Recent vintage Craftsman Lathe purchase ...

[mbatarga]

I went to a local estate sale that I saw on the EstateSales.NET app Friday. Lots of "junk" and most of the power/hand tools were older and lower quality than what I usually would purchase. There was a Craftsman metal lathe (Model 101.21200) with lots of tooling that caught my eye - I spent over an hour looking it over and trying to sort through the pile of accessories/tools and raw stock and also the unrelated things on the table as well as the shelf overhead. It was priced at $300 - the guy said he'd take $150. (The price was going to drop the next day to half off anyway.) I asked about the tooling - and he said anything that goes with it he'd include. Long story short - I left to think it over, and then the next morning texted that I was coming to get it.

Bench was included, original owners manual, 3 jaw chuck installed, assorted wrenches, flat face plate and lots of small tubing stock. Under the bench is a large pile of raw rod stock - aluminum, brass, steel, acetal.

Two Quick Change Tooling Fixtures and cutter holders, measuring gauges/equipment, 4 jaw chuck, small 9 piece boring bar set.

Cutting oil, superglue, lots of aluminum and acetal stock.

 

[1930artdeco]

Dang, I think you did very, very, well for that price. I would have bought it and I don't need or know how to use one.

Mike

 

[The Cobbler]

that's a "YOU ****" award for sure.

 

[JuncleJohn]

Not sure what you had to think about. You’re lucky someone else didn’t jump on it. Had it been sold, you’d have been kickin‘ yourself for years. Even if you don’t need or ever use it, you’ll get way more than you paid, if you decide to sell it.

Great score.

John

 

[RoninB4]

-A decent small lathe at a good price. Congratulations

 

[Aaron_W]

If it was fully functional then around here $300 would have been a really good price, $150 is a great price.

I have the older version that came before these, but very similar. I think these little Atlas / Craftsman lathes are under appreciated. Sure they are small, but they are from a time when shops still fixed stuff, and didn't always need a full size lathe, but they still needed a lathe. These are pretty much just a scaled down version of the Atlas / Craftsman 10 and 12" lathes and have some nice features not found on many current small lathes.

 

[JuncleJohn]

Bench top lathe with both 3 and 4 jaw chucks, quick change tool posts with half a dozen tool holders, telescopic gages, indicator with magnetic base and more.

That was a great deal.

John

 

[mbatarga]

I did further cleanup and inspection and found the idler pulley bushing was worn - so a quick trip to my local Ace and $4 I got a replacement that went on with little effort. It seems the back gear (used for the lower speeds) is also worn on the shaft or is just loose. Further effort is needed to remove the 4 step pulley to get access to the gear. I'll likely try to get to it next week.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Don't be surprised if the police show up at your door - cause you stole that little cutie.