Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Jet pen lathe/mini lathe
MarkP4583
>Now that I am set up pretty good with my Jet 1442 I have been considering purchasing a smaller mini lathe just to do pens and small items.
Ive seen lots of positive post about the Jet Mini but none of there smaller pen Lathe.
Not much price diffrence, just woundering if theres somthing unique of the Pen Lathe that might make it more attractive for small turnings.
Anyone use the Pen Lathe?
Thanks
Why?
Bill Howatt
>I am not trying to be clever or anything but do you really need another lathe to do pens? If you say you are going to carry it around and want something real small and light then fine.
I never turned a pen until I got a 20" General. Works very well but the pen and mandrel do look a little silly on it.
Bill
Re: Why?
Jerry Whitaker
>I agree with Bill..... unless you have the extra cash, plenty of space....why get a smaller lathe to turn pens on. Your big lathe will probably do a better job anyway. If you need something that is portable for a reason, then go for it. Or if you have long-term projects you want to keep on your larger lathe without disturbing, then go for the smaller one. Otherwise.....why? You can turn small and big things on a big lathe but only small things on a mini lathe.
Re: Jet pen lathe/mini lathe *LINK*
Fred Holder
>As the others have pointed out, you can turn pens on any size lathe and the large lathe will likely do a better job. If you are looking for a small lathe to transport, the Jet Pen Lathe is just that, a very small lathe. If you are determined to purchase a small lathe, then buy the Jet Mini-Lathe or, if you can find one, a Nova Mercury. I personally like the Mercury better than the Jet-Mini, even though the Jet has a larger swing and a bit more space between centers. I had a chance to look over the Jet Pen lathe, and found it seriously lacking in capability.
Fred Holders Domain Site
Re: Jet pen lathe/mini lathe
Peter Teubel
>I've used the Jet Pen lathe several times. Its nothing special except for the fact its extremely portable. The pen mandrel that comes with it is good, but the headstock has a non-standard MT (#1 will not fit). If I was traveling alot, I'd get one (or two) for feeding my turning addition far from home.
Re: Jet pen lathe/mini lathe
Matt Berry in MI
>I'd agree with the others, buy a pen mandral for your current lathe, and don't worry about getting a mini for small stuff. If you do have the extra cash and want to keep one setup for smaller stuff then I'd vote for the Jet 14" mini lathe. It is solid and built like a tank. I like mine and use it quite a bit.