https://carbondale.craigslist.org/tls/d/mount-vernon-craftsman-atlas-lathe/6865054797.html

Talked to the seller today. Says everything works on it. He was honest enough he told me he hasn't used a lathe since HS and he is now 67 yo.

Realistically what is it worth? 450 seems high to me. Maybe a better way of asking is what would you give for it.

seem high considering the work you will have cleaning everything up, all depends on how high of precision you are looking for, but still a better machine than you can go to harbor freight and buy for sure

That's a rusted up mess. You'd have to go through everything, derust and clean. The ways are bad, bad, bad. Would need scraping and even then, probably not be very accurate. Unless you are experienced in doing the cleanup and refit, I'd pass. Hours and hours would be spent to not much good.

For what you could end up with, its not worth the time and money needed to bring it back to life. I would pass it up. There ae cheaper ways to get a hernia.

I would pass.

Another thing to look out for it the geometry of the ways. Those flat beds are inherently inaccurate. So for me, Even if that lathe was in good shape I would pass it up as it is the wrong shape if that makes sense

Instead of just to flat ways , you should be looking at something like this __/\_ ___ instead of this __ __

I have that lathe. Decent rig but pretty small. Looks like it has a full set of change gears (double check that) which is good cause they are darn expensive. That being said wow is that rusty. I'd pass.

I have one and it is a great lathe. A close friend of mine has one too and we use it for gunsmithing and a variety of other things. That being said pass on that one. I promise you even if it is free it isn't worth what it is going to take to get it back to doing any worth while machining.

That is a $50 lathe, if you don't mind paying $50 for a boat anchor.

Thanks for the comments
I was going to go look at it.....but not now. LOL I pretty much knew it wasn't worth it. Wanted different opinions though.

A few years ago I could find them cheap around here.......now that is about normal price. Funny thing is no one that has them knows how to use them. They see prices on CL and such and think they have something special.

well price wise you can always go down and stops people from low-balling you if you have a reasonable price listed in your case I looked at 1 pic and left you do the same