Antique Lathes in New Mexico

T

todoned

Aluminum

Joined

Jan 31, 2008

Location

Albuquerque

• Nov 18, 2010

• #1

Here is a craigslist posting for two antique lathes in New Mexico.

Antique lathes and drill press

I contacted the seller and told him I was interested, but thought his price was unrealistic. What do you think the seller could get for these? The Greaves and Klausman interests me, but I have no idea what it is actually worth. Am I wrong in thinking $500 would be a good offer? Thanks for your thoughts!

-Tod

 

johnoder

Diamond

Joined

Jul 16, 2004

Location

Houston, TX USA

• Nov 18, 2010

• #2

Though the factory counter shaft (two speed no less) is a rare prize, it goes with the too long L&S (I suppose). He will be lucky to get $1200 for the lot is my guess.

Wonder if any of it came from the old Coal Mine / Coke Oven plant about 120 miles to Northeast. This place went belly up in the forties.

J.O.

 

N

northernsinger

Titanium

Joined

Aug 19, 2004

Location

New England

• Nov 18, 2010

• #3

I've been to--and liked--Espanola. As to 'lucky to get ...' the current Santa Fe C'list (which I looked at after seeing the advertisement for the machines under discussion) has a seller asking $7000 for a 36" Tannewitz band saw. A nice one, certainly worth about a quarter of that.

 

bridgeport

Cast Iron

Joined

Nov 10, 2007

Location

Los Angeles

• Nov 18, 2010

• #4

Yea, but you could get yourself a Bowflex right down the road for $220. Seriously though,
lots of artsy types in that area who think their poo doesn't stink, and that they can fetch top dollar for them thar "antiques" because they are just super squeaky sure they deserve that much for them.

 

G

George Andreasen

Stainless

Joined

Feb 11, 2007

Location

Alturas, California

• Nov 18, 2010

• #5

I'd make the call and see how he reacts. He'll probably chuckle and tell you that you obviously know nothing about antiques. Be polite and offer to call back in a couple of weeks, then follow through. Keep this tactic up until one of you gets tired.

After he realizes that you may be the only interested party (other than a scrap yard) he might come down to earth.

 

N

NewMexicoairman

Aluminum

Joined

Sep 14, 2009

Location

Rio Rancho, New Mexico USA

• Nov 18, 2010

• #6

He has been trying to sell them for the last couple months.
Most likely thay cam from Los Alamos labs. The last building from the 40's was just torn down.

Ask him if thay glow in the dark.

Andrew

 

L

locoguy

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 17, 2004

Location

SE Ohio

• Nov 18, 2010

• #7

Those long lathes come in handy......... if one has about three steady rests. This L&S is not really that long. In our restoration shop at Cass, we had a 20-inch L&S that was 16 plus feet between centers. Andy FitzGibbon now has it in his shop. Makes banjo parts on it, I think.

 

T

todoned

Aluminum

Joined

Jan 31, 2008

Location

Albuquerque

• Nov 18, 2010

• #8

Thanks all for the feedback. So far I have just exchanged email...if anybody else is interested, feel free to grab 'em! The seller told me that ..."all I had to go off of was what the guy I obtained them from told me and he told me they were worth 20K-30K which I know is extremely unrealistic" so I'm sure he doesn't really know what they are worth. I'm about 2 hours away, I may go have a look see, perhaps just for fun.

John -- does that countershaft sit on the floor and the lathe fits inside it? I'm having trouble seeing how that works on the Lodge & Shipley... and I agree, 12 feet is too long for me!

-Tod

 

johnoder

Diamond

Joined

Jul 16, 2004

Location

Houston, TX USA

• Nov 19, 2010

• #9

Way up in the ceiling joists - lots of old photos showing main line shafts and then the smaller factory countershafts off to each side - but all up there as far as they could get them.

Not long ago I visited the Roundhouse museum in Savannah - there was even a line shaft going to an adjacent building way up high.

J.O.