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WANTED ON GULF COAST: Small/Medium Lathe (12"-16")

calderp

Aluminum
Joined
Jul 22, 2011
Location
New Orleans
I'm located in New Orleans but would travel a considerable distance for the right machine at the right price. Looking for a 12-16" lathe with imperial screwcutting.

I'm a fabricator, not really a machinist but I've been spoiled at work with access to a Clausing and a nice mill and am looking for my own shop. Got the mill, looking for the lathe but they're hard to find in the South! Just missed out on a very nice Clausing/Colchester Mk2 so I thought I'd try posting on here.

This is a first lathe to learn on so I'm flexible on specifics. Definitely not looking for a chucker or turret or anything with a bed length over 6' but other than that interested in any machine in running condition from 12"-16" capacity. Would obviously prefer American iron but don't have a lot of cash to spend so it's a take what you can find sort of situation. Don't need toolroom accuracy but also do not have time for a clapped-out project machine. I work in a shared shop so I can talk to the other people if the right deal comes along but budget is more or less in the 2-4k range depending on condition and tooling. Unfortunately budget is limited as I don't have the skills yet for this to really be a money-making purchase but in the trade I'm in (movie effects) we do a lot of quick and dirty bushing/bearing/shaft assemblies, threaded adjusters, cams, that sort of thing and the more I can teach myself on the mill and lathe the more employable I am so it's an investment in education.

Please email calderp (at) gmail.com

Thanks, Paul

Edit for clarity: I hope this is ok as one of my firsts posts. I've used the forum for years but very rarely have a question that needs actually asking, the answer is almost always out there already.
 
Wow, that's what I'm ideally hoping to find and much cheaper than I would find down here but even assuming they would deal with shipping (big assumption I think) it just feels too risky to me to buy something on craigslist sight unseen. If it didn't work out I couldn't afford to try again anytime soon!
 
Wow, that's what I'm ideally hoping to find and much cheaper than I would find down here but even assuming they would deal with shipping (big assumption I think) it just feels too risky to me to buy something on craigslist sight unseen. If it didn't work out I couldn't afford to try again anytime soon!

I'm certainly not telling you what to think or do but i'll share my experience. Every machine in my shop is old and was bought sight unseen and most have issues of one type or another. Most importantly, most of the issues are found through disassembly or use. A one hour inspection at the point of sale would not have revealed them. Finding and correcting problems with these old machines is sort of the price of entry into the "buy big old machine tools cheap because they're so freakin' cool" club. Having said all of that, i'd go buy this thing myself if i had the room. I've traded notes with the owner and let him know i'd be interested in some parts if he gets to the point he's going to part out the machine. If he gets to that point, it may just make sense for me to buy the whole thing.
 
If its in good shape that reed prentice might be worth a road trip. I have the next larger one in our shop. Its been a good lathe. For most fab related lathe work, a machine with a bit of wear usually isn't a problem. Having pretty much all the accessories is kinda nice too. I've looked for a steady rest for mine for years with no luck.
 
Yes the accessories are a big plus it's just much too far, I don't have the time for a trip like that. If it was about 800 miles closer it might work!
 
I'm certainly not telling you what to think or do but i'll share my experience. Every machine in my shop is old and was bought sight unseen and most have issues of one type or another. Most importantly, most of the issues are found through disassembly or use. A one hour inspection at the point of sale would not have revealed them. Finding and correcting problems with these old machines is sort of the price of entry into the "buy big old machine tools cheap because they're so freakin' cool" club. Having said all of that, i'd go buy this thing myself if i had the room. I've traded notes with the owner and let him know i'd be interested in some parts if he gets to the point he's going to part out the machine. If he gets to that point, it may just make sense for me to buy the whole thing.

Do you happen to have a very rough sense of what the freight shipping might be on a machine like that? It would be about 1500 miles and we do have a commercial address and forklift. I've never shipped anything freight larger than a single pallet. If I'm looking at the right machine other threads on here list the weight at about 5k lbs
 
Do you happen to have a very rough sense of what the freight shipping might be on a machine like that? It would be about 1500 miles and we do have a commercial address and forklift. I've never shipped anything freight larger than a single pallet. If I'm looking at the right machine other threads on here list the weight at about 5k lbs

I really don't know. I live in the northeast so the farthest i've had to go to pick up any machine i own is about 4 hours. Consequently i've never had to investigate shipping fees.
 
Thanks for that. I've been in touch with the guy, hoping to go look at it today. It's not under power unfortunately but great to hear that someone has seen it and thought it looked good. There's also a really nice clausing in Baton Rouge but I think it's too big to fit in our shop!
 
Yep! We went out there to look at the Clausings, figured the one was too big and the other too small which turned out to be true but that guy ALSO had a JIMT, identical to that other one on craigslist, bought at the same auction it turns out. We were going to go look at that machine next but his was under power so we bought it. It's much higher quality than I was expecting and shows almost no sign of wear. There are a couple minor issues we need to sort out but it was a very good deal. I'll say if anyone else down here is in the market that JIMT you linked to above would be a great buy.

Thanks again for the help!
 
Sounds like it worked out great..that should be an excellent machine. I ran a Kingston (very similar to the one you bought) in school and really liked it.


Show us some pictures...we all like to see em. :)
 
OK, I remember, that guy is a machinery dealer then, there were three at that auction, the first one I listed was the best one imho, the dealer bought one working and one that needed work, sounds like you got the working one.
 
Just following the thread,I'm in amite on the north shore,glad u found a nice machine.

I have a couple large drills for scrap price because I'm out of room in the shop.
All functional . Can send pics

985-687-2683
 
Yep, that's it. As you say I think this one on craiglist is in slightly better shape but the dealer guy had a dividing head that he pretty much threw in so we went with that.

I only took a few pictures while we were unloading but this is the machine.

lathe1.jpg

lathe2.jpg

lathe3.jpg
 








 
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