- Joined
- May 8, 2017
- Messages
- 618
I was wondering if anybody could tell me anything about a Gardner No. 1 1/2 surface grinder. Also would like to know the pros/cons on a Southbend 14 1/2x 7 foot lathe. A rough high/low on price on each would be nice as well.
Long story as short as I can...a fellow I know has a machine shop that was making parts for electrical switches. The business has been in his family since the '30s. They made the dies and stamped the parts on large punch presses. The large corporation has decided China can make the parts cheaper and didn't renew his contract, so he's selling almost his entire machine inventory. I was offered first pick. All the equipment was bought new by either his grandfather, father, or himself over the years.
All of the equipment looks nearly like it's in a museum. By this I mean it's immaculate. Nothing dirty and grimy and he has kept good paint on all of it. I've already decided to buy his Bridgeport. You can still see the flaking on the ways. He told me they bought it in the '60s, but it rarely got used. The Southbend has a taper attachment, collet closer and collets, a large faceplate that he said has never been used, three and four jaw chucks, several live and dead centers, a couple of drill chucks on Morse tapers, and two toolboxes of HSS, toolholders, drill bits, boring bars, etc. He said the lathe was a '64 or '65 model.
I don't think I've ever heard of the Gardner surface grinder. It also comes with some extras, but not many. He apparently had a very specific job for the grinder and only has tooling for that particular job.
If anybody here is interested in the punch presses, I'll get more details. I remember he said one was a 60 ton. I think that one has a large flywheel, the other three are a bit smaller.
I wish I understood why opportunities seem to drop into your lap when you are least prepared. I've been wanting to eventually end up with a shop full of machine tools, but as rare as they are around here, they seem to be raining on me lately.
Long story as short as I can...a fellow I know has a machine shop that was making parts for electrical switches. The business has been in his family since the '30s. They made the dies and stamped the parts on large punch presses. The large corporation has decided China can make the parts cheaper and didn't renew his contract, so he's selling almost his entire machine inventory. I was offered first pick. All the equipment was bought new by either his grandfather, father, or himself over the years.
All of the equipment looks nearly like it's in a museum. By this I mean it's immaculate. Nothing dirty and grimy and he has kept good paint on all of it. I've already decided to buy his Bridgeport. You can still see the flaking on the ways. He told me they bought it in the '60s, but it rarely got used. The Southbend has a taper attachment, collet closer and collets, a large faceplate that he said has never been used, three and four jaw chucks, several live and dead centers, a couple of drill chucks on Morse tapers, and two toolboxes of HSS, toolholders, drill bits, boring bars, etc. He said the lathe was a '64 or '65 model.
I don't think I've ever heard of the Gardner surface grinder. It also comes with some extras, but not many. He apparently had a very specific job for the grinder and only has tooling for that particular job.
If anybody here is interested in the punch presses, I'll get more details. I remember he said one was a 60 ton. I think that one has a large flywheel, the other three are a bit smaller.
I wish I understood why opportunities seem to drop into your lap when you are least prepared. I've been wanting to eventually end up with a shop full of machine tools, but as rare as they are around here, they seem to be raining on me lately.
