The frustrating hunt for machines

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MontanaLon

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So I decided to get back into machining and decided to look for a lathe and a mill. Started out looking at new machines and everything could afford wouldn't be able to handle the size projects I have in mind. Plus they are all made in China and I'd really rather not contribute to the trade deficit. So I started looking for used machines on facebook marketplace and then branched out to Craigslist.

What I am finding there is that I live in a machinery desert. There are few machines within 100 miles. And that leads to price inflation. I'm talking $2,000 for a Craftsman lathe. But what is really puzzling is there are larger machines in similar shape for half that.

My problem is the larger machines would be too large to shoehorn into my basement even if I could transport them to the house in the first place. Not to mention the parts for older larger machines are in some cases impossible to find new and cost as much as the entire machine used if you can find them. I'm OK with a fixer upper, but it still has to stay within the budget.

The really frustrating part is when I look further away, I see more machines and better prices, but by the time I could get there someone else has shown up with cash and taken it.

I am pulling my hair out and getting discouraged. Tempted to up the budget and buy more than I can afford but I know as soon as I do that, I will see exactly what I am looking for with all the attachments ever made, which is like brand new, only used on Sundays by grandpa who lovingly cared for it and kept it oiled and in tip top shape.

So where else can I look for what I desire? Old American iron, not worn out or left rusting in the back 40 for the last decade, not huge, but not a toy either, something that can move some metal and make some chips, even to make the parts it needs for repairs to get it back into shape again.
 
Doesn't look like much of a desert - a lot more lathes on sale (and in much better condition) on the IL CraigsList than VT/NH/MA right now. Good prices too.

As for "but by the time I could get there someone else has shown up with cash and taken it", call the seller and talk to them. You'd be amazed what *******tting about machining for fifteen or so minutes can accomplish. After some friendly conversation, ask "so, what would it take for you to hold that machine for me until I get there?" Some guys are pretty good about this. Others, well, just don't deal with that sort, they're likely just opportunitsts anyways.

EDIT: Wow, you can't spell out BSing? What has the world ******* come to
 
MontanaLon, you are really in the heart of America for finding good used machines. Check the dozen or so large, online machinery liquidators and pick out some goods. If you're willing to travel a few hours, you'll find you have more of a selection than the rest of the country combined.

I would not rely on Craigslist for finding equipment. Sometimes stuff comes up, but dealers get the good stuff first. Dealers are cheaper than CL too.
 
Try ebay. You generaly have to buy the item without looking at it, but the prices can be pretty good if you are patient. You don't have to worry about someone else comming to pick it up if you buy it on ebay. I've bought a number of machine tools on ebay and have done pretty well. Just know what you are getting into, if it doesn't have a drive, that means you have to fabricate one. Atlas/Craftsman machines tend to be relatively cheap and well supported in terms of parts availability on ebay (you may have to wait a while for reasonable prices, though).
 
The area you are in is far from a machinery desert. It's less than 100 miles from Pontiac to downtown Chicago, and less than 150 miles to Davenport. Looking at the Craigslist adds from both cities I see Clausing lathes and Burke milling machines for less than $2000.00. There's even a small Craftsman lathe with an asking price of $600.00
You have to be willing to have a fairly wide search area to find machines at reasonable prices. I have traveled from Madison Wisconsin to the Chicago area to purchase machines over the years. I've also gone in the other direction to Milwaukee, Oshkosh, and Waupaca Wisconsin.

In most cases I was lucky as far as prices were concerned. I was buying during the height of the recession. There weren't many customers, and there were a lot of shops upgrading to stay competitive. In the last couple years since the economy has improved machine prices have increased somewhat, but here are still plenty of bargains to be found. They key is patience and perseverance.
Look for online auction and sales sites like Public Surplus Auctions. Here's a link to the Illinois Public Service Auction site. You can choose any state you'd like.

Public Surplus: Government Surplus Auctions

Public Surplus is the best government surplus auction system available. Find great deals on heavy equipment, cars, buses and even airplanes.
www.publicsurplus.com www.publicsurplus.com

There are also state surplus auction sites like this one for Wisconsin:

Then there are the University surplus sites like this one for the University of Wisconsin:

UW SWAP Online Auction

UW SWAP Online Auction
swapauction.wisc.edu swapauction.wisc.edu

Beyond that I would look to high schools, technical colleges, and local machine shops.
 
Excellent information everyone. I may need to widen my search a bit. And maybe tweak the budget and put a bigger door into the basement. I'd really rather stay away from a full size mill. A Clausing 8525 size mill would be perfect. Just finding one that size is proving to be hard.

Maybe loosening my machine choices a bit would help. Guess I need to decide how important it is to me to get something rather than exactly what I want.
 
MontanaLon said:
Excellent information everyone. I may need to widen my search a bit. And maybe tweak the budget and put a bigger door into the basement. I'd really rather stay away from a full size mill. A Clausing 8525 size mill would be perfect. Just finding one that size is proving to be hard.

Maybe loosening my machine choices a bit would help. Guess I need to decide how important it is to me to get something rather than exactly what I want.
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Based on my experience, the main thing about buying a machine is, is it ready to run? Do I have to remotor/rewire with a VFD, is it an old lineshaft machine that comes with no drive? Is it missing parts or have broken parts that I have to replace/fabricate? Just be aware of how much work you are buying with a given machine. Also, accesories and tooling can be worth more than the machine and can be had at great bargains on CL when bought with the machine. When you look at the listing and the price seems high, don't dismiss it until you inventory the stuff that comes with it. Tooling is an ongoing expense, and if you can take a big bite out of it with the machine purchase, you are way ahead.
 
HGR inc. is located in cleveland. Not particularly close, but is a treasure trove of used machines. Got my 12x36 in excellent condition there for $1100. A 2 day Uhaul tow behind might add $100 + gas.
 
Lon how long have you been looking? Sometimes you find you're in a dry spell, but they pass eventually. Also, you are absolutely right about the small "cute" machines commanding higher prices. Keep looking and be prepared to move quickly
Mark
 
macardoso said:
HGR inc. is located in cleveland. Not particularly close, but is a treasure trove of used machines. Got my 12x36 in excellent condition there for $1100. A 2 day Uhaul tow behind might add $100 + gas.
Click to expand...
I will check them out.
markba633csi said:
Lon how long have you been looking? Sometimes you find you're in a dry spell, but they pass eventually. Also, you are absolutely right about the small "cute" machines commanding higher prices. Keep looking and be prepared to move quickly
Mark
Click to expand...
Been a couple of months. Was funny, the day I started looking there were 2 South Bends posted within 50 miles. 9A's one of them was pretty crappy looking but had lots of accessories, the other was nice looking but was just the lathe like the person had traded up. One of them for $400 and the other was $300. I figured deals like that would pop up regularly so I kept scrolling down the list. By the time I circled back, 15 minutes later they were both sold. Still kicking myself over those. Pretty sure I have seen them both relisted since then at $1500-$2000 which is really at the extreme top end of what I am willing to spend on a lathe.
 
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