Beginner Lathe

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Jonathans

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This lathe is in a local estate sale. The owner isn't opening the doors until Friday. I do not yet know what the model is, nor what the asking price is.
can so done advise me as to whether this is a good beginners lathe, and if it is in decent shape, what it might be worth? Should I be concerned that it is run by a flat belt? Would I be better off with a modern lathe like a Grizzly? I want something decent to learn on.
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Jonathans said:
This lathe is in a local estate sale. The owner isn't opening the doors until Friday. I do not yet know what the model is, nor what the asking price is.
can so done advise me as to whether this is a good beginners lathe, and if it is in decent shape, what it might be worth? Should I be concerned that it is run by a flat belt? Would I be better off with a modern lathe like a Grizzly? I want something decent to learn on.
View attachment 86214
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Disposable, worn out tools are great for learning on..they force you to deal with the realities of machinery instead of the assumed ideal perfection of new tools, which are never perfect anyway and can be misleading to a beginner in as far as they suggest that you can be a little sloppier with how you fixture and setup cutting, which is not true. If it looks like fun to you and you get excited about it, make sure you get a fantastic deal. There are tons of used lathes on craigslist all the time and I bet you'll run into another one before you know it, no reason to pay an "uncomfortable" amount if it smells iffy
 
I bought a mini-mill right off, thought it was a good thing to learn on and maybe keep a while. Figured out pretty quick I could use a bigger machine. Took some nice pics, passed the word around and it's working for a guy about 100 miles from here. Quick sale at 2/3 the initial investment which for me is pretty dang good LOL. If it's half decent and you're able to get a decent price on it and maybe spiff it up a bit, no worries about being stuck with it. If it fits your needs well, you may run it for a long time too. My 9x20 isn't anywhere close to a G4003G, has many well publicized issues but it is a good tool and I've learned a lot with it.
 
Yup Falcon. The 9X20 has a list of mods that seems endless. Every time you fix one of the issues two more start causing a new issue. so old American iron was simpler and and easier to repair if you had a problem. So that is one of the main reasons I am putting effort in to save enough to be able to move when my deal comes along. Cant stop it from happening so no use complaining about it either, just make a plan and work to it.

Bob
 
To really answer you we need to know how much money you got to spend. My little 9x20 does pretty good. Alot better then I ever thought it would. All those little projects are great to learn on. That being said I got mine for 250 bucks so I dont mind. It aint fast enough for my liking as it cant eat the way I want to feed it. But it's a good lathe to have in a garage and learn on. And it can do some nice work.

I do like me some old iron though. Not because imports cant do the same. But you just get more for your money buying old and used verse just used or new.

So how much money are you gonna let me spend? ahaha
 
While I'm a newbie in regard to machining, I'm pretty well versed in some other trades an have come to appreciate good tools. While the adage that the tool doesn't make the craftsman has some level of truth to it, having reliable and acurate equipment sure as hell helps! It also shifts your usage of your time from working on the project, rather than the tool being the project. I was hoping that I could get started with something decent for around two grand. I've heard what some machines sound like on youtube, and I don't think I can live with something that sounds like it's grinding gravel.
 
Jonathans said:
While I'm a newbie in regard to machining, I'm pretty well versed in some other trades an have come to appreciate good tools. While the adage that the tool doesn't make the craftsman has some level of truth to it, having reliable and acurate equipment sure as hell helps! It also shifts your usage of your time from working on the project, rather than the tool being the project. I was hoping that I could get started with something decent for around two grand. I've heard what some machines sound like on youtube, and I don't think I can live with something that sounds like it's grinding gravel.
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You can get a ton of machine for 2 grand if you can wait for the right deal on Craigslist or ebay. Id put that money towards something used and something old and you could really score.
 
Just a note. My first project will be to turn a couple of weights for my Wilson Rockwell hardness tester.
Mild steel, 2.75" in diameter with a 1.625 x .125 tenon and socket, top and bottom. So whatever I get will need to be able to part something of that size
 
I only looked at price on these

http://bellingham.craigslist.org/tls/4683796630.html

http://kpr.craigslist.org/tls/4693008482.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4717731105.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4726840013.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4720689443.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/tls/4714864947.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/tls/4726573751.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/hvo/4671404342.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4683954893.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4676634135.html

drool http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4672887668.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4652733571.html

http://wenatchee.craigslist.org/tls/4714443654.html

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/tls/4722212049.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/bar/4719031030.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/4725636211.html
 
chuckorlando said:
I only looked at price on these

http://bellingham.craigslist.org/tls/4683796630.html

http://kpr.craigslist.org/tls/4693008482.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4717731105.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4726840013.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4720689443.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/tls/4714864947.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/tls/4726573751.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/hvo/4671404342.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4683954893.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4676634135.html

drool http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4672887668.html

http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/4652733571.html

http://wenatchee.craigslist.org/tls/4714443654.html

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/tls/4722212049.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/bar/4719031030.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/4725636211.html
Click to expand...


My $2500 would go to this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Anilam-Eagl...424?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20e91a1250

It doesn't have a turret but its really close to where I live and it could do soooo much..I bet theyd take $2000...
 
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