Quick buy or not used Jet lathe

[SilentSam]

http://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/tls/2696163468.html

There is the link. Its $100 and he will not budge on price. I'm sure the rust will clean up fine. There is no tooling or tools with it. Only what you see in the pictures. I had been looking at this HF Lathe as well as a starter.

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-...the-95607.html

Kicker being that we are leaving Myrtle Beach at 4am and heading back to Richmond. I have to pick it up by 10pm tonight. I am perfectly fine walking away from it.

Just wondering what you guys thought?

SS

[Dal300]

It looks like a 220-240V unit, but I may be wrong. I would go for it if I were close by.

Good Luck!

DF

[Pappy]

The jet mini should be 120 V. Go for it at that price. I think the price new is around $240.

[SilentSam]

Wound up leaving town before I could pick it up. Might have been nice to play with.

SS

[eezlock]

quick buy or not on Jet lathe

You may have missed a good deal on a great lathe. I have the Jet 1014I
version of that lathe and I like it just fine....no complaints here, a good machine
that is well built and very rugged...can't say anything about the HF lathe you show in your post. But, If I had both side by side, I would take the Jet hands down over the HF any day!

[Bill in Buena Park]

Agree that it looks reasonable at $100.

As long as youre looking at HF, you might want to check this one out - its similar to the Jet you were thinking about, and the same as one sold by Rockler as the "Excelsior", which I got last Christmas when it was on sale for $150:

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-speed...the-65345.html

It's currently on sale at HF for $194, and with a 20% off coupon, would get you to ~$155.

[SilentSam]

What are the pros & cons of a variable speed motor versus a belt drive?

SS

[leehljp]

What are the pros & cons of a variable speed motor versus a belt drive?

SS

Beware of the reading. MOST Variable speed motors and lathes on the smaller end (pens and 13 in diameter and smaller) use belt drives and stepped pulleys in combination with each other and sometimes (Delta) list them as "continuously variable", very misleading. That "Continuously Variable"phrase was used by Delta in their ads to distinguish themselves from other mfgers who used "VS". Here is what happens on most smaller bench top lathes, including Delta's high end small lathe:
With a 5 speed stepped pulley, the VS motor will give an approximate range of speed of
Step 1. 600 RPM to 1100 RPM
Step 2. 1000 RPM to 1750 RPM
Step 3. 1500 - 2000
Step 4. 1800 - 2500
Step 5. 2400 - 3000

I know that I am off by a margin of about 10% but the principle and approximate range is fairly accurate.

So, very few are truly VS all the way through. Most True VS will cost $1000.00 or more.