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if you can mount it to a faceplate with the head stud holes you can get away with a 10"
If you have to use external clamping bars as in the video above, you might want to go with a 12" or larger
SB or Logan or Sheldon are fine, if you can find a pristine eample. the last of these was made around 1980, so it's 30-year-old machine. Avoid the Craftsman lathes for the most part, although the late 12" undercabinet with 1/2" ways would be worthwhile.
One thing to keep in mind: All the wear in an older lathe is in the first 6" from the chuck, which is exactly where your saddle will be running as your boring bar moves into the cylinder. .001" wear will be mirrored in your bore, no matter what you do. You could conceivalbe back the saddle away to an unworn section of bed and use a long boring bar, but then you give up the rigidity that brings accuracy. so, an unworn, accurate bed is more critical for your need than say, cutting bronze bearings or making spacers.
Don't write off the asian lathes. I have a couple of Encos made in Taiwan ca 1985, both are fine machines with separate feedshaft for the apron, which few American lathes have. Even a new 12x36 or larger is likely as good as 95% of the old iron out there.
Right now I have a very nice 9" Southbend in excellent condition. But I do almost all my projects on the 10" Enco behind it. It's just as accurate and a lot more rigid.
Bottom line is most any 10" or larger lathe will work for you.
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