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Jet 1220?

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I see a lot of positive comments about the Jet 1221.

However I haven’t seen anything regarding the Jet 1220. They’re 3/4 hp but no reverse.

I found a used one in very good condition with the Penn State Industries variable speed conversion for $250.

I’m buying one for a friend to teach her on. (I have a Nova DVR XP myself. Previously I had a 12” and a 10” Rikon.)

Are these good lathes?
27F38C62-F671-4528-BA67-9CDD643FAF9E.jpegCF3F9D98-061B-4175-B9DD-145C5A19BAF2.jpeg
 
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I've had a Jet 1014 for decades. It's not my main lathe (which is a Jet 1642), but it's been a great machine to take to demos.
I'm favorably impressed with both of my Jet lathes. I would think that the 1220 would be a great starter lathe.
 

hockenbery

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Are these good lathes?

A relative term. I own a jet 1221 - excellent machine for its class. Many improvements the 1220 didn’t have.
I’ve used jet 1220s owned by clubs for sidewalk demos, club demos and for club workshops.

Good lathe for all sorts of spindles. Not real good for bowls. I’ve done a couple of club workshops for NE bowls they do ok with 7x5 NE blanks.(balanced 1/2 log cut round on the ends)
Did a workshop with seed jars(split hollow form) where the lathes performed well with 7”x2 round discs.

It’s a useable lathe if you don’t have out of balance piece on it. I did a small hollow form demo on one for my club.
It would have taken forever to rough a 7” blank to round but my friend John put all his weight on the strand so I could get some rpm’s for a few minutes to round it.

The tailstock and banjo don’t lock real well. Need checking and sometime relooking.
Minimum speed I think is 500 for the jet variable speed. Don’t know min speed for the Psi conversion.
 
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A relative term. I own a jet 1221 - excellent machine for its class. Many improvements the 1220 didn’t have.
I’ve used jet 1220s owned by clubs for sidewalk demos, club demos and for club workshops.

Good lathe for all sorts of spindles. Not real good for bowls. I’ve done a couple of club workshops for NE bowls they do ok with 7x5 NE blanks.(balanced 1/2 log cut round on the ends)
Did a workshop with seed jars(split hollow form) where the lathes performed well with 7”x2 round discs.

It’s a useable lathe if you don’t have out of balance piece on it. I did a small hollow form demo on one for my club.
It would have taken forever to rough a 7” blank to round but my friend John put all his weight on the strand so I could get some rpm’s for a few minutes to round it.

The tailstock and banjo don’t lock real well. Need checking and sometime relooking.
Minimum speed I think is 500 for the jet variable speed. Don’t know min speed for the Psi conversion.
I’m using it primarily to teach a good friend’s daughter how to use a lathe, and I’ll probably be passing it on to her.

I think this is a good one for her to start with, and I don’t think I could lose money on it if I resell it. Her husband is a police officer in a smaller town and she’s trying to figure out a way to make extra income for her family while at home with three young ones. She wants to make Montessori type toys with it, and kitchen stuff.

I’ve been making dry goods kitchen scoops, spatulas and cooking spoons, ktitchen utensil canisters and honey dipper lids for glass jars from Goodwill, and never tried to sell any of it.

0ACC7640-94A9-4CDF-BE24-7EF4076E3865.jpeg78438ED1-E705-4EE3-8F52-378809D9EC13.jpegEA1EB970-1476-485F-91E9-7EEC94268E63.jpeg71293B0C-FE95-4578-944D-A615E14CDEE4.jpeg
But people have seen pictures of stuff I’ve made that I’ve posted on Facebook and some forums and group chats, and offered good money for me to make this kind of stuff for them. It’s not glamorous like fancy bowls, but women seem to really like this kind of stuff, and it’s all stuff she can made on a 12” lathe.

So she’s hopeful she can do likewise.
 
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Should do most of what you want to do

A good example of its limitations.
It would not work well for the scoop with the off center handle
View attachment 52949
I did the offset handle (two axis) scoop with a Rikon 12” 3/4hp lathe. It shook a bit but handled it. That lathe and this Jet have similar specs and weights so I’m assuming it will be able to do it also.
 

hockenbery

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A
I did the offset handle (two axis) scoop with a Rikon 12” 3/4hp lathe. It shook a bit but handled it. That lathe and this Jet have similar specs and weights so I’m assuming it will be able to do it also.
you understand quite well that jet 1220 will not work well for the off center handle.
Can it do it - yes. Will it be enjoyable- no.

Every machine has its limits. It becomes more difficult, uncomfortable, and a bit less safe as you approach those limits.
I’ve worked at the limits of every lathe I’ve had but it’s been an occasional one of sort of adventure.
 
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I don't have my 1221 out of the box yet, but will soon. I did pick up a Rikon 12 inch lathe which had forward and reverse, and was a DC motor, which I was told would keep its torque better at slower speeds. I don't like it as much as the Jet. Mostly it is the instant on when you hit the switch. There is a long pause before the Rikon ramps up to full speed. Add to that the on button is a twist to turn it on and a push to turn it off. Old habits die hard, and I just don't care for that feature. I want 2 mini lathes for threading boxes with the Baxter jig. That way I can keep the cutter set up on one lathe and do all the turning on the other rather than having to take the cutter off and on, which is pretty frequently. I do want the reverse. I am experimenting with a flex shaft set up for sanding, and that makes variable speed mandatory, as well as reverse. I always sand in reverse, both inside and outsides of bowls.

robo hippy
 
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There is a tutorial somewhere on how to add reverse to a Jet 1014. The Jet 1220 was very similar to the 1014, so the tutorial would probably apply. The process seemed pretty simple.

Unfortunately, I can't find it on my computer or a link, but I'm certain it's out there.
 
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I brought home the Jet 1220 and it works well.

However I discovered the PSI variable speed kit that was installed was the older version with a 1/2hp DC motor, not their more recent version with the 3/4hp motor.

I talked to PSI and they said their 3/4hp motor is a direct swap into my older version of their variable speed kit, and can be bought alone without the vs controller and frame otherwise included in the kit, but they’re out of stock until after July 4th.

I’m thinking it’s worth upgrading the motor from 1/2hp to the current 3/4hp motor, even if I have to spend another $150?

I know the difference between my previous Rikon lathes, a 1/2hp 10” and a 3/4hp 12 inch was considerable, though I don’t know if they were AC or DC motors and I think DC have more torque?
 
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I have a newer 12 inch Rikon lathe. It has a DC motor on it. Supposedly, they keep better torque as you lower your speeds. The down side to me was they don't turn on right away, but slowly ramp up to speed. I prefer the instant start, which is what my Jet does.

robo hippy
 
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Why not use the lathe for a while, as is, and see how it performs for you?
Since Penn State Industries won’t have any of the 3/4 hp motors without the rest of the components of their variable speed controller kit until after July 4th, I’ll have a couple weeks to see how it does. I’m just using it to teach a friend. We had our first “class” this week. I had her make a snowman just to get used to the chisels, primarily using a half inch oval Sorby skew.
D480F65B-54A4-47F7-8F9B-53B1A3D16D0E.jpeg
 
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