Advice on Buying old Craftsman Combo Lathe...

[Gershom]

Guy wants 400 for Lathe. it is a combo (wood and metal) lathe, runs good, might be slightly reconditioned. Is this a good lathe for pipe work? Or should I save my money for a better one later?

Thanks

[TRS]

That's the type of lathe that I have. As far as pipemaking, it's almost like it was designed for it, in concept. Some things you might consider are that it's old; really, really old. I've only had to replace the spindle bearings, and one of the iron clamps for the tailstock broke, so I've been pretty lucky, because other parts for it are HARD to find. Also, I have a countershaft setup which gives me lots of speed options, but even with that I can barely coax enough speed out of it for cleanly cutting ebonite. Overall, however, I think my advice would be to save your money. If you're considering $400, that's a good start on a better lathe. I'll eventually invest in a better machine, but my combo lathe was only $50 and well worth it at that price.