JET Mini with Speed Control - First Impressions

by YoYo Spin

I just picked up a new JET Mini, with electronic speed control, today from my local Woodcraft...on sale for $254.99, plus $101.99 for the stand...$379.82 total, including tax. This is my third lathe. The other two are a Delta Midi (had it for 3 years) and a Oneway 12/24 that I've had for 14 months. The JET will be used primarily as a mobile unit for the occasional demo or show, and as a backup for the Oneway.

The JET lathe is delivered in one box, weighing about 60 pounds, and it comes fully assembled. The stand is quite stable, highly recommended, and took all of 15 minutes to put together.

When I turned this little jewel on for the first time, I was amazed at how smooth and quiet it is. There is no run-out. The alignment of the head and tailstock seem to be perfect. At the highest speed (3900rpm), there is a little whine, but it's still quieter than the $1850 Oneway.

There is a three-step manually adjusted pulley in the headstock, with speed ranges of 500-1200, 1100-2600 and 1700-3900. Looks like I'll have mine set on the highest speed pulley just about all the time. The pulley is easily accessible through a spring-loaded hatch on the back of the headstock.

The electronic speed control box has an on/off switch that seems, sturdy but lower on the headstock than I'm use to. There is also a small speed control knob that is functional but too small for my taste, and a reset button.

After about 30 minutes of turning, the motor was still cool to the touch, and everything seemed to be exactly as it should be. More details to follow in a few days...

Bottom line early assessment: this is an excellent lathe, and the sale price makes it a tremendous bargain.