# Jet 1221VS Issue



## yorkie (Jun 12, 2014)

So, I'm on my second Jet 1221VS lathe.  I love the lathe but am having challenges.

The first one had clicking and was throwing up error messages.  i took it to a Jet service center and they said it was going to be too much to fix so just replaced it.

Here I am 4 months later with the replaced one and I'm getting a clicking sound at low speed, probably goes away at high speed due to the speed itself).  I've checked every inch of it and there's nothing loose, vibrating or anything at all; everything feels perfectly tight.

Anyone else having issues with this lathe?

When will Powermatic make a midi lathe?


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## Dan Masshardt (Jun 12, 2014)

Mine seemed to click a little in reverse only when I got it but went away.  

Jet is powermatic as far as the company.   Besides a powermatic midi would probably cost $2k.  :-/


It would be nice to know what's causing the issue though.


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## Airbear77 (Jun 12, 2014)

Mine squeaks or clicks a little in reverse. It goes away at higher speeds. It is still pretty new though.


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## keithkarl2007 (Jun 12, 2014)

Sounds like it could be a bearing problem.


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## TonyL (Jun 12, 2014)

Mine is 4 months old. I only run it at very low speeds when sanding (and in reverse). Sometimes I go below the belt-rated RPM range, by accident, and I believe I get some clicking. I will try mine out in a half hour and write back. See if you can post a brief video with audio.  I made friends with a sharp technician at Jet. His name is Russ @ ext 1323  (800-274-6848). He helped me with my issues with where just my ignorance of how lathes work. I will be with you shortly.


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## TonyL (Jun 12, 2014)

Yes, mine clicks in both directions. I just ran in with no centers, mandrel etc. Ran it in both directions and at various speeds. The clicking is in proportion to the speed: slow clicks when run slowly, shorter intervals between clicks at higher speeds. I thought this was normal operating noise. I am not worried about it, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be. If you want to email a video/audio, I should be able to tell you if mine is behaving the same way.

I hope this helps.


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## jj9ball (Jun 12, 2014)

Mine also clicks and I've only had it about 5 months.  Not to add fuel to the fire, but mine has a hard time holding a constant speed around 2000 rpm.  It will go up to 2100 and down to about 1950.  It doesn't do it all the time but it is annoying.  Funny part is the Jet replaced my old Grizzly  which finally died after 6 years and 3000 pens... makes me wonder if I should have stayed with the Grizzly instead of "upgrading" to the jet.


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## TonyL (Jun 12, 2014)

I also experienced RPM "swings" on occasion - but more around 1,000 to 1,500 RPMs and the swings are 15 to 50 RPMS +-. I was originally concerned and posted about it (and called Jet and Rockler about it). It doesn't happen often enough or widely enough to compromise my pen making. I know that 85k brand new cars have problems out of the showroom; I expect less from a $700 lathe. At one time I would have driven myself crazy over it - now I accept it.  Not saying anyone else should - for me, it's ok.


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## Katsin (Jun 13, 2014)

Does the lathe have a toothed belt? Any chance you could get a clicking sound off a toothed belt where it meets the drive pulley?


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## kovalcik (Jun 13, 2014)

The question I would ask on the RPM swings is: Would you notice the RPM change if you put black tape over the RPM readout?  If the answer is no, I would not worry about it.


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## TonyL (Jun 13, 2014)

My answer is yes....but i am still not going to worry about it.


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## mikespenturningz (Jun 13, 2014)

Sometimes mine makes a few noises. Keep turning and making pens. It is probably fine Stephen.. I am also nursing my speed knob.. It is loose but it hasn't fallen in my hand yet. I bought this lathe to make pens and it is going to... ;>)


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## stash (Jun 13, 2014)

*1221 VS Tick Noise*



mikespenturningz said:


> Sometimes mine makes a few noises. Keep turning and making pens. It is probably fine Stephen.. I am also nursing my speed knob.. It is loose but it hasn't fallen in my hand yet. I bought this lathe to make pens and it is going to... ;>)



Hi to all--newbie to this forum. Heard of this 1221VS issue and decide to share my issue.
My 5 month old JET 1221VS just started making a ticking sound. See Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpY7u9e2UG4&list=UUJnuvgV0BcvhutXqGH0lFVA

Ideas?

Update---6/16---10:11pm
The tension of the belt DEFINITELY has an effect on the ticking sound.  At max belt tension a tick is heard but if I back off one notch the  sound goes away, but then again the belt is now quite loose. I am not  sure if this loose belt setting will have a great effect on turning?  ---I’ll try it tomorrow.  

Thanks!   

Stan


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## Dan Masshardt (Jun 13, 2014)

stash said:


> Hi to all--newbie to this forum. Heard of this 1221VS issue and decide to share my issue. My 5 month old JET 1221VS just started making a ticking sound. See Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpY7u9e2UG4&list=UUJnuvgV0BcvhutXqGH0lFVA  Ideas?  Thanks!  Stan



That is NOT normal. 

That speed sensor ring  in front of the pulley isn't hitting anything is it?


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## Dan Masshardt (Jun 13, 2014)

What if you move the belt to another pulley?   Same thing?


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## randyrls (Jun 13, 2014)

Stephen;  From the video the click occurs once per revolution of the spindle.  To verify this, put a mark on the spindle anywhere and turn the spindle by hand.  Any roughness, or hesitation should be investigated. The speed sensor may have a tooth bent enough to touch the pickup, or there may be a rough spot of machining that is touching the belt and catching it.  The last option might be the bearings.  These are standard bearings, so you could get some from Timkin, SKF, or Fafnir.  You are in or near Charlotte, so there should be a bearing supply house in the city.  Look under belts, bearings, or Industrial supplies.

It looks like the manual has the standard bearing part numbers for these.


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## shastastan (Jun 13, 2014)

I noticed the ticking with I first turned mine on.  I've had it a few months now.  I messed up the threads on the spindle and had to replace it.  During my contacts with Jet Tech Support, the tech said that the ticking could be the fan hitting the cowling.  He said that the noise might go away once the lathe is broken in.  Someone else said to be careful with the belt tension--not too tight and not too loose--maybe a 1/4" of slack?  

The noise is pretty much gone from mine now but I do have some infrequent speed variations such as others have mentioned, not at higher speeds though.  I'm not losing sleep over this and just keep turning.  The tech did offer to send me a replacement motor, but I just decided to see if these problems were related to breaking it in.  I think that I can relate some to these types of concerns though since I have had 2 1014's and they were very quiet running compared to the 1221.  Of course part of my reluctance to change motors might be that I had a really hard time getting the mounting holes in alignment with  my homemade lathe stand


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## mikespenturningz (Jun 14, 2014)

Ya that isn't normal, you could use the big screwdriver trick and put it on different parts while you turn by hand with your ear to the screwdriver end to find out exactly where the tick is.. That will help narrow it down.


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## Jim Burr (Jun 14, 2014)

keithkarl2007 said:


> Sounds like it could be a bearing problem.


 
I was going with that or a set screw on a pulley?


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## Dan Masshardt (Jun 14, 2014)

That is a set screw on the speed sensor collar and two set screws on the pulley.


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## jj9ball (Jun 14, 2014)

kovalcik said:


> The question I would ask on the RPM swings is: Would you notice the RPM change if you put black tape over the RPM readout?  If the answer is no, I would not worry about it.



My answer is definitely.  That was how I found the problem.  I heard a change in the noise on the lathe... sounded like the lathe was revving itself up and down.  I looked down at the speed and saw it constantly changing within a range. 

 I'm happy someone else mentioned the knob problem.  I looked everywhere on the knob for a set screw I could tighten.  Mine has almost a half turn of slack in it.  I'm also waiting to turn my lathe on and have it fall off in my hand.  I probably will let the speed thing go as an annoyance and do a warranty call on the knob becasue I'm sure its only a matter of time before it breaks.


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## Si90 (Jun 14, 2014)

jj9ball said:


> I'm happy someone else mentioned the knob problem.  I looked everywhere on the knob for a set screw I could tighten.  Mine has almost a half turn of slack in it.  I'm also waiting to turn my lathe on and have it fall off in my hand.  I probably will let the speed thing go as an annoyance and do a warranty call on the knob becasue I'm sure its only a matter of time before it breaks.



You can tighten the speed control knob. There is a thin nut under the plastic knob. I couldn't get the knob off so made a really thin spanner that slid  between the housing and the bottom of the black knob and managed to tighten mine successfully.


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## Dan Masshardt (Jun 14, 2014)

Si90 said:


> You can tighten the speed control knob. There is a thin nut under the plastic knob. I couldn't get the knob off so made a really thin spanner that slid  between the housing and the bottom of the black knob and managed to tighten mine successfully.



Interesting.   How did you make a wrench?


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## Si90 (Jun 14, 2014)

Dan Masshardt said:


> Interesting.   How did you make a wrench?




I had a piece of thin brass bar about 3/4 in  wide by about  1mm thick. I just cut a square in the end and filed it until it fit the nut. It wasn't pretty and all that strong but it did the job.


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## shastastan (Jun 14, 2014)

Dan Masshardt said:


> That is a set screw on the speed sensor collar and two set screws on the pulley.



I really had a hard time getting at the collar set screw.  I noticed that it was pretty close to the right side of the lathe body.  When I changed the spindle I reversed the collar so that the set screw was on the left.  That was a mistake on getting the speed sensor to work right so I had to change it back.


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## Si90 (Jun 14, 2014)

Here is a close up pic of the nut you need to tighten if your speed control knob is loose. If you can get the knob off its spindle it would be a lot easier but  mine seams to be stuck fast, hence why I made a thin spanner.


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## mikespenturningz (Jun 14, 2014)

Cool on the knob. Does the knob itself just press on? I will fiddle around with it too. It would be great if that is all it was...


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## Dan Masshardt (Jun 14, 2014)

Si90 said:


> Here is a close up pic of the nut you need to tighten if your speed control knob is loose. If you can get the knob off its spindle it would be a lot easier but  mine seams to be stuck fast, hence why I made a thin spanner.



My knob wiggles around.  The shaft too.  Did yours do this before you tightened it?


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## JohnGreco (Jun 14, 2014)

My knob has no wiggle. I do have a slight tick, but not that loud like in the Youtube vid. Some speed fluctuations also, only really notice it when applying CA at 250 and it drops to 170 when I'm halfway across the blank.

Also, anything over 3100rpm causes the display to throw an error (but it still runs fine) in high gear. In mid, if I am too low on the rpm's it will throw an error, stop spinning and start beeping. I can't go less than about 125 in mid range.


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## Si90 (Jun 14, 2014)

Dan Masshardt said:


> My knob wiggles around.  The shaft too.  Did yours do this before you tightened it?



Yes, the whole potentiometer wobbled around. They are installed from inside the switch/electronics housing. The nut is used on a threaded collar from the front to hold it in place, before the knob is put on. The actual knob usually just pulls off for access to the nut but mine refuses to come off. I don't want to put too much force on though for fear of breaking the shaft.


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