Which lathe?

Thank you for all the replies! Didn't expect so many but all are more than welcome as I've already learned a bit about the different makes. What I saw about the Atlas lathes, is that they have a tendency to break gears because of the material from which they are made. The below comment was one that I got from this site:

(the most serious criticisms i have heard about some atlas lathes seem to regard the back gears / some other gears in the gear train being made of zamak (sp?) and breaking easily. there are also later atlas branded lathes which i believe were made by clausing and seem to be of a higher caliber. i think they also possibly didnt have the highest quality spindle bearings, and the ways are often plain ways vs the prismatic ways you see on some higher end lathes. still probably better than most any of the chinese stuff you'll find new, and probably cheaper for a 10 or 12 in swing model. i second the line about the operator being the most important component. one big point in the favor of the atlas lathes is that there seem to be a lot of cheap parts out there for them. i have a southbend 9 and it seems like parts are very expensive for them. hope that helps.)

Anyway, I'm sure they are fine, within their limitations as would be any other machine. As for capabilities, I would certainly like to be able to thread and I definitely would choose gears over belts, so at least that narrows it down somewhat. The Logan, near Nashville, that MrWhoopie sent the link for looks pretty capable. So if I went to look at it or one like it, what are the main points to look for in regard to wear and tear? Being a complete novice at this, that is the one thing about it that would give me great pause. I need to know what to focus on when looking at anything I go to see. More advice in that area would be most welcomed...
 
benmychree said:
Capacity is not what I was concerned with; my point is that the 13" SB has the power to move metal, the smaller ones do not have so much. I have owned several of both, and know whereof I speak.
Click to expand...

Don't take my previous post personally. I've read you tout your vast experience so who could question you?
I used the word "capacity" as a general term regarding size, power, rigidity, durability, utility, etc.
 
If you have a $3000 budget you should be able to find something decent, but remember that you'll need to
buy tools and possibly make repairs when you get a used machine. The price of a lathe depends on local
market conditions, condition and what tooling comes with it. Everyone wants to save money, but it's a good
idea to focus on finding the BEST lathe that fits your budget and can do the work you want. Without knowing
what sort of work you plan on doing, a good size for many hobbyists is the 12-13" range. As far as Atlas lathes
are concerned, there are many satisfied Atlas owners, including quite a few on this forum. However, they were
lower cost lathes originally and thus built to a price. Any of the major American brands (Clausing, Logan, South
Bend, Sheldon, etc.) will probably be fine if you find one in good condition. One thing to keep in mind is that
parts are still available for Clausing and Logan, but not for the other older brands.

So, you might want to google "How to buy as used lathe". There is plenty of information on how to evaluate a
machine out there and you do want to educate yourself before you go look. If you have brand specific questions
be sure and ask. There's plenty of info on the sub forums around here if you spend some time
reading the posts. There is sometimes a tendency of first time lathe buyers to go out and buy the first cheap lathe
they see. Try not to be that guy. Take your time, and always think about condition first.
 
Thank you for the reply...all of what you say makes sense. In tools, I always buy the very best that I know of and can find. I'm not in a hurry by any stretch, so doing some more research is definitely warranted. I saw a pristine EMCO Maximat Super 11 locally that looks to have everything anybody could want on one and is reasonably sized for the space I have. I did some reading about those, and they appear to be a real Rolls Royce among the lathes that aren't huge. A real precision machine, and built in Austria to boot. I'm sure it could do any and everything I could come up with in what I do. Only problem is, the guy wants $8500. for it, so I'll have to keep looking past that one. Anyway, thank you for the good advice. I hadn't thought about just posing the question on the internet to see what popped up - sometimes the most obvious thing is just right in front of me...
 
Consider new Taiwanese from Precision Matthews.
 
I'll take a look at them. I've seen some favorable comments on them both here and in other places...
 
A few words on new versus old, operation convenience and tooling cost:

Older lathes might be said to have a 'less convenient' user interface: the newer models, particularly the offshore (quality) ones seem to have more refined controls. -- Before I get flamed -- the re great examples of older lathes that are great to learn on, but your mention of Clausing had me thinking. My worst experience on a lathe was a 1950s Clausing lathe. nothing seemed to be where it should be, etc... All personal preference!

Another good small lathe is the Standard Modern.

Expect to spend around 500$ rapidly for lathe tooling, increasing as you find new and different things to do to at least 1200-1500 bucks. My 12X37 lathe has about 1.5K of tooling, not including expendables. My bigger lathes even more.
 
Yes, I'm beginning to realize that this is like building a hot rod. You start out with a base idea of what you want and in a very short time, you run into all kinds of "must have" things to go with it. Some things absolutely necessary, some just quite useful and fun. I just tend to be jaded toward older USA stuff for shop tools - not just a lathe. In accordance to the above suggestions, I plan on doing quite a bit of personal research on what is what and things to stay away from. Hopefully I can wind up with something that can do everything I would have an interest in, be very accurate and last a long time. Guess that's the goal, no matter what one winds up with...
 
Just my opinion. We all have opinions. Just like you know what else we all have.
Anyway, Logan’s are awesome. South Bends great also. You can find a used South Bend 9” flat belt lathe in decent shape for 1k fairly often. The beauty of the flat belts is that you can get away with screwing up accidentally and not having you finger or arm ripped off.
Don’t get me wrong. A bigger 13” South Bend is a much more ridgid and better lathe in my opinion. But for a first lath to learn on, it’s nice having that little bit of wiggle room. I spent 20 years fixing cars and using brake lathes. But I didn’t respect the power of a real metal lathe early on in this hobby. I read the posts. But in any case... that flat belt on the South Bend saved my butt on one occasion.
I’m much much safer now and really respect metal lathes. So, I am a big fan of the South Bend 9”. Parts are cheap. Accessories all over EBay. And it’s a decent capable lathe.
Yes, I prefer my bigger 12” lathe.
 
Thank you for your opinion. This is the kind of thought I'm looking for - things that others have experienced, and the machines they prefer and why. I too like the old American iron, if it can be had for a reasonable price and is in good shape. Americans can build ANYTHING better than ANYBODY, if we just want to do so. Trouble is, we just don't want to anymore. Too much lure to just making throw away junk and selling you another one next year and chasing that next dollar or just importing everything from everywhere else. And yes, you are absolutely correct about respecting things that spin under power! I've used everything that can maim you since I was a teenager and fortunately, I still have all of my fingers, etc...I'm still very much in the looking and exploring stage now, so any and all advice is much welcomed.
 
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