Looking to Purchase some old machine tool

seanb said:
Ebay for parts, Sheldon is long out of business. $2500 is pretty expensive for a 60 plus year old machine. What are you going to use it for? As i recall spindle bore is pretty small.
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The measured spindle bore is 1 5/8" as measured from the Spider so a tad larger than that. Plenty of bore for my hobby turning.
 
I still need identification for this Lathe if someone can direct me in the right direction. BTW, what's the most I should pay for the lathe (220V) with two 8" chucks (3 jaw and 4 jaw) with the Aloris tool post and 3 tool holders?
 
Don't sweat the price. Don't worry about replacements parts. If the bed and main pieces are good, just buy it. If you need parts, then you make them. The price will be nearly insignificant in comparison to the over all cost and compared to how much time you'll put into the hobby. A few hundred bucks extra should be about the last consideration. If the lathe is near by, the power is right, you have the space and ability to move it, it is in repairable condition - then move fast. A lathe like that will always sell on pretty easily. At 2500 your exposure is very small.
 
The most you should pay is what it is worth to you and not what someone else might pay.
Condition says this machine is either well taken care of or seen little use.
Either way most of the machine is probably in good condition.
Tooling is huge as you can buy a peice of iron but without tooling all you have is a conversation peice.
I would go 3000.00 as described with out a bad feeling....at 3500.00 he better be pulling every bit of tooling and accessories out no matter what it is.
In an area without many machine tools and by the description it is still fair game at 4000.00 but I feel that is on the high side BUT my area is flooded with old equipment, is yours?
 
Good points. No, there's not much equipment (good) within 125 miles of me, so I guess if I want (don't need) this Lathe I'd better get to the business of contacting the owner (lives about 100 miles away) and striking a deal. Still need to know the model so I can get a owners manual, ect.
 
Another question: will the older Sheldon's, et. al. cut metric threads? I think I know the answer to be no but just want to be sure.
 
Thanks for that info. My understanding the T in the description or model # can indicate a taper attachment OR tapered Spindle Bearings. I don't/didn't see a taper attachment with the Lathe.
 
Any lathe can cut metric threads. It simply easier on some depending how the machine is set up and what effort you are prepared to go to.

If the machine has an imperial lead screw, then you would need the conversion gear (a few options here, the most common is the 127T). Form there you just need to sort out the change gears - Sheldon may provide a chart, or cruise the Internet, or do the math yourself. You could also convert to an electronic lead screw (see posts else where on HM).

It is even "possible" to generate threads with out a lead screw: taps, dies, copy systems, . . .

You should be aware that just because there is a lever for "metric" threading on a lathe with an imperial lead screw, does not mean you can cut all common metric threads. I have an imperial lead screw and the metric threading option, but it won't do the 1.75mm pitch which is 12mm coarse. To get that I have to change end gears - which I don't have the alternate set.

The point here is that no lathe is perfect, eventually you just have to get on with what you want.
 
I agree, and that won't be a deal breaker in the sum of things. Right now I'm more concerning with the logistics. Such as, where to put it, how to get 220v the the only side of the shop it would possibly fit into, ect.
 
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