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Just as important as stock features are the after-markets items and there are plenty that fit the Jet. Just try to find Nova chuck to fit a big Oliver!
2.) You get more than you pay for.
Reviewed by:
Rating:
I was going to buy this machine's bigger version, the one with
the cast iron legs. But when I saw the price was dropped to $399 with free shipping, it was a no brainer.
It's a great machine and it's very vibration free. I've found it has plenty of power, provided your tools are sharp. In fact, plan on buying top of the line HSS tools (like Sorby, Crown, or equivalent -- Amazon does not seem to have any HSS turning tools) and a Tormek sharpener. This will triple your investment but it's required if you want to be successful.
The thing to do to improve the machine is put a strong board on the base's frame and pile a bunch of bags of Sakrete on it. Then it will have the same stability as its larger cousin.
At this price, you can't go wrong...so I gave it 5 stars.
As an aside, contrary to what a previous reviewer wrote, my machine did come with a handwheel on the headstock...
Once you have stiffened up the stand you will have a very good lathe. The motor does not draw enough electrical current to compromise your home's wiring. It also includes a pen making kit including two tools, pen kits, wood, glue, finish, and a book on making pens. You can start turning as soon as you put the lathe together.
4.) Great Fun
Reviewed by: The Sportsmans Woodworks
Rating:
I bought this as my first lathe in 20 years. I never really got going before and was a little concerned. What a joy to use, no vibration, easy accessories and just plain fun. In addition to my wood shop I also have a metal shop and use those lathes quite a bit. No other piece of gear I have bought in the last 10 years has been this easy to set up and fun to be creative with. I went out to the woods and gathered some burls from dead fallen trees. This lathe handled those hard difficult pieces with no problem. I would definitely agree with one of the other reviewers that you want to work with sharp tools (this is of course true with all wood working tools. I highly recommend this lathe to anyone wanting to try out turning.
5.) A great lathe for the money!
Reviewed by: Woody Woodturner Alabama, USA
Rating:
I have only had this lathe for a week. It went together easy and has worked flawlesly. I also got the Super Nova2 chuck which is a necessary accessory I believe. I have been turning 5" to 8" bowls so I have not had any vibration problems. I do plan to add some weight down the road for bigger bowls. I have not tried to turn a bowl with the headstock rotated 90 degrees but will try it soon. It will handle up to 16" they say. A great buy!!!
The beginners "Pen Turning Kit", with two tools, was an added feature which was very nice to have. Again, for the money, you can't go wrong with this lathe and you also have the well respected JET name.
7.) I've used Delta, Craftsman, For the money...JET !
Reviewed by: Stephen R. Grasso Dracut, MA USA
Rating:
I bought this particular lathe a few years ago...Being a novice at turning I of course blamed the machine for my initial falures. Once I took the correct path to learning what I was doing(balancing, choosing the correct speed and tools, and so on...) I realized I was an idiot ! What a dream this lathe is to use now. Since then I've used other brands and some in a higher price bracket. You can keep em...I'll take this Jet!!!
8.) jet 12" wood lathe
Reviewed by: tray Houston
Rating:
New to turning, but after much research decided on the Jet 12". Only been able to do a little on it, but so far is solid and stable. Hope to turn some larger outboard bowls soon so we will see how stable it is with more weight on it. Definitely recommend this for a mid-sized lathe, and can't beat the price on Amazon with the free delivery to your door and no tax.
9.) Great Lathe!
Reviewed by: Joehorse Gautier, MS
Rating:
What a surprise with the smooth machine this is!!! Katrina got my old Craftsman (30 years old) so I decieded to go with the Jet 1236 and definately made the correct decision. This machine is so quiet, smooth and versatile that I have to do a reality check every few minutes. Super, just Super! You can't go wrong with this Lathe. The price is good, delivery is good (be sure to enlist some assistance as it is HEAVY) which makes for a good deal. The stand is a little low for me so I used the one that I had made for my old one and it works out just right. If you can find the Lathe without the stand, I have one for sale.
Very fine tool.
10.) Great lathe for the money
Reviewed by: James Voss Commack, NY
Rating:
I purchased this lathe based on reviews on this site and in magazines. They were right on. It was simple to assemble (although heavy as it should be). It runs smoothly and has some great features not found in other lathes in this price range. All you need to go with it is some quality gouges and scrapers, something to sharpen them with, some nice chunks of wood and a shop vac to clean up all the shavings you'll make. This tool has been a pleasure to use.
11.) Quality abounds !
Reviewed by: S.C.P. Elmdale Ks
Rating:
I bought this mostly for my 10 year old boy. Figured it to be better than a game boy or other idiot toy. We both love it. Quality is very good.
Very glad I didn't buy a delta or other cheaper brand. It's worth the extra $$$
To learn on I've cut ash trees into turning sized pieces. Easy to work with & little dust from the green wood .
Watching my son make the chips fly has been very rewarding. Wanna buy a club?
12.) JET708352JWL1236
Reviewed by: Richard T. Schmidt
Rating:
WOW! what a difference from the old lathe. the variable speeds, the head swings out 90 deg. the tool rest goes to the left of the power head and it is very quiet and almost vibration free with out any weights. I think the price is very fair for what you receive. At least 4.5 stars. r.t.schmidt wisconsin
13.) The best lathe for the money!!!!!!!!!
Reviewed by: Hoss Luttrell, TN
Rating:
I have had this lathe for about 4 years now. It is very well built and the folks at Jet really did their homework when they designed this one. It has some features that you usually only see on more expensive lathes. First off, it was very easy, and quick to set up. The head stock on it offers the user the ability to make alot of different items, from pins to large bowls and plates, since it is very easy and quick to turn the head stock to the side to accomadate large turning projects. The tail stock is very easy to move and adjust with one hand. It is very well built and smooth to use. I really like the ease in which you can change out the centers and mandrels. The tool rest is also equally as easy to adjust and move, as this is key to staying focused and not wasting time. I really like the ease in which you can change the speed of the lathe as well as turning it on and off. The location of these features are great. I had wondered if the motor was big enough and would be able to handle all that we wanted to do with this lathe. This Jet lathe quickly put my fears to rest as the motor has been sufficent for us. I also had wondered if it would be durable enough as we turn on it many hours every week. This Jet lathe is very well built and has really surprised me with how smooth it runs. The small tool trays on each side of the head stock are really handy. We use our lathe almost every day. We have turned everything from pens to baseball bats (which we have turned several hundred on it) lamps, large fancy bird houses, bowls, plates, cups, numerous legs, just to name a few. I have used ALOT of different lathes, and for the money, this one can't be beat. My Jet lathe has been trouble free and dependable since day 1. I have always had good service from Jet tools, and this one is a real winner.
14.) Excellent lathe for the money!
Reviewed by: J. Mann Elk Grove, CA
Rating:
I have been running this lathe constantly for about 2 years now. It has run smoothly and consistently since new. The power is great for most medium to large turnings as well. I turn mostly lamp spindles, pens, pepper mills, candlesticks and other type turnings and it is very smooth and precise. I have found that the transmission shifts smoothly and with little effort. The only CON that I would mention is that the working height is much too low for me. I prefer to stand while working at the lathe. I am 6' tall and found that I was constantly hunching over and over time developed a sore neck. My remedy was to simply build wooden risers for the unit that elevates it up around 8 inches or so. I would highly recommend this lathe.
15.) For the money, a great lathe!!
Reviewed by: RAM Apple Valley, MN
Rating:
This lathe is a great buy. Granted, a bigger and heavier one would be better, but than, the price too would be greater. It's light duty and great for an occasional turner. I hope to upgrade soon and buy a lathe that can better stand up to constant use!! It's a great 'starter' lathe and well worth the money.
16.) Best Under $1000 Lathe
Reviewed by: sawdustertoo Cedar Park, TX United States
Rating: 
I got this lathe just in time to take advantage of the Thanksgiving Day weekend and had a blast. This is my second lathe, and it is head and shoulders above the earlier one. Solidly built and very heavy. Due to lack of space in my shop, I mounted the lathe to a large bench rather than the included stand, so I had to remove the power switch from the leg of the stand and mount it on the bench leg.
I am amazed at how smooth and quiet this lathe runs. Due to the type of turning I do, I was concerned that the slowest speed was going to be too fast, but the lathe is rock steady spinning a very unbalanced turning blank at the slow speed.
Though the instruction manual could have been clearer, setup was quick, easy, and straight forward.
If I could change anything about this lathe it would be to add a detent to the speed control between the slowest speed and the next faster one. I would also add an electromagnetic power switch for safety and place it in a more convenient location.
Oh, and I split it into two boxes for shipping. Since it was easier for me to pick it up from the freight company than to arrange a delivery time with somone home, I had them hold it at the loading dock for me to pick up. They used a pallet jack to load it onto my truck, and I had to unpack the box to unload it. I was, however, able to lift it up onto the bench alone.
17.) Jet JWL-1236 Wood Lathe
Reviewed by: Albert E Rivard Panama City, FL United States
Rating:
This is my first lathe and as I've never used one in the past... The lathe went together with no problems and I was turning down a 2x2 within an hour, made a great little baseball bat. The lathe itself is a real nice piece of equipment; however, the instruction manual is extremly poor. It was a good thing I found a web site that talked about screwing in the index pin prior to removing the spur center or I would have damaged the bearings. Great machine...poor instructions. ...
18.) Jet..., Solid Again
Reviewed by: Jeff's Custom Woodworking Dannemora, NY United States
Rating:
I'm a square wood type of woodworker. I'd never put a tool to a spinning piece of lumber, but had always wanted to try. When the Jet 12" went on sale, I couldn't resist the temptation. Just like all the rest of my Jet tools, it went together in a snap, and was built the way that my table saw and jointer are.., extremely solid. Even for a novice woodturner, the machine performed well. Within minutes after set-up, I was turning, and with halfway decent results (not the machines fault, the operator was the only downfall). All of the advertised features were easy and convenient to use. When comparison shopping against Grizzly and Delta, the Jet came up on top again. Jet includes more bang for your buck.
The review got 4 stars only because I haven't had the opportunity to try any other lathes. If my girlfriend had rated it, the results would have been much worse. She hasn't seen much of me since I started making shavings on my most recent Jet purchase. Kudos Jet!
19.) Solid and well made, will give hours of pleasure
Reviewed by: A Vehmontah Stowe, VT USA
Rating:
I have owned my Jet lathe for 10 months, and used it a fair amount. It is an excellent value for the money. It's faults are not unexpected in a low priced product. but you must be prepared to compensate for its shortcomings if you choose to buy it. The manual is adequate for getting it set up, but has no usable information on maintenance or replacing the belts. You should be prepared to put blocks under the stand to adjust the height for you. You should add 200 or more pounds of sand or cement bags to the lower shelf or to the legs to stabilize the machine, especially when turning heavy or irregular shapes. You should expect to add a chuck to get the most flexible use. The power is occasionally marginal, especially when truing up large and heavy pieces of wet wood. Remember that the cost of turning tools, a chuck, and other accessories will more than double your investment (I have added at least [$$$] worth of accessories to the cost of my lathe). The tool rest is adequate, but you will want to replace it before too long. There is no hand wheel on the headstock, a relatively minor inconvenience. The power switch is sticky and fussy in its operation.
Overall, I have found this to be an excellent addition to my shop, and it has given me the chance to learn a new set of skills at a reasonable cost. It has been reliable, vibration free, and has adequate power most of the time. I have produced some pieces I am quite proud of with it. If you know for sure that you want to do serious lathe work, invest in a better machine from the start (be prepared to spend [$$$]) to add more power, capacity, and accuracy. If you want to learn and keep your investment more tolerable, this is an excellent start and will give you good use and service for a long time. And you can probably resell it for close to your cost if you ever decide to upgrade. Accessories are readily available.
20.) Another Great tool form Jet
Reviewed by: E. Gallagher NY
Rating:
I purchased my Jet lathe when it went on sale at Woodworkers warehouse before they closed, And as many other have just for the fun of it I had no jobs line up for it at first but boy it was a great buy. As a starter on the lathe I cant not find one complant with this product. Do you have to weigh it down? well that is all on how much you are turning but when you have to place wood across the supports and toss what every you have that has weight on it. no problem. I have to say for the money Jet did Good on this one. (to any one who is thinking about turning, try it you wont be sorry ) As for your Turning Set besure to shop around the best price is not always the best package. I got my lathe with the Turning chisels and face sheild which in the long run ran me cheaper to get as a package. it may be cheaper for you as well. 4 stars being I got what I paid for.
21.) The JET JWL 1236-- Good for small things
Reviewed by: Maxx Oconomowoc, WI USA
Rating:
The Jet JWL 1236 that I purchased was a great deal, being only around $100.00 more for a good sized lathe rather than a midi lathe, and free shipping ($486.00 all together). The performance of the product is good. I do not have it bolted to the floor, and it still holds its own. It is not noisy, and has little vibration. However, I would not suggest working on anything that is larger than 8 inches in diameter or so. The machine becomes wobbly, but again, I do not have it bolted down. I have not tried the outboard turning yet, being that I mostly do small spindle turning projects.
It takes a good hour to put the lathe together and you do need another person to place the bed on the legs (after the leg assembly is put together). And do not lose any of the bolts or nuts, because there are no extras as far as I remember.
The variable speed is smooth, and the preset "notches" that the speed selector uses are good speeds which will not need any tweaking. SPEND MONEY ON GOOD CHISELS... it makes a difference.
The JET JWL1236 is worth the money. The head and tail stocks match almost perfectly (point to point), and the mechanical parts (stocks, toolrest, motor, variable speed) work just as well as the components on a $3000.00 lathe that I operated last year.
22.) Good not great
Reviewed by: cabinet pro Oakland, Ca, United States
Rating:
I have this lathe after rescuing it from languishing at my employ (yes I had permission). It works well, but if you want to do bowl turning, you'd do better to get one that has more torque, a slower speed, and a reversing motor. That said, this one is cheap, well, inexpensive anyway and has a good feature set for its price (fully rotating head, wide speed range, simple mechanical functionality, completeness).
I modified mine, to make the spindle turn slower, though it was a bit tricky and probably voids the warranty (not an issue in my case). The handle which adjusts the speed can be removed and it has a grouping of 6 holes through which a stop attached to the spring-loaded handle passes to lock the speed. The speed could be smoothly variable within its range, but the holes are easier to manufacture and probably more durable and the smooth variability probably wouldn't be that much better anyway, blah, blah.
Anyway, what I did was remove the cowling over the motor to see how far the handle could rotate towards the slow end at most and drilled another hole. I guessed at it and got it just right but it wouldn't be too hard do a little more careful measuring to be certain. I oversized the hole slightly. The motor turns two pair of conical pulleys that constitute the transmission and you can see that the lever could go farther.
The next modification will be to put the switch in a better location, like the top of the housing. Starting and stopping frequently with the pushbutton switch at knee level is kind of a bore.
All in all, it's a great tool for a hobbyist or occasional user. A pro would do better with more machine. (A pro would already know this).
23.) Jet JWL-1236 / 708352 12" Variable Speed Wood Lathe with Stand
Reviewed by: Dewey W. Johnson Georgia
Rating:
This is my second 1236 Jet lathe. I purchased one three years ago and have been very satisfied with it.
The only complaint I have with this new lathe is that the Head was .0010" lower than the tail stock.,
switched tail stocks which didn't help, so I shimmed the head up and all is well now. I may have been
upset if this was a more expensive lathe, but At $578 and free shipping from Amazon this lathe is still
a bargain.
My first Jet has been a real workhorse and I look forward to many years of service from both lathes.
If I ever need another wood lathe you can bet it will be a Jet 1236.
24.) design flaw
Reviewed by: Ollie in AZ Prescott, AZ USA
Rating:
I purchased the Jet JWL-1236 lathe approx. 4 yrs. ago and I have really enjoyed using it for making pens, tops, boxes, bowls, & a few odds & ends. The only real problem I have encountered is the location of the motor. The fine dust created by sanding gets inside the motor & gums it up. Mine just burned up the other day & it will cost $193 basic cost for a new one. I hate to think that it will need to be replaced every five yrs. or so. No price break for owning six Jet products including the hybrid Supersaw. Other than this I have no complaints about this lathe.
25.) Sweet machine
Reviewed by: Charles McCoy Charleston, SC
Rating:
I'm a new turner and my rating of 4 stars is only due to my lack of time on any other lathe. With that being said, the Jet went together in a matter of minutes and in spite of my lack of experience, and some operator malfunctioning, I was turning spindles with very little practice and just reference to a couple of books. The height is perfect for me but I'm not tall (5' 9") and I put it on an HTC mobile base. I could see that (walking around) being a potential problem if I was turning bowls but I experimented by adding some sandbags to the lower shelf and that kept it stationary. I just took a look at the current price and in spite of how much I like this machine, I would wait on one of Amazon's sales. Would I buy it again? You bet.
26.) OK but too light
Reviewed by: frogman SC
Rating: 
I own this and dream of a better one. If you do work of any size you need to build a base to add weight. I put bags of rock on a wood platform across the leg supports. It really helps dampen the dancing that occurs without it. this lathe is not so great for bowl work. The tool holder extension is cast steel and I broke the first one on my first catch. I know, no catches,no breaks. Let all who make natural edge bowls w/o ever catching now throw stones. To make a bowl I turn the head 45 deg which necessitates the extension for the tool rest. It snapped clean at the stub mount. My point is that it's cheap cast steel . I took it too a tool shop got it bored out, installed a press fit tool steel stub and it works fine. Now my catches hurt the bowl only and not the machine part. I don't like the motor being direct behind the chuck area. If your wood is at all irregular in shape on the drive end it will hit the fan housing and not rotate free. You have to extend the spur drive. You can get around it using face plate or chuck/drive screw mountings if you must. The variable speed works OK but- 1-Mine is very noisy and the lowest speed. 2- The speed holds as long as you are in one of the detent locks for the speed handle. If you want to be between range it tends to drift up in speed to the next detent. Things I wish for 1- Digital speed readout 2-A real dial variable speed control 3-A motor that's not in the work area. 4-A cast iron base. 5- A drive head that slides to the end of the lathe for bowl turning. I'll get all this in my next lathe. That's after I build the house or shop to put it in! I can live with this one until I win the tool lottery.
27.) Misleading Ad
Reviewed by: William Bradley Corbett, Oregon United States
Rating:
I ordered my lathe from the current Toolcrib catalog which offers a bonus which states "Includes a wood turning set, a $99.99 value". This implies that a set of chisels are being offered. Do not believe it. When my order arrived I found a pen turning kit,which was of little value to me. Chisels I needed and had to order a set costing $103.89 .Jet apparently does'nt know the diffence between a set and a kit. Now you do.
28.) Look hard before deciding on this Lathe
Reviewed by: B. Fields Lexington, KY
Rating: 
I bought this lathe at least six years ago when Tool Crib of the North was not part of Amazon. My lather may have a different model number and may have some slight differences (mine is blue). I have looked at the new ones and they look like mine.
On the Plus side, cost was reasonably. It went together easily (I do recommend having help). Documentation was ok.
The stand worked better than I though. I added a piece of plywood and now have storage space, I put the stock I plan to turn there and it adds ballast to limit vibration.
Despite my complaints, it does work. I have spent hundreds of hours on this lathe and produced hundreds of turned items.
On the Negative side, I was never really happy with this product. To start with it is too low. I'm 6ft and I have a hard time turning on it.
Its noisy, I am surprised how much noise it makes just running with no stock between centers. Oddly enough putting a piece of stock on it usually doesn't make it louder and some time quiets it a bit. This is a big thing for me because I woodwork a lot at night in and attached garage and don't want to wake a sleeping child.
Quality could have been better. My head stock and tail stock do not line up; they are about 1/8 inch apart. This is not a problem turning spindles but limits my use when face plate turning and want to use the tail-stocks live center to help support the piece. My Live center was defector or just poorly made. After using it for a few months I noticed I was getting a lot of chatter. I traced the problem to too much play in the live-center; it had too much run-out, maybe .015 or more. I bought another Jet Live-Center at my local woodworking store and found it shortly had the same problem. I ended up replacing it with a metal working live center from Grizzly. My belt broke after a few hundred turnings. I admit, I didn't check the manual but I couldn't figure out how to replace it. I ended up using a segmented belt. This worked fine but it's wider than the original so my speeds are off and I can't get max speed.
The motor is under-powered. I have a hard time believing it's a real ¾ horses. I can stall it taking a heavy cut on a large spindle.
It marked as more than it really is. I have only tried outboard turning one time a felt that its outboard design was and after thought. I didn't feel comfortable doing it, the tool rest had me concerned, motor is close to your turning, the speed control is behind the tool rest, and the power switch is below your turning. I also feel if you try to turn a 15 lb out of balance bowl blank you're taking your life in your own hands. I don't recommend outboard turning.
My recommendation: Don't buy this lath unless you have too. As I stated, it will get the job done but I feel there are better lathes out there. If you're going to do small turnings get the mini-lathe. I have a Delta that I love and the Jet looks like it is as good or better. Just keep in mind, it's a MINI-LATHE. If you're going to be doing full size turning, save up a little more money and get the Jet 14 inch lathe with the cast stand. I don't have this one yet but I know someone who does and they love it. I plan to get it or the 16 in lathe.
29.) Adjust-Adjust-Adjust
Reviewed by: holeshot Laredo, Texas
Rating:
I started out with the mini lathe by Jet Great machine. Needed or should I say wanted a larger lathe to do some Pepper Mills.
When I saw this lathe I bought it with no reservations as to the machines validity due to my owning the mini. Boy was I wrong about that. You cannot ALIGHN the head stock with the tail stock to be able to drill a straight path thru the wood stock. After spending the better part of a week and measuring the bed every way possible and the tail stock the same Jet sent me a new Tail Stock. Did not solve the problem. The bed rails are not machined right. The old tail stock was some of the problem but not all of it. Bought the bed extension and table extension for the mini lathe and had no problem with drilling my pepper mills straight with a good bore. Jet was helpful to a degree but that was about all. Oh by the way I burnt up the motor on my mini trying to dill to many pepper mills, one right after the other. So now I have two lathes that suck and no relief in sight from JET. All of this happened at Christmas Time. I am going to Woodcraft to buy a new lathe which I need now to be able to fill my orders. YOU CAN BET THE NEW LATHE WILL NOT BE A JET!!!!!
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
1.) 12-inch variable speed wood lathe with stand;
2.) 3/4-horsepower motor;
3.) Cast-iron lathe bed;
4.) 183-pounds;
5.) 60 by 17 by 44-inches;
Package Height x Length x Width: 56.5 in. x 56.5 in. x 15.5 in.
Package Weight: 178.5 lbs.
Adjustable Lathe Stands