Can you ID this old lathe?

[Chris_V]

I maybe going to look at this old lathe if the price is right. Not sure what that price is yet.

Any idea what this is and what price range we should be in?

 

[Chris_V]

Ok this tag says Sheldon.

 

[lordbeezer]

Model should be first 2 letters of serial number..looks like owner made countershaft set up.good luck..

 

[Winegrower]

I dunno. Does it come with enough gears?
You will have so much time and energy into this the cost is largely irrelevant.

 

[Nogoingback]

Are you looking for a cool antique as a project, or a working lathe? If it runs maybe $300-400 bucks. If you want a working
lathe to really make parts on you might want to look for something, ahem, a bit more modern.

 

[benmychree]

I agree, a few hundred bucks ---

 

[matthewsx]

I have a Seneca Falls machine I paid $300 for. This one has more parts than I got, like the 4 jaw chuck and steady rest but it lacks the taper attachment if that matters.

But, I've put a bunch of time and money into my machine this year making it into something useful. Limitations you will have are no quick change toolpost or gearbox, and limited speeds with the plain bearings. In retrospect I probably should have sold my 100-year-old machine and purchased something else.

If you can pick it up for a few hundred and just want to get started turning metal cheap then you probably won't be disappointed. If however you want to build precision parts from modern materials, and you have a budget that will get you near $1500 I would definitely look for something newer.

Cheers,

John

 

[Chris_V]

Thanks folks!!

 

[Latinrascalrg1]

So whats the verdict, you going to pick it up or no?

 

[Silverbullet]

Bet it will outlast any new China crap., it's built in America when we had pride . Sheldon made all kinds of machines , I owned one worse thing I ever did was sell it to buy a deposit box in the ocean. I'd buy it if I could and if we're close to me. Newer isn't always better.