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Is this 10K worth $3000?

DamnColdGarage

Plastic
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
South Bend Lathe - tools - by owner - sale

This recently popped up on my local Craiglist. I've been thinking about buying a lathe for the better part of a year, and this is one of the nicer examples I've seen. Unfortunately, it seems about $1000 overpriced, but perhaps I'm just too used to seeing clapped out clunkers. Is a 10K that's in great shape really worth $3000?
 
To me, no.... With that said 3k would buy me a more capable lathe in my neck of the woods.

Negatives: first it's not a heavy ten which typically is the sought after version. (And that is a premium price)

Not real sure but at first blush it looks like a paint job with intent to flip for profit

No rebuild documentation backing up that 3k price tag. Not so much as good pics of high wear areas.


Positives: it appears to be a turn key lathe with all the associated gear.

If that fits your work envelope it could be the perfect fit

Here of late I've seen outrageous prices asked of lesser lathes.

If pickings are scarce in your area may be awhile before you see what your looking for.

Bottom line it's a crap shoot, you have to decide is it worth it to you. Over the years I've learned not to let a marginally higher price stop me if it's really what I want.

Best of luck.
 
Yes, this lathe is worth $3,000. This is a late model machine, not one from WWII or earlier and not clapped out. It is well tooled. It does not have either a taper attachment or metric change gears. If it did, it would be worth even more. The advantage these machines have is their small size and light weight, as they fit anywhere, even in small apartments. If you have good skills, have patience and take light cuts, they can make some amazingly large parts very accurately. As lathes go, these are not the best, but for the space and environmental requirements they need, they sit at the top of the list and drive their popularity among hobbyists. Parts, accessories and knowledge are also readily available. I bought mine new from SB in 1980 and even though I have larger lathes, I still use my 10K more often than the other larger, more capable lathes combined simply because it is easier to use if the job fits the machine's use envelope.

Consider also, this machine has a 100 year use life. You will be able to readily sell this machine anytime you wish for essentially the same value you paid for it, if you should desire to replace it at a later date. These things don't lose value.
 
Years ago I paid about that amount for my 1978 model 10K with taper attachment, collet closer, QCTP, 3 and 4 jaw chucks, well tooled, etc, and in excellent shape. It was a lot of money but I haven't regretted it. steve-l makes some good points.
 
To me, it has the higher end steady and follower rests, collet closer and the rest of tooling make it interesting for sure. The paint is not new. I'd be curious what wear, and how much. No taper attachment is disappointing, but not a deal killer. Buying, i'd try for $2500 if it the machine were tight, less if I need serious parts.
 
About 5 years ago, I bought a 1978 10K with hardened ways, cabinet base, 3 jaw, 4 jaw, dog plate, 5c collet chuck, boring bar holder, micrometer stop, solid stop, threading dial, a sears bottom cabinet full of tooling, steady rest, travel rest, original invoices and manuals, and a gallon each of genuine SB oils. I spent $1500 up here in New York and felt I got a great deal. Third owner.

No collet closer or taper attachment.

Paint condition was worse, but it had never been repainted.
 
Wow. Thanks for all the responses. Decent lathes in this area that are under $2K seem to go pretty quickly. Perhaps it is worth $3K to some, but I don't think I can swallow it. There was a decently tooled Craftsman 101 with a quick-change gearbox that was on Craiglist for $1200 that I tried to jump on, but by the time I got home that evening the ad had disappeared, so I guess I'm not the only one looking for lathes in this sweet spot.
 
A new lathe of that quality likely would cost $10K.. Other than not having metric, and you can get a change grear for metric..With care a perfect lathe of that quality would last a life time..Agree there are Logans, Rockwells, and a number of great names out there...any one in top condition will cost some bigger bucks..Yes one can be lucky and get a cream pull for $1500 or so...perhaps on the second Tuesday of next week.
*It might be worth that much. *But 24" between centers consider that...bed does not look perfect..

You can buy a brand new lathe project for the same price and wish it ran better the second day...
*but if you have to ask then you need to take a lathe guy to look at any lathe you might choose.

qt: [No taper attachment] agree I like a taper attachment and a thread half nut..
Here in Michigan I see about the same lathe from $800 to $2900

Couple years ago saw a old stock new lathe (a later model, US made SB) for $5,000. almost bought it.
 
Given the lack of good lathes in your area the sb might be your best bet. Remember, the price you pay only hurts once.

I would also consider opening my search area by several hundred miles, your odds go up considerably of finding a decent lathe. Just make sure you and the seller are on the same page before hitting the road. I normally won't discuss price before looking at the goods but if it's a long ways off I will see where they stand.
 
"Positives: it appears to be a turn key lathe with all the associated gear."

Except collets apparently. If they were there, the seller most certainly would have listed them
in the ad. Worse yet, I don't see the 3C closer sleeve which would be there if the drawbar were
for 3C collets - implication to me, that the draw bar is for 6K collets.

6K collets are very expensive. Suggest prospective buyers price out a set by 16ths, and subtract that
cost from the $3K - THEN it would be fully tooled machine at that price. Otherwise the 6K closer is
basically just in the way.
 
Go and sacrifice a goat in gratitude that you DID miss the Craptsman! A "lathe" it was never, @las.

"LSO", rather. Lathe Shaped Object. AKA "POS", if you want the globalized term. And I do not mean "Point Of Sale"..

:)

Hah.. Well, the craftsman isn't my first choice, but there are a lot of them out there and I figure it would be a good lathe for learning and my hobbyist purposes.
 
"Positives: it appears to be a turn key lathe with all the associated gear."

Except collets apparently. If they were there, the seller most certainly would have listed them
in the ad. Worse yet, I don't see the 3C closer sleeve which would be there if the drawbar were
for 3C collets - implication to me, that the draw bar is for 6K collets.

6K collets are very expensive. Suggest prospective buyers price out a set by 16ths, and subtract that
cost from the $3K - THEN it would be fully tooled machine at that price. Otherwise the 6K closer is
basically just in the way.

Very true about the 6K collets. It took me several years and a pile of money to acquire a full set. I see where someone is marketing new 6K's but who knows about the quality.
 
Good catch Jim, it had dawned on me the lack of collets but not that they were the unobtanium variety. That would be a bad gotcha at that price. I was already thinking the op should counter with a lower offer, doubly so now.
 
Grab it for 2500....sell the collet closer for 250

2250 and you have a very decent machine that will last, is easy to use and easy to keep running.

Don't even consider @tlas....I suffered a like new condition QC54....it was seriously challenged to mostly anything compared to my 10K
 
Good catch Jim, it had dawned on me the lack of collets but not that they were the unobtanium variety. That would be a bad gotcha at that price. I was already thinking the op should counter with a lower offer, doubly so now.

Not that 3K is a terribly bad asking price - there's a good number of other goodies there that constitute well-tooled. Just that
the first questions should be "what collet size is that closer for," and "are there any collets with the machine?"

It might be a 3C closer, which would make things less expensive to tool up, and there might be some collets in those drawers. But
the seller has done a pretty decent job of providing photos of all the other items with the lathe. The lathe itself seems to be in
very nice condition.
 
The price for used lathes is like bargaining for a car / truck. Everybody wants a "Deal" without consideration of what you will need / want for tooling down the road. Yes buy a machine for a "Deal" and spend twice as much for tooling etc. down the road. The tooling and accessories with the machine make the deal.
Look at the price for such items that you may need!
Currently I have SB 9A with DRO and a lot of tooling with it for sale,
I have entertained low ball offers and absurd insults for offers also.
My price is fair and most of the "Insult" offers are from those that do not
understand machinery or thinking that I am a widow wanting to get raped because hubby passed
and thy are looking for "opportunity".


Be patient, talk nice with a fair offer and sometimes the seller may throw in something extra.

pghlost
 
QT: [and most of the "Insult" offers are from those that do not
understand machinery or thinking that I am a widow wanting to get raped because hubby passed
and thy are looking for "opportunity".]

*Many are machine flippers who want to make a safe 200% on the deal...
 








 
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