Looking for a small lathe and summer project, I answered an ad for a "Lathe - not running" and this Craftsman/618 followed me home! Stored in a shed for a long time with a good roof over it, the oil turned to a solid, nothing moving except for the motor. Spent the last 5 days tearing it down and many of the parts just seemed to be glued in place. I was finally able to remove the chuck from the spindle this morning after daily applications of Kroil and heat from a heat gun. A few discoveries, not immediately apparent under the crud, include a broken corner on the t-slot for the tool post, bent tip on the index pin and broken countershaft bracket. All and all a good haul in my estimation for my first metal lathe. I look forward to getting it back together again once I order new bushings. Thanks to all who have shared their tips, especially the spindle removal and using the razor blade to scrape the ways! Hope to post more as I get further along!
