07-12-2015, 08:32 PM
Everyone says -- and I tend to agree -- that USA made tools are made better. But....
... those lathes were made 60 years ago. They're much more likely to have worn beds, chipped gear teeth, bent lead screws, missing expensive or unobtainable parts, needing to do some serious horse-trading to complete your accessories, etc. etc.
The question is: do you really want a machine tool rebuilding hobby, or do you want a metal working hobby?
Not that there's anything wrong with either, but you have to know your mind before you pull the trigger. If you like the idea of restoring old lathes, buy and read "Machine Tool Reconditioning" by Connolly.
I'd pass on the Craftsman in any case, the South Bend is a much more competent tool.
This, btw, is coming from a guy who has a '58 Cincinnati 12x28 Tray-Top toolroom lathe in pieces, and a '86 Victor 16x40... trust me when I say that I love the one that is assembled and working even though it's from Taiwan.
I didn't buy the Victor new, but it arrived at my door with every possible accessory except DROs and a taper attachment. Most of the accessories were still in cosmolene and had never been installed (I had to adjust the mounting studs on the 4-jaw chuck the first time I put it on!!). Can't beat that with a stick.
... those lathes were made 60 years ago. They're much more likely to have worn beds, chipped gear teeth, bent lead screws, missing expensive or unobtainable parts, needing to do some serious horse-trading to complete your accessories, etc. etc.
The question is: do you really want a machine tool rebuilding hobby, or do you want a metal working hobby?
Not that there's anything wrong with either, but you have to know your mind before you pull the trigger. If you like the idea of restoring old lathes, buy and read "Machine Tool Reconditioning" by Connolly.
I'd pass on the Craftsman in any case, the South Bend is a much more competent tool.
This, btw, is coming from a guy who has a '58 Cincinnati 12x28 Tray-Top toolroom lathe in pieces, and a '86 Victor 16x40... trust me when I say that I love the one that is assembled and working even though it's from Taiwan.
I didn't buy the Victor new, but it arrived at my door with every possible accessory except DROs and a taper attachment. Most of the accessories were still in cosmolene and had never been installed (I had to adjust the mounting studs on the 4-jaw chuck the first time I put it on!!). Can't beat that with a stick.