Question regarding Machinist Lathe, Woodworking and Overall Plan....

I have a bit of a conundrum. When my dad passed, he left with shop full of machinist tools, a Grizzly lathe and a Bridgeport milling machine. Unfortunately we never connected regarding the machining. My interest was in woodworking. In the shop he left a host of Rockwell/Delta machines (Contractor table saw, RAS, Bandsaw, 1” belt/8” disc sander, 12” disc sander, 6” jointer and hand held power tools. As you might have read, then shop was a complete mess that I’ve been sorting through. This past week I made the decision to sell the Bridgeport milling machine to make more room available in the 22’X15’ shop.

My plan is to startup the woodworking business now while I continue to work full-time. When I retire in 12-15 years from now, I would go learn the machinist side and blend the two together. After making the hard sentimental decision to sell the milling machine, I’ve started to wonder if I am doing the right thing trying to hold on to the lathe until I get time to learn it.

Right now my schedule has me working until 8:30-4:30-5PM M-F. When I am done, I head right into the shop if dinner is not ready. I’m in the shop until 9pm. My son lives in my dad’s apartment over the shop and 9pm is the agree upon stopping time. Sometimes I’ll go out at lunchtime from 12-1pm if was able to lineup work for that hour. Saturday/Sunday I work in the shop from 9am until dinner and will go back in after dinner either night depending on what I am working on.

That schedule leaves little time for me to learn to run the lathe, the concepts, and more. Two options:

1. Based on that I wonder whether I should sell the lathe now. Then if I do decide to learn the machining when I retire, I could purchase another lathe at that time.
2. Keep the lathe and make sure I keep it lubed so it does not rust.

-- Jason Redcar WoodWorks