# Fair price for older 9 inch SB lathe?



## kd1yt (Sep 29, 2014)

I have a possible opportunity to acquire an early 9x36 "model 25-Y" South Bend lathe. I have a long-held desire to learn and do amateur machinework, but have virtually no experience.

Photos are attached; from what I have sort of been able to find out, this pre-dates the A-B-C series of South Bend lathes, and it appears to have manual change gears; there seem to be some additional gears with it but, at my level of knowledge, I have no way of knowing whether those additional gears do or don't amount to a complete set to be able to carry out common functions.

This is a sensitive situation in that it is an estate situation; I do not want to take advantage of the surviving family member who might consider selling it, but I also cannot afford to over-pay, or wind up with a machine that I'd have to sink a lot of money into chasing missing gearing if it is hard or expensive to find and buy.

Appreciate insights and input on a fair ballpark price and whether this is something to steer towards or away from as a newbie.

Thanks in advance!


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## george wilson (Sep 29, 2014)

That lathe has no quick change gearbox,and NO power crossfeed. You do not know if it even has all the gears that are needed for cutting different threads. You do not know how worn the ways of this lathe are.

Even if you get it cheap,you will have a lathe that is not convenient to use,and may be too worn to make accurate parts. I'd look for a better lathe.


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## Hardly (Sep 29, 2014)

I totally agree with george wilson. This lathe would be great if you were into collecting and messing around with vintage machinery, but for something to work with it definitely has some short comings. A better lathe that is well tooled up and ready to make chips would be my suggestion. It would be something you could use and if bought right you could easily get your money back out of.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Sep 29, 2014)

I dunno, I'd take the opposite view. It looks very well tooled (any 4 jaw?) with collets, QCTP, micrometer stop etc and well looked after. Wear is impossible to tell from a picture like that, but it may or may not be worn - only way to tell is to try it out (there's an article on the web somewhere about buying a lathe klunker). Power cross feed would be nice, but it's far from essential and a QC gear box would be even nicer, but again, you can manage without it.

If it was relatively unworn and there was a 4 jaw there somewhere, I'd say $1000-1300 would be a fair market price, perhaps even more depending on local machinery availability. If you got it for less than $1000 I'd say you're doing well. I'd be honest with the seller - say it's probably worth $1000, but I can only afford $xxx and it would have a great home for many years. If they counter offer at $2000 'cos it sayz South Bend, just walk away 

BTW, I'd personally jump all over that if I was in a position to do so - my lathe doesn't even have a leadscrew!


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## kd1yt (Oct 1, 2014)

Thanks for the input. I have a huge attraction to well preserved obsolescent equipment, and a tendency to be willing to do things the less quick and easy way, so maybe this is a machine that would suit me. It does have a 4 jaw chuck in the mix also.


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## joebiplane (Oct 1, 2014)

kd1yt said:


> Thanks for the input. I have a huge attraction to well preserved obsolescent equipment, and a tendency to be willing to do things the less quick and easy way, so maybe this is a machine that would suit me. It does have a 4 jaw chuck in the mix also.


"
No one has mentioned it but the overhead  " Silent chain"  drive   is a collectors dream.
I am becoming a collector ( I hate to sell what I have restored....but the bills keep coming in........):-(    I might be interested in it if you decide you don't want it  and it is not TOOOOOO  faraway from New jersey

Good luck
joe larsen


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## janvanruth (Oct 2, 2014)

The plate on the front of the cover will tell which gears you need for threading.
If it is in a technical condition, wear of ways etc., as it is in the looks of it, nice paint etc., its a very nice machine.
Once you get to know the machine you will get to know its limitations and want a bigger one.
But then you probably wouldnt want to sell this one but just keep it as a second machine for the smaller stuff.
So if you got the room two place two machines, can afford to buy two, and dont want to be restricted in sizes you can handle go ahead and buy it.
It shure is a nice machine to learn the basics.
Buying now and selling later wont set you back a lot as prices wont likely go down.


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## rex21 (Oct 3, 2014)

I can't help you on the price. I can tell you, that if you are interested in learning to run a lathe, this is a good place to start.
It looks to be well taken care of in the pics. Won't be able to tell how much wear there is without looking at it and measuring. You would own a piece of classic American iron. If you buy at the right price for your area and it is in fact in good shape you won't lose money.

Don't let the change gears scare you, it just takes more time to do threading operations than a quick change lathe. If you are just starting you will most likely not be single pointing threads soon anyway.

I have a 9c myself. I did not get any change gears for mine other than what was on it at the time, just going to buy them as I find a deal or have the need to cut that thread.

Mine was in poor condition when I rescued it out of a shed. It was going to go to the scrap yard if I didn't buy it. Paid $75 for it.


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