# What Is 'This' SB9C Worth?



## Whyemier (Aug 24, 2014)

I acquired another lathe (2001 Grizzly G9972 11x26) so I must sell off my old South Bend 9C lathe.  The one in the photos below.  I don't have room for both even if it looks like I do, other things must go where the lathe sits now. Its 40" overall, 27" ways about 16" between centers (live center). 

It runs, though the motor needs a kick start every time its turned on (I have to spin it by hand to get it to go).  I do have another motor but it is not reversible, came off the band saw the horses destroyed (that's another story), so I never installed it.  The counter shaft squeaks all the time so I imagine it will need to be bored and new bearings put in or just replaced. 

The lathe will run out .004 to .006 in 16". I have turned a bar to machine straight between centers and set the lathe to it when I want to have closer tolerances.  Mostly I don't machine anything that long so my run out is less and I file and polish to compensate.  

It has a lantern tool post, the Armstrong type tool holders, knurl tool, all the manual change gears, three jaw and four jaw chucks, live center, two Jacobs drill chucks and a couple of fabricated faceplates.  It has a fabricated #00 collet closer that mounts on the spindle thread and a few odds and ends.






Its a hard thing to value something from a photo but what's a possible ball park figure?  Low & high?  or just midrange? Opinion? Scrap value?

Part it out for what I can get for it on E-Bay?


----------



## OldMachinist (Aug 24, 2014)

If you have all the change gears it's worth somewhere around $500. But it depends on how you're planning on selling it. If you sell it locally and the area you live in is machine poor then it will bring a little more.


----------



## GLCarlson (Aug 30, 2014)

OldMachinist said:


> If you have all the change gears it's worth somewhere around $500. But it depends on how you're planning on selling it. If you sell it locally and the area you live in is machine poor then it will bring a little more.



Agree, 5-600 is about right. Looks like OK condition, but it's clearly been well used. A new/used motor is going to set the new owner back 150 or so, so going for a higher value will just make the overall deal too high.

That said, I've had zero luck parting out a vintage SBL on e-bay or elsewhere. Partly, I think, very low demand, but figuring out fair prices is impossible.  I am absolutely amazed (and appalled) at common e-bay prices. Some shop out west is selling old lathe legs as "steam-punk" accessories for 300 bucks a pair. Another seller has been trying to get 400 bucks for a Delta Univise for several months. And some of these sellers appear to be familiar with machine tools. So, advice on the e-bay part-it-out idea: unless you get really lucky, using prices you find there may leave you with a very long wait. The few fairly priced used tools I see go quickly. There just aren't many.


----------



## CluelessNewB (Aug 30, 2014)

I don't recommend parting out a complete working lathe.  For a better idea of figuring out what things are really worth on eBay it is best to look at the sold items rather than the items currently for sale.   Use the "Advanced Search" http://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch and check the "Sold Listings" box.  

There are a few sellers on eBay that think their old machine parts are made of platinum or something and ask crazy prices.  I think there are a few Logan parts that have been on there for over a year.


----------



## NEL957 (Aug 30, 2014)

If you sell just the lathe with the necessity's and no tooling you could ask a little bit less. Then sell the accessories on E-bay, I looked at the pics and being conservative you have more than $600 in accessories. I also agree to part a good machine is not a good idea. But with that said there is a market for the parts and the parts will command a better price. To the tone of thousands instead of hundreds.If I had to build a lathe from the bed up I would say looking at E-Bay and a couple of others it could go into thousands of dollars, but it might take a little bit of time.
Best of Luck
Nelson Collar


----------



## GLCarlson (Aug 30, 2014)

CluelessNewB said:


> I don't recommend parting out a complete working lathe. .



Absolutely agree!  Much rather see it used or restored. The one I am/was parting out had a badly worn bed, single wall apron with totally worn-out halfnuts and long feed worm gear, and bad spindle/bad bearings. One or two of those could have been managed.  Altogether, it had reached its service life.


----------



## Ed T (Aug 30, 2014)

If the motor runs after you spin it up by hand it probably needs a starting capacitor which would probably set you back<$10 and would increase the value of the machine considerably. The Cap lives in the little cylindrical housing on top of the motor and is connected by two wires. It may be soldered in, or it may have sta-cons. In either case , it's pretty easy to change out.


----------



## GK1918 (Aug 30, 2014)

Ed T said:


> If the motor runs after you spin it up by hand it probably needs a starting capacitor which would probably set you back<$10 and would increase the value of the machine considerably. The Cap lives in the little cylindrical housing on top of the motor and is connected by two wires. It may be soldered in, or it may have sta-cons. In either case , it's pretty easy to change out.





Or It may have a centrifical start switch thats just a little gummy. brake cleaner does the trick.................sam


----------

