[InFlight]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

A Grizzly G602 is a great choice. Get the stand with it. Allow $3-500 for tooling and accessories.

Regardless of new or used - but especially used - if you ahve no experience with a lathe, either find someone who does or start learning fast. A lathe needs tender care. Older used machines can take more abuse, but unless you know lathes, you won't be able to restore it to where it needs to be.

I recommend getting a copy of South Bend's "how to run a lathe" - Atlas makes a similar book, and either can be had for under $20 on eBay (or $25 new from the factory). These books were written in the 1930s and are still excellent resources, they tell you almost all you need to know in very plain language. Do this before committing to a lathe.

This South Bend book is available online as well.

Maintenance is Key: Monitoring the oil level, and having a proper oil can with a bronze tip that fits the oil ball bearing ports is important to keeping your lathe running well. Lubricate the gears with grease. Never use shop air to blow the chips off. Same advice goes for all your machine tools, take care of them and they last and perform well.