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1919 sebastian lathe value

Adj1992

Plastic
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
I recently purchased a sebastian lathe for $100 in perfect working order (needs a little cleaning but nothing too serious) I'm 85% sure it's a 1919 by looking at old catalog photos, motor is the only non original part. I'm sure it's worth more than $100 I've seen legs on ebay selling for $1,700 would just like a little insight as how to judge the value. This is my first lathe I've personally owned and figured the live center was worth what I paid
 
Gear head. 12" swing, 5' bed, came with lots of tooling different gear sets and a few different tail stocks. 20180101_164517.jpg
 
Think legs for $1700 is the asking price..IMHO .. All there and thread cutting ready perhaps $1500.
but you might advertise it for $600 and sit on it for a coon's age.
It is worth 2500 easy if good but few buyers willing to pay that kind on money for a old heave lathe.

QT:[this is my first lathe I've personally owned and figured the live center was worth what I paid.].

You got a great deal and should have Thousands worth of fun with such a nice machine..
 
One factor that controls price is availability/ scarcity in your area.(supply and demand) That alone will be a big driver.
 
I don't know anything about the current craze for lathe legs. As a lathe it is worth 2-300 from what I see in the one picture, looks like it is missing the gear train for threading. As mentioned it is very, very, very location dependent.

CarlBoyd
 
No... you've seen someone ASKING $1700 for a set of legs. Ebay is full of things being advertised for prices that no one in their right mind would pay. It seems that many ebay sellers think the world is populated by rich morons. It isn't.

You don't say if you got any tooling... that makes a significant difference becasuse if you need backing plates you will probably have to make them yourself. The retail price of small items like a dead center is largely meaningless. Tons of used tooling is sold every day for a tiny fraction of what it cost new or would cost to replace new. The critical items are the original accessories... backing plates, center rest, taper attachment etc. Those will be very hard to find if they aren't already there.

Today, your machine is worthless from a commercial point of view. The only market, aside from scrap dealers, are hobbiests. Personally, I think that is just fine. I own machines I could never hope to acquire if they stll had commercial value. Your lathe is a good size, quite a bit bigger than the average "home shop machinist" usually aspires to but not so big that it is unmanageable. Presuming it is all there, and you have at least minimal tooling, I'd guess $300 to $600 depending on where you are. Machines are expensive to move so if you are in an area where there never were many, it is more valuable. That said, virtually no machine from 1919 is in new condition. They all require some work and often a fair amount of use before the owner learns their quirks and can do really good work.

As someone on this forum said a long time ago, "there is a very limited market for collectibles that have to be moved with a forklift."
 
In the shape that it’s in it’s worth scrap, get it put together and cleaned up, runnable and you might get 500 out of it, geared head and relatively small size are a big plus for the home shop crowd, the right buyer might give 1000 for it because of that, key is finding the right buyer which isn’t always easy, it’s a pretty niche market, just think about it, there’s several guys in my neighborhood with wood shops in the garage, a couple mechanics working on their hot rods or motorcycles and I’m the only machinist I know of (with a home shop) that’s a large lathe for most home shop guys, but not too large for a lot of home shops, now if you had a 9 or 10” south bend those bring 1000 bucks all day long and are an easy sell, small enough that nearly any vehicle can take it and light enough to be moved by 2 men with no real rigging to speak of.

You got a good deal I’d say, fix it up and use it, do 1 or 2 jobs on it for some guys in the neighborhood and it’s paid for it’s self!
 
Get it going and with stuff made to show what it can do - like the new back plate you had to make for the 2 1/8-8 odd ball spindle nose - then maybe you will find an interested buyer for around 500.

Right now its just old iron on vacation.

My catalog - undated - must be newer since all the ones listed have QC gear boxes
 
Thanks for the input fellas. Here's everything it came with, 1 3 jaw chuck, 1 4 jaw chuck 20 tool bars a few boxes of carbide inserts a box full of replacement gears to for the gearbox, a 10" faceplate live center for the tail stock, a 3/8 5/8 and 1/2" drill chucks lots of carbide drill bits, and carbide end mill bits. Machine runs great all gears work properly half engages good
 
Adj1992
Do you have any of those replacement gears left for the Sebastian12X36 larhe. I just acquired one myself. The previous owner thought there must have been a clutch somewhere. He was shifting gears while running. Needless to say. I have a handful that need replacing.
Any help is appriceated.
 
Adj1992 has not posted or signed in to PM since March of 2018.
You'd have greater success creating you own Sebastian Lathe change gears, wanted thread.
See if the isn't a Sebastian lathe group on IO Groups.
 
You can do a lot of good work/projects on a home shop basis with a lathe like that. If you are a mechanical type and want to keep it get the book by Southbend HOW TO RUN A LATHE. Find out how and where to oil/lube it. There is nothing oil will hurt except the motor and switch. Too much oil is way better than not enough.
 
Sebastian lathe

I would like to post a thread but do not know how to do so on this site. I would welcome any help in learning how.
Adj1992 has not posted or signed in to PM since March of 2018.
You'd have greater success creating you own Sebastian Lathe change gears, wanted thread.
See if the isn't a Sebastian lathe group on IO Groups.
 








 
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