I've been a wannabe machinist for pretty much my whole adult life, but have never gotten around to buying a lathe.?ÿ A homemade tool holder and cross-slide clamped on a drill press table has been the closest I've come to owning a lathe, and it's not near close enough.?ÿ However, my wife and I are planning to extend the garage in order to create a dedicated laundry room, which will free up space in the garage for more tools, so this seems like a good time to start shopping for a real lathe.
I've read up on the various Chinese machines, and while I haven't ruled them out, I'm thinking that I'd like an old American machine better.?ÿ I'm leaning toward a 10" Logan or South Bend, but availability is pretty spotty in my area (northern California).?ÿ I'm impressed at the price differential between here and the east or midwest -- it seems that a well-equipped lathe in good condition can be had for well under $1K in the (former?) industrial heartland, but out here the same thing brings 2 or 3 times the price.?ÿ And since these machines are heavy -- anywhere from 500 to 2,000 pounds or so -- transporting one across the country doesn't seem to be cost-effective.
For now I'm scouring Craigslist and eBay, watching suitable-looking machines get sold before I can even inspect them, waiting for the right combination of equipment, location and price to come along.?ÿ I'm not in a big hurry -- if I buy one before we build the garage extension I'm just going to have to move it around when construction starts -- so I have the luxury of time on my side, but at the same time I don't want the perfect machine to get away.
Are there any other surveyors who like making metal chips hanging out here?
Dave Ingram would be my first call.
I bought one several years ago. Right now it is setup in a storage building without any electricity. When I need it, I run an extension cord out there. The only thing I have made worth boasting about would be several brass bushings for the door hinge pins on several trucks
Being from a rural area, any supplies are ordered online. This website has a lot of accessories and information
https://littlemachineshop.com/
James
I'm not sure how big an addition you've got planned, but this thing would look impressive anywhere
https://hartford.craigslist.org/tls/d/reed-prentice-metal-lathe/6398788376.html
I'm not sure how big an addition you've got planned, but this thing would look impressive anywhere
And quite possibly require 3 phase service!
That Reed-Prentice is about 3 times the size of what I'm looking for.
With regard to 3-phase service, there are rotary phase converters and variable frequency drives that can take single-phase input and deliver 3-phase output.?ÿ With big motors and high reliability needs these can get pricey, but for a motor in the 3 hp range I think it a decent converter can be had for under 500 bucks.
Jim,
There has been a few on craigslist in Michigan, looks like they were running more in the $1500-$1800 range.
Don't be afraid of East coast items if that is what you want.?ÿ Check out uship.com to get a decent rate on a shipping big stuff.
