Metal lathe

[pRoFiT]

Yah i get the same prices in my area. Here is one by me in better shape.

https://fresno.craigslist.org/tls/6049269247.html for $2200


wow searching ebay found this one for 399 + 110 shipping.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-x14-550W-...-Variable-Speed-Mini-Lathe-3-4HP/302112050524

Looks nice. From China.

 

[itsid]

One word about these chinese metal lathes...

they pop up on ebay every now and then around here too..

and they get pulled off by ebay more often than not for two main reasons:
1) the seller has been banned by ebay after only a handfull of transactions
2) the complaints about the lathe piled up too quickly

those are sold under many different brandnames in either blue white as depicted, all blue or all red;
all 550Watts as far as I remember.

So be careful, it might be exactly the ones ebay deletes around here.

'sid

 

[Ebrownie]

I am no longer even considering buying one new. I think if I am patient, I can find a used one that is bigger, comes with tooling and a bench, and is higher quality for roughly the same price.

---------- Post added at 06:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:47 PM ----------

https://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/6037745787.html

Craftsman 6x24 lathe on bench with some tooling - $750

 

[firebirdparts]

I have a 16 inch south bend, 1959. It runs great, but the ways are worn out. I paid about $1200 for it and got tons of accessories with it. It's really too big for minibike and gocart work but you can still manage that if you're determined. I made something 5/16" diameter on it this weekend. I would still like to have another, benchtop lathe.

Buying an old lathe is sort of a hobby in itself. You need to get hooked into surplus auctions online, bid on a bunch of lathes, and be prepared to go get them. Then you'll need to convert it from 3 phase. They tend to get surplused out of factories closing down and trade schools. There are also guys that like to buy and sell them. there are a lot of old guys in your neighborhood that have a 9" south bend, so you will find a lot of those in estates. They used to put the 9" south bend in the Sears Christmas catalog.

My brother just bought a $12,000 Arboga drill press for $150. It was surplused out of a trade school in Georgia, and basically was new. Happy hunting.

---------- Post added at 07:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 AM ----------

Lathes are like air compressors, what ever the biggest one you can get, it WILL NOT be big enough.

Mine's big enough.

 

[Flyinhillbilly]

Mine's a 16inch LeBlond, I have a 10" 3 jaw chuck that I put in the bigger headstock to do smaller work. I've done some pretty small stuff on it. My ways are getting pretty tired too, but it still works good enough to suit me.

 

[Ebrownie]

I have seen a few big old 3 phase lathes for fairly cheap, but we don't have 3 phase in our subdivision and I dont feel like doing a bunch of stuff so it would work.

I will probably try to look locally too in my community to see if there are any old ones sitting in a barn or one that never gets used. I'm not in a rush to get one, but hopefully by this time next year maybe I can have one.

 

[Kartorbust]

It's funny cause 3 phase while expensive to install because of more wiring, is cheaper in the long run to use for whatever reason.

 

[tinamcjittles]

Just a question because of all the electrically inclined people on here, can you make a 3 phase supply with capacitors?
I know they use them to shift phases a set amount, but I'm sure the wave form collapses with larger loads :/

 

[andrecht]

Just a question because of all the electrically inclined people on here, can you make a 3 phase supply with capacitors?
I know they use them to shift phases a set amount, but I'm sure the wave form collapses with larger loads :/

Nope....
You wil need a VSD to successfully create 120° phase shift from a single phase supply

Sent from my SM-G570F using Tapatalk

 

[mckutzy]

Or a rotary phase converter... Which ironically you need a 3phase motor to build one...

 

[pRoFiT]

https://fresno.craigslist.org/tls/6204664356.html

Oh man, anyone think this is worth it?

$300. With stand! I dont have 300 right now....ahhhhhh. i want to buy this.

Always checking for a lathe deal. Bad timing.....

 

[Mammoth]

I was told to leave the small lathes to everyone else and get a real one.

The tooling usually cost more than the actual lathe, so if you can find one for a good price with tooling thats the ticket.

The Korean made Dong Yang lathes are real high quality, and can occasionally be found for a good price.

 

[GearHeadGarage]

I have a 1924 south bend 9x4'

 

[speedbug78]

Ive got an old Logan that looks a lot like the south bend lathe above. I paid $800 for it on Craigslist several years ago. The spindle bearings a pretty lose so I need to pull it apart and rebuild someday. I have also used the small 7x chinese lathes from grizzly. The are decent for small diameter/high speed stuff or larger soft materials.