Craftsman 113-228162 lathe

[Gary Herrmann]

Is anyone familiar with this or a similar lathe? A friend of mine can get it along with a cabinet and a few cman turning tools for $100. I've found out it's lowest speed is 875, which is kinda high.

It has a 12" swing and 40" spindle length. I believe it has 1/2 hp.

It seems reasonable for the price, but I wanted to see if anyone had any hands on experience with it before we go look at it.

He wants to try turning and this seems like a fairly inexpensive way to get into it.

Don't have any pics.

Thanks

[Brian Brown]

Lowest speed is 875? YIKES!!! I thought mine was bad at 500 rpm. Otherwise, no experience with it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Gary, I started out on a 1954 version Craftsman lathe and used it for 2 years until upgrading to my Jet. The lathe - depending on condition - works great for spindles and if you have to - you can fight it to do bowls. Big questions would be the condition and what tools you get along with it. If you got lots of tools - then $100 would be fair. If it was just the lathe - I feel $100 is on the high side.

Let us know what you find out - and take your camera!

[robert hainstock]

That's a fifty year old lathe, Unless he's desparate to get started, or there are lot's of tools and accessories. A lot of us started on thoses old monotubes, and were probably most frustrated by the difficulty in finiding 3/4 16 TPI accessories. :eek::):)
Bob

[Curt Fuller]

It's a nice spindle lathe. That's what it was designed for and if that's what your friend has in mind it should serve him well. I turned for a few years on a newer version and although I wouldn't want to go back to it, I had a lot of fun with it. For $100, he'll probably get his money's worth just in the tools. I bought a few faceplates and a talon chuck for mine and I turned bowls up to 10" with it just fine.

[Wally Wenzel]

I have MODEL 113.23800 lathe which must be about the same, I use it almost daily, i can't begine to count the number of bowls i have turned on it up to a little over 11 in. in dia. and many spindles for chair repair which i did for quite some time. It is not a 3520 or what ever but a lot of work can be done on it. keep it well tuned and it will do well for you.
Wally

[Gary Herrmann]

Thanks guys. I packaged up your responses and then added my own interpretation. Since I'll probably be going with him, I can make sure the lathe works well enough.

[Rob Mathis]

anyone have pictures?

[David Pearson]

I too started on that very lathe. It sucked me into the vortex... I recently upgraded to a Jet 1442. It was like going from a VW Rabbit to a Cadillac.

[Scott Hubl]

If the turning tools are old Carbon steel, they are pretty much worthless no matter the brand. IMHO.

Like Bill G. says if you "blue" one, just Toss it, don't waste your time trying to grind beyond it you'll only frustrate yourself trying.

Now if there are a bunch of HSS tools then you have some "extras" with the lathe.

You might be better off finding a Jet/Delta/Rikon mini lathe to start off with. No way around it, Turning is NOT a cheap hobby.

One of the most common lathe sizes is a MT2 taper and a 1X8 TPI, oddball sized lathes are hard to find accessories for and then when you upgrade later those odd sized accessories won't fit your next lathe.
I upgraded from a 1X8 TPI to a 1 1/4X8 TPI but only had to replace the "inserts" for several chucks not the chucks themselves.

Look it over well, then decide.

[robert hainstock]

The big problem with those old sears lathes was finding 3/4" 16TPI attachments. there is no MT for them. so you and your friend should look for those attachments as add toit's too. :)
Bob