JET BDB-1340A lathe

[josie]

I have a chance to pick up a JET BDB-1340A belt drive lathe for $2,500. Should I jump at the chance or keep looking? It seems to be in pretty good shape.

I searched for belt drive on the forum but didn't find much.

Thanks for any advice you could give.

Eric

 

[conetip]

That sounds a very good price to me, but I do not have any info like what comes with t he machine and what it general condition is like.
Is it 3 phase or single?
etc

Neil

 

[Guerra Cues]

Eric,
That is the lathe I have for all my daily tasks - A joints, pin installs, coring, etc, etc. However I have installed a Bison 6 jaw chuck set tru and and DRO from Dro Pros here in Sacramento.
2,500.00 seems to be on the high side unless its in pristine condition and comes with a bit of tooling. Still these jet lathes sell brand new for over 5k.

 

[josie]

That sounds a very good price to me, but I do not have any info like what comes with t he machine and what it general condition is like.
Is it 3 phase or single?
etc

Neil

Single phase. Not a lot of extras but has 3 and 4 jaw chucks, face plate, indexable tool bits

 

[josie]

Eric,
That is the lathe I have for all my daily tasks - A joints, pin installs, coring, etc, etc. However I have installed a Bison 6 jaw chuck set tru and and DRO from Dro Pros here in Sacramento.
2,500.00 seems to be on the high side unless its in pristine condition and comes with a bit of tooling. Still these jet lathes sell brand new for over 5k.

Tony,

Did you put a rear chuck on yours? If so what kind?

 

[Guerra Cues]

Ah!!! I sure did!!! I used a Taig 3 jaw chuck and had my machinist do a sleeve that would thread into the back spindle - the lathe is setup for 220V.
If you have any more questions you can text or call me and I will be more than happy to snap a few pics of my lathe setup.

 

[pescadoman]

I've never paid asking price for a machine, so try and get a feel for the buyer.

Be likable and polite. That will come in handy when you offer him less than he would like.

There are sellers that aren't motivated and could care less if 100 people show up; they just won't budge. Most are not like that and, as a seller, the less people I have walking around my place the better.

For instance, I just sold a 20 inch planer within a half hour of posting. The second guy who contacted me just showed up at my house even after I told him it was promised to someone else the next morning(NEVER put your address in CL!). He even offered me more money to sell it out from underneath the other guy. Apparently, I didn't list it for enough money.

I also have a Vidmar cabinet I listed for 400.00. The guy offered me 350.00 and I balked at first. Then he offered to help move the planer and I no longer had to try and wrestle it into the back of a truck with my shop hoist(he had a trailer). I told him he could have it for 350.00. It ended up being too deep, but if he changes his mind that price is good for him.

What I'm saying is that a machine is just the beginning. The Bison chucks Tony and I have are about 1000.00 new. I have one of Chris' rear chucks and I didn't have to get a machinist to fiddle with it.

It's a good size. I have a 13x40 and when I cut shaft cones with a spur center and a long nose live center it is just big enough.. A friend of mine just bought a 10" Logan for 1100. I suppose that is OK for alot of things, but you can't fit a cue between centers. I guess it has a 1.375 spindle bore, so at least he can do joints and but caps. Thing is, he got basically zero tooling.

I'd say offer him 1750.00 and go from there....

Attitude is everything.

 

[josie]

Thanks for the help. The book for this unit said it has 1 1/2" bore so that is a plus. I was mainly trying to get the opinion on the belt drive. What are the positives and negatives.

I've never paid asking price for a machine, so try and get a feel for the buyer.

Be likable and polite. That will come in handy when you offer him less than he would like.

There are sellers that aren't motivated and could care less if 100 people show up; they just won't budge. Most are not like that and, as a seller, the less people I have walking around my place the better.

For instance, I just sold a 20 inch planer within a half hour of posting. The second guy who contacted me just showed up at my house even after I told him it was promised to someone else the next morning(NEVER put your address in CL!). He even offered me more money to sell it out from underneath the other guy. Apparently, I didn't list it for enough money.

I also have a Vidmar cabinet I listed for 400.00. The guy offered me 350.00 and I balked at first. Then he offered to help move the planer and I no longer had to try and wrestle it into the back of a truck with my shop hoist(he had a trailer). I told him he could have it for 350.00. It ended up being too deep, but if he changes his mind that price is good for him.

What I'm saying is that a machine is just the beginning. The Bison chucks Tony and I have are about 1000.00 new. I have one of Chris' rear chucks and I didn't have to get a machinist to fiddle with it.

It's a good size. I have a 13x40 and when I cut shaft cones with a spur center and a long nose live center it is just big enough.. A friend of mine just bought a 10" Logan for 1100. I suppose that is OK for alot of things, but you can't fit a cue between centers. I guess it has a 1.375 spindle bore, so at least he can do joints and but caps. Thing is, he got basically zero tooling.

I'd say offer him 1750.00 and go from there....

Attitude is everything.

 

[Guerra Cues]

Thanks for the help. The book for this unit said it has 1 1/2" bore so that is a plus. I was mainly trying to get the opinion on the belt drive. What are the positives and negatives.

I tell you what... It is nicer if you can change the speed on the nobs instead of messing with the belt. It's not hard to do just not very convenient.
Anyway, it is the lathe I have for now and I love it, does the job that is supposed to do

 

[rhncue]

Thanks for the help. The book for this unit said it has 1 1/2" bore so that is a plus. I was mainly trying to get the opinion on the belt drive. What are the positives and negatives.

Most of my lathes have a belt drive. They are smoother running than a gear drive and unless you buy an expensive, tool room lathe where the gears all run in oil, the belt drive is much more quite.

Dick

 

[josie]

Can this lathe be wired for 115v?

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Guerra Cues]

Can this lathe be wired for 115v?

Thanks again for all the help.

The answer is no if it has the standard Jet motor. It can if you change the motor but it is up to you.

 

[conetip]

Since I have upgraded my lathes to 220v 3 phase motors and running from a VFD, Variable frequency drive, I love it. Only wish they had these VFD units 20 years ago.
Then you do not need to keep changing belts for the different speeds.
Also gives control on the stopping of the motor and acceleration on starts. So you can have a soft start if you want .
Neil

 

[JoeyInCali]

Since I have upgraded my lathes to 220v 3 phase motors and running from a VFD, Variable frequency drive, I love it. Only wish they had these VFD units 20 years ago.
Then you do not need to keep changing belts for the different speeds.
Also gives control on the stopping of the motor and acceleration on starts. So you can have a soft start if you want .
Neil

How about emergency stops and speed dial ?
Did you install them too Neil?
I'm installing a vfd and spindle on my taperer.

 

[conetip]

I hope this is not hijacking the OP thread, but this will be useful to someone setting up a FVD.
Mine is an Eric drive EI 450 mini ,
Speed dial is through a pot, connected to FC, FR,FS
The e stop is on the SC wire and opens this connection. No forward or reverse if open.
Forward is when S1 and SC are connected.
Reverse is when S2 and SC are connected.
Micro switch can be placed on S1 line for example, and when it is open, the spindle stops, but allows for S2 to be closed,ie put into reverse and move the carriage back.

Neil

 

[Joe Barringer]

WOW! I can't believe how much these lathes have gone up over the years. Personally I would go with a Grizzly as the parts are easier to obtain should anything break. Grizzly stocks and supports their products in the USA. If you buy a JET or similar machine, you'll find that parts will have to be ordered in from China. And, when a machine is down it needs to be fixed yesterday so a stocking dealer is preferred.

And yes, I know that an old American lathe that is 40 years old, dirty and greasy and will take months to recondition is better but he mentioned a JET so I tried to stay on topic.

 

[JoeyInCali]

I have a chance to pick up a JET BDB-1340A belt drive lathe for $2,500. Should I jump at the chance or keep looking? It seems to be in pretty good shape.

I searched for belt drive on the forum but didn't find much.

Thanks for any advice you could give.

Eric

OK, let's actually answer Eric's question.
First, I think there are two versions of that lathe. One with enclosed gear box and one with an open one. Enclosed one would be a plus as it doesn't get dusty and has an oil bath .
Belt drive ? Belt drive belts are usually more quiet and have less vibration than gear head lathes. They have plenty enough torque for what we do. They won't slip when you're cutting wood. And you know the disadvantages.

Should you buy it ?
I think that depends if you're in a rush and how good your area is for good used lathes. And maybe on how deep you want to get in this game.

First you really have to check that lathe. It seems like it's in good shape is not good enough. Who owned the lathe ? If it came from a machine shop and was used to cut steel, I won't even look at it. The bed ways area near the chuck get beat up in those places. Never mind the gears when they power feed and thread. Sorry, but Chinese steel aren't as good as Taiwan, US and Euro steel. Check the tailstock and other parts. One of the most common things to break on these Chinese lathes is the half nut that engages the saddle.

If it is indeed in good shape, make sure you have the metric and imperial thread gears. Sometimes either set is lost after being unused for ages.
If you don't get the steady rest, be ready to get paid for it b/c it ain't cheap and you will want it later on.

My 2 cents and I hope I don't get sniped.
Good luck.

 

[cutter]

Bdb 1340

I have had one for close to 16 years and except for a starter capacitor have had no problems that weren't my fault. 2000.00 delivered in those days. Parts are supported out of the states by WMH tools who now owns Jet. Knowledgeable people working there to help if you have any parts needs. Mine was the old taiwan castings and swiss bearings, so
don't know about the current models. A whole lot of cuemakers have
Grizzley, so that must say something. If you inspect the the lathe, check
the ways, run your thumbnail down the side of the way, there sholdn't be a ridge. Especially check up near the head stock. Good luck

 

[josie]

The ways looked in very good shape. It comes with some tooling, both steady rests and metric gearing.

It sounds like belt drive is not something to shy away from. The ways looked good but it sounds like I need to take a look again right at the headstock.

Thanks for all the responses.

 

[josie]

Here are some pics.