Question about several pieces of equipment I've purchased... and no little about

Hello, I have four machines that I have agreed to purchase from a gentleman in Michigan. They have been purchased sight unseen for essentially scrap value but my intentions are to either restore them back to full use or if they are in good enough shape maintain and possibly rattlecan-restore.

I do have some pictures of each item but was not able to make out manufacturer and the seller hasn't had a chance to provide me with that info. I will be picking them up next friday on the 19th so would like to be able to figure out the weight of each piece and manufacture/model before arriving. I read the "mugshot" sticky but at this time the below pictures are the best I can provide.

The seller stated the lathe is a 16" Reed

Thanks in advance for the help.

Last picture

My guess is 1200-1800 lbs each piece.

CarlBoyd

Other than lathe - Arter or similar grinder, B&S #1 or #2 Universal Grinder, and production group of attached drill presses (maybe Leland Gifford)

1935 brochure on the B&S

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/2185/18320.pdf

Figure an average of 2500 Lbs each?

Link shows smallest Arter in 1941 weighed close to 3000

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/5205/21028.pdf

That's a really old shop, perhaps this is a estate cleanout. If you can get permission, please take a lot of good pictures of the shop and machinery before moving everything out, there's some history there.

The antiques experts here would know better, but I'm guessing average dates for these machines around the 1920's? Anyone have a better guess?

I'll take as many photos as I can when I get there although cleanout has already begun and some machines have been sold already from what i've been told. from my understanding there is roughly 10 to 20 machines in this building, truly a lifetimes collection of equipment.

I will likely make a new thread for the moving process and what ever history I can gather on the building and previous owners if that's the excepted norm on here, otherwise I can just add them to this thread.

I'm at Lambertville, MI 48144. If you need an extra pair of hands and not to far away I could offer some help.

DBSGarage said:

I'll take as many photos as I can when I get there although cleanout has already begun and some machines have been sold already from what i've been told. from my understanding there is roughly 10 to 20 machines in this building, truly a lifetimes collection of equipment.

I will likely make a new thread for the moving process and what ever history I can gather on the building and previous owners if that's the excepted norm on here, otherwise I can just add them to this thread.

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Scour the place, if you are allowed, for things that go with the machines you are getting (faceplates, extra chucks, steady rests, follow rests, etc. etc.). They're frequently strewn around but if they don't come along with the machines, they can be hard to find and add up quickly in costs

kd1yt said:

Scour the place, if you are allowed, for things that go with the machines you are getting (faceplates, extra chucks, steady rests, follow rests, etc. etc.). They're frequently strewn around but if they don't come along with the machines, they can be hard to find and add up quickly in costs

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Hopefully, if the items aren't with the equipment someone else doesn't buy them for scrap value before I get to them, at least the lathe seems to be well fitted out. I am hoping there are parts for the od grinder laying around.

SIP6A said:

I'm at Lambertville, MI 48144. If you need an extra pair of hands and not to far away I could offer some help.

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The machines are in Brooklyn Michigan so roughly an hour away. I currently have someone to help me at least one weekend with moving the equipment but I'll let you know if I could use more help thanks.

Drill press does have a Leland Gifford look to it. I’d like to see more intimate views of the belt drive when you are able.

I’d figure 4,000 lbs and high center of gravity based on a newer 4 spindle motor drive I own.

Take a preliminary trip ASAP,with the sole object of hunting/sorting out any items accessories belonging to the machines you have agreed to have. And have them away that same day. Then look around again just before you leave.

All,

I have made the trip and retrieved the 16" Reed-Prentice lathe and the Brown & Sharpe No.1 O.D. grinder as well as the water tank for the rotary grinder but not without issues. The trailer I was using didn't like the load even though it was not at it's rated capacity so I am out a trailer for getting the drill press and the rest of the rotary grinder.

I am also unsure of how to move the rotary grinder. I still can't figure a make for it nor the weight but trying to use my 2ton engine crane seems unwise. It worked fine for the lather and the od grinder but seemed close to it's limits. I think I can diassemble the top of the drill press and break it down into individual presses and the table for moving.

If anyone has any ideas on how to go about moving the rotary grinder or has access to a forklift in the Onsted/Brooklyn Michigan area I would be able to repay depending on what it would cost. (would need to be drivable in grass/dirt)

Now onto the building itself, it was a machine shop that underwent four expansions through it's life. Originally started in a house basement next door and then moved into the current building consisting of line shaft equipment to more modern machines. The shop was used during WW2 for machining of tank components and also had a forge at one time that led to building fires twice. The current owner is planning to convert the building into a storage unit and so is selling all machines for scrap value. All of the larger equipment is still available and a good bit of the smaller machines are also available still.


The shop from outside



The rotary grinder and it's tank

No clue how this massive thing even made it into the shop

Now for the lathe, I was happily surprised to find out it has a taper attachment and even has some of the change gears, so other than needing to free it all up and making some new gears it is a fully decked out machine.







A very blurry picture of the O.D. Grinder

Lastly a picture of the 4 gang drill press, it appears to be built with nothing but socket head cap screws so it must not be to terribly old

Thanks a lot for the pictures!

I hope the building owner puts a little money into improving the roof. Given how rusty things are in there I'd hate to store stuff in that place.

It's like a pre 1939-45 War time capsule.

Regards Tyrone.