Did i pay too much?

SubtleHustle

SubtleHustle

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Ok, so I have been wanting to buy a steady rest, for my south bend 9a, for quite some time. As anybody eyeing a steady for these knows, they are scarce, and not very cheap.

Anyways, I came across this one on ebay, https://ebay.us/waEdgu , it came with a "follow", and some adapter for a 10.

I had it for 24 hrs for $202, then last 1 minute, I ended up having to up it, to win it. So I guess my question is, did I pay too much? Thoughts? I figure, worst case, I can sell the follow and adapter, but I really think I will just keep them. There will surely be a time that I will be glad I had it.
 
This is roughly akin to your wife asking"Do I look fat?" We could tell you yes and then you would be regretting your action for the rest of time. Look at it this way; you now have a piece of equipment the you have wanted for a long time. You may never see an opportunity like this again. Even if one shows up in the future, you will has lost all the opportunities tto use the steady rest in the interim. Forget about it and just enjoy your new acquisition.

As an aside, early in my marriage, my wife asked me, " will you still love me if I'm fat?". I answered, "how fat" That was twenty years ago and she still brings it up.
 
The $100 difference is what you'd spend for a nice dinner out, more or less. The steady and follow rests will last longer than you. If it's not going to cause you financial hardship, don't worry about it.
 
You did great. A steady OR follow rest for an Emco Super 11 goes for over $650.00 each, if you can even find one. Count yourself lucky.
 
I found a steady rest for my old 13” south bend on eBay.
I probably paid too much but i didn’t have one. It’s a genuine Sb that fits.
Yeah, it’s worth it.
 
Yeah, they are not an easy find, and if I rationalize it, by thinking I spent $160ish on each, the steady and follow, it's an easier pill to swallow for sure. And the fact that they are original SB, ALMOST gets me to a "complete" set. Really want to get a collet closer and a original threading dial, and I will consider it complete.
 
Sometimes ya gotta buy twice- a great machine but no accessories. Then a second poor machine that just happens to have the accessories you need. A roundabout way but...
 
I try to never second guess my purchases, they are water under the bridge. It is far more useful to make careful decisions before buying, and to file away mistakes so they are not repeated. That does not necessarily mean procrastinating, at times we need to jump on something when it comes up, or lose out on a real bargain. Thinking about what might be realistic well in advance, knowing ourselves well and controlling impulses that are not based on smart decisions, helps to keep us on the path we want to follow longer term. We all make mistakes at times with our resources and our expectations. I find that paying attention to the pennies (actually, _everything_) helps me to control my wants vs. needs when I come up against bigger financial choices along this path called life. Know yourself, and control the monster that is usually hidden within.

Notice I did not mention anything about asking for your machinist buddies' opinions... ;)
 
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