical system so there no need for an additional socket.

What Other Customers Say 

Positive comments

This wood lathe became another favorite with woodworkers, both beginners and veterans. The attraction is the usual Jet quality, more powerful motor and the capacity to expand its functionality. We read rave reviews (4 to 5 stars) on woodworking forums throughout the web and Amazon. 

  Some of the extracts from the reviews:

Update: there is a new version of Jet JWL-1220VS available on Amazon. See details below. The older version info is available HERE.

Best Price On Jet JWL-1221 Variable Speed Wood Lathe 

Best Deals

Amazon Customer Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

At the moment of writing this post Jet JWL-1221VS is available at 17% off with Free Super Saver Shipping on Amazon.

Are There Any Complaints? 

 

There are not many complaints about this lathe. One customer had to tighten the loosened screws on the motor pulley twice after hundred hours of operation. Some wished for a variable speed feature. Some owners had to get replacement switches which are covered by guarantee. One customer would prefer a different door latch system. There was a problem of a unit's motor running backwards... but it was dealt with quickly by Amazon and the replacement worked fine. 

photo credit: Life As Art

Deals and Warranty

Is There A Warranty? 

Yes, JET JWL-1220 is backed by a five-year warranty.

Customer Support 

According to Amazon customer reviews the Customer support is "terrific".

Jet JWL-1220 Video Reviews 

 

 

Best Beginner Wood Lathe: Jet JML 1014VSI Variable Speed Wood Lathe

  

Jet JML 1014VSI Indexing System 

We found the Jet JML-1014I and Jet JML-1014VSI models to be exactly the same in all aspects except the speed control and pulleys. Inclusion of 24 position indexing is a major development for a JET 1014I mini lathe series. Efficient and user-friendly design is another great element of the Jet JML 1014VSI indexing system. A simple hassle-free push button loaded with spring activates the indexing wheel encased inside the headstock. The spindle can be locked in any 24 positions by screwing the button into the headstock if you want to drill exact hole shapes or fluting. Just press it in and simply turn it to trigger the threads and you have hands-free use of the locked spindle. Only don't forget to unlock it prior to starting the lathe up.

Variable Speed Option 

Three primary speed levels

The Jet JML 1014VSI Variable Speed Version provides the advantage of the advanced variable electronic speed control that functions within three primary speed levels.

Jet 1014VSI Variable Speed Wood Lathe has a sophisticated electronic control box. The variable speed change is simple and achieved by five speed options on a dial, combined with three belt settings. A belt position of "Low" receives 500-1200 RPM; "Medium" 1100-2600 RPM, "High" 1700-3900 RPM. All the speed settings can be found on the top of the motor control box.

 We used mid or high range to turn smaller items, and it gave us enough speed variations to turn a project piece from rough turning to polishing, we didn't have to change the speed range. Belt position changing is easy, just release the belt tension using the front-mounted levers, slide the drive belt on a new pulley settings via the two access doors loaded with spring. Then re-adjust the tension and your lathe is all set for use. We definitely recommend the variable speed version if you plan to turn various sizes of wood.

Live center with a full two-inch ram capacity 

 

Easy-access controls

 

 

Jet JML 1014VSI Cast Iron Solid Base 

Great stability 

Strong cast iron bed became a standard in Jet lathes and is greatly appreciated by most woodturners. Besides stability and little vibration during the work we found that the smooth running of the machine can also be credited to the well-manufactured bearings in the headstock.

Read some of the extracts from the reviews: 

 

 

Best Price On Jet JML 1014VSI Variable Speed Wood Lathe

Best deals 

 

Amazon Customer Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 

At the moment of writing this post Jet JWL-1220VS is available with Free Super Saver Shipping on Amazon.

 

Where Can I Read More Reviews About These Awesome Lathes?

Amazon is one of the places that provides unbiased reviews about the machine by the people who actually used it. Read Jet JML 1014I reviews here. Jet JML 1014VSI reviews can be found here 

How Much Should You Expect To Pay?

Prices for Jet JML 1014VSI Variable Speed version range from $530 to $650. We found the best deal on the Amazon and on AmazonSupply.com including free shipping.

 Included Attachments 

 What is in the box 

 

Jet JML 1014VSI Review 

Professional notes