Looking for my first Lathe!!!

[mac1911]

Simple garage hobby shop here looking for my first lathe. I want something popular, so I can find plenty of information on the lathe. I am almost completely youtube taught, ha ha ha. I'm looking to buy a used lathe, I enjoy restoring things like this. I would like to have the ability to cut threads. My budget is like $1000 to $2000... But if it was really worth it I could see myself spending $3k. I'm a big believer in spending money and gettin the item that best suits your needs up front, rather than buying cheaper and then wanting something better down the road. What do you guys suggest? Thank you!

1.How much space are you going to sacrifice to the lathe.
I say sacrifice because if you dont end up using it enough its just wasting space. There are plenty of larger lathes for sale around me that are described as selling “need the room”
2. Projects : what are you major projects.
3. Budget is $3000 total budget or just machine. ( tooling with in reason supplied with the lathe) your always going to be spending more on tooling.
Im slowly tooling up on larger drill bits and reamers.

Do you plan on making any money with it or production?
Might want to think about that also. Anything to speed up the end result.

 

[mickri]

I looked for over a year. One of my absolute had to have was 36" between centers. Search out estate sales where the kids are wanting to get grandpa's lathe and other stuff out of the garage. It will come with more stuff than you can shake a stick at. That's what I did. My lathe came from a guy who used it to repair/restore one cylinder pump motors used in citrus orchards. My lathe came with virtually everything in the Craftsman catalog except for a taper attachment and lots of other stuff. I paid $1200 for my Craftsman 12x36 lathe. Since purchase I don't think that I have spend even $200 on stuff for the lathe.

Shy away from lathes used in a production shop. They will most likely be worn out and come with very little tooling.

 

[mac1911]

I looked for over a year. One of my absolute had to have was 36" between centers. Search out estate sales where the kids are wanting to get grandpa's lathe and other stuff out of the garage. It will come with more stuff than you can shake a stick at. That's what I did. My lathe came from a guy who used it to repair/restore one cylinder pump motors used in citrus orchards. My lathe came with virtually everything in the Craftsman catalog except for a taper attachment and lots of other stuff. I paid $1200 for my Craftsman 12x36 lathe. Since purchase I don't think that I have spend even $200 on stuff for the lathe.

Shy away from lathes used in a production shop. They will most likely be worn out and come with very little tooling.

Key is to know what you want and need , be ready to jump.