I'm new and need advice. Look at my prints and suggest some machines please!

Great thread.
In my experience, once you buy your full sized machines used, you will spend equal to or more on tooling, electrical requirements and measuring equipment.
 
Went through the "what machines should I buy" last year when I upgraded from the benchtop stuff (Taig mill and 7x16 lathe). I won't go into what I purchased, but here are my suggestions based on what I learned:

1. Buy a used, older lathe. There are a lot available (especially due west of San Berdoo), your money will go a lot farther, the rigidity of the lathe will be greater. Also, lathe tooling (chucks, steadies, faceplates) is expensive, far more so than most mill tooling, and it will usually get thrown in with the purchase of a used lathe. Downside: the equipment may be 3-phase (which requires a few hundred bucks spend on a VFD).

2. Buy a new mill, the largest benchtop mill you can get away with from someone reputable like PM. This is based mostly on your reaction to the size of the bridgeport: if that is considered huge and unwieldly, then by all means get something like the PM 932.

3. Do not underestimate the task of moving and installing the machines. If you can find the help, great, but you may need to hire riggers, and that gets expensive. I live on a dirt road so I can't even get a good-sized benchtop mill delivered here (hence the original, UPSable machines), and that greatly influenced how I went about looking for machines. I'm still impressed with how those MA truckers got a long flatbed and 10-ton forklift out to my barn, but that's a story for another day.

I think everything else has been covered by the guys above. Be prepared to spend a couple hundred bucks a month for the rest of your life on toolimony - gotta keep the machines happy or they get downright vicious.
 
Below are some Craig's List offerings for lathes and mills in CA that may work for you. Like was mentioned above, go for the biggest your space and budget can handle.

On the plus side for buying used, once a machine has depreciated it should hold its value. For example, buy a 1954 South Bend Heavy 10 for $2500. Use it for 5 years and if you didn't beat it up, you should get most if not all of your money back if you decide to sell.

Down side is no warranty and you might have to do some work to get it running. Part availability can be a concern too.

If you buy new, it'll have that "new tool smell". No worries about the history of use. Should have a warranty. Down side is when/if you sell, you'll likely get around 60% of what you paid, maybe less.

Good luck with the hunt!

Bruce

Metal lathes for $2500 or less
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/d/westminster-lathe-frejoth-metal-engine/6818660200.html
Seller below has both a lathe and mill
https://fresno.craigslist.org/tls/d/fresno-metal-lathe-for-sale/6848953683.html
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/tls/d/frazier-park-metal-lathe/6851282550.html
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/tls/d/san-marcos-lathe-metal/6852209704.html
SMOKING DEAL on a Clausing lathe for $300
https://goldcountry.craigslist.org/tls/d/altaville-clausing-metal-lathe/6843362592.html
https://stockton.craigslist.org/tls/d/lodi-metal-lathe-make-custom-parts/6831341464.html


Milling machines for under $2500
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/for/d/palmdale-jet-milling-machine/6838111961.html
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/bfs/d/oxnard-sale-rong-fu-model-rf-30-mill/6849290479.html
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/bfs/d/oxnard-acra-model-rf-40-gear-head-mill/6849215029.html
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/tls/d/ventura-mill-drill-milling-drilling/6854479800.html
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/hvo/d/west-covina-bridgeport-milling-machine/6853298622.html
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/bfs/d/oxnard-bridgeport-vertical-mill-milling/6828333011.html
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/hvo/d/anaheim-grizzly-milling-machine-dro/6832196483.html
https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tls/d/hesperia-drilling-milling-machine-extras/6829847325.html
https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tls/d/colton-machine/6842613126.html
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/d/san-juan-capistrano-milling-machine/6823267526.html
https://chico.craigslist.org/for/d/chico-enco-milling-machine/6850579341.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/d/san-jose-hitorque-little-machine-shop/6838871448.html
https://reno.craigslist.org/tls/d/fallon-msc-drilling-and-milling-machine/6853329124.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/hvo/d/menlo-park-samson-milling-machine/6846914040.html
https://redding.craigslist.org/tls/d/redding-grizzly-704-mill/6846386939.html
https://reno.craigslist.org/hvo/d/minden-milling-machine/6839177226.html
 
As BGHanson suggested, I would go with old iron. A largish lathe in good condition is not hard to find. Perhaps a good lathe with a milling attatchment now, and a mill next year?
 
I should stress that you shouldn't be afraid to wait for the 'right fit'... With both my lathe and mill, I found far better deals within 6 months of buying a 'great deal', and then the 'perfect machine' came along, and the budget was gone.

-- this is in a place where few machines are available, and even the rotten ones fetch a big $$$$ tag.
 
BGHansen said:
Below are some Craig's List offerings for lathes and mills in CA that may work for you. Like was mentioned above, go for the biggest your space and budget can handle.

On the plus side for buying used, once a machine has depreciated it should hold its value. For example, buy a 1954 South Bend Heavy 10 for $2500. Use it for 5 years and if you didn't beat it up, you should get most if not all of your money back if you decide to sell.

Down side is no warranty and you might have to do some work to get it running. Part availability can be a concern too.

If you buy new, it'll have that "new tool smell". No worries about the history of use. Should have a warranty. Down side is when/if you sell, you'll likely get around 60% of what you paid, maybe less.

Good luck with the hunt!

Bruce


Seller below has both a lathe and mill
https://fresno.craigslist.org/tls/d/fresno-metal-lathe-for-sale/6848953683.html
Click to expand...

The lathe is quite dirty and the photos are poor, but that is a nice set up with a 12x36 lathe and small knee mill, $3250 for both isn't a bad price if the machines aren't trashed. If they come with tooling even better.
 
If you get a chance to pick up a working but less than perfect lathe very very cheep , that could be useful to hone your skills on whilst hunting the perfect one down.

Stu
 
Stu, I agree. I bought a 1941 South Bend 13" for two reasons.
I ran one in High School and it was there.
I also lost a Bridgeport. I learned quite a bit from those not so tight machines.
I have replaced them with better machines partly because I learned from ownership and knew what to look for.
Now that I have them, I see deals and opportunity all over the place. Funny, that.
 
There s alot to consider. Used or new. I ll throw a machine I don t own but considerd and still may get one at sometime. Stretch your pennies to maybe five grand and it could work with the type of mill your looking at. The P.M. 1236. A decent size that has been around and proven. Alot of members here have taken them quite far in accuracy and ability amd one worked with it. Take a look at DarkZero s p.m. 1236. A beauty!!! and so is the work that comes off it. Three year warranty and something you could start with and could be satisfied once you have some chips under your feet. Even a cast stand is an option. The lathe is good enough that the investmant for the stand says something alone as to what the manufacture thinks of his machine. Don t count out a round column mill. At this price range you will have a plus and minus list and what you think is more to give up. A 2 hp motor and 12 speeds with a good range and quite rigid keeping the head low. Ya it s a pain if you have to raise the head. Just think it out and manage your tooling for the operation and it s not as big of a deal as people make out! For the money and operation at hand they are good value!
 
Janderso said:
Now that I have them, I see deals and opportunity all over the place. Funny, that.
Click to expand...

One thing I've noticed is that spring is the month for selling machinery, at least here in the northeast. Everybody is cleaning out their garage or shop and getting rid of the stuff taking up all that space. Once summer hits everyone is on vacation, and come fall people are too busy winterizing.
 
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