CraigsList $50 find

[Mike Olson]

I have been wanting a lathe for a while now, mostly to make some replacement handles for my Neander tools. I have been trying to build my own Lathe but after 3 weeks of messing around I have given up trying to get everything straight. I saw this on Craigslist and decided to pick it up.

Hopefully this weekend I will be able to get it hooked up and try it out.

I'm not so sure of the motor that came with it. it's 1/3 HP and looks really nasty. I have a 1/2 HP from an old drill press that I may use instead.

[John Hart]

Looks like a fun restoration project. I'm sure it'll work fine for your handles.

Then you'll get addicted...then you'll buy a Powermatic....then your family will wonder what happened to you.


Just tell them ahead of time that the vortex is coming.;)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on your first lathe! Looks like it will be a project getting it up and running - so have fun with it!

Looking forward to seeing your first turnings!

[Tim Rinehart]

CL can have some great finds. About 6 months ago or so, I was getting ready to travel to visit family in Florida panhandle, and saw a listing for a free lathe to first call on it. It was about 15 minutes from my brother in law, and he went and got it. It was an old Craftsman 'tube' lathe, must have been a gazillion made. This one was in a box, with no manual, just parts taken down for space saving.
We got it put together and mounted on a board...but he hasn't convinced LOHL that it deserves any space in garage...so...it sits. It does run well, but getting a chuck for it would be tough I suspect. Some 3/4" size not standard, if I recall.

Good luck with your lathe project. For spindle work, it should be all you need.
Before you start thinking about bowls...and need for special adapters to get a chuck, consider instead to just sink a modest amount into a HF 34706 or a used smaller mini/midi lathe from Jet/Rikon/HF/Delta...list goes on.

[Wally Wenzel]

I just retired one of those lathes, there are a lot of accesories avaible that will work on that lathe, i was able to adapt most of mine to work on my replacement. Wally

[Dave Wagner]

That wasn't up near Buffalo? I saw a couple on CL around $100 or less range.

[Mike Olson]

That wasn't up near Buffalo? I saw a couple on CL around $100 or less range.

yup, i got it from a fellow in East Aurora. All the ones I have seen prior to this are in the $200 + range on CL.

Granted, I don't troll CL too much.

[David E Keller]

Congrats on the new lathe.

Won't the neander guys treat you poorly for using a power tool to create the handles? I thought you had to do it with a spoke shave or a sharp spoon or something.:D

[Mike Olson]

Congrats on the new lathe.

Won't the neander guys treat you poorly for using a power tool to create the handles? I thought you had to do it with a spoke shave or a sharp spoon or something.:D

That's funny...
I started off with a spokeshave and gave up.

[Dennis Puskar]

These Craftsman lathes were made for spindle turning,the slowest speed is about 875 RPM if I recall which is much to fast for a bowl blank. The thread size is 3/4-16 which is standard and chucks can be bought at Penn State Ind.and other woodworking stores. Great Find

[Sid Matheny]

One small step towards turning, one gaint step towards the vortex. Have fun.

Sid