What do y'all think about this ?

[Bamban]

https://houston.craigslist.org/tls/6177054325.html

For Sale: 13" long bed South Bend lathe with taper attachment. I purchased this lathe 17 years ago with the hope of restoring it. When I was looking at these machines this was the best one I found. It is still in very good condition. I have made quite a few parts on it. If you go to Ebay you will see fully restored machines like this over $4k. This is classic American iron, and it sure feels like it. I purchased it from a gentleman who owned it for nearly thirty years, and said he purchased it from the original owner. It was never in a school. I recently bought a larger machine and no longer have room for this. Everything works, and the lead screw looks perfect. Some way wear close to the chuck as expected, but the scraping is still visible over half the bed length, and on the cross slide ways. It had a 3 phase motor when I bought it, so I replaced with a new fan cooled Century 1.5 HP single phase motor. So, it will run on standard household 220. I have a full set of Armstrong tool holders and rocker post, and I added a BXA quick change post with a set of tool holders. Tailstock is MT3 taper and a live center goes with it. 1-3/8" through Camlock spindle with 6" 4-jaw and 8" 3-jaw chuck included as well. 8 speeds 40-940 rpm and 48 standard thread pitches. I have the book and a scan of the original purchase order showing a manufacture date of 1956. Asking $1800. Text is best

 

[Ulma Doctor]

$1800 sounds a bit high, but if the lathe is well equipped and isn't worn i'd be inclined to make an offer.
13" is a good size lathe.
the taper attachment is worth 1/3 the purchase price alone!

 

[Bamban]

He offered to deliver in my garage, 2 1/2 hours away for 1700.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

Sounds like a pretty good deal!

 

[mikey]

This would give me pause: "Some way wear close to the chuck as expected, but the scraping is still visible over half the bed length, and on the cross slide ways."

The lathe might otherwise be in good condition but if there is significant wear in the ways near the chuck, which is where most of your work is done and is the reason the wear is there in the first place, then I would not pay for the privilege of assuming the seller's problem.

 

[jsh]

I will say I don't even have enough hands on to be dangerous.
I have read hundreds if not a thousand post on this type of subject.
After hours of my questions to a couple of tool and die maker friends and teachers, the answer still comes up the same.

What are you going to do with it?

Yes, that is a question, answering a question.
Be it brand new in the crate, or a well cared for 50+ year old machine, each and everyone will have its quirks.

First, I would darn sure want to see and hear it run. And, if you know ZERO ( as I do) you darn sure get some one that does know somthing about them to go along with you.

It was about 1985ish since the last time I made any chips. I did not trust myself, so I bought a buddy supper to go with me.

I would not jump at the first machine you run across, unless so advised.
It seems used machines vary across the country on quality and availability. I searched for a long time with no luck except machines that were nothing more than parts.

I paid what some considered a bit to a lot more than I should have for mine. Yet all involved thought it to be a good deal, local to me.
Less than a week after I made my purchase I ran across what I had been looking for, an atlas. It looked to be in excellent shape. A closer look and it had issues. The more I looked the more problems I found. Zero tooling! Not even a laten tool post or a center. I offered them $500. They turned it down. I later found out that a gent gave them $2000 for it and he was several hour drive away.
A month later I found the same lathe with a bunch of attachments, I imagine about everything offers for them. Gent wanted $1500 and would not budge on price. It had been in a damp environment with slight rust on all unpainted surfaces.
I passed as I have projects and did not need another.

Your description sounds like a fair deal to me, but I am a thousand miles away.

Then $1700 delivered and set back up. Sounds even better.
I was pushed away from a new lathe, a bit smaller and a bit more expensive. I am pleased with my purchase, well cared for used and all
Jeff

 

[4GSR]

Since the Craigslist ad has been pulled, I'm sure Bambam won't mind me posting the pictures of the lathe he purchased. Hey, to get it delivered as part of the selling cost, I think he came out with a nice lathe. Got to do something about that paint color! My diaper changing days are well behind me, and I don't need anything to remind me of it! Sorry Bambam!

EDIT: I think the lighting has something to do with the color in the pictures. One of the pictures shows the old gray South Bend used on their lathes. Still, the more I look at the pictures, the better the lathe looks!

 

[Bamban]

Got it moved in, rough leveled and made a few turning passes as we leveled. Loosened up the TS end mounting bolt, leveled it again and mase this last pass before calling it the day.

 

[4GSR]

A 61 year old lathe cut that straight??? That's not too shabby!!! Sounds like a keeper to me.

And that 6-jaw set tru chuck was part of the deal, too?

 

[Bamban]

Unfortunately, the 6J set thru is mine, it is just too big for my 1236, perfect for this 13.

I still have to do the final leveling, just rough leveled it to see what she can do. It is still on skates, but leveled good on the HS end and the mounting bolts on the TS side relaxed.

I am thinking about outrigger type base with levelers on 4 corners on the HS end , and 2 levelers on the TS side.