If you like to work on custom furniture, or other detailed woodworking, you know that it’s essential to have a good lathe. And when the time comes to invest in a lathe for your shop, you’ll want to make sure that you get a model that’s known for offering the best in stability and accuracy for all of your projects. 
The JET JWL-1221VS 12-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speed Wood Lathe just happens to be one of the most popular lathes available today. So we thought we’d research this woodworking tool to see how it stacks up.
Solid & Stable
The first thing we noticed, while researching the JET JWL-1221VS 12-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speed Wood Lathe, is just how solid this unit is. Considering the fact that this is a smaller, more portable lathe, intended for at-home shops and garages, we thought that it might not be as solid as some of the larger lathes. Surprisingly enough, though, this lathe is rock solid. Weighing in at just about 100 pounds (which doesn’t exactly make it very portable), this lathe offers a very stable, supportive tool for working on all your shaping, smoothing and finishing projects.
Cast Iron Bed
The real key to any lathe’s stability (or lack of stability) is the quality of the table. The JET JWL-1221VS 12-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speed Wood Lathe goes above and beyond what you might expect from an at-home lathe, by featuring a heavy-duty cast iron lathe bed. Even when the motor is going full throttle, this lathe is nearly unshakeable.
JET JWL-1221VS 12-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speed Wood Lathe Features:
- Unrivaled speed control
- 60-3600 RPM variable speed
- Optimally designed speed ranges
- Forward to reverse is a smooth transition
- Innovative ratchet style belt tension system (patent pending)
Overall, we’d have to say that the JET JWL-1221VS 12-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speed Wood Lathe is a truly high-performance lathe at a very reasonable price. As we said earlier in this review, though, despite what the manufacturer says, this really isn’t what we’d all a portable lathe. Yes, it is relatively easy to maneuver around (as long as you have someone to help out, as it weighs 100 pounds), but we don’t think that most people are going to be loading this lathe in the truck and moving it around on a daily basis. That minor complaint aside, though, we were very impressed with this lathe.
Customer Reviews
Don’t just take our word for it, though. Here’s what we found when we decided to see what real life customers think about this lathe:
With 23 customer reviews published, the JET JWL-1221VS 12-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speed Wood Lathe has earned a very high 4.5 out of 5 star rating. And more than a few reviewers even called it the best lathe that they have ever used. With so many glowing customer reviews, and the Jet reputation for making world-class lathes, we give the JET JWL-1221VS 12-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speed Wood Lathe our highest recommendation.