Atlas 3996 for sale, thoughts?

Robert, why wouldn't you take this for yours? Is is too big, or a bad deal or not the right one for your needs, or something else? Just curious. If this is not a good machine, I'll skip it.

Based on your post, this one could sell for about $1200 + $300 (2 chucks)+$150 (QCTP and holders)+ $100 for misc tooling=$1750. Pretty close to asking price. I'd argue for reducing the price since there is no 4-jaw chuck, steady- or follow-rest.

Thanks for the V-bed info. I wondered what all the fuss was about.
 
Two years ago I paid $1200 for my craftsman 12x36 and it came with every accessory that craftsman offered including a tool post grinder accept for a tapper attachment. 2 4 jaw chucks, 3 3 jaw chucks, 2 face plates, one lantern style tool post, a 4 way tool post holder and a boring bar holder. Some magnetic bases and dial indicators and more tool bits than I will probably ever use. There were also several Jacobs chucks and some spare parts.

It will cut the most common metric threads with a 52/44 combo gear in the drive train. There is a thread on the forum about cutting metric threads through a qcgb on an atlas/craftsman lathe and an article in the downloads section of the forum.

You could also make a cover for the belts on your current lathe. I was at an estate auction last Saturday where the there was an atlas lathe with a home made cover. I didn't stay for the auction so I don't know what the lathe sold for.

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mickri said:
Two years ago I paid $1200 for my craftsman 12x36 and it came with every accessory that craftsman offered including a tool post grinder accept for a tapper attachment. 2 4 jaw chucks, 3 3 jaw chucks, 2 face plates, one lantern style tool post, a 4 way tool post holder and a boring bar holder. Some magnetic bases and dial indicators and more tool bits than I will probably ever use. There were also several Jacobs chucks and some spare parts.

It will cut the most common metric threads with a 52/44 combo gear in the drive train. There is a thread on the forum about cutting metric threads through a qcgb on an atlas/craftsman lathe and an article in the downloads section of the forum.

You could also make a cover for the belts on your current lathe. I was at an estate auction last Saturday where the there was an atlas lathe with a home made cover. I didn't stay for the auction so I don't know what the lathe sold for.

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I thought of making one. Didn't think about a mesh one, though. Thanks for the idea.

I saw this lathe (link below) on CL. It is the same model (looks like a different year, though) and has a cover. Anyone know if it will for my lathe?

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/tls/d/craftsman-metal-lathe/6770505380.html

He wants $400 firm. I suppose I could part it out. Thoughts anyone?

Thanks for the price info! That seems to point to a lower price for mine. I feel like I'm getting closer to a fair price and getting good bargaining knowledge.
 
I would buy this lathe for the covers and part out the rest. You might be able use some of the gears as change gears on your current lathe. It's too bad that the change gears you bought were for a 6" lathe. Have you contacted the ebay seller for a refund. If he misrepresented what he was selling you should be able to get a full refund including return shipping. I would definitely pursue a refund.
 
ARC-170 said:
Seller rejected $800 from another seller. Seller told me he could part it out for $3000, but didn't want to do that to this machine since, in his opinion, it was so nice.
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If he could part it out for $3000 , don't you think he would do it ? I part out Cub Cadets ,and it's not easy money . I'm not sure what the prices ae out there , but in our area , that $1800 would buy you a very nice lathe . I sold the ShopFox a while back , fully tooled for $2100 . Brand new condition . I feel if you waited and kept searching , you could do better . If you are in need of the lathe and can't wait , stick with it and negotiate with him . I just got a 10" SB plopped in my lap for nothing , so the machines are out there . :)
 
mickri said:
I would buy this lathe for the covers and part out the rest. You might be able use some of the gears as change gears on your current lathe. It's too bad that the change gears you bought were for a 6" lathe. Have you contacted the ebay seller for a refund. If he misrepresented what he was selling you should be able to get a full refund including return shipping. I would definitely pursue a refund.
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I bought the lathe for $350. It has a few other parts I need. The piece of mind was worth it. I'll have to clean up and paint the parts; they are dirty, but they were sound. It didn't come with much.

I looked at the listing title and it did mention 6" Atlas, so it's my fault. I just relisted them on eBay.
 
Sounds good. You should be able to get your money out of it by selling off the parts that you don't need.
 
I've noticed over the past 6 months sellers on ebay and Craigslist have started to think that average Atlas lathes are worth $1500-2000, I'm even seeing the 6" models being listed at $1000+, $600+ with issues.
A year ago they were being listed for half that. I'm still seeing 9 to 12" Logans, Southbends, and Clausings at $900-1500 so I suspect, someone sold an Atlas, probably in great condition with lots of tooling for a price like that and now everybody with a dusty crusty Atlas in the garage thinks it is gold.

The wrong end of the state for you, but this (I'm guessing 10") Atlas has been on my local CL at $1400 for probably 3 months now.

https://mendocino.craigslist.org/tls/d/nice-4ft-bed-atlas-lathe-with/6757364731.html
 
I sold an Atlas a whole lot nicer than that for $400 . :grin: People must think it's gold as you say . ( Most people selling equipment these days couldn't tell you if it was a mill or a lathe ) :grin big:
 
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