Thread: $250 720mm / 28 Inch Swing Lathe

Saw this advertised in the local shopper, called the guy, and drove 2 hours / 96 miles into another state to get it. The headstock and tailstock spindles are a bit thin, but I have a 2 3/8 inch shaft and two ball bearing pillow blocks, and a hunk of 1 1/4 inch Acme threaded shaft. Also a 10 inch swing metal lathe, arc welder and a few other toys for hacking on metal.

Now I need a monster stand.

Seller said the lathe was built by a machinist and he was selling it for the price of the 1.5 HP, 1725 RPM, 115 / 230 volt motor. He had a bunch of pulleys and put on two that looked about right. He thought the speed was just right.

I calculate 648 rpm which is a bit fast for my taste with out of balance blanks. The seller had a fleet of band saws and made all his blanks round. He was selling three lathes, the 28 inch, a 20 inch, and a 12 inch. He was keeping a huge yellow Powermatic and a standard size Jet.

He said he made and sold 2100 bowls last year. He was going to a show in Georgia that week end and showed me a room full of bowls and trays.

Photos are a bit fuzzy as my "good" camera had a dead battery.