Advice on lathe for home shop

[mmcmdl]

There is a million lathes for sale in the market place . Put out a " lathe wanted " post on CL . You need to decide on what lathe at what price .

 

[GSweldmech]

There is a million lathes for sale in the market place . Put out a " lathe wanted " post on CL . You need to decide on what lathe at what price

Normally I’d agree with you but , in my area anyway, thereks very little right now. I’m in no great hurry I can wait for the right machine to come along.
I did exchange emails with the owner of the Cincinnati try top , he has owned it since new, and it’s been used in a machine shop since new. Apparently it’s retired now , owner says it’s in very good working condition. My only concern is there is zero tooling included, there’s an aloris tool post but no holders that I see, there’s a tail stock with a Jacob chuck, but no taper attachment, no steady rest , no follow rest, there is a 4 Jew pictured but no three jaw chuck or collets. There is a newall DRO and his asking price is 2250.

 

[mmcmdl]

When a used lathe is sold , the tooling is usually not included . This is because most buyers aren't willing to buy quality USA tools at the going prices paid on other sites . You can purchase the lathe , then triple the price on top of the line tooling , or purchase cheaper off shore stuff from overseas . It's just how it is these days . If you would buy this lathe and put 3X your money into great tooling , would you sell it for the lathe price alone ?

 

[Winegrower]

You should jump on the Cincinnati. Now.

 

[matthewsx]

This ^^^^^

 

[Watchwatch]

$2200 for that Cincinnati would be though to pass on. You are looking at least $4500 for a new Taiwanese lathe that is less rigid.

Go check it out with $2200 in your pocket....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dabbler]

@GSweldmech If the Cincinnati is in good shape it is a steal. If it has a reasonable headstock on it (L1, D5 or the other American taper I can't remember) then it will be within budget to get a backing plate and a decent 3 jaw. A big bonus is that it is still owned by the original owner, which speaks well for it.

A taper attachment is a nice to have, but 2 of my 3 lathes have one, but I've never used them . I indicate in the compound and use that - so far I haven't needed longer travel...

One thing in favour of new buy is the newer QCGB include metric and imperial without changing gears of any kind, just levers.

 

[kb58]

When a used lathe is sold , the tooling is usually not included . This is because most buyers aren't willing to buy quality USA tools at the going prices paid on other sites . You can purchase the lathe , then triple the price on top of the line tooling , or purchase cheaper off shore stuff from overseas . It's just how it is these days . If you would buy this lathe and put 3X your money into great tooling , would you sell it for the lathe price alone ?

Well, yes, mostly. Tooling is usually easily transferable to another lathe, and when someone sells a lathe, it's usually because they're replacing it with another. So the above could also be phrased: Why sell perfectly good tooling for practically nothing when it could go right onto the next lathe?

 

[GSweldmech]

So while I wait for a reply on length between centers on the tray top (not called out in the ad or visible in any of the pictures) I’m researching what a three jaw L0 mount chuck goes for and it seems that new 8“ chucks are approaching $1000. What are these going for used? I’m doing some internet research on used ones but I’m thinking the folks on this board have a good idea of the fair cost of a de ent three jaw for that machine, what about tool holders for the aloris tool post?
i’m hoping the seller has this stuff and has planned to hang on to it for other machines but might be ope; to negotiating the extra tooling into the sale.

 

[projectnut]

There are currently several 3 jaw chucks with L0 mounts available on eBay in the $300.00 to $400.00 price range. Shipping runs from Free to around $60.00.
3 jaw L0 mount lathe chuck | eBay

There are also 6 jaw chucks with L0 backplates with shipping for less than $375.00.
8" 6-JAW SELF-CENTERING LATHE CHUCK w. top&bottom jaws, L0 adapter back plate | eBay

You can always buy a chuck without a back plate, and purchase a semi finished back plate for around $100.00.
L0 Semi-finished adapter Plate for LATHE CHUCKS | eBay

There are several listings for bare chucks in the 8" and 10" range for between $100.00 and $300.00.
10" 3 jaw lathe chuck in Manufacturing and Metalworking Equipment | eBay

ON EDIT: Personally I think you'll find more use for the 4 jaw chuck on a machine that size than a 3 jaw. My Sheldon is a 13" machine with an L00 chuck mount. I have 6 chucks for it, 3-3 jaw and 3- 4 jaw. Both are in sizes 6" 8" and 10". I find I use the 4 jaw chucks almost exclusively unless I need soft jaws.

As for a QCTP you might want to consider Phase II. I have a BXA on my Sheldon, and an AXA on my Seneca Falls. Both have been in use 20+ years and are accurate and repeatable. We did have Aloris posts and holders where I worked, but that was in the days before all the discounters. The Phase II holders and posts work just as well on my machines, and cost a fraction of the Aloris products. In the scheme of things they'll probably only last 50 years while the Aloris will last 75 years. If I'm still here in 50 years I'll probably have to replace them.