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Clearing out old machine shop

JGard911

Plastic
Joined
Jul 17, 2021
I am tasked with clearing out an old machine shop. It was the former Randall & Stickney Company which made dial thickness gauges and indicators.
There are 10-20 lathes, milling machines, presses, drill presses and other unknown machines of all shapes and sizes. Is there any interest in old machines like these, either as antiques or functioning machines?
 

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Yes, there is, and I'd be interested in the Hardinge in the first picture.

What is your timeline? I might be able to help with valuations and disposal if needed.

Edit - a full inventory of photos should be taken, so that the history of the place can be retained.
 
Everything in your photos looks really nice. You should get plenty of interest, especially since they look to be smaller machines, (what you showed anyway). Smaller machines sell really well to home shop people. First thing people will ask is do you have a list of machines/tooling and more pictures of them. I will suggest to keep all related tooling with each machine it belongs with, this will increase the value of the machines. Hardinge is a good brand (best in its class?) and should bring a premium price.
 
Yes, I think you would be quite surprised. Get a hold of an auction firm who can do an online auction of the stuff. One who is well known and can handle shipping logistics.
 
The first one is an HSL 59 I believe. Plenty of use for it as a 2nd op lathe, facing and turning. The other Hardinge is also a 2nd op lathe they way it is set up. Lots of use for that too. Both nice machines. Can't tell what the milling machine is.
 
Yes, I think you would be quite surprised. Get a hold of an auction firm who can do an online auction of the stuff. One who is well known and can handle shipping logistics.
Yes, they'll get rid of the machinery with no effort on the OPs part. Yes, they'll charge a high percentage for their work.

If getting the maximum return is at all important, sell them locally on craigslist. They'll be gone in a week. How much is OPs time worth to do the grunt work and hang around in work clothes for a week?

jack vines
 
Have you contacted the museum of industry in Waltham. I bet they have some people who can give you a hand and help out. More so they specialize in displaying and preserving the history of the area's clock and dial indicator manufacturing that came with it. I tried searching the company on Google not much info on them. Hard to believe they made it so long.

Most of that stuff looks quite old and probably won't bring top dollar and some of it likely should go to the museum so that future generations can understand what was once there. Back in its day Waltham was booming with the watch business and all the little related industries like this one. It would be neat to see more of their history preserved and not wind up in a dumpster.

Can you post more photos of the place and what's there?

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
 
This shop has been left in what appears to be outstanding condition. Most shops that are to be dismantled are filthy and full of junk. This one seems to have been recently in use by somebody who cared about it.

The few machines you show are fairly valuable to hobby machinists. The two walker turner bench drill press would sell in a heartbeat, there is a recent thread where a well-repected forum member here went to great lengths to restore a hardinge HSL small lathe like the one shown here - to as-new condition, which yours seems to be in.

Yes, worth selling, do not scrap anything.
 
brother your sitting on a gold mine ! do your home work . some of the tooling for the lathes alone some people would give there eye teeth to get there hands on . good place to start just to get some info would be uklathe its not the only site but its a good start
 
The Mill can be found in the 1907 Treatise on the Construction and Use of Milling Machines by Brown & Sharpe
It is a No. 2 Universal.
B&S No-2 Universal.jpg1907 No-2 Universal Milling Machine.jpg
The handwheel at the right side of the table is for rapid traverse.
There is a ring with gear teeth cut on the I.D. and it is fastened to the back of the handwheel.
A single spur gear mounted on the x-table shaft is engaged with the ring.
The table on the lower right side of the column is for the dividing head and tailstock when not in use.
The serial number of the mill can be found just above the spindle or at the front of the Y-axis.
This same serial number should be marked on both the dividing head and tailstock completing the set.
Great looking mill, love to have it:D

That looks like the original vise for the mill. All of the items in the second image shipped with the mill.
Perhaps they are still in the shop, especially the overarm braces and the dovetailed knee bracket.
John
 
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Yes, they'll get rid of the machinery with no effort on the OPs part. Yes, they'll charge a high percentage for their work.

If getting the maximum return is at all important, sell them locally on craigslist. They'll be gone in a week. How much is OPs time worth to do the grunt work and hang around in work clothes for a week?

jack vines

If you have any intention of selling them yourself you might also consider Facebook Marketplace. I've looked over our local Craigslist recently and find very few machine tools. Facebook on the other hand seems to have far more machinery available. You don't have to be a Facebook member to view the Marketplace, but you do have to be a member to make an offer unless the seller provides a phone number.

Most machines only last a day or two on the Marketplace site.

I am not a Facebook member and I'm not suggesting anyone become a member. It's just another consideration to make when disposing of the machinery
 
Very interesting as the shop appears to be in it's original location. The view in pic #2 appears to be from an upper floor with the building on the side appearing the the current street view, the shop being located at the rear of the property?

Looks to be, and hate the overused term...but an actual time capsule of sorts.
 
Very interesting as the shop appears to be in it's original location. The view in pic #2 appears to be from an upper floor with the building on the side appearing the the current street view, the shop being located at the rear of the property?

Looks to be, and hate the overused term...but an actual time capsule of sorts.

Yeah, must be the shop. Has what appears to be a small loading dock with double doors. Easy load out.
 








 
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