Why did you upgrade?

[Nick Mastropietro]

If you have had a Delta 46-460 and upgraded - why did you do so? I guess I'm looking for a reason to not purchase the delta and start with something bigger say like the Jet 1642. I think it would be helpful to know why you would find the delta obsolete.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nick,

I'm not familiar with the Delta you are referencing. I started on a Jet VS Mini which had a maximum throw of 9 1/2".

I upgraded to a PM3520B with an 18" extension.

Reason....I wanted to turn bigger......I wanted AC variable speed instead of DC variable speed to maintain torque at the lower RPMs. I listened to the turners here and too many of them had gone through the upgrade process 2 or more times. I am getting ready to retire and wanted to upgrade once and be done with it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nick you can turn big on big and little on big but you can't turn big on little. I bought 2 lathes before my big one. Of course I still have the two smaller ones. I should have bought the big one and been done with it.

[Gary Max]

If I was going to add a 4th lathe to the shop it would be the Delta 46-460.
Just a all around nice lathe that will do a bunch of work. My big lathe is a Powermatic 4224.

[Bob Haverstock]

Nick,

The first wood lathe that I bought had belonged to my older brother. I bought it from my sister-inlaw after my brother died of colon cancer. It was a 12" Rockwell that my brother bought new in the 70's. The lathe gave me no joy, I couldn't keep my brother's death out of my head. So, I sold it to one of the men he had worked with.

My second lathe, which I still have, is a JWL 1220. It is a great machine, but it is noth really up to the big vase and pots that have caught my fancy. When my son and his family where here in the fall, he had a grand time playing with the Jet. He and the family will be stateside in a year and a half. The JWL and tooling will be a welcome home gift for him.

I have a Vega 12" lathe that is setting on the floor. It is a canidate for a major bed extention. I'm thinking an 8' bed. This is #3. The Vega will be dedicated to long spindle work. It may get a new home instead.

So, last week I bought my Nova 1624-44. This is going to be my last lathe. ( maybe I can self brainwash) It is compact and has a bed extention. There is a limit on the space in my shop. There is a practical limit on the size of the wood that I can safely carry and load by myself.

Most my turnings are given away or sold. You know the drill, " Fire wood in turnings out."

Bob Haverstock

[John Grounds]

Here are a few quote from the net:

"I also have a Jet 1642 but now use the new Delta more than the Jet. Both are good lathes, but just something about the Delta makes it fun to turn on."


"I actually enjoy turning on this lathe as much as I do turning on my Jet 1642. Both are very nice to use, but I use the Delta about 8 times more than my bigger Jet."

"I have a Powermatic 3520 (which I love), and I'm DETERMINED to get that Delta 46-460"

"I already have the PM3520. I'm trying to wrangle the Delta 46/460 now."

[John Keeton]

Nick, as a Delta 46-460 owner, and no experience on a bigger lathe, I can't help much with you decision. But, I think Bernie has it right - "you can turn big on big and little on big but you can't turn big on little", so if you ever want to turn larger than 12.5", then that would be the determining factor I think. Otherwise, it is going to be very difficult to beat the Delta for the money - great lathe!

John, spread the word!!

[Peter Lamb]

There really is only one reason and that is you wish to turn pieces larger in diameter than 12 1/2". Having turned more than thirty years and no interest yet to turn larger, with the bells and whistles the 46-460 has why would I spend more money for any lathe which would take up more space and never use its diameter/ weight capabilities.

I have the 460 and it does everything I have asked of it.

If the issue is "bragging rights" that's a different issue.
Peter

[George Guadiane]

Nick,

I'm not familiar with the Delta you are referencing. I started on a Jet VS Mini which had a maximum throw of 9 1/2".

I upgraded to a PM3520B with an 18" extension.

Reason....I wanted to turn bigger......I wanted AC variable speed instead of DC variable speed to maintain torque at the lower RPMs. I listened to the turners here and too many of them had gone through the upgrade process 2 or more times. I am getting ready to retire and wanted to upgrade once and be done with it.

I started out with a Delta Mini - 10 inch swing lathe - on/off belts for speed change. It's a good lathe...
I traded up to a PM 3520 because it has mass variable speed, a bigger swing, forward/reverse, all the stuff I wanted...
If the 46-460 had been available at the time, I MIGHT just have gone with that and been very happy... I like it so much that I'm going to get one for doing demos and stuff. It's only missing a few less RPMs and mass, AND it has an indexing wheel which the MM doesn't have.
If you have the bucks, get the dream machine (whatever yours is). If not, this lathe could be the best choice available for the money.

Just in case you didn't already, check out this thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=133414
That's my 2 cents.

[Rick Hutcheson]

Well I am not sure why any upgrade is needed. I have the 46-460 and the Jet 1642. I turn almost daily on the Delta. A 12" bowl is a large normal sized bowl. When you start talking to bowl turners the stuff bigger is fun to do once in awhile, but the large bowls are not a practical for use because of the space they take up. The Delta can take the 12" bowls and I use the mini Mcnaughton on it a lot too with the 12" blanks.

If you would like to see more of what I have turned on the Delta , take a look at this page http://www.scrollsaws.com/deltaVSlathe.htm

[Sean Hughto]

I have the 1642. I knew I would want the ability to turn things like chair parts, table legs, etc., so the 42 sounded very good. Now smaller lathes can have bed extensions and such to get to similar lengths, of course. I also wanted to be able to turn some bowls, and not just small incidental bowls, but some that could be used for large salads and such. Now here, the 16 inch swing was a must. The bigger swing has also made possible things like the top of this stool which is around 15" in diameter:



I've not yet wished I had a smaller lathe. I know that if I had bought a midi, I would have already wished for a larger one.

[David E Keller]

I can't give you a reason not to buy the delta, but I can tell you size of turning would be the main reason to upgrade. The good news is that if you decide to upgrade, the delta will make a great second lathe.

[Richard Madison]

Just a matter of available $$ and available space. Must balance the cost of our toys against other financial needs of self and family. Then order the Jet, so you will never have to wonder if you should have bought the Jet.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nick - I upgraded from a Craftsman Mono-Tube lathe, 12" swing to a Jet 1642. Reasons for the Jet was cam-lock tool rest, sliding headstock, 16" swing, 2 hp motor, variable speed, mass of the cast iron and length of bed. I am sure there are a few other reasons but those are the main ones.

I have considered upgrading a few times to a larger lathe but the reality of it is - this lathe will turn everything that I have wanted to turn - so far. It would be nice to have some extra clearance when roughing out blanks - but it's hard to justify the $$$$ for convenience. Still, there's something about a shiny new lathe....

[Reed Gray]

I went from a 4 speed Atlas to a PM 3520A, and now a Robust American Beauty. Primary reason was I got the smaller lathe to see, cheaply, if I really wanted to turn. Of course, that was a big yes. I sell my bowls. A lot of people wanted bowls bigger than 12 inches. I figure 12 inch and smaller bowls are large personal sized salad bowls, or for a couple who have small appetites. Bowls over that size are 'family' sized, and I sell more of them than any others, at least dollar wise. My PM paid for itself 3 times the first year I had it. That means it covered the cost of all the accessories I needed to go along with the bigger lathe. On a professional production basis, you need more horse power. You could easily do with 16 inch swing as bowls over than size are more for entertaining purposes, and not daily use.

robo hippy