My lathe is one of the most used tools in my shop.
I have a Logan 922. it has an 11" swing and a 36" bed - ideal for most jobs around the garage. Built in 1950's and I can still purchase parts for it.
Here is an image of a similar model from the web.
I brought it local on Craigslist for $400. Needed a good cleanup and repaint. Good deals on 2nd hand machines can be had.
There is a lot that needs to be considered when buying a lathe
- type of work you are planning to do
- single phase / 3 phase
- spare parts availability
- tooling / type of tool holders
- work holding (chucks, face plates, steady rests)
- inch or metric screw cutting
- etc.
Typically if you buy 2nd hand you can benefit from someone else collecting all of the needed "extras" (tooling, chucks, drill chucks etc.) - at a reasonable cost.
If you are looking at 2nd hand for use in an average garage I would recommend:
- Logan
- Southbend
- Clausing / Colchester
If you are looking at new machines I would suggest looking at Grizzly Industrial. Most of their reasonably priced models are from "Asian" origins however the quality is pretty decent. They have models in nearly every size and need. They also have a no hassle delivery service. I have no affiliation - other than I recently purchased a pedestal drill, stomp shear and pan brake from them - so can speak from experience.
Metal Lathes - Grizzly.com
Richard.