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Ecnerwal

In article .com,
wrote:

All of the suggestions i have been getting are great. Theres just one
problem. All of the lathes that are being suggested are alot of money
for a hihg school freshman to pay. I need a lathe that is big enough
to make a 33'' bat and be around 250-300 with everything i need to
start (except the wood). Anymore suggestions???

Used, local. Shipping is impractical for a lthe of this size. I picked
up a monster (20X60) for $250 a few years back - it was old, used,
dirty, came with tools and accessories, and had belonged to a guy who
died - the heirs considered it a blight upon the house they were trying
sell, and set the price low. This is not so uncommon - try asking real
estate agents if you don't find any in the classified ads, the
classified ad paper (as separate from the classified ads in the regular
paper), the website associated with the classified ad paper, or
craigslist for your area.

I don't recall if you've ever mentioned where you're at, but in upstate
eastern NY, You have an overpriced nearly new Sears at $495 on offer
from the classified ad paper, and a right-priced:

40", mounted w/turning tool set,*$225***Neg*Westport, NY*

Craigslist for that area offers:

Electric Lathe bought new hardly used has some tools and is mounted on
portable base. $200 or best offer.

Also an estate sale with lathe that is over now. Estate sales
(converting the assets of the late departed into cash) can be a great
deal, as the family would normally have retained the tools if anyone
wanted them. If lots of people that want tools show up, it may not be
such a good deal - on the other hand, if you are the only person there
that wants a lathe it becomes a matter of sell it to you cheap and get
it out of their hair, or hang onto it and try to sell it later.
Personally, I've always found the price of lathes set low enough I have
not bothered to dicker, and have had much associated tooling thrown in
"to clear out the space". The one exception (but I did not dicker, I
just walked away) was a smaller lathe, disfunctional, rusty, and priced
far too high as it was perceived as being easily portable, rather than
being priced based on condition (poor).

Craigslist for Vermont offers someone selling a cheesy harbor freight
special (the sort you've been warned away from) for $75.

Unlike a dealer, you do have to either wait for one to come along, or go
find it. Unlike a dealer, prices tend to be low. Have a pickup or
trailer and 3-5 friends lined up for moving the thing.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by