Customer Reviews for Delta 12-1/2 in. Mini- Wood Lathe with Variable Speed

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

I plugged it in, turned it on. . . nothing. It didn't work.

I unboxed the Delta Lathe and plugged it in and when I flipped the 'on' switch nothing happened. After many attempts to turn the lathe on, it never did. So I returned it.

My husband has been very satisfied with this lathe.

excellent lathe for the price.

I own two delta 46/460 lathes and I would advise anyone buying this lathe to also purchase the bed extension so as not to have to remove tail stock when sanding. I poked my elbow a few times before learning to buy an extension. For the price this is a great tool for a beginner or an advanced turner. As with a lesser priced lathe or an expensive lathe the key to good wood turning is always have your tools sharp as you can do damage to any lathe with dull gouges. I would rate the delta 46/460 at five stars. I hope this has been helpful.

Exactly what I thought it would be.

Good power, great speed control, solid. Indexes. Expandable. I looked at the less expensive midi's out there and feel certain that they would all have been a disappointing choice. Bridges the gap between cheapomart and the high end machines.

This midi is the best small lathe around and has a 1 HP motor and variable speed. Our club uses them for our classes the they have held up extremely well.

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

Prompt delivery and the lathe was as ordered. Good to do business with a great efficient company. Every employee is always so courteous and helpful.

Easy to set up and use. Love the variable speed control. Plenty of power for my needs

Very satisfied with my purchase. Super solid build and very easy to use. I highly recommend this lathe especially for its pricing. The variable speed is incredible :)

Very good lathe for the money, only critics are the power switch should be at front for safety and the spindle lock is difficult to grasp.

What a great lathe, it's a little giant and very versatile lathe. Smooth and easy to use. I had to add the extended bed to do longer work but it does everything I need super well. Variable speed control is awesome when finishing. Well made and precise right out of the box.

except for minor damage to the carton the lathe was undamaged. The lathe was set-up and ready to go in less than an hour.

Excellent size lathe for my purposes. Has an extension bed if I ever need it.

This is a beautifully well made lathe. One horse power motor out classes any other midi lathe on the market. It's smooth, vibration free and the tail stock is perfectly aligned with the drive center. One thing that puzzles me though, is why Delta still hasn't fixed the wrong way wired reverse switch. Other than that, it's still well worth the money.

The only thing I didn't like is the fact that the forward/reverse switch is wired backwards. According to the reviews I read before I bought it this is fairly common. I've tried getting in touch with Delta a few times without any luck. Other than that I've been pleased.

Easy to install and mount. Love the vari speed and the reverse.

I have owned 3 other wood lathes and I have been disappointed with all of them from cheap to a Craftsman. The Delta Lathe is a great lathe for the price. The precision and quiet operation are amazing as well as it's power. I also was surprised by the fact that I received the lathe a week early! Great purchase!

Like many woodworkers, despite loving turning in shop class 45 years ago, I felt owning a lathe was an extravagance that would not be used often enough to justify the expense and shop space. I had managed to make most of the spindles I had to have on the drill press or with a router. However, now having worked on my first project, a set of belaying pins, I recall how enjoyable turning is. After doing the research and deciding on the Delta, Home Depot had the best price and quick delivery. The machine was ready to go right out of the box. I built a heavy, dedicated stand for it and bought a starter set of tools. I was most impressed by how quiet and smooth the machine runs. I am now looking for projects and particularly interested in trying to make some bowls from the odd grains in my firewood stumps.

still learning specifics of lathe, anxious to make my first project

I studied up on this lathe and liked the features that it came with. I had the packages shipped to the store and they all arrived without damage. They had not been opened. I assembled the stand and the extension first but unfortunately when I started to place the lathe on the stand I found that the tool holder was missing four parts which allow you to lock it in place on the lathe bed. I called Delta's customer service the next day. The first call, they told me the information they needed and the second call I waited 30 minutes on hold but they took my information and said they would ship the parts. I would say the other reviews are correct. My motor is wired backwards as well but the tool appears to be as nice as I hoped. If the correct parts actually arrive in a timely manner I would change my review to a 5.

I was very happy with this lathe. The product features are all easy to use even for a first time turner. It is quiet for a shop tool. Seems to be solid and well made for the price.

I purchased the Delta 46-460 midi lathe with bed extension in December 2015. Shipment of the items was as promised by Home Depot and I picked up the items at the local store. I unpacked the items during January and there appeared to be no damage during transportation of items to store. I mounted the lathe and bed extension on a table adequate for my use. After cleaning the protective material from the lathe I proceeded to check the motor operation. The motor and variable speed function worked fine except; LATHE ROTATION WAS OPPOSITE WHAT WAS INDICATED ON REVERSING SWITCH.. When the switch is in the "forward" position, the lathe rotates away from operator. When the switch is in the "Reverse" position the lathe rotates toward the operator. This is not a big problem once you realize it operates oposite of what is indicated. However, if someone unfamiliar with its operation tried to use it, it is an accident waiting to happen! To their credit, Delta publishes numerous safety warnings regarding use of the reversing motor switch. However, all the warnings mean nothing when Delta's quality control allows a unit to be shipped which is wired incorrectly. Otherwise the lathe seems to be of excellent quality and a very good value. I request that Home Depot/Delta/Black and Decker advise me how to correct the wiring problem. If the fix is relatively simple, I will correct the problem myself. If not, then please advise what I must do to get the problem corrected by Home Depot or the manufacturer. I am using the lathe as is but, I don't want to take a chance on someone else being injured by one of my tools.

Great tool! Powerful, smooth, quiet, stable. I've only just begun to use it but so far the quality of this lathe is superb. My only complaint is the forward-reverse switch was set opposite what it should be, but that's a minor issue as it doesn't affect the actual turning. I would've given it 4.5 stars.

The product was nicely packaged and delivered quickly. It is a lot heavier than I expected for a small lathe which I consider a good thing. Seems to be very well constructed and all components function well. The one complaint I do have is that the on/off switch was loose and the polarity of the motor is wired wrong. Forward is reverse and reverse is forward. It seems to me that should not happen.

I purchased the Delta midi lathe to replace a PSI PenPal lathe. The set up was easy and I was able to put it to work immediately. I make hand crafted pens and bangles and this lathe can handle every operation. It has plenty of power and speed range selection is a breeze. The mating stand was purchased as well. I considered building a stand myself but I am glad purchased the Delta stand it was simple to assemble, very sturdy and has storage for turning chisels. This was really great purchased and was shipped to my home wthin a few days. I couldn't be happier.

The lathe came well packaged and equipped. Set-up was simple. I am a bit perplexed by the forward/reverse switch, though. To have the lathe turn forward, the switch must be pushed to the stamped "rev" position and visa versa. I'm not sure if the switch was improperly wired at the factory or not? In any case, it is no big deal and I am enthusiastically turning wood.