Metal lathe - should I buy?

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Hi all.I'm considering getting a lathe. Been putting off lathe and mill due to space and the fact the machines can be found reasonable.............. it's the tooling that'll kill me, from what I've seen.Anyway, I digress. I'm not looking for anything large as I only look to do some shafting rebuilds for mowers, blowers, tillers, etc. I'm not a machinist, I'm a millwright with machine knowledge but zero operator experience. I just move em, I don't run em. Would this be a consideration?  http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/an...370572650.htmlWhat questions should I ask the seller? What should I look for regarding the head? The ways?Input greatly appreciated.
Reply:More or less a lathe shaped toy, but for small repairs it might get you by. Here is a link to an old tutorial for looking at lathes with your eyes open.http://www.mermac.com/advicenew.htmlLincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Originally Posted by WyoRoyMore or less a lathe shaped toy, but for small repairs it might get you by. Here is a link to an old tutorial for looking at lathes with your eyes open.http://www.mermac.com/advicenew.html
Reply:Photos are crap , but I believe it should be an Atlas. Here a link to a probable match.http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas6inch/Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Yep!  It was manufactured for Sears by the Atlas Press company if the "model 101" is accurate.There should be more to the model number which was on a tag located at the tail stock end of the bed.  The first three digit denote the vendor code.For other Sears/Craftsman vendor codes see this link;http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=222RogerOld, Tired, and GRUMPYSalesman will call, Batteries not included, Assembly is required, and FREE ADVICE IS WORTH EXACTLY WHAT YOU PAY FOR IT!Dial Arc 250HFThunderbolt 225 AC/DCAssorted A/O torches
Reply:Run, don't walk, to the Practical Machinist forums and do some reading. Much love for Weldingweb (I send people here with welding questions) but for machinist questions, go to Practical Machinist.It's a LARGE advantage you are a millwright because you won't be intimidated by moving machines. The "sweet spot" for cost-effective tools isn't hobby/small stuff which is overpriced, but smaller commercial gear. I'm looking for a "short" lathe such as an American Pacemaker or Monarch, and a Bridgeport or decent foreign equivalent. Do tooling a piece at a time and it won't kill ya. Study Ebay heavily. My machine shop owner bud buys most of his end mills etc off Ebay. I bought my measuring tools for the machine shop course I'm taking off Ebay and saved big bucks. STUDY everything first and you'll win by knowing what things are good for and what they are worth.Vendors like MSC are great for commercial shops but you pay out the azz. Their website is an interesting read.
Reply:+1 to what farmall said ^Matt
Reply:Well, did some research. Probably would have been fine for my needs. I talked to the guy and the tooling with it probably would've been worth the cost. Probably should have gone and got it but the CP had me hanging lights (60 degrees out) before the cold. Today high expected 34 deg. and it's no longer listed.  Guess I'm on the lurkout again.
Reply:That lathe isn't really even worth owning... if it was free I would take it, but I wouldn't pay for it. Get a real lathe or don't bother.
Reply:Originally Posted by kustomizingkidThat lathe isn't really even worth owning... if it was free I would take it, but I wouldn't pay for it. Get a real lathe or don't bother.
Reply:For decision of lathe a metal lathe is the large class of lathes designed for precisely machining relatively hard materials. They are designed to machine metals, but also used in applications and a broad range of materials. The rigid machine tools remove material from a rotating work piece through various cutting tools, such as tool bits and drill bits.metal asset tags