JET Reviews

This lathe is a sleeper. Truly. I have researched lathes for months because i wanted exactly the right lathe. My requirements were, smooth operation, variable speed, quiet, vibration free and heavy.

After much research and hands on evaluation I decided on and purchased the jet jet 1642-2EVS (708360) 2 hp lathe. It is the first machine that I have ever purchased that was not assembled and at first was somewhat annoyed that is was still in the crate but assembly was relatively simple. I removed the parts piece by piece from the truck. the legs are very heavy and luckily i had help. The bed was very heavy and somewhat of a challange to get it up on the legs, but assembly was very simple. Every hole was perfectly aligned. It was in a crate, very well protected and neatly packed.

Before i go into the details of the lathe i would like to give you some information on the prodcuts that i did evaluate and consider. The first unit was the NOVA. It was ok, i thought rather light and expensive for what it really was. Everything was an add on, and it started at nearly $2,000. It didn't impress me. The DELTA was a nice lathe. Very clean design but it just didn't have the weight. It would have been my second choice. The ONEWAY. It was just too darn big. Really nice machine if you win the lottery. It just kind of screamed "look what i got" Too yuppie. It was my last choice.

So, anyway, i purchased the jet. I went for the two hp model only because i wanted a 220 unit. They have lower operating costs and the dollar difference wasn't that great. I was surprised that they do not come with a plug, but that was no big deal.

Tonight i cleaned it up and got it running. After all the research i did, i didn't realize it wouldn't take my Delta chuck. It has a 1-1/2 x 8 screw and my Delta accessories have a 1 x 8. No big deal, they have an adaptor. Phew!!!!!!!!!
Everything was in perfect allignment. I turned it on and just stood there admiring the smooth operation. I have no vibration at any speed. The lack of noise impressed me very much. I just cut a bunch of trial pieces. Magnificant. I can't express enough how happy i am with this selection. Everything about it is quality.

Had the Jet 2hp 1642 for about a year now and have tried to write a review, maybe because I did not buy online. Well worth the money, very heavy and designed for the professional wood turner. If you like to brag, buy a Oneway, if you like to turn, buy a Jet 2Hp 1642 and save your money to buy nice wood. In my shop, I buy different makes of tools for how well they are built and to have the very best out of them, not the cost.

I don't understand why no one has written a review of this lathe. Something fishy about that. So here goes:

This lathe is the most expensive single tool purchase in my shop. So, you can imagine that I was pretty careful about researching my decision. Unfortunately, I live where I couldn't go and personally look at a selection of lathes. Only one tool store carries the $700.00 version of Delta and I did see in New Mexico a $2000.00 version. The cheap version is absolute crap! I won't go in to details. For the money I would buy a small Vicmarc. The other didn't impress me. I thought it was pretty light weight. In general, I think Delta has lost its edge on the tool market. I would not buy anything from Delta these days. It's mostly made in China.

I considered the three big alternatives to Jet-Oneway, Vicmark, General (not International) and Nova. To be honest, if I could have afforded it, I would have folded under review pressure and bought the Oneway. Problem is, the 16" Oneway cost twice as much as the Jet1642 and when I started thinking about how I would use the lathe, I had some serious problems with it. The head is fixed and there are significant costs in setting the lathe up to do outboard turning. The Vicmark pretty much suffers from the same limitations and IMHO is overpriced. The General is a bit old fashioned and expensive. The Nova DVR was a serious contender. I said no because they seem to have thrown all their marketing into DVR technology. The lathe is a bit lightweight (less than 200 pounds) and the $2200.00 price tag is just the start. The lathe isn't long enough to do spindle work and I don't like the idea of having to buy an extension to do basic spindle work (add another $250.00). It does not come with a base (add more dollars and/or work).

I really obsessed over this (as you can see). After reading other opinions in online forums, I got the feeling that there is a lot snobbery surrounding the choice of a lathe. The Canadian and Australian lathes seem to dominate market opinion. True, they are not made in Taiwan or China (so they say) but I don't believe that is a valid final criterion anymore. Taiwan has caught up with Japan in many areas of manufacture and is arguably now making quality tools.

I believe that tool makers need to think carefully about their designs. I believe Jet has done just that. So here is what I got and how I feel about:

I ordered the Jet1642 with a 2HP motor, which is really a 3-phase motor with a converter, and an extra banjo assembly (for spindle turning) with free shipping to my door. The cost was very close to an even $2000.00. The lathe came packed in a single box that really impressed me. The lathe weighs 450lbs and the box only 25lbs. But there was no doubt in my mind that the lathe was undamaged. Jet does an incredible packing job. Everything I ever ordered from Delta came damaged because their packing is absolutely horrible!

I took some advice from those forums, and moved the lathe into my shop (my wife was the only help I required) one piece at a time-first the legs, then the bed, then the head and tailstock. Everything cleaned up nice with mineral spirits and bolted together easily. The fit and finish of the lathe is excellent! I compared it to other cast iron tools in my shop made in USA and could not fault any part of the Jet. I had to buy a 220 volt plug before I could turn it on, but when I did the lathe performed perfectly. If there is any vibration at all then it is very slight and exists at around 1500 rpm where the lathe seems to resonate. But I would not really call it vibration. You cannot feel it unless you put your hand directly on the headstock. It isn't really fair of me to mention it. The only reason I do is because it is purely relative, and otherwise, I can't feel a thing when the lathe is running. Tools do not vibrate off the bed when I am working anymore and the lathe is very, very quite.

The lathe is heavy! Yeah! The cast iron legs are great! I built a platform and loaded it down with lots of wood blanks, adding about 200 more lbs to the lathe. I checked the indexing and can tell you that the positions are accurate and rock solid. All the locking mechanisms are solid. The tailstock is massive and self ejecting (a feature not mentioned on many lathes). I pushed the tail up to the head with centers installed and the alignment was perfect everywhere on the bed. I am looking forward to pushing the head to the end of the bed and doing some serious outboard turning, and at no extra cost!

So, in general, I got everything I wanted. If there is anything I would suggest to Jet it is the following: (1) I would put the reverse switch somewhere where it can't be bumped or lock it. (2) The indexing pin, which screws into the index hole (a nice feature), is too easily lost. It needs to be attached to the lathe. A small issue, but I wouldn't want to have to go through the hassle of ordering another one. I'm going to make a rotating attachment on the end of a chain. (3) The headstock is a bit cumbersome. It interferes with an overhand grip when working close to the spindle. This can be very annoying. But to be fair, this is minor because an overhand grip is unnecessary for spindle turning and it is not an issue for bowl turning.

A small note: The 1642 is really a small version of the Powermatic. It is the same design, just smaller. So for about $700.00 more you can upgrade to a 20 inch lathe. I would be more cautious concerning the 24 inch model. It been known to have problems and is designed differently.

Since I am a fan of the Mighty Steelers, this was awsome.

When I first saw this sleeping bag I had my doubts. I read the review that was left by another customer and decided to order. I was so pleased with the sleeping bag!! The price of the sleeping bag was well worth it. This is a must have sleeping bag for any family and of course any sports fan. I couldn't be happier with the results!!! Just to let other customers know....After you put the bag in the wonderful carrying case that comes with it you can leave it out for decoration. And one more thing, The size of the sleeping bag is great for even someone tall. I am 5'6 and I could fit in the bag and then some. Very comfortable and it is very warm!!

Good Quality Sleeping Bag. I was kind of surprised how well this sleeping bag was made for the price I had paid. I was expecting a thin, "cheezy" looking bag for the inexpensive price, but was VERY pleased when it arrived at how thick and cozy this sleeping bag really is! The NFL graphics are also very nice on the bag. It also comes with its own zippered carrying case which I was also happy with. Great sleeping bag, especially for that young football fan, for the inexpensive price!

Good deal because i got the free shipping. Lets face it we are all crazy to spend this kind of money for this stuff but hey its cool and its fun. My kids love it. My friends love it. You get front and 2 side panels in the package so its all you need to make it go. thanks

To answer the review above, yes, this set comes with all three panels that are needed for the Skybox. I don't know why it's listed the way it is- it does include the front and two side panels.

In short, putting your chosen team on the Skybox really makes a difference-- it gives it that fun, decorator touch (as opposed to the gas station ambiance you get with the generic Skybox advertising panels).

I'm not sure why they're $30 cheaper here than anywhere else, but, I'm happy to have found this bargain!

The unit has 2 side panels that can be interchanged. The Maytag website clearly states this, and states that the panel packages come with 1 Front and 2 Side panels.

However, I noticed that on the Amazon website, the panel descriptions state "1 Front and 1 Side, total of 2"
I even emailed Amazon customer support and got a reply that the Amazon package only includes 2 panels, 1 Front 1 Side.

Has anyone ordered the panels from Amazon? Did you get 2 side panels and 1 front(3 total) like you should, or did you only get 2 total like the description says, and like Amazon customer support told me....
THANKS!

This is the last saw you will ever need. The saw came in 8 boxes and took a full day to assemble but was well worth the time. The fence was easy to adjust and the square up directions are well layed out. The only complaint was the extention table board had a slight warp in it, but a small c clamp fixed it. With all the extras you get, you can't find a better deal. If you are looking for a cabinet saw then this is the one to get. Add the jet(NOT THE DELTA) sliding tabel and htc outfeed to have the perfect tool

I have used the saw for a couple of weeks and couldn't be happier with its performance. All of the tolerances were very close and the fit and finish of the machine were excellent. The only issue with assembly was a slight warp in the extension table. Jet's customer service (which I have found to be the best in the business) replaced it with no questions asked. The cabinet gives plenty of storage and is also setup to be used as a free-standing router table. It is a great saw and the accessories make it worth the extra price.

The saw is awesome. I had some concerns from reading the other reviews, expecially pertaing to shipping damage, wrong pieces, poor manuals, etc. However I found all the manuals to be satifactory, not exclent but more than satisfactory, all pieces fit together nicely, however there were a few fasteners that were a lottle bit different than those described in the manual, but nothing that effected the final product- specificaly there were some bolts that held the tube that the fence rides on that were hex head bolts on my saw, but were shown to be flat head screws that would fit into countersinks in the rail- causing only a very minor cosmetic change. The palet that the saw came on had a retaining rim that fit tightly around the base of the saw and caused some very minor scuffs around the base. Again very minor, no one but me has even noticed them. Now to the shipping pain in the butt. I ordered the saw online and was estimated to recerive it in 2 weeks, after 3 weeks I got a shipment delay statement, and then 2 weeks later a cancelation statement. I then called the tool customer support line. They were very helpful, I would recomend calling to reorder from them, instead of online. The saw has gone up $500 since I ordered it and they honoerd the price at the time I ordered it, as well as shiping direct from the manufactuer. When it got to my freight dock there was a freight charge due, anoter call to the customer support took care of this problem too. I was out no money through the whole shipping ordeal, just frustration. Over all I would buy it again from Amazon, the price is the best anywhere, if I bought it localy I still would have paid freight, sales tax, and had to wait for delivery. The Saw is Awesome, Period.

I just finished assembling this saw and making some test cuts and I have to say it's a great piece of machinery! Should provide a lifetime of fun projects. Here are my likes, dislikes and some helpful hints from my experience:

Likes:
Fit & Finish are great. All parts arrived in good condition. All hardware was included and assembly went smoothly. Instructions were good (some pictures), and in logical order. However, since the saw, fence, rails, table, cabinet and lift all come separately (5 boxes), each has it's own instructions - you have to figure out the overall order - pretty intuitive (I'll cover later). Great Power - a little noisy but that's the price of having a real powertool. Alignment was good out of the box. Fence action is smooth and locks solidly. Good adjustability on all parts. Using saw with Forrest WWII and it cuts like glass - see all the Forrest reviews - they're true!

Dislikes:
Plastic legs on cabinet are flimsy but functional. Since I'm using with a ShopFox mobile base, I'll end up making my own legs to fit the base extension anyway.

Watch out - Amazon free shipping ain't so free. Since this thing is 450lbs you will need to make arrangements with shipper - Amazon doesn't. Unless you're Arnold Schwarzenegger, you'll want to arrange for a truck with a liftgate and pallet dolly. While I'd think that after spending this much on a tool Amazon/Toolcrib would cover the *appropriate* shipping, my shipper (ABF Freight) ended up being cool and arranged to do so for free. Thanks to them :)

Assembly Recommendations:
Order of Assembly - 1)Saw/Extension Wings, 2)Fence Rails, 3)Cabinet (so you can set the tabletop on the cabinet to level it), 4)mountExtention Table to fence rails, 5) screw cabinet to tabletop, 6) Fence Guide/Fence/Blade Guard, 6) cabinet door/external shelf, 7) Router Lift

You have to wire the plug (220v - 20A)

WARNING - If installing the table shelf between the cabinet and the saw, double-check the template that is supplied (last page of manual). If I hadn't checked it by assembling the shelf with the mounting brackets and screws and holding it up to the saw, I would have ended up drilling 4 holes in my new table saw that resulted in a crooked/unlevel shelf (by 1/2")

Don't use the screws in the plastic door handle on the cabinet as the instructions suggest - just glue it in. The screws are too close to the surface and split the melamine face on the door

Be careful tightening the screws holding the fence guide to the front fence rail - I stripped one of the 5 even though I wasn't overtightening.

That's it. All in all I'm very pleased. Looked at Jet, Delta, DeWalt. Went with the Jet - felt I got more for the money compared to Delta and a higher performing tool compared to DeWalt, but was a little apprehensive of quality compared to Delta from other reviews. However, now that I have it, I can heartily recommend/endorse JET - any fears appear to be unfounded. Also have the JET air filter and 1100CFM dust collector and they're good too. After years of using an old radial arm saw for all my projects, my shop is off to a good start.

The part was back ordered , but that was OK , I wanted it as a spare. Good quaulity

Essential item to use the Teknatool Nova Scroll chuck on any lathe with a 1" headstock drive. The nail for want of which the battle can be lost.

This is a nice simple piece of critical equipment. If it didn't work properly, it could cause a lot of hassle (air gaps / hoses coming off). The two wires fit easily over the end of the hose and seated snuggly on each side of the hose groove and then clamped up nice with just a phillips screwdriver. The wires strattle the ribbing on the hose, creating a nice tight fit. I put on several of these wire clamps without one problem, air leak or lose hose.

The steel band clamps just did not stack up. They did not hold as well, or go on as easy (stripped the threads). Go with the wire clamps.

I didn't figure that there was much of a differnce between hose clamps. I used both - steel band clamps and wire band clamps- with my ribbed hose for dust collection. The wire band clamps were easier to put on, held better, seated well, and stayed on.

This is a nice simple piece of critical equipment. If it didn't work properly, it could cause a lot of hassle (air gaps / hoses coming off). The two wires fit easily over the end of the hose and seated snuggly on each side of the hose groove and then clamped up nice with just a phillips screwdriver. The wires strattle the ribbing on the hose, creating a nice tight fit. I put on quite a few of these wire clamps without one problem, air leak or lose hose.

I wish I could say the same for the steel band clamps. I tried them first, and stripped more than I put on. Go with the wire clamps, and do it right the first time!

I didn't figure that there was much of a differnce between hose clamps. I used both - steel band clamps and wire band clamps- with my ribbed hose for dust collection. The wire band clamps were easier to put on, held better, seated well, and stayed on.

A nice Planer from Jet...Arrives assembled, ready to use within minutes after arrival. Cuts efficiently, I like the top rollers for moving your stock quickly back into feed. We milled Log Slabs one afternoon, taking just a few minutes from "chainsaw cut" down to "ready for final sanding".
I have been very pleased with this planer, although it is not a daily use tool for me, I feel it has performed well.
The only thing that causes any problem is that the feed table raises and lowers with thickness adjustments (Rather than the cutter assembly)...So I cannot easily build an outfeed table, since it too, would have to move with the planer table. Therefore, it is necessary to have two people planing large pieces.
But, a good planer for the price...and free shipping! That makes it tough to beat.

Fortunately this beast comes fully assembled except for the infeed and outfeed table and arrived in excellent shape due to the good crating at the factory. It is already setup at the factory and I did not have to make any adjustments. Operation is intuitive and fit and finish on the machine is very nice. The only problem I saw was on my first use. A large chip of wood flew up and hit the outbound chip deflector and broke it because it is made of plastic. Personally I think it should have been made of metal to avoid this problem as I think it will happen again. On the plus side, I called JET and they were very helpful and happy to send the replacement part without any argument. Even with the plastic chip deflector I would highly recommend this machine for several reasons. First, it does a great job as a planer with a full 20" planing width (the blades are a little wider than 20"), second, I find it well assembled and a heavy duty machine, third, obviously great support after the sale, and fourth, I couldn't beat Amazon's price anywhere and you can't get any better deal than free freight especially since we are talking over 700 lbs.

I've had this Jet shaper for 5 years and have only one real complaint: The Inserts are nearly impossible to remove. You'll end up using a gear puller to get them out. With that said this unit has seen much use over the years and has run perfectly throughout. It is very smooth running with nicely cast & machined parts. It should be looked at as a really, really, nice router table or an entry level shaper.

I got mine on "Special" when Jet was begining to change the paint on their machines from blue to white (mine is blue) and I paid $375 for it. Considering that at that time there were no such things as router lifts and the few good router tables availiable were nearly the same in cost, I got one heck of a deal.

But look at the Jet JWS-22CS if you are looking for a entry level shaper - for 50 bucks more you get extra power and a closed stand. The fence system is nearly identical (and of good design).

The JWS-18HO would make a lot more sense if Jet lowered it's price to the under $400 range. The same basic shaper but painted green and with 3/4 hp can also be found elsewhere for much less.

I originally wanted to buy a larger machine, but the 1.5 HP Jet was not available - so I opted for the 18HO (same spindle and travel spec.'s) and hoped it could get the job done. Was I surprised! I use 1/2 inch router bits for making RP doors and cabinet work, etc. mostly with 3/4 stock. The single horsepower motor breezes through anything I've tried. The slightly smaller table is not a problem - to work large panels any model needs add-on wings. I'm over 50 and have worked with machinery all my life - the Jet is well-made. Castings are free of scaling and voids, and the machining is right on. You can tell the QC folks at Jet earn their pay. I used the money I saved to buy high quality router bits. For home shop or small jobs this machine is plenty good and is vastly superior to a more expensive router table set-up.