Used lathe buying guide

[Ocelot55]

Being a bargain hunter, shelling out $2,000 for a Jet 9x20 is pretty painful for me. Not to mention the fact that I'll probably spend another $1000 on chucks, tooling, ect.

To me, the best potential for a good deal lies in the used market. Now, I've bought my fair share of used items that turned out to be lemons. Usually this is because I did my research after the purchase. I've been burned enough not to do that again.

So here is my inquiry: When you're looking for a used lathe, what are you looking for? How do you make sure you don't wind up with a expensive pile of metal?

[oklahoma red]

Go to http://www.lathe.com. This is the lathe department of the Logan Actuator Co. Go to the FAQs and read down to find a section on evaluating old lathes.
Go to paragraph 1.6 and at the end of that section you will find another link for detailed info.
Chas.

[Ocelot55]

Thanks Chas. That's perfect!

[Ocelot55]

So I need some friendly advice. I'm looking at some lathes and even though I've read the guide Chas provided, I have no clue how to evaluate these lathes. Could I get some opinions?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Atlas-Craftsman ... 3a792cc6f0

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221115960146?ss ... 1438.l2648

Thanks in advance!

[Alden]

The 6x18 is too small, the 9x20 is too much $.
Thats my opinion. I have a Jet 920, I sure wouldnt want anything smaller. Found mine used locally for something like $800

[oklahoma red]

Unless you can lay hands on the lathe, the "evaluation" is a crap shoot. You are taking the word of the seller and their photos that the lathe is not a boat anchor.
The earlier links I posted give guidance if you are able to examine the machine first hand.
As far as suitability for pipe making, both the Atlas and Jet are usable with the proper tooling.
In no particular order, the most sought after American lathes would be Atlas, South Bend, Logan and Clausing.
Right now, IMHO, none of them can hold a candle to the parts support that the Logan has. Virtually every wear part on the Logans can be had brand new (and a lot on the used market). Of course these new parts carry a steep price tag.
Scott Logan told me yesterday they have over 20,000 parts in stock. That speaks volumes in working with these old classics.
The South Bend and Logan lathes are similar in many ways and are great for pipe making. The Atlas is not as heavily built. Clausing is beefy but I don't know a lot about them.
Mark Tinsky uses an Atlas that looks like it is serial number 1.
I got lucky 2 weeks ago and managed to pick up a Logan in running condition that was only 14 miles from home. I'm going to go thru it from teeth to a-hole for a complete re-build cause I want to. I admire these old lathes. I've already bored and turned a stummel on this one as-is. It just needs some TLC.
If it were me and I trusted the seller I'd go with the Atlas if you don't want to wait for something else to come along.
Chas.

[Ocelot55]

Thanks gentlemen. So would a fair price for a Jet 9X20 in good condition be about $800-$1000?

I WANT A LATHE!!!!!

[Alden]

Thanks gentlemen. So would a fair price for a Jet 9X20 in good condition be about $800-$1000?

I dont know, I suppose it depends on where you are, accessories, stand etc. I watched Craigslist intently for several months to find mine. Intently means checking it 3 times a day. When a deal on a metal lathe comes up, my experience is that its gone within an hour or two.
For me, less than $1,000 is what I wanted to pay for one and I just pounced on the first one to come up. But really, if you're not checking Craigslist obsessively, you'll think good lathes never come up for sale. They do, they're just gone before you see them if you're only checking it every few days.

[JHowell]

I know some guys here use Atlas lathes. I don't like them; the ways are flat and made of cheese, very susceptible to abrasive damage. The handles are a low-temperature allow designed for ease of casting, not for strength, very easily broken. If you get one with plain bearings in the headstock you are limited in speed, and if you keep the oil reservoirs full like you should you'll wind up with oil evenly distributed in an arc around the spindle. Including you, if you stand there.

South Bends are nice machines, and some had hardened ways. A Heavy Ten with hardened ways would be a nice lathe to have, big spindle and all. I think some 10Ls had the big spindle, too. Very handy to be able to take 5C collets. But the most numerous South Bends are the 9 inch lathes, which are more of a hobby machine. Still very nice, but a touch small and limited (as are all South Bends) to 1200 rpm by the plain bearings. If 9 inch (easy to move), probably best to avoid the older South Bends like the Junior with total loss oiling and stay with the Model C, Model B, Model A with the wicking oiling system.

Logans are, I think, the best choice for a cheap-ish old lathe. The ways aren't hardened and they aren't quite as nice as South Bends, but they're cheaper and the ball bearing spindle bearings allow rpms. 11 inch is the best for pipes.

What about other brands? Clausing? Rivett? Hardinge? Pacemaker? LeBlond? Monarch? Rockwell? Well, a good example would be an excellent lathe, if you have the room for it. These are industrial machines, usually at least 14 inch swing, and heavy as hell. Serious rigging to move. Probably 3-phase, needing a phase converter. Lots of features that you probably won't need. Apt to be heavily worn by years of shift work. Although they can sometimes be had very cheaply because the owners just want them gone and they're hard to move, parts are expensive and a restoration isn't to be undertaken lightly. An 11 inch Logan is about the best you can do for old iron when it comes to making pipes.

Best course of action, I'd say, is to save as much as you can and have the cash ready, then watch. Check ebay for lathes that might be close enough to look at, or to pick up. Look for commercial auctions; just about every manufacturer of anything has a lathe or two in the repair shop. If you're in Cleveland, this will be easy. Grand Forks, not so much.