9" SB For Sale

http://web.govliquidation.com/auction/search?cmd=keyword&query=9z2c2GcU22CQ2GcY3GY52Gkc22CD2N12&tid=DC00000032

This looks like a nice well tooled lathe. I have never dealt with these guys but might be a deal if you are within pickup distance
Bob

Isn't that a 10K? although the only part I can positively ID is the reversing gear tumbler.

Apears to come with a taper, but doesn't have the proper cross slide to use it.

Looks like there must be a few other lathes around missing a bunch of covers and parts. Typical government employee waste of tax dollars. Since they are paid no matter what they do, you'd think they would care enough to keep things organized.

OK, rant mode off,

smt

Went to Ft Bragg a couple years back to look at a couple items Govliquidation had listed for bids. Saw what I needed to see then spent a while walking around the big fenced salvage depot area looking at what else was there. 2 brand new Series II CNC Bridgeports. At least the size was series II, but I think they had some other designation. Still bolted to the shipping skids. Both looked to have been flipped off a forklift. Obviously wasn't shipping damage, or they wouldn't have been sitting on OUR property. Anyway, the control pendant was smashed on both, and there was some other cover damage and such, but past that the looked okay. Except for the thick rust on every bare surface. Bad enough they destroy the machines before they get them off the skids, but even worse they set them outside till they have no salvage value whatsoever. On the upside though, since govliquidation took over auctioning the government surplus, the amount of money we're recovering from surplus has multiplied many times over. Gone are the days when a machinery dealer who knew the right people could quietly get a brand new 1955 Bullard still in cosmoline for a hundred bucks and sell it a week later for 50 thou. I watch the auction results now and then, and the stuff is bringing market price and sometimes more. Some of the really odd or specialized things are getting enough exposure now that they're being sold for decent prices instead of paying a scrapper to haul them off. Wonder how long before Congress decides this makes way too much sense and legislates it out of existence?

It always makes me curious. When ever I read about the military, I always picture perfect order, cleanliness and respect for equiptment. True they ride some things hard such as tanks, but they're taught to deal with them that way. But does the army really treat such precision equiptment as if it were total crap? Everything on this gov bid seems as if it has sat outside for years. Where's all that personal pride, such as the crews polishing the all the brass on ships, and the care for equiptment that is reflected in the Army's machine shop instruction manuals?

I always thought our military was a stickler for order, and cleanlines. I'll admit, that some of my equiptment over the years has been old and has its share of wear. Thats what I can afford so that is what I use and learn on. But nothing scares me more then a nice fresh coating of rust.

Don't these guys take care of our stuff?

Adam

Adam, you may not be aware of the huge amount of civilian employees that actually do most of the work at bases and depots.

Jobs formerly done by military personel are now done by these civilian contractors. I used to conduct business at various bases and rarely dealt with a military person.
These civilian employees have very explicit instructions on how to do their job. It seems that worrying about taxpayers dollars is not in their job description.
I have been to places and seen virtually worthless stuff stored in the warehouses while machine tools and industrial parts are stored outside or just left on trailers. They may have tarped the item when it arrived, but if the wind blows the tarp off, so be it. They won't tarp it twice.

I have a friend who is a civilian contractor at a weapons depot. His job is to repair electronic equipment and systems. Some of his stories are quite amazing. If it was up to him, things would be done different and we would get more value for our tax dollars.

So don't blame the condition of the machines on the soldiers and airmen in particular. Blame it on a very bloated and inefficient management program.

Les

LW you hit it right on the head. it's the civilan tit sucker's there not the military. in one of the shop's that i go to they have some want to be machinist that are traning to be civilan machinist for north island navy base san diego. god help us. not only are we paying for them at north island but they are getting $13 AH to play grab ass all day in class .all minority's so that make's them untouchabel. oh you want me to work oh no your a big bad racist. no for if i were i mite put a big zip tie over you ugly head and pull it real hard. dam i love that reaucring day dream god save how i love it

Adam,
Les has it pegged. I used to teach diesel mech. at Golden West College in Huntington Beach CA. One of our sources for shop engines was the DRMO in Fullerton. It was just like Les described where things like junk cargo parachutes and mess kits were snug inside the building and outside were rows of machinery, engines, generators and the like. Not one engine was covered, exhausts and intakes wide open to the weather. Another "interesting" thing to note was that every Detroit Diesel was missing it's blower. Seems that someone figured out that there is a market for them on the outside.
The waste and attitude sure pissed me off.
Chris

I've actually been looking at the SB they have listed ( and crying over the condition of everything on that site). ANyway, best I can tell from the photos is that the bed looks dark but not rusted, some of the other parts are rusted - the taper attachment looks like the slide is bent - but the bed doesnt look bad. I ran the numbers on shipping and if the winning bid isnt too high I think it will be worthwhile to get. I have an "average" shipping qoute of around $300, so if the winning bid ( may be dreaming here ) is $200 or less, total cost is $500. I dunno, seems like it may be fair all things considered. - Charles