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Machine identification and value

Mobdaily

Plastic
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
I'm completely new to machining. I'm at ironworker by trade and car and motorcycle enthusiast on the side. I've always wanted a lathe and I've come across the opportunity to buy this one. It's old and has been outside for sometime. I have no idea what brand it is, nor are there any serial numbers in plain sight. I know it's missing pieces. The labor involved in freeing up all the moving parts, as well as parts needed is not really a concern. My concern is, is it even worth it to restore it to working condition. Any help in the matter would be greatly appreciated.
 

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That one has a long way to go before it makes chips. I doubt you will find parts easily. Nice set of cast legs though.
 
I understand that. I'd really just like to get an idea of brand or something I can do some research on. I don't know where to start.
 
Tag under drum switch might be informative - though they often only tell about the dealer - not the maker

The "double" leg this end with bores suggests that it was originally a treadle lathe - human powered
 
The double left leg that supported a large stepped flywheel/pulley for foot pedal drive suggests that it was made by B. F. Barnes of Rockford, IL (1899-1907).

I think $50 would be a fair price.

Larry
 
"I'm completely new to machining. I'm at ironworker by trade and car and motorcycle enthusiast on the side. I've always wanted a lathe and I've come across the opportunity to buy this one. It's old and has been outside for sometime. I have no idea what brand it is, nor are there any serial numbers in plain sight. I know it's missing pieces. The labor involved in freeing up all the moving parts, as"

the only labor involved is me, telling you, that that machine is a piece of shit.... unless you are some
cast-iron-archaeologist.....DO NOT BUY THAT machine if you intend to make parts.
 
That lathe looks like it can only make round things. I do not think it can make threads. Might be worth it to sell the legs to interior decorators. The legs may be worth $100-200 to a table maker. the rest is a boat anchor.
Bill D
 
"Lathe shaped Object".....buy it cheap, and put your mailbox
on the headstock out front of your shop.
 
If an antique treadle lathe is your interest that looks lik a good candidate. Just a lot of work. Rust can be removed and iron painted. There are a few serious parts missing, mainly the cross slide and left side gearing. Look to find a second lathe just like it and one can be a parts machine.

Roy Underhill of "The Woodwright Shop", PBS, has an episode using a treadle lathe.

If saw that locally for $50 id buy it just to get it inside.
 
I'm completely new to machining. I'm at ironworker by trade and car and motorcycle enthusiast on the side. I've always wanted a lathe and I've come across the opportunity to buy this one. It's old and has been outside for sometime. I have no idea what brand it is, nor are there any serial numbers in plain sight. I know it's missing pieces. The labor involved in freeing up all the moving parts, as well as parts needed is not really a concern. My concern is, is it even worth it to restore it to working condition. Any help in the matter would be greatly appreciated.

How much is the owner going to pay you take it away?
 
As a person that often takes on lost causes I can honestly say....

Restoring that lathe with what I noticed missing you would invest more time and money than it would cost you to buy a working lathe. For example you are missing the banjo and connecting gears, the cross slide and compound as well... any one of those 3 could be a deal killer.

Unless it has some other reason to be valuable to you..... pass.
 
Find out what scrap metal goes for ($ per pound) then you know what to pay for it. It's been my experience that a seller who does not know anything about a antique piece of ? thinks they really have something and they want top dollar.

Most comments will come from guys already setup so it looks like a waste of time. My thought is that you will probably need a mill, lathe, and surface grinder to restore it.
 
It's worth it's scrap weight really...

But.... There are a few OK looking handles on there. Also, the switch appears to be a Furnas style three phase switch. If this is in working order (I......... er..... Well, I wouldn't want to just plug the thing in and see, put it that way) it could have some value once restored. If it was sealed up OK, the innards might be OK - they're copper and brass, plus bakelite, so all fairly corrosion resistant. The biggest problem with that switch is that the arc shield (front clam shell bit) may well have a coating of the angry sort of asbestos.

For a few parts, to restore and sell on... Maybe you could make the money back that you pay (which, again, is no more than it's scrap value - and probably less because you have to move the damn thing).

For restoring the whole thing... Nope.
 
I may as well pipe in. I am one that dislikes seeing the machines that shaped America pulverized. I started out on a Barnes tredle lathe (tredle was long gone) and mine had dovetail ways which was even worse than the prismatic v's. You could accomplish shaping of round objects but it was very frustrating and slow (almost counter productive) Judging by the aforementioned missing components you would be much better off offering $25 and selling legs for a couple hundred and save yourself the frustration of looking for expensive bits and pieces and save that money for something that is functionally intact. These rustic furniture folks are paying insane prices for cast leg sets. If you lived a couple thousand miles closer I would give your $25 back for the bed and cut it up for straight edges.

Bob
 








 
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