Issues w/new Jet 1221VS Lathe...

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Old Codger

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Oct 27, 2013
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Bellingham, WA
Just a quick note to alert those turners who have a Jet 1221VS lathe... I recently (about a month ago...) received my new Jet lathe and have turned a number of projects on it and so far have been extremely pleased with it's quality, heft, and smoothness...until this past weekend... The variable speed knob became very loose and wobbly, yet still usable (so far...). I immediately called Jet and the tech had never had the issue occur before (it's a very new model...) and thinks the variable speed knob/rheostat/potentiometer is a 'press fit unit that fits into the control face plate since the exploded view drawing in the instruction manual doesn't show any locknut to hold it in place... He has ordered a new rheostat for me and will send it out but I wanted to know if anyone else had has this issue... I doubt I have 5 actual working hours on the unit and wonder if this has been an issue with others... A 'press fit' on a frequently used switch seems a little 'odd' to me...and possibly a future issue with this otherwise great midi lathe!
:confused:
 
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OK guys... You might want to contact Jet and let them know that you too are having issues with the speed control knob! If your lathes are as new as mine (less than a month old...), I'd certainly be concerned with the speed control knob failing and preventing me from turning...after all, that's why I spent close to $8OO for a new lathe when my old one was still working...a newer, better and more robust lathe w/working features!!! Jet NEEDS to know there is a problem here and that they should correct it before it becomes a major issue while under warrenty! Luckily, Jet Tech Support has agreed to replace the switch, but I wonder if my 'new' switch will have problems in the future... I want this lathe to last and be dependable otherwise, I would have kept my previous lathe.... Pressure fit switches are NOT what I payed this price for! Hopefully, Jet will correct this and notify owners of a factory recall...
 
Loose potentiometer knob

I took mine apart tonight since it was loose and I can see it moving in the faceplate and even thoug it is loose it seems to have some play in it. The play from side to side is when it turns is the wire leads touching the circuit board and the inside of the control box. Looks like I'll be contacting them looking on how to get it resolved as I don't want it to short circuit inside the box.
 
Yup... That is me... I purchased my 1221vs about a month ago... and my speed control knob feels like it's about to fall off/out... I'll be calling on monday :(
 
UPDATE on the loose variable speed knob, just fixed mine!

Ok, so last night I took the control box apart and trying to figure out how to get the knob off I noticed behind the knob that there IS a nut, it is not a press fit. I took my depth guage (1/32" thick 6" ruler) and slid behind the knob to tighten that nut and it is back to being solid again. So it's fixed. What clued me in that it was not the potentiometer itself was that if I held it from the back the potentiometer was still solid so that meant it was just the fit in the panel. So if you guys try this, see if that resolves it. You might not even have to take the box apart at all to do this.
 
My is also loose/wobbly, but doesn't present a problem for me or what I use it for. It would be nice it it fit more snugly, but I am not going to mess with it. It has the same "wobbliness" today that it had brand new (in March 2014). Thanks for advice.
 
My Jet 1221 VS had a similar issue, basically the controller sucks. It was SUPER sensitive, on small turn and 20o rpm's one way or the other--I spoke to and they didn't giver me any positive feedback, basically said they would get back to me--Long story short, I think it is a good lathe, it's simply that at the price point Jet is hitting with this lathe, it is maxed out on design specs IMO for the Chinese that are mfg it. I was lucky enough to have a good dealer standing behind mine, I'm pretty sure it was a late Friday shift made lathe, so long story short I don't have mine anymore and I have a Nova DVR XP. It isn't without fault however, the toggle switch for main power on mine is broken--so we will see how Nova does with customer service, they are apparently closed this weekend, I've put in a service order through their website, and left a message with tech support. The location of the switch on the outer side of the headstock/motor is one of the basic design flaws I can notice at this time, I really like the design of the motor system. Where and how this switch is located, it is easy for me to see how it would get broken in transit. It is very heavy at 181 lbs. compared to 83 for my 1221 VS---I think this is a good thing.

Again, I think the 1221 VS is a good lathe, especially if you get one made in the middle of a shift--one person told me 'think of it this way' just because you load it up with features it doesn't make a Corolla a Cadillac--so I take that as to mean Jet trying to get all the features into the price point they targeted, means they didn't probably do the ultimate design of all those features for that particular product.
I would be telling Jet I wanted a new controller bow for my lathe.
 
I would not accept anything but replacement if that was my new lathe. The components you are speaking of are not high priced and the cost of making a customer happy or making a customer upset should most certainly be taken into consideration.
 
cdevillez said:
Ok, so last night I took the control box apart and trying to figure out how to get the knob off I noticed behind the knob that there IS a nut, it is not a press fit. I took my depth guage (1/32" thick 6" ruler) and slid behind the knob to tighten that nut and it is back to being solid again. So it's fixed. What clued me in that it was not the potentiometer itself was that if I held it from the back the potentiometer was still solid so that meant it was just the fit in the panel. So if you guys try this, see if that resolves it. You might not even have to take the box apart at all to do this.
Click to expand...

You didn't by any chance take pictures, did you? I do not have access to my lathe right now (in hospital) but I would like to see what you are talking about. No worries if you didn't.
 
1221va issues

After learning on a Turncrafter from PSI. I was looking for an upgrade. I was originally looking at a Delta but the internet is full of customer service complaints. I bought mine in early December from Home Depot. They have a 90 day return policy. The lathe was great except that it made a loud clicking noise in reverse. Since I only had it a week or two I ordered a new one and returned the old one. HD made the return easy. On the new one the control knob is super sensitive and the reverse sound occurs on this however much smaller.
 
With any clicking noise on lathes, first thing to check are the pulleys' set screws. It can also be "new" brushes in the motor that aren't worn in yet in both directions. When they're new, they're extra long and they'll bend a bit in the direction they often go, like a bent broom. When reversed they'll click for a while until getting to the adequate length. I brought an old lathe in our local service center and to illustrate the issue the quickly took the brushes out, turned them 180 degrees and put them back in the noise was gone where it was before and slightly occurred where it wasn't before. A time later, there was no noise in either direction.
 
Just wanted to put my 1/2 cent worth in. I have had the Jet since last Feb. The knob was loose and getting looser from about the second week I had it. I called the jet customer service line and asked if they could send me a new one. The guy on the phone treated me like an idiot and told me if I just checked I could tighten it and I shouldn't worry about it. (easy for him to say it wasn't his $800) After I got off the phone I did what someone else mentioned. I pulled the knob off and tightened the washer. It has been tight now for 6+ months. I hope this helps. You should just be able to gently pull the know off and tighten it from there. I hope this helps.
 
My control knob has not been loose yet, but thanks to all who posted about here. My motor was also making a clicking noise at first. The Jet tech told me that it could be the motor fan hitting the shroud. I have my 1221 mounted to a cabinet top and it's a real bear to remove the mounting bolts and get them lined up with the holes in the legs from underneath. So, I did not remove the motor and the sound went away in a couple of weeks. I do have some intermittent sounds from the motor and sometimes the armature, but I've just decided to ignore them unless they get worse. If the thing does finally conk out, I'm going to get another brand or drive to the woodcraft store 190 miles from here and make sure everything works fine before leaving the store. Mine was delivered by UPS regular delivery even though Amazon told me it would be by commercial freight. I'm not buying another lathe via Amazon just to save a few bucks. There are no places here to buy lathes except HF and Sears. Lowes and HD do not carry them.
 
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