# Lathe opinions/comments



## WriteON (Oct 9, 2013)

I'm currently using a CarbaTec 3 and would buy another if it were available. It's for a different location. This new lathe looks good from an economical view but will be limited....can't drill or square with it...too short in length. Other than that how bad can it be for pen turning only. Thanks for your replies.
PenPal™ Pen Making Lathe at Penn State Industries


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## The Penguin (Oct 9, 2013)

I don't know anything about your CarbaTec, but looking at the PenPal here are potential negatives:

no headstock taper
#1 MT tailstock taper
no tool post that can be moved or adjusted

for $200 to $250 you could probably find a used Jet mini.


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## shortz1lla (Oct 9, 2013)

I have the HF v/s mini lathe, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. I picked it up on sale and with a 25% off coupon (which are readily available online) for $97. The speed is infinitely variable with no belt changes. I mostly turn duck calls, sprig whistles and goose calls, but occasionally I do pens when people ask for them. It has MT1 head and tailstocks, but I honestly haven't had any issues finding tooling to fit it or the 3/4x16 tpi on the headstock spindle. It's a great lathe for the money, and is literally the same thing as the shop fox on Amazon but with a different paint job and tailstock wheel.


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## kovalcik (Oct 9, 2013)

In my opinion, it is too limited for that price.  Unless you absolutely need the portability (demos, turning at shows, etc.)   I would go for something  a little more versatile.  The HF option or Jet 1014 mentioned above would give you many more options.


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## WriteON (Oct 9, 2013)

Hey thanks. I'll stop here. I was looking for size....not price. The Carba I'm using now with the #1MT is perfect for my needs and I would buy it again but they are discontinued. I will do it right and buy a Jet or similar. Thanks again, Frank


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## Dale Allen (Oct 9, 2013)

30 day money back guarantee........go for it!
Somebody has to buy one and put up a review.:biggrin:


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## nava1uni (Oct 10, 2013)

How big do you want to turn?  If you think that you will turn bigger you should get a lathe that allows you to do it.  I started with a Rikon 70-100 and it is a great lathe.  Easy to change the speed and very steady and sturdy.  I still use it, but have also purchased a Nova DVR XP.


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## monophoto (Oct 10, 2013)

I'm normally in the pro-PSI corner - I think they get a lot of unjustified criticism.  But in this instance, I don't think this is a good deal.

The price seems high relative to the features advertised for this lathe.  I think you could do much better, both in terms of specifications and the price that you would have to pay.  

The Shopfox 1704 costs considerably less than the PenPal, is made of cast iron rather than aluminum, and has a 1/3 HP motor.

The small Harbor Freight lathe is essentially the same as the Shopfox but with a different paint color.  With a discount coupon, you could get one for less than $100, and I think you would be happier with it.


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## pesto126 (Oct 10, 2013)

I too have an even older CarbaTec (HM-1V) - great little lathe that I bought over 15 years ago... I'm missing the banjo and carba-tec has told me they no longer sell it... if you are ever willing to sell off your carbatec - let me know... I'd love to get a replacement banjo for it!  Good luck...


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## WriteON (Oct 11, 2013)

pesto126 said:


> if you are ever willing to sell off your carbatec - let me know... I'd love to get a replacement banjo for it!  Good luck...



I'll keep this in mind. For now it is workhorse. I have no idea how many past miles it has on it but I have kept it hummin' and really enjoy turning with it.


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## WriteON (Dec 1, 2013)

*PSI's Turncrafter Commander*

It's Showtime. I'm ready to buy my next lathe. I can afford up to $1000 but I'm going to buy according to my needs. I strongly feel that I'm only going to make pens and small items so a 10" VS is perfect. The PSI 10" Turncrafter Commander looks like the one and it's on sale for $349. The 12" is a possibility.
VS is a must have regardless. The PSI lathes mentions 2 pulleys. Any late model Variable Speed Commander owners out there to comment. Thanks, Frank


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## Leatherman1998 (Dec 1, 2013)

If you are going to do small projects why not get the delta 46-460? I have a Jet 1221and love it (on sale at Woodcraft now for $650). Everyone I know says the Delta is perfect for small projects. I got the jet because I wanted a bigger motor. The Delta is reversible which is a nice feature with variable speed.

Levi Woodard 
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner


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## monophoto (Dec 1, 2013)

WriteON said:


> The PSI 10" Turncrafter Commander looks like the one and it's on sale for $349. The 12" is a possibility.
> VS is a must have regardless. The PSI lathes mentions 2 pulleys. Any late model Variable Speed Commander owners out there to comment. Thanks,




I opted for the 12" because of the larger motor.  One of the frustrations that I had with my previous lathe (a ShopFox 1704) was that with a 1/3Hp motor, I was unable to drill with forstner bits.  Ordinary twist bits were OK, and spade bits would work but were slow and almost always caused some burning.  So I wanted something that would give me ample horsepower to do end-grain drilling.

Yes, the Turncrafter does have pulleys.  There are two positions - high speed and low speed.   It's not a bit deal to slip the belt from one set of pulleys to the other - loosen a knob and raise a handle to release belt tension, then open the two doors (one on the front, one on the side), and move the belt over.  It takes less than a minute to make the change.

One thing to be aware of - mine would not deliver the full speed range 'out of the box'.   It would spin up to the advertised maximum on both pulleys, but was limited at the low end.  In my case, I could get down to about 500 r/min on the slow pulley, and about 800 r/min on the fast pulley.  I spoke with Joe Roberts at PSI Tech Support who explained  that there are three potentiometers on the circuit board that can be 'tweaked' to get the advertised lower speeds.  He suggested that I remove and open the power converter box, and then call back with a 'jeweler's screwdriver' in hand so he could talk me through the process.  I haven't had an actual need to get down to 'thread chasing territory' yet, so I haven't attempted the adjustments.  But it doesn't sound like it's a big deal.


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## dogcatcher (Dec 1, 2013)

I have 3 shops, home in Texas, ranch on Texas and house n New Mexico.  I made sure all of my lathes use the same tooling.  My expensive tooling works on all of them, I can haul that "stuff" from place to place as I need it.   I went with bottom line Rikons for everything except my home shop where my good lathe is.  

With your 1MT, check the threads and look at the smaller Shopfox lathe.  I think it is 1MT, but not sure if the threads will match up for chucks etc..  Or look at the other lathes PSI sells, I am pretty sure they still have one with 1MT and the threads will probably match up.


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## WriteON (Dec 1, 2013)

dogcatcher said:


> I have 3 shops, home in Texas, ranch on Texas and house n New Mexico.  I made sure all of my lathes use the same tooling.  My expensive tooling works on all of them, I can haul that "stuff" from place to place as I need it.   I went with bottom line Rikons for everything except my home shop where my good lathe is.
> 
> With your 1MT, check the threads and look at the smaller Shopfox lathe.  I think it is 1MT, but not sure if the threads will match up for chucks etc..  Or look at the other lathes PSI sells, I am pretty sure they still have one with 1MT and the threads will probably match up.



I'm ok with a new set up (MT2). I have 2 different locations. I do not mind starting over. The Jet 1221(with a stand) is tempting. The PSI Turncrafter will be fine. Delta...I heard the Customer Service is not there.

What lathe has Variable Speed without shifting the belt. My $250 Carba has that feature.


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## monophoto (Dec 1, 2013)

Transitioning from a smaller lathe (MT1, 3/4x16) to a larger model (MT2, 1x8) isn't all that daunting if you think carefully about what you actually need to buy.

For me, the transition involved the following:
1.  Purchasing a MT1/MT2 'sleeve' so that I could continue to use MT1 things (pen mandrel, etc) on the new lathe.  The sleeve cost about $9.
2.  Purchasing a replacement arbor for my  MT1 Jacobs chuck.  A new Jacobs chuck would have cost about $30 - the replacement arbor cost about $6.  (Yes, I could have skipped this and used the sleeve, but I wanted the Jacobs chuck to be self-contained.)
3.  Purchasing a spindle thread adapter to allow use of 3/4x16 items(stopper mandrels, etc) on the larger lathe.  This was about $15.
4.  Purchasing a new spindle tap for the larger lathe (about $20 at Ace Hardware) so that I could make glue chucks and other odds/ends.


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## WriteON (Dec 1, 2013)

Suppose.... I buy a Jet 1221VS with a stand. I'm not opposed to buying through Amazon.  

Question about MT2. Are all MT2 accessories created equal? If I buy mandrels, chucks, etc from PSI will they properly fit on other(Jet) lathes?


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## glen r (Dec 1, 2013)

I have not heard of any MT2 tools that did not fit any other lathes with the MT2 taper - Yes, they are interchangeable.


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## Leatherman1998 (Dec 1, 2013)

WriteON said:


> Suppose.... I buy a Jet 1221VS with a stand. I'm not opposed to buying through Amazon.
> 
> Question about MT2. Are all MT2 accessories created equal? If I buy mandrels, chucks, etc from PSI will they properly fit on other(Jet) lathes?



Yes MT2 is a standard so no worries there.

No need to buy a stand. Just buy some 6x6 lumber and build your own. I love my 1221 since belt changes take only seconds and at 200 rpm I can use 2" or larger bits with no problem.

Levi Woodard 
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner


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## monophoto (Dec 1, 2013)

MT is an industry standard, and tapers are fully interchangeable.

Actually, the issue of machinists tapers is a lot complicated.  Morse taper is not the only standard taper.  If you have time to spend, read the Wikipedia article on Morse tapers - it's really educational.

By the way, you can turn MT shafts from wood for specialty items.  The Wikipedia article provides the exact dimensions, but you can get close enough by simply measuring and duplicating an MT tool.


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## WriteON (Dec 1, 2013)

I'm flipping a coin for my lathe choice. I don't want to buy more of a lathe than I need. I will be totally satisfied with a 10" Turncrafter. Let's talk about performance. If I'm happy with my current CarbaTec 3 what will the Jet 1221 do better than that. I have no intentions to expand from pens, & small objects.
Am I comparing beer to Champagne? Is the Jet an overkill for turning wood and acrylic. Is the Jet more precise. 
Any comments on the new Jet 1015


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 1, 2013)

I doubt hardly anyone has the 1015, it's pretty darn new. 

Ruling out the need for size, quality, features and service / warrantee would be the major factors I'd  think.


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## Leatherman1998 (Dec 1, 2013)

The 1221 is very precise. I might have 1/32 or less of wobble in the tail stock. The ways are very wide too for weight and accuracy. I have heard the 1015 is just a smaller version of the 1221 so I would think is is about the same.

Levi Woodard 
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner


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## WriteON (Dec 1, 2013)

Who has the best customer service? Heard nothing negative about PSI.
Jet's long hold time is not appetizing.


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## Leatherman1998 (Dec 1, 2013)

I have called jet about some parts and never had a problem with hold times.

Levi Woodard 
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 1, 2013)

What kind of warrantee does PSI offer?  

You're looking at the turncrafter now not that penpal right?   

I like my 1221 but I want to turn everything under the sun, so I'll probably get an even bigger lathe eventually.  

I will say that the 1221 does not feel like overkill when turning primarily pens.   But financially it probably is.  Although the Black Friday sale helps.


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## Leatherman1998 (Dec 1, 2013)

Dan Masshardt said:


> What kind of warrantee does PSI offer?
> 
> You're looking at the turncrafter now not that penpal right?
> 
> ...



I almost got the bed extinction for mine. If I about $75 More I would of got it. 

Levi Woodard 
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 1, 2013)

Leatherman1998 said:


> I almost got the bed extinction for mine. If I about $75 More I would of got it.   Levi Woodard Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner



It is tempting in a sense but do you actually want to turn anything long?  

I don't really want one because as a lefty I stand at the end of the lathe with no tailstock to turn bowls and boxes.


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## Leatherman1998 (Dec 1, 2013)

Dan Masshardt said:


> It is tempting in a sense but do you actually want to turn anything long?
> 
> I don't really want one because as a lefty I stand at the end of the lathe with no tailstock to turn bowls and boxes.



I would be happy with 18 inch more on the bed but yes I do turn long spindles and make a lot of handles. I am a righty so that isn't a problem for me.

Levi Woodard 
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner


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## WriteON (Dec 1, 2013)

You guys are killing me. I might have to get a 1221VS so I can bother you with questions. I hold you responsible if I do order one. Plus I never regretted buying a 1st class quality item. Is Amazon an ok place to buy from or what vendor would you recommend?
Currently $679.99 shipped.


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## Leatherman1998 (Dec 1, 2013)

WriteON said:


> You guys are killing me. I might have to get a 1221VS so I can bother you with questions. I hold you responsible if I do order one. Plus I never regretted buying a 1st class quality item. Is Amazon an ok place to buy from or what vendor would you recommend?
> Currently $679.99 shipped. Would most likely get the legs to go along with it.



For that price.... go for it. But the money you save you will give that to me right???? 

Levi Woodard 
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 1, 2013)

I picked mine up at the local woodcraft.  Lots of people but on amazon.  

One thing you get along with the greater capacity is a more powerful motor as well. 1hp.  

The digital readout is a nice feature.  I wouldn't have spend a hundred dollars less to be without it if it had been an option.  

Reverse is nice to sand alternating directions with each grit.  Not totally necessary and many other lathes have this.  

Indexing is a feature you may or may not want to value in a new lathe.  

I've had a minor issue with mine - the speed knob is loose - works no prob but is loose.  Jet says there is a set screw in it.  If so, I can't find it.    And I'm disappointed in the paint.  Otherwise I'm pleased!

If you are committed to this hobby / craft and can afford it (really) I don't think it's so much overkill to be rediculous.  

If I wanted something new and less expensive, I would be looking at the rikon (if not needed variable speed) or more likely the nova comet which I would purchase from woodturningz.


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## WriteON (Dec 1, 2013)

Dan Masshardt said:


> If you are committed to this hobby / craft and can afford it (really) I don't think it's so much overkill to be rediculous.


I should have said more than I need instead of overkill. Poor wording on my end. Who knows...maybe I'll find bigger projects.
Can you explain Indexing to me. Thanks again.


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 1, 2013)

WriteON said:


> I should have said more than I need instead of overkill. Poor wording on my end. Who knows...maybe I'll find bigger projects. Can you explain Indexing to me. Thanks again.



Overkill was a word that came to my mind.  I didn't recall you using it.   I would consider a powermatic to be true overkill for pens only.    Big lathes work fine for pens for sure but it becomes hard to justify the additional expense.  


Indexing is a series if holes on the headstock pulley to insert a fixed pin into to hold the spindle at certain points to do work on a project like fluting etc.  There is a good chance you won't use it but it's something to consider.   

If you could see some lathes in person would be nice if possible.


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## Cmiles1985 (Dec 1, 2013)

I just bought the HF variable speed lathe on sale. It seems to be very portable at only 42 lbs. The lowest speed isn't very slow, but it works for pen turning. I would say $100 is your best bet for the abilities. I bough the HF as an "in between" tool. I didn't have the intention of keeping it, but my son likes it! I'll be investing in the 12" Turncrafter based on advice on the forum. I figure that buying the bed extension for the times I feel like turning larger items is a good idea as it takes up a lot less room than my PSI XL40-2.


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## mikespenturningz (Dec 1, 2013)

I have to say I am very happy with what I have and don't need to replace it at all but.... If I was going to replace it I would look very seriously at that Jet 1221 it looks like a great lathe that could grow with you. I would not get at all hung up on belt changes. I can change my belt position so quickly it isn't funny. I would imagine any lathe that you get you will get very good at changing the belt position.


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## WriteON (Dec 2, 2013)

Dan Masshardt said:


> I doubt hardly anyone has the 1015, it's pretty darn new.



The 1015 is physically perfect. Size, weight, etc. I will have to move it periodically. There are no reviews on it. How bad can it be:biggrin:.(can't believe I'm asking that).
Whatever I decide on I have to buy blindly aside from customer reviews.


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 2, 2013)

WriteON said:


> The 1015 is physically perfect. Size, weight, etc. I will have to move it periodically. There are no reviews on it. How bad can it be:biggrin:.(can't believe I'm asking that). Whatever I decide on I have to buy blindly aside from customer reviews.



That sounds like a wise choice.  

You do not want to move the 1221 much, especially on stairs.  Sucker had a bit of weight to it.    Of course I was doing all the moving of it solo.


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## WriteON (Dec 2, 2013)

Am I going to be first to buy a 1015? Has anyone bought an unreviewed lathe and had a bad experience? My gut say go with the 1221 and make it work.


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 2, 2013)

WriteON said:


> Am I going to be first to buy a 1015? Has anyone bought an unreviewed lathe and had a bad experience? My gut say go with the 1221 and make it work.



You will def be able to make it work.  ;-)

Plus you should try turinng bowls.  It's fun. Trust me. 

Make your old lathe the mobile one.  

Lots of people own the 1014.  The 1015 just replaced it.


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## WriteON (Dec 2, 2013)

Narrowed it down. The 1221 is definitely too large & heavy for me. Also the stands base(feet) take up more footprint than I want used up. I decided on  a 10". Turncrafter or 1015VS. Either will work fine for me. If I sell my truck I'll have the garage space I need and possibly add the 1221 next year. 
On a side note does anyone have a problem with humidity. My buddy has a set up in his garage and everything rusted during the summer.
Anybody interested in a 2006 SSR 6 sp. Help an old guy out. Buy the truck so I can set up shop.


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 2, 2013)

A truck is something you toss firewood into  that looks like your toy.  ;-)

You can put either of these lathes on a workbench.  You don't need to buy the base. 

The difference in shop footprint of the actual lathe is inches.  Now moving it is another story. 

Either way, it seems like the options you're pursuing will meet your needs nicely.


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## PenMan1 (Dec 2, 2013)

WriteON said:


> You guys are killing me. I might have to get a 1221VS so I can bother you with questions. I hold you responsible if I do order one. Plus I never regretted buying a 1st class quality item. Is Amazon an ok place to buy from or what vendor would you recommend?
> Currently $679.99 shipped.



I WOULDN'T buy the 1221VSI. The Jet 1014VSI is a tighter lathe for far less money. I have a 1014VSI that has made WELL OVER 10,000 pens. Other than eating $2 toggle switches, it has been bullet proof. My 1014 has LESS than half the run out of the 1221, EVEN AFTER 5 years of use and abuse.


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## KenV (Dec 3, 2013)

I can speak up to the 1014 VS --  I can carry it to store it, compact, and seems to be near bullet proof for operations --   It just cannot do everything my big lathe does.  (one is in Alaska and the 1014 is in Arizona).   

Price was nominal, and much of the tooling is interchangeable.


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## WriteON (Dec 3, 2013)

OK. I flipped a coin and it came up tails (TurnCrafter for $349 + 50s). I flipped it again and it came up heads (Jet 1015VS) for $492 shipped. I did find a place that sold it for a good price. For $100 difference I went the 1015. I will follow up as we go along. Thank you so much for helping me kick it around. The 1221 will always be in the future picture when I have space and the desire to expand. Thanks again. Frank


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## monophoto (Dec 3, 2013)

> One thing to be aware of - mine would not deliver the full speed range 'out of the box'.   It would spin up to the advertised maximum on both pulleys, but was limited at the low end.  In my case, I could get down to about 500 r/min on the slow pulley, and about 800 r/min on the fast pulley.  I spoke with Joe Roberts at PSI Tech Support who explained  that there are three potentiometers on the circuit board that can be 'tweaked' to get the advertised lower speeds.  He suggested that I remove and open the power converter box, and then call back with a 'jeweler's screwdriver' in hand so he could talk me through the process.  I haven't had an actual need to get down to 'thread chasing territory' yet, so I haven't attempted the adjustments.  But it doesn't sound like it's a big deal.


Followup - I called Joe Roberts back to have him walk me through the process of tweaking the speed range.  I had misunderstood that I needed to disconnect the power converter box altogether.  My mistake - he had me reconnect it, and turn on the lathe so that the tachometer could be used to see the effect of the tweak.   For safety reasons, I won't describe the process - if anyone needs to adjust a Turncrafter Commander, its best to call Joe for detailed help.  But I will say that my followup phone call lasted about five minutes, four of which were devoted to pleasantries and reconnecting the power converter.  The process is really simple and quick, and not something to be afraid of.  So mine now runs down to a bit over 140 r/min.


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## WriteON (Dec 3, 2013)

monophoto said:


> > I called Joe Roberts back to have him walk me through the process of tweaking the speed range.
> 
> 
> 
> Customer service is everything. Glad your lathe got straightened out. PSI is awesome.


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## WriteON (Dec 15, 2013)

The 1015 is set up but I miscalculated the height. Is there an ideal base height for comfortable safe turning. It's a bit too high. Should my forearms be almost parallel to the ground when holding the chisel? I realize we have to find our own comfort zone.


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