I've seen them go for $300. Saw a $500 last year.
Just gotta keep looking.
ALL the time. And have a trailer, engine hoist, coffee and cash ready.
I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. Why can't I find these things?
SB is usually THE hot ticket.
However. I just paid $250 for a Hardinge mill. UM/TM. Yes I have to do work to make it pretty but it is all there. Add a $400 dollar Bridgeport made vertical head made for the Hardinge and I'm set.
But I looked for a while.
And Brad. Get the Rockwell not the Clausing mill. The Rockwell uses R8 collets..
You know you are going to get carried away........
Yeah...I feel sick now.
Here is what I have:
Brad, this is what I mean by taking your time and not being in a hurry. This came from the machine reseller in Cincinnati. Advertised as a SB 9". It is...somewhat. It is a Model O (Model oh, not zero), that came just before the Models A, B, and C. According to the serial number was made on Black Thursday 1928. This lathe is all original, came with all those tools you see in the background, is chain driven motor to drive, leather to spindle. All original and in near mint condition. But it will not accept Model A, B, or C accessories. The bed width is the same as the Heavy 10 SB, but the spindle height is Model A-C. It is frustrating too as in the past four years I have only seen one bed turret for this machine on eBay and I missed the auction!!!!
I paid $800 for everything in the photo (except the cabinet), plus a big box of already ground tooling. It came on a pallet bolted to the tabletop. I paid $1275.00 for shipping. Yes, you read that correctly. That's what it cost to get 485 pounds from there to here. Truck to Seattle, barge to Anchorage, truck to the airport, plane to Bethel. But it is worth it. Up and running this machine can do just about anything within the 24" centers. Has 0.002" backlash on the compound but I'm going to work on that.
I built a 4x4 frame, got it leveled up yesterday, and am waiting for some material to arrive from down south to begin playing with it.
Take your time.
I paid $1200.00 for an Atlas horizontal mill in near new condition. Complete with original vise and cast iron thing that bolts to the knee and overhead bar. Fantastic little machine within its limitations.
Two years ago I found a Rusnok milling head to go with this mill. Rebuilt it with new bearings, motor and complete set of collets. Have a bunch of endmills for it too. Another fantastic addition to my 8'x12' porch machine shop.
Have an Atlas drillpress too.