By the time I figure out shipping arrangements, it seems I always miss a good buy on Craigslist or Ebay, so I thought worth trying Wanted instead.
I'd load on a low trailer, but more than about 5hrs from Sioux Falls, SD would be LTL - I know that places a little more burden on securing &/or palletizing anything loose as well as any tooling.
Both pieces don't need to come from the same place, but on the odd chance they do there should be some shipping savings that could help the purchase price.
Budget for the pair with typical (I know typical is rather open ended!) tooling, and phase conversion (I have 120/240single) if required: $4000 making chips. No I'm not insane, maybe nuts
certainly a little frugal. Becoming daddy this summer, so wife said "buy tools now, just try to keep cost reasonable - like those Craigslist deals you keep finding halfway across the country." 
Mill:
Bridgeport; I know the name can cost a little, and not 100% set on that name, but do want parts availability, and will not pay for an import BP knock-off (I've used them, just won't pay for one) or poor quality.
R8; I certainly wouldn't mind a more solid option, but it would likely make included tooling even more important.
J head, power quill. Belt speed or variable, but don't want a variable that needs repair.
DRO nice, but not required.
42" or larger table would be best.
Powered axis nice, but not required.
Doesn't need to be pretty, but do want mechanically solid, and smooth even travel - budget will obviously only allow older machines, but I don't want something so wore on the ways or screws that tightening the gibbs or the nuts at center travel will bind the ends. Certainly don't want a loose quill or sloppy spindle bearings either.
Lathe
Leblonde, SB, Clausing come to mind. Looking for domestic unit with current parts availability.
About 12X48 - a little smaller might work, the right buy on a monster might be OK too, but I'd like under 3000lb, and still have small enough chuck(s) for small parts as well as larger.
Taper attachment very desirable.
Steady rest very desirable.
Through Spindle desirable.
Would like 3&4 jaw chucks. Faceplate would be nice.
Would like quick change tool post on compound. A good array of cutters, parting tools, ect would be nice.
Tail stock with drill chuck(s), and dead &/or live centers.
Good array of thread pitches, and all must work. The little threading I do is usually odd ball - like 11.5/in. Older yes, but levers not a drawer full of gears.
Here too doesn't need to be pretty, but would like smooth and tight enough to make good parts anywhere on the travel. Don't want features that need repair.
I can wire in VFD or make a "idler motor" rotary, but single phase or included convertor adds a little value.
Should a lathe come up first, I'd like to leave the budget a little heavier for the mill, both my near future needs and my perceived supply/demand of lathes to mills.
I'm sure there are obvious features I'm missing in both lists, but hope I painted the picture. I'm far from an every day tool maker, but have done occasional prototyping on older machines, and some rather fine production set-ups on new CNCs. I know that a good machinist on a questionable machine can make better parts than the other way around, but I don't need a clapped out machine to add error to my mediocre talent either.
I'm not keen on buying such things without testing in person, but will assume frequent posters here to be honest enough when representing a machine.
OK, now you can say I'm nuts!
contact: Sierra Pappa Italy Fox Fox Yankee at Italy Tango Charlie Tango Echo Lima daht com
I'd load on a low trailer, but more than about 5hrs from Sioux Falls, SD would be LTL - I know that places a little more burden on securing &/or palletizing anything loose as well as any tooling.
Both pieces don't need to come from the same place, but on the odd chance they do there should be some shipping savings that could help the purchase price.
Budget for the pair with typical (I know typical is rather open ended!) tooling, and phase conversion (I have 120/240single) if required: $4000 making chips. No I'm not insane, maybe nuts
certainly a little frugal. Becoming daddy this summer, so wife said "buy tools now, just try to keep cost reasonable - like those Craigslist deals you keep finding halfway across the country." Mill:
Bridgeport; I know the name can cost a little, and not 100% set on that name, but do want parts availability, and will not pay for an import BP knock-off (I've used them, just won't pay for one) or poor quality.
R8; I certainly wouldn't mind a more solid option, but it would likely make included tooling even more important.
J head, power quill. Belt speed or variable, but don't want a variable that needs repair.
DRO nice, but not required.
42" or larger table would be best.
Powered axis nice, but not required.
Doesn't need to be pretty, but do want mechanically solid, and smooth even travel - budget will obviously only allow older machines, but I don't want something so wore on the ways or screws that tightening the gibbs or the nuts at center travel will bind the ends. Certainly don't want a loose quill or sloppy spindle bearings either.
Lathe
Leblonde, SB, Clausing come to mind. Looking for domestic unit with current parts availability.
About 12X48 - a little smaller might work, the right buy on a monster might be OK too, but I'd like under 3000lb, and still have small enough chuck(s) for small parts as well as larger.
Taper attachment very desirable.
Steady rest very desirable.
Through Spindle desirable.
Would like 3&4 jaw chucks. Faceplate would be nice.
Would like quick change tool post on compound. A good array of cutters, parting tools, ect would be nice.
Tail stock with drill chuck(s), and dead &/or live centers.
Good array of thread pitches, and all must work. The little threading I do is usually odd ball - like 11.5/in. Older yes, but levers not a drawer full of gears.
Here too doesn't need to be pretty, but would like smooth and tight enough to make good parts anywhere on the travel. Don't want features that need repair.
I can wire in VFD or make a "idler motor" rotary, but single phase or included convertor adds a little value.
Should a lathe come up first, I'd like to leave the budget a little heavier for the mill, both my near future needs and my perceived supply/demand of lathes to mills.
I'm sure there are obvious features I'm missing in both lists, but hope I painted the picture. I'm far from an every day tool maker, but have done occasional prototyping on older machines, and some rather fine production set-ups on new CNCs. I know that a good machinist on a questionable machine can make better parts than the other way around, but I don't need a clapped out machine to add error to my mediocre talent either.
I'm not keen on buying such things without testing in person, but will assume frequent posters here to be honest enough when representing a machine.
OK, now you can say I'm nuts!
contact: Sierra Pappa Italy Fox Fox Yankee at Italy Tango Charlie Tango Echo Lima daht com
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) for your budget either you need to figure in a lot of your time and $ for parts to refurbish some decent iorn, or take a chance on finding some Taiwanese machines that aren’t too bad off. 
He has enough bids already on the electric yard sale that at least those screws should be finding good homes.
than my wildest dreams, sold last week. It was cross posted to the "Electric yard sale;" while I was waiting for a reply whether packing everything for LTL was doable, somebody else hit the BuyItNow. I could have done so, but it is possible that seller didn't want the additional headache (in which case moot anyway), so I didn't think it nice to hit BuyItNow without asking. Again, not whining, it just means I have to figure out how to not miss out next time. 
