Noob first lathe purchase questions: Dunlap/Craftsman 109

[pdentrem]

Did you have specific job in mind at this stage or just wanted to get a lathe up and running for future use?
For low speed, low impact work of a simple nature then a couple of simple (rough) fixes will get you running. Bear in mind that these are not recommended methods by any stretch but will get you learning and turning with a view to improving your ability to recognize a better lathe when it comes along.
You can make a dummy spindle with a point and put that in place, using that to hold your original spindle between centres, you can use emery to smooth out your rough areas on the spindle.
Split the existing worn bearings, and shim the outside of them to reduce the inside diameter when you push them back in. Using a mandrel in a power drill with emery cloth you can open them up until they accept the cleaned up spindle.
Now with the original spindle in place you can fit your chuck and make some new bearings to fit, (brass, although not ideal, will do in a pinch) and if its necessary a new spindle.
Remember to keep the oil up to it, as it will probably leak out as fast as you put it in.

Cheers Phil

The machine lathe is one machine that can rebuild itself. With human intervention required of course.
You can make a new spindle as Phil suggest by using the correct size drill rod and new bushings to fit. With any luck, standard sized oilite bushings might even be of correct size for the OD (outside dimension) and just buy the matching drill rod for the bushings ID. With this done you can now start making either a new spindle to match the threaded chuck end and either reuse the new bushings that you have installed or totally new bushings for the new spindle.

I would suggest that the new bushings be the split type as that you can take up any wear that will occur over time. Another point to make is that if you have to turn the running surfaces on the spindle to fit the bushings, you will need a good finish otherwise the bushings will die very quickly. A ground finish and polished in both directions of rotation to remove the grinding wheel surface roughness is required. What I mean about that is the grinding wheel leave a stubble, like the raised grain fuzz you get when you wet a sanded wood surface, this has to be removed or it will machine the bushings to destruction.

Based upon the previous paragraph, I think that making a new spindle using drill rod with a welded on collar and a stub to machine the threaded chuck end might be the way to go. I can not tell exactly how the spindle is made up by your photo so this is just a guess.
Pierre