American Tool Works Lathe info

[Pevehouse]

Hello all, I got a line on an old lathe. It’s an American Toolworks lathe. Made around 1909. Looking for info and opinions on the lathe and the asking price. Thanks to anyone who can help.

 

[matthewsx]

Are they paying $2000 to remove it?

For $2k you should be able to find something more modern and in better condition.

John

 

[markba633csi]

That's a little too ancient for me, and for the money you could do better
I'd want to be up into the mid to late 40s early 50s at least, when civilization first began

 

[benmychree]

Price is ridiculous, way too old I do like old machinery, but this is junk.

 

[toprecyler]

My vote would be too much $ too. Although I have a lathe a bit newer and smaller, I would like to get $1500 for it, I probably will end up getting $1000 hopefully.

So unless you definitely want that exact lathe for your collection, I’d keep looking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pevehouse]

That’s kind of what I was thinking as well. Wanted to check in and see what everyone thought though. I appreciate everyone taking the time to help

 

[Jake M]

I'm in a machine tool desert, and that seems high. Here that'd be asking half or three quarters of that, and they'd get half of that.

That said, it's rare, just by it's age. If making the machine work is something you enjoy (a lot of us here do enjoy working on and working with old obsolete stuff), maybe there's some room to wiggle. But it's also taking on a comittment to the machine. YOU will have to make sure it's good, YOU will have to keep it good, and YOU will have the responsibility of making or sourcing parts that havn't been made in decades.

What's your interest? If you want to clean it up and use it, you need newer, as the "antiqueness" and "obsoleteness" will destroy your interest in metalworking. If antique machines and their maintenance entertains you, it's as valid as any other hobby, it's a good candidate, but the first thing you're going to need to generate your own lathe parts, is a lathe and a mill. So, yeah...... But if "antique machines" is your thing, you'd have to check the local market on pricing. They are literally all over the map, and the places where they're crazy high- They're just about high enough to almost but not quite cover the transport costs to pick one up somewhere else where they're cheap. But I think that's high anywhere.

 

[Choiliefan]

Not sure this will work if not on FB but I look there frequently.
I've seen several listings for seemingly nice lathes in your vicinity just change to your location:

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[Pevehouse]

I'm in a machine tool desert, and that seems high. Here that'd be asking half or three quarters of that, and they'd get half of that.

That said, it's rare, just by it's age. If making the machine work is something you enjoy (a lot of us here do enjoy working on and working with old obsolete stuff), maybe there's some room to wiggle. But it's also taking on a comittment to the machine. YOU will have to make sure it's good, YOU will have to keep it good, and YOU will have the responsibility of making or sourcing parts that havn't been made in decades.

What's your interest? If you want to clean it up and use it, you need newer, as the "antiqueness" and "obsoleteness" will destroy your interest in metalworking. If antique machines and their maintenance entertains you, it's as valid as any other hobby, it's a good candidate, but the first thing you're going to need to generate your own lathe parts, is a lathe and a mill. So, yeah...... But if "antique machines" is your thing, you'd have to check the local market on pricing. They are literally all over the map, and the places where they're crazy high- They're just about high enough to almost but not quite cover the transport costs to pick one up somewhere else where they're cheap. But I think that's high anywhere.

I do enjoy rebuilding old machines but that being said I already have a lot on my plate. I agree that that price is not even in the ballpark. He did post a video of the machine actually running but it would still need restoring. I think I’m gonna pass just based on his pricing and the fact that I’m covered up with projects already. I appreciate all the feedback. Thank you all