Delta Industrial 46-460 12-1/2-Inch Variable-Speed Midi Lathe

It was delivered in a satisfactory manner. Okay, it was unboxed. After about a week, I noticed broken threads on the spindle. Delta is the name of the place. They accused me of abusing them or not removing the set screws properly. They refused to warranty the part, which shattered my faith in them and their products. I was on the verge of purchasing more shop equipment. Delta is not going to happen. Take a Jet flight. Better quality, more features, and, I'm sure, better customer service.

Bodie Curry

| Feb 19, 2021

On the 30th of December, 2015, this lathe was delivered. It arrived in two boxes, in excellent condition, and very quickly. The shipping service was excellent. br>br>Prior to the Delta, I used a 1983 ShopSmith Mark V lathe. The SS was fine for small projects like pens and tops, but because the lowest speed is around 700RPM, it isn't suitable for anything larger. It also lacks a movable tail stock and has a great deal of flex. As a result, I began searching for a new lathe that could spin at speeds lower than 500 RPM. br>br>According to my research, lower-speed lathes cost at least $1500, with a larger Grizzly costing even more. A G0733 looks a lot like the one I got. For a few hundred dollars more, Jet offers a similar unit. I'm glad I did some more research before making a purchase. I didn't need it because of the price and the size. br>br>This Delta is a little smaller, but it's powerful enough for my needs. Because the headstock does not swivel (it is fixed) for outboard turning, the largest blank it can handle is 12in, and because it can spin at around 250RPM, I can start a larger blank without puckering. Because it's small, it'll need to be bolted to a sturdy workbench. It's not moving because I built it, bolted it to a custom bench, and ballasted it with a 5 gallon bucket of tire weights. Which is beneficial to my multi-tasking. Axis turning is a technique in which the wood is rotated off-axis for a specific reason. center. See the image for an example of the outcome. br>br>Overall, I am very pleased with my decision, and I saved a lot of money on the cost and shipping. If I upgrade again, it will be for a larger swing or, if at all, outboard turning. Of course, I've only been using it for about two weeks, so its durability has yet to be determined. If the initial quality is any indication, this should last a long time. br>br>However, there are a couple of minor niggles that caused it to lose a star:
- Out of the box, the FWD/RVS switch was wired in the wrong direction. When in the FWD position, it ran backwards as a result of this. The switch box was simple to open and the leads to the motor were easily swapped. It's all right now. br>br>- Instead of the standard 1in, the tool rest banjo is 5/8in. As a result, the majority of aftermarket tool rests will not fit.

- After pressing it into a very hard chunk of maple, a live center became stuck in the tail stock. To get it out, I had to use persuasion. I thought the ejector would bust because it lacked enough torque; it could have been my fault, but it wasn't likely.

- There is no digital speed display, but there is a speed chart that corresponds to the numbers on the speed knob, making it simple to reach a specific speed if necessary. In any case, everyone I know does it intuitively.

Ensley Haley

| Oct 03, 2021

I've had a total of eight Delta 46's in my life. Since 2011, we have had 460 lathes. I use them and then donate them to my high school woodshop class, where they are all still in perfect working order. This could be the best lathe in the midi-range. size of the lathe class br>Both of the lathes I bought for our woodturning club were defective, but one of them I decided to keep because the fix is simple: a switch replacement. The other is scheduled to return to work the next day. The speed adjustment knob was stuck and had a mushy feel to it. I believe the knob was yanked back into the rheostat for speed adjustment, causing it to break. Scratches on the Allen screws holding the control box in place and lathe wayes gave both lathes a used look. It's possible that these were repaired or returned items that were resold as new. Or maybe I'm just pissed because neither of them lived up to my expectations.

Evie Silva

| Dec 13, 2021

Investment. Ever. The very best. Investment. Ever. This lathe is fantastic in every way. The 12. Although a 5" swing is more than enough for me, the reverse switch is an excellent addition to any lathe. Excellent for sanding and even turning if the piece necessitates a different approach. There were no issues at all. A 3" faceplate is included with this item. In the tailstock, there is a spur drive and a live center. This is a fantastic addition to my store!.

Kyler Carter

| Mar 24, 2021

" The first one I ordered had the same issue as many others. The variable speed feature was not functional. It would turn on briefly, run for a second, then cut out if you turned the knob slightly, and so on. I contacted Delta, who informed me that the control panel was defective and that I could either take it to a repair shop or return it to the store where I purchased it. Now, because I purchased it through Amazon, they picked it up the next day, immediately shipped me a replacement, and refunded my one-day shipping fees. That was AWESOME, in my opinion. It was the most pleasant experience I've ever had returning a product. My new one appears to be in good working order, and I'm enjoying it so far. However, if I were looking to buy one of these new, I would make sure to buy it from somewhere like Amazon where I could return it with ease, as I am far from the only person who has had problems with a bad control panel or whatever is causing these issues. Another thing that surprised me was that many people said their lathe's reverse/forward function was backwards when reading reviews. So you put it in reverse to actually run it forward, which isn't a huge deal, but it seems like it should have been addressed. However, I'm having the same problem with both the old and new ones. This (10/21/2016) is, I believe, a few years after some of these people wrote about the issue. TLDR: It appears to be a fantastic lathe, but I would not buy one from a store where I couldn't return it or try it out right away. And, to be honest, I'm not sure I'll continue to buy Delta products. Those minor details are only a hint of what's to come.

Greyson Church

| Jan 13, 2021