A1S Value

[Dave Bonzo]

I hate posting a thread on something as subjective as value, but this particular class of object seems to have such a deceptive price point that I need some experienced input. That being said:

I've been looking for a baby knee mill...and in my area of the world - Olympia, WA - that seems to be very hard to find. You can get bigger stuff all day long, but the smaller versions are unobtainium. Same goes for small lathes, shapers, grinders, etc, but I digress. I've found a Taiwanese-made Husky AIS that looks to be only lightly used, and it's only about 45 minutes from me: it's the right size and it seems to have a generic DRO, powerfeed, and a couple of small bits of kit that go with it. There's a vise of questionable usage in the deal, but it would be enough to get me going. Light usage - aren't they all? - but clean enough in the photos to warrant a visit to see it in person.

The only problem is the the seller wants $3500 for it, and seems rather... curmudgeonly...to say it politely. When first posted, their ad was very sparse, said "no pictures because I'm too lazy" and "the web has answers that I don't have" and both of those statements were true: no pictures, next-to-no info. That ad has since been amended with a few pics and the info I've already mentioned, along with "FIRM" and "NO TRADES" and "phone call only"...the latter of which is a pain when one has my amount of hearing loss, but whatevs. I suppose my question is this: should I even bother? I feel that the price is high for what's there, but the language in the ad tells me that this person may well be the type that will let that tool sit and rust before they don't get their $3500. I've bought a lot of stuff over the years by being polite, decent, and bringing plenty of cash...but this one is giving me warning flags despite the close proximity.

So, opinion needed: are they too high on the price, or am I too unrealistic in what it'll take to get a mill in this particular flavor? I won't be offended if you guys think I'm the unrealistic one; machine tool values aren't my forte.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Aaron_W]

Yes I would say the price is high, but maybe still worth considering.

Until a few years ago similar mills were selling for $1500-2000, and the USA made Rockwell and Clausings were going for $2000-2500. Seems like since Covid and the tariffs on Chinese machine tools, prices have gone up $500-1000. I have seen Clausing mills recently going for $3000-3500.

My reason for saying it may be worth considering is that paying $500-1000 "too much" for the right machine vs waiting for a better price 6mo, 1 year + down the road might be completely worthwhile for some.

Grizzly sells some similar small knee mills for $5000-7000 so kind of up to you that particular A1S is worth $3500 to you.

 

[Nesse1]

There was one of those machines for sale in my area for $2800, if I remember correctly. The brand name was not Husky, but the machine was the same, I think. It seems like a good garage size unit, but the cost struck me as high, so I didn't act. For $3500, I'd give it a hard pass, unless there was a boat load of tooling, and you knew for a fact that it was in great condition.

 

[DavidR8]

Similar to others. For that price there would have to be a shed load of tooling. Machine prices are pretty high right now but that seems at the top end for basically a bare machine.

 

[Dave Bonzo]

As best I can tell, there's effectively no tooling at all; there are five collets, the unremarkable vise, and that's it. DRO is a basic iGaging. Powerfeed...no idea, and I'm not sure what one costs for this machine. Short version of the story is this: it's basically machine-only, and I'm not even sure the guy will help load it, given the overall tone of the ad...but that's unfounded assumption on my part.

I appreciate the responses thus far; it seems that my thoughts about the pricing were at least semi-accurate.

 

[Winegrower]

I think you have to go look at it, since you need to build up your personal data base to be able to decide basically on the spot if a machine is priced right. Reading ads is not the best way to evaluate condition, and I've had the experience of visiting for one machine and coming away with two different ones. The least effective way of doing this is asking on websites...if it's good, it will be gone by the time you collect input.

 

[Dave Bonzo]

And as if to put some context to this debate: a Craigslist ad just showed up for a Clausing 8520 in California, with better info posted, for $1700. Again, it would be a question of condition and function as Winegrower and others have so rightly pointed out...but there's just no way for me to even consider taking a look at that machine to see if it's worth buying. 13+ hour trip, one way, and I'd have to rent a truck to move it back...and that's the second Clausing at that price point that I've seen come up for sale in Cali. Arg!

 

[Aaron_W]

$1700 is a very good price on a Clausing. I've watched several listed at $2500 sell in 72 hours. At $3000+ they tend to give people plenty of time to contemplate the purchase, because they linger.

Machine prices are not set, it mostly comes down to the individual machine, condition, and tooling. It is all about what it is worth to a person.

As Winegrower says if it is a really good deal, it will be gone before you can get feedback.

$3500 for that machine, seems high to me, not crazy pants dreaming but certainly a price where the seller will be sitting on it for sometime until somebody who really wants one right now comes along.

 

[Dave Bonzo]

If this guy was at $2500 or seemed a bit more easygoing in his ad, I'd already have been there to see it with cash in hand...but you guys are making a good point: there's really no way to evaluate things online. I guess I was just wondering if it was worth making the call, based on the starting point of the ad. That said, I'll suck it up and hope that the seller enunciates well over the phone, and I'll report back with what I find.

 

[Nesse1]

If you have the time, a trip to check it out may pay dividends when the guy realizes, his price is way too high. Assuming it's nice, leave with the seed planted that you like the machine, and will take care of it with loving care, but that you think it's worth $XXXX. After a while, with nobody paying $3500, he may call you back.