We had a 1014 (plain) and now have a 1220vs
All things being equal, I would go for the VS for a general lathe.

We I bought the 1014 all I used it for was pens and finials. When the DW started turning she wanted variable speed. VS works better for a general lathe then a non-variable.

If you have a third lathe I would keep the 1014vs and sell the 1220.

We sold the 1014 with stand for about $400. We bought the 1220vs at a special discount and the stand at full retail, the stand cost more then the lathe.

Nice. What are the brass fasteners. They look very nice.

They do. Some are random (sometimes pricing errors) and they can be 50-60% off but there usually a couple of stores that have a sale during black Friday. But those typically won't be a huge discount. The best deal I got was many years ago when Rockler sold the 50" Jets 2 for $50.

Those must be really nice t-shirts. I wear the Duluth Trading Company long tail tee's, and they are around $10 cheaper. And probably higher quality. I even got a Dodger's jersey (official MLB licensed type) for less than that.

First off, I think your concerns are well founded. A large raised panel made of Poplar will expand and contract. Gluing them in to the frame is not a good idea. Space Balls only allow them to expand and contract without rattling in the frame, so the paint lines will certainly show. A couple of options; my first choice since its a painted cabinet would be to make the panel out of MDF. Nasty (dusty) stuff to rout, but it takes a finish well, stays flat and stable and can be glued into the frame. Alternatively, if you decide to use a Poplar panel, paint the panel before it is installed in the frame. That way there are no 'tell tale' lines when the panel moves. Because these are the end panels of your case and not a door subject to constant opening/closing, I doubt rattling of the panel would be a problem. Good luck with the project!

the first step is to turn off every appliance and light in the house and then look at the electric meter and see if it is showing a drain.

If it is showing a drain and nothing is on then the meter is defective.

Is there a way to test batteries for cordless tools?
I have an 18v DeWalt set that I bought used. It came with 2 chargers and 3 batteries. Trying to figure out if it's the charger or the battery.

Very !

Wow, Rolls Royce of lathes might be more apropos. Looked like five rows of indexing holes in one gear and seven in another. That's quite an interesting piece.

Doug