Great progress, Bill! I don't want to deflect you from a careful restoration, but like you, I was leaning toward a glossy repaint job with the lathe all broken down to its molecular level. However, I was anxious to try it out, so I used a spray can of primer that was the same color as the lathe (which had been repainted in a flat light gray color) and just touched up all the really bad looking parts, like the doors, tray, etc. That wuz around 8 years ago....

Speaking of VFDs, I just snagged a nice 2hp Cutler-Hammer 415-480v unit for my vertical bandsaw today on ebay for USD$30. With patience, they are out there.

- Mike