Jet1442 question(little long)

Re: Jet1442 question(little long)

Brad Homan

>Dennis, I also have a 1442. It sounds like there is something wrong with your lathe. It should not take 2 hands to change speeds. When my lathe was new the drive pulleys were sticking, I called Jet, they told me to open the cover and spray the assembly with WD40, that would dilute any cosmoline(sp?). That helped. Give that a try, if it dosen't help call your dealer. Jet has been very helpful with any problems I've had.

Re: Jet1442 question(little long)

gil in san diego

>Call Jet at 1-800-274-6848. I have found them to be very helpful with my 1442.

Mineral spirits, and then lubing (long)

Dominic Greco in Richboro PA

>Dennis,

Since these units are shipped from overseas, Cosmoline is used to cover the mechanical assemblies to prevent corrosion. After a time Cosmoline tends to harden to a resin-like consistency. And if you get enough of this in the mechanism, you will experience difficulties of the kind you're seeing now. The black dust from the belt shows that the pulleys are not spinning as freely as they should and that the belt is being prematurely worn down.

I had a Jet JWL-1236 that was experiencing the same exact problem. It took (2) hands to change the speed and the lathe was only 2 months old. I took the entire headstock off and returned to the Woodcraft store where I bought it. They gave me a new headstock. Before I left, I tried it out and noticed the same problem.

It was then that an elderly gentleman stepped up and suggested that the Cosmoline had congealed and hardened. Turns out he was a retired machinist. He asked the manager of the Woodcraft for some Mineral Spirits and then proceeded to swab the inside of the mechanism liberally (using his finger!). After some time, I was able to operate the mechanism with ease.

My advice is to obtain some mineral spirits, and some clean rags (rather than using your finger). Wipe down all the mechanical parts you can and then let it sit a bit. Try the mechanism, and if it's still hard, swab out again. Several sessions of this will do the trick.

As far as lubricating the Reeves Drive (as the the variable width pulley mechanism is sometimes called), I caution you against using oil or grease. These lubricants attract sawdust and will eventually cause the lathe to require another cleaning session.

Instead, I recommend Dow Corning #557 Dry Film Silicon Lubricant as sold by McMaster Carr. This lubricant is great for use in woodworking machines. I use it on my Unisaw, Jointer, Planer, and other woodworking tools that have intricate internal mechanisms. The coating does not attract or hold dust and lasts for a very long time. I just recently had to re-apply the spray to my Unisaw after having first applied it (1 1/2) years ago.

Here is the part number and description

Good luck and let us know how you made out.

See ya around,

Dominic