Customer Reviews

JET 708352 JWL-1236 Woodworking Lathe, 12-Inch Swing 3/4 HP 115-Volt 1-Phase

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have turned on every lathe from an big Oliver pattern lathes slick Euopean models and this lathe has the best set of features for the money. In lathe work quick adjustments are needed to allow you to keep your focus on the form that you are trying to produce. A tool rest moved to the right spot at the right time keeps the tool running clean and eliminates tearouts. This is also a great saftey feature. That is just what this lathe has, features that only the most expensive lathes have in one machine. This rotating head found on only a handfull of other brands was a nice touch. Just as important was the 'live center' with the proper point for wood turning. Again the abaility to keep the tail support in the proper tension as the turning progress keeps everthing running smooth, And that is what wood lathe work is all about. If you do alot of work with large chuncks of wood you will want to add a pair of runners and place some weight on them. I am close to 6 foot tall and I like a little more height so I used 2X4 lumber to gain the height. I then placed a bead of silicone calk down on the floor and stuck the runners down to offer a solid base. I have used this meathod on several 'light' machines with good results.

Just as important as stock features are the after-markets items and there are plenty that fit the Jet. Just try to find Nova chuck to fit a big Oliver!

I'm a square wood type of woodworker. I'd never put a tool to a spinning piece of lumber, but had always wanted to try. When the Jet 12" went on sale, I couldn't resist the temptation. Just like all the rest of my Jet tools, it went together in a snap, and was built the way that my table saw and jointer are.., extremely solid. Even for a novice woodturner, the machine performed well. Within minutes after set-up, I was turning, and with halfway decent results (not the machines fault, the operator was the only downfall). All of the advertised features were easy and convenient to use. When comparison shopping against Grizzly and Delta, the Jet came up on top again. Jet includes more bang for your buck.

The review got 4 stars only because I haven't had the opportunity to try any other lathes. If my girlfriend had rated it, the results would have been much worse. She hasn't seen much of me since I started making shavings on my most recent Jet purchase. Kudos Jet!

I was going to buy this machine's bigger version, the one with
the cast iron legs. But when I saw the price was dropped to $399 with free shipping, it was a no brainer.

It's a great machine and it's very vibration free. I've found it has plenty of power, provided your tools are sharp. In fact, plan on buying top of the line HSS tools (like Sorby, Crown, or equivalent -- Amazon does not seem to have any HSS turning tools) and a Tormek sharpener. This will triple your investment but it's required if you want to be successful.

The thing to do to improve the machine is put a strong board on the base's frame and pile a bunch of bags of Sakrete on it. Then it will have the same stability as its larger cousin.

At this price, you can't go wrong...so I gave it 5 stars.

As an aside, contrary to what a previous reviewer wrote, my machine did come with a handwheel on the headstock...

I got this lathe just in time to take advantage of the Thanksgiving Day weekend and had a blast. This is my second lathe, and it is head and shoulders above the earlier one. Solidly built and very heavy. Due to lack of space in my shop, I mounted the lathe to a large bench rather than the included stand, so I had to remove the power switch from the leg of the stand and mount it on the bench leg.

I am amazed at how smooth and quiet this lathe runs. Due to the type of turning I do, I was concerned that the slowest speed was going to be too fast, but the lathe is rock steady spinning a very unbalanced turning blank at the slow speed.

Though the instruction manual could have been clearer, setup was quick, easy, and straight forward.

If I could change anything about this lathe it would be to add a detent to the speed control between the slowest speed and the next faster one. I would also add an electromagnetic power switch for safety and place it in a more convenient location.

Oh, and I split it into two boxes for shipping. Since it was easier for me to pick it up from the freight company than to arrange a delivery time with somone home, I had them hold it at the loading dock for me to pick up. They used a pallet jack to load it onto my truck, and I had to unpack the box to unload it. I was, however, able to lift it up onto the bench alone.

This is my first lathe and as I've never used one in the past... The lathe went together with no problems and I was turning down a 2x2 within an hour, made a great little baseball bat. The lathe itself is a real nice piece of equipment; however, the instruction manual is extremly poor. It was a good thing I found a web site that talked about screwing in the index pin prior to removing the spur center or I would have damaged the bearings. Great machine...poor instructions. ...

The lathe is an execelent value at $399. The manual leaves a lot to be desired. The lathe stand needs to be reinforced. I used four eight foot long 2"x 6" lumber and a bunch of plywood. What to do to make it more stable:
1 Go to the wmhtoolgroup.com website and look up the manual for the 1236's replacement, JWL1442. It will give you much more information than whats in the 1236 manual;
2 Build a shelf on the brackets with two 2x6s;
3 Bolt the bottom of the stand to two 2x6 stringers on the floor with cross bracing between the stringers ;
4 Build up the the sides with plywood;
5 Add weight to the stringers with either sand, cement, or bricks; (There is a photo of the 1236 lathe in R. Raffan's book TURNING WOOD, second edition. It has six bags of concrete on the shelf to stabilize it.)
6 You will need a bunch of 1/4" or 5/16" bolts or lag bolts the fasten all the reinforcements together;

Once you have stiffened up the stand you will have a very good lathe. The motor does not draw enough electrical current to compromise your home's wiring. It also includes a pen making kit including two tools, pen kits, wood, glue, finish, and a book on making pens. You can start turning as soon as you put the lathe together.

I bought this as my first lathe in 20 years. I never really got going before and was a little concerned. What a joy to use, no vibration, easy accessories and just plain fun. In addition to my wood shop I also have a metal shop and use those lathes quite a bit. No other piece of gear I have bought in the last 10 years has been this easy to set up and fun to be creative with. I went out to the woods and gathered some burls from dead fallen trees. This lathe handled those hard difficult pieces with no problem. I would definitely agree with one of the other reviewers that you want to work with sharp tools (this is of course true with all wood working tools. I highly recommend this lathe to anyone wanting to try out turning.

I purchased my Jet lathe when it went on sale at Woodworkers warehouse before they closed, And as many other have just for the fun of it I had no jobs line up for it at first but boy it was a great buy. As a starter on the lathe I cant not find one complant with this product. Do you have to weigh it down? well that is all on how much you are turning but when you have to place wood across the supports and toss what every you have that has weight on it. no problem. I have to say for the money Jet did Good on this one. (to any one who is thinking about turning, try it you wont be sorry ) As for your Turning Set besure to shop around the best price is not always the best package. I got my lathe with the Turning chisels and face sheild which in the long run ran me cheaper to get as a package. it may be cheaper for you as well. 4 stars being I got what I paid for.

I have owned my Jet lathe for 10 months, and used it a fair amount. It is an excellent value for the money. It's faults are not unexpected in a low priced product. but you must be prepared to compensate for its shortcomings if you choose to buy it. The manual is adequate for getting it set up, but has no usable information on maintenance or replacing the belts. You should be prepared to put blocks under the stand to adjust the height for you. You should add 200 or more pounds of sand or cement bags to the lower shelf or to the legs to stabilize the machine, especially when turning heavy or irregular shapes. You should expect to add a chuck to get the most flexible use. The power is occasionally marginal, especially when truing up large and heavy pieces of wet wood. Remember that the cost of turning tools, a chuck, and other accessories will more than double your investment (I have added at least [$$$] worth of accessories to the cost of my lathe). The tool rest is adequate, but you will want to replace it before too long. There is no hand wheel on the headstock, a relatively minor inconvenience. The power switch is sticky and fussy in its operation.

Overall, I have found this to be an excellent addition to my shop, and it has given me the chance to learn a new set of skills at a reasonable cost. It has been reliable, vibration free, and has adequate power most of the time. I have produced some pieces I am quite proud of with it. If you know for sure that you want to do serious lathe work, invest in a better machine from the start (be prepared to spend [$$$]) to add more power, capacity, and accuracy. If you want to learn and keep your investment more tolerable, this is an excellent start and will give you good use and service for a long time. And you can probably resell it for close to your cost if you ever decide to upgrade. Accessories are readily available.

After a great deal of research, and speaking to countless people in the wood turning community, I decided to purchase the Jet 1236. I'm extremely happy with nearly every aspect of the lathe from it's quality, to it's easy of use. It's a pleasure to work with and it's very stable. Admittedly, I built a very solid base to attach the lathe to, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. The instruction manuel, without a doubt, is the weak link in the system but easily gotten around. The switch could be in a better location but, in my opinion, not a big problem.

The beginners "Pen Turning Kit", with two tools, was an added feature which was very nice to have. Again, for the money, you can't go wrong with this lathe and you also have the well respected JET name.