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Amazon.com Review To woodworkers who know the reputation of Jet products, the merit of this 12-inch variable-speed lathe should come as no surprise. Start with the guts of any tool, the motor. Prewired for 115 volts and fully encased in a metal housing for longer life, its 3/4-horses turn material at 500 to 3,000 rpm, depending on which of the six speeds you select. The cast-iron lathe bed, headstock, and tailstock provide superior vibration dampening and durability, while the heavy-gauge steel components and stand give rigid support. Pivoting 90 degrees for outboard turning of up to 16-1/2 inches on larger projects, the MT-2 headstock protects a Reeves drive pulley system with which we made quick and easy speed changes. Down on the other end, the hollow tailstock allows for longer hole bores and houses a live center, a luxury standard on all Jet lathes not found in much of the competition.You'll love the versatility that comes with 34-1/2 inches between working centers and a 12-inch swing capability over the bed (8-3/4 inches over the tool-rest base). All adjustments, whether extending the ram its full 2-1/4 inches or sliding the 12-inch tool rest, move fluidly and clamp down tight with little effort. Designed for use over the long haul, this tool has all the qualities professional woodworkers demand. --Justin Paul ... Read more
Features Pivoting headstock for outboard turning3/4-hp single phase motorSix speed 550 to 3,000 RPM34-1/2-inch work distance between centersReeves drive plley system for quick speed changes
Reviews (8) 
Lathe usage
Have been using the Jet JWL-1236 for about 8 months now. The first thing you should do is throw the base away and build one with substance. Might be satisfactory for turning spindles but not for anything with any kind of mass unless you secure it to the floor. I do a lot of bowl turning and anything you might have to turn outboard is a joke, especially with the equipment that is furnished with the lathe. Unless you have the capability to ensure something is pretty well balanced don't try to turn it outboard. One problem is that the lathe speed is still too fast even at its lowest setting and the ON/OFF switch is in the wrong place if you have to get to it in a hurry. If you are truly interested in turning bowls of any size save your money and buy something a little more substantial in size and has a true variable speed capability.
Great Lathe for the price
I looked at all the competitors to the Jet, and they couldn't sway me away from the Jet. It's a good solid machine. I do mostly faceplate work, so the limited (34 1/2") distance between centers didn't factor into my decision. I had considered the Delta 46-700, but was told they had bearing problems, and it was a much lighter weight machine. Time will tell, regarding the Reeves drive, but it seems very smooth when changing speeds. Assembly was a snap, got the bed and motor up on the stand by simply using another table at the same elevation as a helper. The tool rest base and tailstock move smoothly, and lock down frmly with minimal effort. The only improvements in the total package I can see are replacing the 6 inch faceplate with the 3 inch version, and maybe offering the 6 inch tool rest instead of the 12 inch (why do they assume that you are gonna turn spindles??). Also, I don't really like the placement of the on-off switch...its too low for me. As with my old lathe, I will rewire this Jet to provide reversing capability, as soon as the 3 year (hope I can wait!!) is out. I don't understand why Jet, Delta, and others don't provide reversing...it's a 5 dollar modification. Spinning the other way makes for better finishes while sanding. All in all, the Jet is a great machine...highly recommend it!
A Cripple's Best Friend.
Hello there.
If you're reading this, you're contemplating purchasing the Jet 1236 12" Variable Lathe. Let me put this to you straight-forward as possible: Delta and Grizzly are the two closest competitors for direct comparison (yes, I know there are a few others, but they simply don't measure up to the Delta or the Grizz, much less the Jet 1236 in the characteristics department).
Changing speeds: the Jet allows you to reach down and gently increase or decrease the speed of the lathe with a simple turning of a handy lever: no pulley to change for speed changes.
Swivelling Head Stock: if you want to turn bowls as do I, the ability and ease with which you may move the Headstock to turn "outboard" (away from the Bed of the lathe), is a two movment procedure: you reach around to the back of the headstock, pull gently on a knob and then simply swivel the headstock to the desired angle. That's all there is to it.
Horsepower: if you want to turn large stock at some point (and you will), then a 1/2hp motor simply is not powerful enough to get the job done. The Jet has a 3/4hp motor that WILL allow you to turn large stock pieces.
Construction: Totally solid in every sense. I have NOT yet placed a shelf below the bed, nor have I placed sand bags on it to "steady" the Jet 1236 while turning. The Jet does NOT vibrate as I thought it would, when turning vase or bowl stock. It may at some point if I place a truly out of round (and hence out of balance) blank on it, but I have yet to so do.
Lastly, I would point out that putting it together is a TWO man (or woman) job. I am physically impaired and cannot lift much weight at all: the lack of vibration I mentioned above is due directly to the "Godzilla" like materials used in construction of the Jet 1236. It goes together without a hitch, the limited directions concerning placement and securing of parts is clear, although terse.
In summation, let me commend to you as heartily as possible, the Jet 1236 Lathe, I also own a Jet 14" Bandsaw with a 6" riser block attachment, and have just purchased a Jet model 22 enclosed floor model shaper, and am thinking of purchasing a Jet Bench Oscillating Sander.
Like you, I need to get the most "bang" for my "buck". Buy this Jet 1236 Lathe and you'll do precisely that: without regret.
Thank you for taking the time to read this review...
Quality of Jet lathe
I purchased my lathe from toolcrib in february of 2001 as usual tool crib shipped it promptly. It came in one box, I had no trouble getting it put together as all of the parts fit as they were suppose to. The instructions were fairly good and easy to understand. I had the machine up and running in about 45 minutes. It came with A 6 inch faceplate, however I would have prefered a 3 inch plate. The free tools that came with it were of poor quality,you could probably find better at fisher price.com. Overall this is a very good lathe for the money. I would highly recomend if your are just starting out or using it to supplement a cabinet shop as I am. I been using my lathe for about 8 months now and have had no problems with it. My drive center got stuck when I first got it, I called Jets help line ,and they were quick to resolve the trouble. They assured that if I broke the knockout rod all I had to do was call them and they would send me another one free of charge.
Great Value, and SERVICE!
My lathe arrived within three days after the order. It was a snap to put together. The shipping was extremely cheap! I actually had to call Amazon.com to make sure there was NO mistake about the shipping price. The base that comes with it needs to be bolted to the floor or to a separate base. I built such a base and it is solid as a rock. The lathe ran perfectly after setup. I encountered a problem with the spur center not long after trying to turn some wood. The spur got stuck! I called JET, and they ran me through a few options to get the spur out, but I had already tried those. Without question, they sent out a brand new spindle and a few other parts that were needed, second day air. When I found that I could not get the thing all apart, they sent me to a local repair shop and within a few hours, they had everything ready to go. For the price, this is a good tool and will be able for several years to meet my needs. The 3/4 hp. motor is plenty for we "weekend warriors" of the shop. Thanks, JET and Amazon!
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