Help me make decision re: Grandfather's Lathe

[wm460]

I would keep it, it been in your family for three generations now.
If you sell it, in a few years time you will be kicking your self for getting rid of it.

[ken572]

Bolster,

Even though Gramp's never got to use it, it was still a
dream of his to do so, or he wouldn't have brought it
home. I would keep it and make it nice and make it run.

Ken.

[Bolster]

Thanks guys. I'm going to clean it up a bit and investigate it for wear, etc. Who knows, this may be a keeper. I had planned to buy a newer more modern lathe, but thanks to Obamacare, my health insurance premium just went up $60 this month...$720/yr increase...so the amount available for a lathe just went down by a corresponding amount. I'll continue to post up as I investigate this old tool.

[gravy]

If I was in your place, I'd try to rig up some kind of quick, cheap and easy drive system (even if it involved 2x4's and a washing machine motor) and a simple guard to keep my fingers out of those gears. Then I'd lubricate it and play with if for a while. If I liked it, I'd start restoring. If not, I could advertise it as being "Under Power". Running machines are generally worth more than non-runners.

(I'm more about using than restoring, so I suspect that I would end up selling it and buying a more compact and modern lathe with a quick change gearbox)

[cr48]

Wow, I haven't seen another Barnes lathe in person before. I actually own one that I was wanting to sell off. I know that I'm the second owner of it, and it has never been repainted. It looks and runs like new. I also have a box of accessories that I don't have pictured with riser blocks and other gears for it.

Let me know if anyone is interested.