I have paid more for the countershaft than the machine under it.
Ebay tends to the "steampunk." Hangers of all sorts, all conditions sell for what I would consider exorbitant amounts simply because they can be put up in one's industrial 3rd floor garret walk-up - hang a plant on it - and show ones "re-purposing" good taste. More or less in the same category as lathe legs - the market of which I might opine is "falling" a little - finally.
Well, one hopes.
Surprisingly, physically smaller items are less frequently seen, more suitable for home installation, and more adaptable to home size machines. One might think the market would sense this and the pricing would follow in inverse to size. But that does not seem to be the case.
One seller on Ebay (who pictures his items ALWAYS next to a soda can for reference) seems to adhere to the "larger is better" school of pricing. I might add he doesn't sell much. Perhaps that is his goal?
Hangers adapted to either tight-loose or clutch alone I would put at best pricing $50 ea or below. A complete double clutch counter maybe minus the cone pulley but with all the bells and shifter whistles still attached perhaps $150 total - but that if it is small. I bought a 6" dia. Pratt & Whitney countershaft *complete* and taken from his Dad's South Bend install for that - but it has EVERYTHING and was functional. I paid $80 plus ship (total less than $100) for a tight loose counter/cone pulley/hangers/shifters with 6" drop (i.e. small) but that good a buy is rare for Ebay.
Line shaft hangers (the main shaft) differ in details from countershaft hangers. I would put these at $50-$75 per hanger. One Craigslist seller in Boston had 1-15/16 hole hangers in a nice earlier "yoke" pattern with a cast-in Boston machine supply house name on the bearing cap - VERY nice looking and "period" - and he wanted $75 ea. I myself have bought two "Dodge" brand main shaft hangers in 1-7/16 hole and 12" drop (nice small size for the home shop - but later "opening one side" and "low loss" ring oilers) for $119 delivered from Ebay.
A 12" drop pair of Craigslist "Putnam" style countershaft hangers I paid $35 plus the mileage to go get them in Southern New England - so say less than $100 total for two. These are quite beefy hangers and I have others in the Putnam pattern which are lighter, and possibly earlier. Of a lighter Putnam pair I paid $90 w/ship from Ebay - but missing one of the bearing boxes - I guess another good buy.
So - the supply is still out there. I would say take Ebay with a grain of salt on pricing. MOST of what you see on Ebay in the "Soda-Can" comparison is overpriced - and unfortunately a lot of other sellers are taking an erroneous clue from this one seller.
I did buy a pair of Brown & Sharpe hangers in 10" drop from this seller. I probably paid too much - but the standard hangers for Brown & Sharpe are 16" drop - and those are really too large to fit well in my shop (total drop including 14" Brown & Sharpe double clutch at 16" drop plus 7" puts the belt at 2' or more below the ceiling - a tight fit with a 9' ceiling.) Its hard to find Brown & Sharpe hangers in the 10" drop size - so I bit the bullet.
What is the expression? Caviet Emptor. Watch for cracks in cast iron. Another reason not to get too close to Ebay as a source. A self directive I have violated more often than I care to admit.
Joe in NH
), so you often see pieces or lots priced as high as $1000. I'd be willing to bet that half the sellers would love to see their "vintage historical artifact" go to keeping old machinery running, but for petes sake, make it affordable and I'm in full support of sellers vetting who buys their stuff. Money talks, but the silence of history disappearing is disheartening.
