Lurker needs help

[Justin Leiwig]

Hey guys. I don't think I've posted here before, but I've read the forums for a long while now. I'm looking to get into turning fairly cheap. I've come across an older lathe on craigslist.

http://buy-it-all.com/images/19370.jpg
http://buy-it-all.com/images/19369.jpg
http://buy-it-all.com/images/19371.jpg
http://buy-it-all.com/images/19372.jpg
http://buy-it-all.com/images/19373.jpg

What would be a fair offer for a lathe like this? Is it going to be decent enough to turn things like pens and such on or should I save my money for something else like the Delta Midi that is on sale? What type of motor should I look for if I do buy it?

I'm going to stick with 110v. That much I do know. I'd like to get at it soon and try and turn out a few ornaments for Christmas and such.

Sorry for all the questions, but I don't want to get burned and then discouraged.

Thanks,

Justin

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Hi Justin,
If you like tinkering with old tools more than turning go ahead and bid on the lathe pictured. If you want to turn projects, buy one of several mini lathes on the market that has a warranty if something is wrong with the lathe. You can always upgrade if you want larger projects.Max

[Phillip H Smith]

Justin...

From the pix provided, that lathe looks fairly rough and will need a lot of TLC. I don't see any "easy adjustment" on either the tool rest or tailstock. I think that for only a few dollars more than what you might pay for a 110V motor and the right drive pulley, mounting materials, etc., you could get yourself a nice mini/midi lathe.

I have a Rikon 70-100 that I bought on sale from Woodcraft....and I think it's on sale again ($199). My Rikon has worked flawlessly for me and has made this new turner very happy. There are, of course, lots of options on the market such as the Jet or Delta lathes. If you do a search on this forum on "what lathe to buy," you'll see lots of options.

As most people here will tell you, "Think a bit ahead and get the best lathe you can afford." Upgrading is always expensive...I know, as I've tried to skimp on tools/equipment and always wind up dissatisfied and needing to buy what I should have in the first place. (What a waste of $$s!).

As you get into turning you'll find that there are all kinds of goodies you'll want/need. Turning tools, chucks, etc...etc. (To give you some perspective, the first pen I turned cost me around $1,200! If you count the cost of the lathe and all the stuff I purchased to go along with it.)

Welcome to the Creek....and the vortex....

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Justin, even if this lathe were new, most people would quickly out-grow it. I think you would be wise to spend your money on either a new mini or a used bigger (and better) machine.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Justin,

Welcome to the Creek and the Vortex!

You've gotten some pretty sage advice so far. I was gifted with a Jet VS Mini about 20 months ago. I was able to turn everything that a larger lathe will turn except at smaller diameters.

I now have a brand new PM3502B waiting to be uncrated.

Another problem that you could run into with this lathe is do the drive center and the live center line up? If not, it could be a real pain!

Good luck with your decisions!

[Justin Leiwig]

Thanks for the opinions guys. Anyone have any idea how old it may be? I may go look at it since it is local. Maybe something to keep on the back burner to restore at a later date in life huh?

[George Guadiane]

Justin,

Welcome to the Creek and the Vortex!

You've gotten some pretty sage advice so far. I was gifted with a Jet VS Mini about 20 months ago. I was able to turn everything that a larger lathe will turn except at smaller diameters.

I now have a brand new PM3502B waiting to be uncrated.

Another problem that you could run into with this lathe is do the drive center and the live center line up? If not, it could be a real pain!

Good luck with your decisions!
Ken,
I know you want to finish the shop first, but how do you have the ??? to resist taking that beauty out for a spin?
I am suffering for you (and the lathe), just knowing that it is there, WAITING.

[George Guadiane]

Thanks for the opinions guys. Anyone have any idea how old it may be? I may go look at it since it is local. Maybe something to keep on the back burner to restore at a later date in life huh?
It might be OK for a while, but CHECK THE BEARINGS. If they need to be greased, or if they don't run quiet and true, don't even think about it, unless you want to get into the rebuild business.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Welcome to the Creek Justin!

Lots of advice so far but will add my thoughts on the lathe - pick up one of the newer midi lathes that are out there. The new lathe would provide for hassle free turning and when you are just starting out you don't want to have to deal with contant equipment problems. When checking out an old lathe - in addition to checking out everything already listed - you also have to see if it can operate with any of the modern equipment - such as chuck, live center, etc.

What ever you decide - best of luck to you and we all are looking forward to seeing lots of pictures of your work!

[Brian Weick]

That lathe bed does not appear to be original. somebody wanted a longer bed and I think that was a "fabricated bed". I would say $50.00 would be fair. "WP" May be a manufactured out of Rochester "W.P. Davis" - just guessing. good luck and I hope you enjoy whatever you get.
Have a great Day!
Brian

[David Fried]

$50 might be fair but I've seen several newer Craftmen lathes on Craigs list here for $50. They would accept standard stuff, centers, chucks, etc. - will this one?

If you're into restoring and making tools - go for it. If you want to start turning in the near future think about it carefully.

Ken - UNPACK THAT LATHE !!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Justin lots of good advice. First thing that caught my eye was the tailstock and headstock. Probably MT1 with 3/4 X 16. Not much for accessories out there. Can be found but a pain. I would get a new mini or midi lathe such as the Jet, Delta or Rikon. I have the Rikon ($199 at Woodcraft till 10/31) and have had a lot of fun with it. Also the accessories you buy for these will fit a lot of lathes if you upgrade and you can get adaptors so they will fit almost any lathe. If you are determined to rebuild it then go for it but if you are wanting to get into turning I would look elsewhere. You can go wrong with any of the above and will have a warranty to boot. Just my $1.298.

[Justin Leiwig]

Again thank you all for the warm welcome and the opinions. I've decided that I'm not going to pursue this lathe project at this time and will just bide my time until I can convince my CEO(wife) that a new lathe is a wise and decent purchase.

[Paul Engle]

This looks like a project lathe, since the bed has been replace with square tubing it is not orginal. If restoration is what you want ... move on , as you will mostly likely never find an orginal bed. If just spindle work is all you want to do with a full restore ... move on , if not in it for the restore, make sure the headstock spindle and the tail stock spindle turns , buy a 1/2 hp mtr to learn on and go spinney , then if you still like to turn save up and buy the 200$ lathe that will ultimately cost you around 500$ by the time you get it set up with all the bells , etc.

[Ron Raymond]

Welcome aboard Justin,

Lots of great advice here from folks far more knowledgeable than I, but here's something that hasn't been mentioned. Have you ever turned anything? No matter how great of a bargain you find, you'll end up shelling out a bunch of money just to see if you like it. Look around and see if there's a Woodcraft store near you. They all have regular classes such as Basic Turning, Pen Turning, Bowl Turning, etc. You can spend an evening or a Saturday getting some great tutoring on good equipment with proper tools for about $60 or $70. Or do a Google search for a woodturning club in your area.

Good luck!