Okay, I'm looking into the future towards retirement (no sooner than about 12 years, possibly as far out as 15). I've always been interested in making various parts and figured I ought to have another skill or two to fall back on in retirement, even if it's just hobby parts making, small parts machining, etc.
I have a cousin who has a lathe he'd let me buy for what he has in it. It's a Craftsman Tool Makers Lathe (Made by Atlas for Craftsman). It has a 4" swing and an 18" bed. He has the milling attachment and other accessories for it. He bought it from a gunsmith who moved out of Montezuma, IA in the late 1970s. He said he's never even used it since he bought it and that it is in the same mechanical condition as when he bought it. He said it does need cleaned and oiled, but other than that is in good shape.
My price if I want it is $500. Obviously I'd need to take a few community college courses to really figure out how to use it and get the most out of it. And obviously at this point I don't know much about the tools or their uses, etc.
So my questions to all those machinists out there who know more about this than I do:
Would this be a good starter machine for someone to work on and move up later on to something else?
Is the price a good one for a machine as described?
What kind of quality were the lathes/milling attachments as made by Atlas?
Am I crazy for buying this thing? Wait, maybe that one should go unanswered!
In all seriousness, I'm open to all opinions on this thing. I'm so wet behind the ears when it comes to such tools/machinery it ain't even funny. But I keep thinking this may very well be a good buy and a way to get into a starter machine I could learn on. Especially when he paid $500 in the late 70s and is willing to let it go for the same.
Thanks in advance.