A $2,500 Muliple Choice Question:

cathead said:
I'd buy A and fix it with B. I have B.
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That's the situation I'd like to be in.

This is 2019. This year I buy B. And enjoy the restortation hobby on the machines. :grin:

I wouldn't be going for an immaculate rebuild. Just whatever it takes to make them practically usable (i.e. usable for all practical purposes)

Then in 2020 I'll be in your shoes and I can pick up the backhoe then.

That's my thinking.

And I know, some people are going to say, "Why not just buy a better backhoe to begin with?". But that's not the point. I want the machine shop too!

I'm greedy that way. :grin:

Besides, last year I bought a sawmill for $2500 and used it to make lumber to build the machine shop building. (it's not quite finished yet, but it's actually half finished, complete with a shingled roof). Yep, just half a building so far. I'm hoping to finish the other half this year.

I have the dreams and ambition of a 20-year-old but my body insists on acting like a 70-year-old. I can only climb up and down those ladders so many times before I need to go in and lay down for a while. :grin:

Baby steps.
 
Offer Person A $1250. Then you have a loader to help get Person B 's machines( who by the way took only $1000 for all three) on machinery skates to move them into your shop. This leaves you $250 for beer for all your helpers.
I know ,I'm not a lot of help.
Cheers
Martin
 
Well, this starts my weekend in a fun way.

Gotta be B. Then future you can fix the backhoe, straighten the saxophone and make all manner of other unnecessary metal objects! All after having had an excellent experience fixing the old iron.
 
If I had an extra 2500 burning a hole in my pocket there's a little firefighting team I keep around for such emergencies. I call them the wife and kids. I often tell people they are the reason I carry no cash. Inevitably, and without fail, the moment I draw cash from an ATM, both kids have a need for some of it, and the wife wants to go out to eat. But somehow, so long as that wallet stays empty, nobody needs anything.

Anyhow, I guess if it was me, I'd buy two of the three machines, and forego the surface grinder. People do amazing things with them I know. But for what I do, there's simply no need. Plus, I've got an irrational fear of grinding dust, and I'm too lazy to do the appropriate things to mitigate dust inhalation...which maybe makes it a rational fear after all.
 
Speaking of grinding dust, I just spent the last hour or so grinding down a brand new 1/2" HS tool bit. I'm making it into a threading tool so it took a lot of grinding. I just got done making a 30 degree sled to hold the tool bit on the grinder table. I'm not even done grinding on it yet but I'm real close to the end of the process.

But the whole time I was thinking how quick, easy, and accurate that job would have gone on a surface grinder. I know that's overkill for the job, but if you have a surface grinder laying around why not use it? I saw video by "This Old Tony" where he ground down a threading tool on his surface grinder. He didn't actually show the process. He actually showed how to do it on a regular bench grinder, but then confessed that he actually did his using his surface grinder.

There's a lot of things I'd do on a surface grinder that a lot of people probably wouldn't even think to use one for. Overkill, but fun.
 
It seems like it might be fun to tie a saddle to one , sans spindle at the local tavern and sell rides for 10 dollars. Bet you didn't think of that. :drink::wink::wink:
 
Bob Korves said:
Exactly! Use this resource, and find more as well.
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That's what I'm doing. I've also been watching a lot of YouTube videos, This Old Tony, Abom79, mrpete222 or Tubalcain, any many others.

I'm not exactly new to machining though. I used to be a machinist myself many years ago. So I already know quite a bit about this stuff. I'm just now getting back into it.

I do have a new question however. I just discovered a new lathe that I never heard of before it's called a Sheldon Sebastian

I'm looking one this one,... for $999.

287237

It's a 16" swing 39" bed. It's Sheldon Catalog Model B-6.

Anyone know anything about these Sheldon Sebastian lathes?

I found this one on another site. Only slightly cleaner asking $3700

287238

Just wondering how well-known these are. And what they are like. It obviously has the quick-change gearbox, and it also appears to be variable speed? I'm just guessing at the variable speed because the levers look like they can be turned. I'm wondering how the variable speed works? I'm guessing it's some kind of mechanical belt pulley cone that changes size when the levers are turned?

I'm also wondering if anyone knows where I could download a free PDF manual for this lathe. I did a search for a PDF manual but struck out. I don't want to pay for the manual because I don't own the lathe. I'd just like to look through it before buying one like this.

By the way, I'm just window shopping right now. I'm a fan of the old South Bend lathes, but I'll take pretty much anything I can get a really good deal on. But I like to know something about it before buying. I know what the South Bend lathes are like, so I know what I'm getting into with them. But I never heard of these Sheldon Sebastians before.
 
Sheldons are a step up from South Bend. Heavier and more rigid, more rare though not as many around
Mark
 
I have all of the above, less the sax. Sooo, I'd be spending most of it on wine, women, and song. The rest I'd waste. At least that's what my grandpa used to say. Of course he also used to say, "eat drink and make Mary, for tomorrow she may leave". I think I would be a sucker for the $999 special, if it checked out decent. Cheers, Mike
 
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