JET
JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe
$989.99
Best Wood Lathes · head-to-head
JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe vs Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe is cheaper at $649.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
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Rikon
Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe
$649.99Cheaper
Which is better: the JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe or Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe?
The Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe is the cheaper at $649.99. The Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
See JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe on Amazon See Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe on Amazon
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe | Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $989.99 | $649.99 |
| Brand | JET | Rikon |
| Released | — | — |
| Swing over bed (in) | 12.5 | 12.5 |
| Distance between centers (in) | 21 | 20 |
| Motor power hp | 1 | 1 |
| Speed range (rpm) | 60-3600 | 250-750 / 550-1650 / 1300-3850 |
| Variable speed | Yes | Yes |
| Spindle thread | 1 x 8 TPI | 1 x 8 TPI |
| Bed material | Cast iron | Cast iron |
| Tailstock taper | MT2 | MT2 |
| Weight (lb) | 121.25 | 115 |
Sources — JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe: jettools.com (verified 2026-08-01). Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe: web.archive.org (verified 2026-08-01).
What's the difference between the JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe and Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 9). Matching specs are omitted.
- Distance between centers (in): JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe 21 vs Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe 20
- Speed range (rpm): JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe 60-3600 vs Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe 250-750 / 550-1650 / 1300-3850
- Weight (lb): JET JWL-1221VS 12" x 21" Variable Speed Wood Lathe 121.25 vs Rikon 70-220VSR 12-1/2" x 20" Midi VSR Lathe 115