Regarding the Jet 1236 lathe: It is a nice lathe. I’ve used it for a few years with pleasure and success. No major problems. Well, maybe one.
It comes with a banjo extender supposedly for use outboard with the head stock rotated. See attached pic. This happened the very first time I used it. I didn’t even have a catch; I was just turning along and all of a sudden it broke in half and fell on the floor. As a beginning turner, needless to say, I was somewhat nonplussed.
I went on the Wood Central forum to find out what happened and what I should do about it. The many answers were emphatic and all the same:
It is a stupid design, and it will break the first time you use it. It is dangerous. Do not use it. Throw it in the trash. If you use it and break it, throw it in the trash and do not replace it.
If you want to spend some money (around $200), the banjo from the Oneway 1224 will fit this lathe, and it is far superior. FWIW, I haven’t had too much trouble with the banjo itself, except for the fact that the tool rest base is soft metal and gets badly dented by the set screw and then won’t move smoothly. Frequent filing is necessary, and even that provides only marginal help. 
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