Cheap lathe?

[SavannahLion]

I really don't want to go to a DIY route. It's more work for a tool that, as I see it, receives limited use.

I also don't want to spend mounds of money on a tool I really don't have a lot of experience with either. See point #1 above as well.

So... Any ideas to sourcing a smallish lathe for a reasonable cost? I checked Harbor Freight and they have one for a $100 or so. I wasn't overly impressed with it though. I didn't even bother with Home Depot or Lowes. I'm so sick of those places and the crap they offer.

I think what tears me about it is that I know I need (or want, however you want to define it) a lathe for my projects but my bones would rather spend the money upgrading the house server or repairing the network. I think that's why I don't want to go buy a lathe at HF, I know the quality is pretty shoddy and I'm not really interested in shoddy ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---.

[NickG]

sears and woodcraft sell some mini lathes.  you can probably find used ones cheaper and/or with more pieces on craigslist.   You mention not using it much and not knowing how to use it well ().  Don't forget about public access machine shops, some of which have tutors to help you with your projects and may have the more expensive machines. Example:
http://techshop.ws/  I would only use such an option for a well planned project(s) with guaranteed tool time, and make good use of a full month.  Otherwise take good care of a used machine and resell it, making your purchase into a cheap rental of sorts.

[boboprime]

Long time lurker, first posting...  Be gentle, please.   

If you're looking for cheap and have a drill press, give this a look:
http://grizzly.com/products/Lathe-Attachment-for-Drill-Press/H8071

It works relatively well.  Here is an example of what I was able to do on my first go (made from some black locust tree branch from my front yard):


The device is nothing fancy and it's odd to work at that angle but for $20 it's a decent tool   

BBP

[EightBySix]

Don't forget about public access machine shops, some of which have tutors to help you with your projects and may have the more expensive machines. Example:
http://techshop.ws/ 

Just been looking at that website - what a fantstic idea! Can't find any in the UK though.. can anyone tell me otherwise?

[SavannahLion]

Bump....

Unwittingly I've been in ownership of lathe since... well... forever.

I've nicknamed it the "Blue Beast" (I've got the Orange Monster I plan on reassembling and putting a video up). My mother discovered it hidden underneath an unused wine rack. Not sure what exactly possesed my mother to move it from that location and onto a nearby shelf. Visualize a 60 year old woman no taller than 5'6" single handedly lifting this thing onto a shelf. And this is after a recent broken arm. All of this in a room that has a nearly impossible low ceiling.

I already overloaded the truck (much to my wifes dismay) and wasn't able to haul it back down from its current residence. But I did grab some pictures. Based on the model numbers, it's a Sears Dunlap Model #103-0602 circa 1942 (found a thread selling a brand new one for $250 dated over a year ago). Oddly, out of norm for my father's habits, I didn't see any accessories or the motor with it. I know, prior to mom switching into that cursed, "Mom Mode,"  that the room was loaded with a crazy number of boxed tools and probably half a dozen motors. I believe it's likely my mother separated the tools and motor and moved them into deep storage without ever realizing what they're for. So I guess I have to figure out where they went off to or source new pieces.

Based on random bits of information scattered around the net, this lathe apparently uses a 1/3HP 1725RPM motor. Worse comes to worse, I hope the local Sears parts store (which has exactly 1/2 the operating hours of the main store and none of which coincides with absolutely any part of my own schedule   ) can sell me a new drive belt and suitable motor.  

This URL shows a plate on the headstock and some kind of sander attachment?

Describes the lathe as having a 9" swing and 30" on centers. I'm still not quite sure what that means. It looks identical in construction to mine. It looks very nice since it's been stripped, rebuilt and repainted. Also comfirms what I suspected, it's a wood lathe.
Instructables comes through and mentions the RPM/HP and a discussion about the pulley system. Doh! Just realized that without the missing motor, I don't have the matching pulley arrangements.  
A lot more beat than mine but sports the original(?) motor. Clearly shows 1/4, not 1/3 horsepower. As an added bonus, there's a link to the catalog! Yay! (Wow! Is that Dad's drill press in the '41 catalogue?!)

And here is the picture....

[Turambar]

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WATCH OUR VIDEO! (SKIP TO 1:15)



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[Necro]

Turambar, I don't have feet you insensitive ass...

[michelevit]

You can easily get a cheap small lathe used on Craigslist. I would search there before visiting any of the new tool stores.

[eds1275]

CALL 1-800-867-5309 AND GET YOUR CHEAP LATHE TODAY!

I called your number, and I lost my nerve. I tried my imagination, but I was disturbed!