Hello From Ohio

JimDawson said:
If all of that equipment is in one location and those guys are within reasonable driving distance for you it would be worth a road trip to kick some tires. They are advertising a lot of equipment, but without looking it's pretty hard to tell what they're selling. You could learn a lot just by walking around their warehouse. I wish I wasn't 2500 miles away, it would be a fun afternoon.
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Yea it's only about 80min from me.

I guess my biggest question is, what would make this not worth $450? Obviously if it's seized up the ways are beat to death. But what makes a machine not worth fixing?
 
T Bredehoft said:
Question....

Answer....

If the first statement is true, you're talking at least a couple of thousand dollars. Not something a beginner can handle without professional help.
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Right, but what else? Is there other things besides those two major things that would make it not worth the time/money
 
homefactory said:
But what makes a machine not worth fixing?
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That is a really good question.

I guess that point is where the cost of repairs exceeds the value to you. It's pretty subjective. Consider the case of a rusted out old car sitting in a field somewhere. To one collector it might have a lot of value, to someone else it might be scrap metal.

I guess it comes down to: Do you want a project or a tool? I buy used machinery and fix it up for my own use. I look at a machine in terms of wear, if it has more wear than I am willing to deal with, then I don't buy it. I also look at it in terms of can I make money with it, if the cost of repairs (including my labor) is going to exceed what I think I can sell time on it for then it's no sale. Every machine I buy has to carry it's own weight in one way or another.

One other thing comes to mind, one major flaw is normally easier to fix than a whole bunch of little stuff.

I don't know is this makes any sense, but it's the way I approach buying decisions.
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homefactory said:
Well the time has come to make a decision, after all the input I believe that the Monarch while a great machine, is to much machine for me, I can get this LeBlond for $450.

What do you think?




https://hgrinc.com/productDetail/Machine-Tools/Used-Leblond-Regal-Lathe/03162300003/
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For $450 and if you can tow it home yourself it looks good by the pictures. Have to see it in person. Good work asking questions about it. If it ended up not working out you could probably get half or more of the money back just selling the chuck.
 
One major flaw might sink the financial ship. where as several minor flaws MIGHT be Hobby Machinist fixable. How's that for a plug?
 
As close as you are, I would go look at it. A broken gear in the drivetrain can't be seen but it can be felt easily by rolling the machine over by hand. Gears can be expensive. If gunsmith work is on your mind, older machines have small spindle bores and long headstocks that make supporting a barrel a little more complicated. I like the looks of the machine but I'm an old iron nut. I especially like the sticker on the headstock. I'd like one for my own lathe.
 
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