The Jet JWL Wood Working Lathe is a top-notch lathe that truly delivers its users more than what they bargained for. Although it is a bit weightier, at one hundred and thirty-seven pounds, compared to the other lathes on our list, it is definitely very compact. You don’t have to worry about this mini lathe not fitting on your small workbench. If anything, the extra weight only adds to its stability when used. This tool has one of the most powerful motors on our list, sitting at 1 HP. One of the most distinctive features of this tool is its ratchet style belt tension system because it offers the ability to control speed. The speed range lies between a super low RPM of 60 to all the way up to 3600 RPM, giving it great versatility in order to carry out different types of projects. This tool comes with a reverse mechanism as well, but unlike other lathes, the transition from forward to reverse in this device is swifter and smoother. Although this lathe does not offer an extension bed, the overbed swing capacity is still pretty great sitting between 12 inches and 21 inches. You also get a good 5-year warranty with this lathe, so you do not have to worry about it not functioning properly. Finally, the controls in this lathe are easily accessible.

Pros:

• The lathe provides impressive turning capacity.
• It is versatile due to its wide variable speed range.
• The motor is very powerful at 1 HP.
• Swift and smooth transition from forward to reverse.
• Compact size.
• Controls are conveniently located.

Cons:

• The lathe is quite heavy compared to other lathes.
• It may have some alignment issues.
• The placement of the motor is not appropriate.

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Buying Guide for Mini Wood Lathe:

1. The size of your project:

The size of the woodturning project you plan on an undertaking is one of the most important factors you must consider before purchasing a wood lathe. Although modern mini wood lathes have become quite versatile and suitable for projects of different forms, it should be quite obvious that smaller projects such as crafting pens, bowls, door handles, and bangles and so on, do not really require a large machine in your workshop. You would be better off using a mini wood lathe if these are the type of items you craft mostly. Buying an oversized machine for crafting small items would be a waste of money, as bigger machines tend to cost more due to the additional functionality they provide. However, if you plan on moving to larger projects in the future, then you can potentially think of purchasing a midi lathe or a full-sized lathe. If big projects are something you plan on partaking in occasionally only then you can just go for a normal mini lathe and use extensions to increase the capacity.

2. Headstock and motor of the lathe:

Depending on the type of project you want to work on, you must consider how much power you need to work optimally and effectively. The type of motor in a lathe determines how much power it is capable of pushing out. The power of the motor can be anywhere between 1/8 HP to all the way up to 3 HP or more. Most motors in the market even offer variable speed options, ranging from anywhere between a few hundred RPM or lower to an astonishing 4000RPM. If your motor is larger and more powerful, it will be able to turn larger and heavier blocks of wood better as a constant speed is important to keep the block turning. If you want to turn bowls and spindles without using a tailstock, then having an interchangeable faceplate and an appropriate drive center is a must. In case the bowl that you want to turn is big, you need to make sure that the headstock has enough space between itself and the base while rotating.

3. Performance of the lathe:

No matter how powerful the motor is in your lathe and how much speed it can push out, it can still manage to perform poorly when it comes to woodturning. This is because there are many seemingly good lathes available in the market that do not live up to the expectation. Therefore, as a potential user, it is completely up to you to gather enough knowledge on a particular lathe before making a purchase and committing to it. The easiest way to do this is by reading reviews and customer feedback online on different mini lathes available in the market. You can even go as far as seeing some of the wood pieces carved using a particular lathe. Watching videos on YouTube of the lathe being used can also help immensely in terms of obtaining a general idea.

4. The convenience of a lathe:

Compared to a full-sized lathe or a midi lathe, a small lathe is often much more easy to use and set up. Because of their small stature and lighter weight, you can easily place them on a small bench in your workshop without any hassle. They also tend to be more portable compared to the larger lathes. In most cases, the mini lathes come fully-assembled or require minimal assembly out of the box. This makes them very suitable for beginners. Moreover, the mini lathes usually ship with different necessary accessories which can actually make your first woodturning experience less complicated.

Benefits of a Mini Lathe:

Easier to use compared to larger lathes:

Unlike larger lathes, mini lathers may not provide its users a lot of necessary woodworking functions. Although newer models of mini lathes have increased versatility and very detailed projects can be undertaken with them, they are often nowhere near a full-sized lathe. However, if you are someone who is new to woodturning, then the additional features and functions that a larger lathe might offer may not be all that important to you. Instead, you might want a tool that is comparatively easier and more convenient to use compared to the immensely complicated fully-sized lathes. In that case, a mini lathe is your best bet. You can easily learn how to craft effective and accurately using a mini lathe and eventually improve your woodturning abilities and skills in the long run.

Carrying things around can be a bit of a difficulty when it comes to larger full-sized lathes. This is mainly due to the weight of the larger lathes. If you are one of those people who travel around a lot, but still like to carry their beloved tools wherever they go, then you would definitely be better off with a mini lathe than a full-sized lathe. It’s not wrong to be passionate about something, and you should have the right to indulge in your hobbies all the time. You can always pack your mini lathe in a box and carry it with you wherever you go due to their small form factor and lightweight. This makes mini lathes more convenient to own compared to full-sized lathes.

The precision of work:

You may be one of those old school people who like to stick to traditional lathes and chisels for carving wood. No one can really blame you for having your own preference. However, I am pretty certain that no one would deny how difficult and time-consuming it maintains accuracy when woodworking with traditional equipment. If you want to raise both your effectiveness and efficiency while working on wood, then your best option would be to use a modern mini lathe. These mini lathes provide a good number of useful features that can enhance your performance when you engage in woodturning. Because newer technology has been implemented in modern mini lathes, you can work on your projects with superior precision for less effort and difficulty. These lathes come with a powerful motor, variable speed, and reversible functionality to increase your accuracy when carving individual blocks of wood.

Maintain consistency of work:

It is quite problematic to maintain consistency of work using traditional woodturning tools and equipment. There is a greater tendency to make mistakes when we work manually and refrain from using automated machinery. As the human error is bound to occur, we may actually end up carving a poor quality wood item despite the relentless effort that has been put into our work. This issue can be resolved only when you choose to use a mini lathe for woodturning. Your work is bound to be more stable and consistent this way and you might actually end up carving something of high quality.

Frequently Asked Questions: (FAQ)

Question: What should I do if the wood lathe vibrates a lot? Is it normal?

Answer: Since a wood lathe usually comes with a powerful motor and often spins at a speed between 2400 to 3000 RPM, it is meant to vibrate to some extent. The most common reason is that the block of wood you are working on is not centered. At high speeds, a piece of wood that has not been centered is likely to throw the lathe off balance causing vibration.

Question: How do I cut the wood piece evenly when using the lathe?

Answer: If it’s your first time cutting wood then it is probably due to your lack of experience. The more you learn about woodworking, they better you will become at it. Try to keep even pressure when pressing down with your wood shaping tool to get the best result.

Summing Things Up:

There are some really great mini lathes in the market that you can look into. We have reviewed some of the most well-known and best performing mini lathes in the market. Sure, larger full-sized lathes may provide more options and functionality, but if you are merely just starting out on the whole woodworking game, then a mini lathe would suit your purpose better. Among all the mini lathes we have reviewed, our top pick is the WEN 3420 8” by 12” Variable Speed Benchtop Wood Lathe. We have picked this to be the best specifically for its ease of use, convenience, and for providing a remarkable speed range that you can alternate between. However, this does not necessarily mean the other mini lathes we have reviewed are comparatively inferior to this particular model. Every lathe has their own benefits and shortcomings, and it is up to you to decide which one suits your needs better. However, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind before actually making a purchase. You should decide on your purchase based on the size of your project, the ease of use and convenience of the lathe, the power of its motor, and finally, how well it performs.

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