- Joined
- Oct 5, 2010
- Messages
- 1,050
I keep hearing from folks that there aren't any machines out there at reasonable prices. I am able to find them a couple of times a year. You just have to look and respond quickly. I have given leads to dozens of people, only to hear later that the item was sold or they haven't called yet 
Good deals on Craigslist last from 1-4 hours! Case in point:
This morning I was perusing CL and found a Craftsman metal lathe for sale for $500 at a consignment shop. Hey, that's not a bad price; maybe he'll take $400? I have time to make it there when it opens. So I hop on my motorcycle and head into Houston, about 40 miles away. I arrive there just as the store is opening. On no! There's a guy already giving the lathe a detailed look over. The counter lady asks if she can help me. I told her that I was interested in the lathe. She tells me "Great, everything is half off today". Now, what do I do? My response was " I will take it". The guy looking at the lathe was dumbfounded. I just smiled and handed the lady my credit card.
I told her that I would have to go back to the house and get my truck and trailer. She that would be fine and by that time she would have help to load it. A couple of hours later I am back and for the first time am looking over my purchase. Wow! I have a 40-year-old lathe still on its shipping pallet with motor, tooling, etc still in their original boxes. There are still spots of Cosmoline on the ways! THIS LATHE HAS NEVER BEEN USED!
Yeah, there is lots of surface rust to clean up and it will have to be repainted, but I can easily handle all that needs to be done. So, I have a new Summer project
Randy
Good deals on Craigslist last from 1-4 hours! Case in point:
This morning I was perusing CL and found a Craftsman metal lathe for sale for $500 at a consignment shop. Hey, that's not a bad price; maybe he'll take $400? I have time to make it there when it opens. So I hop on my motorcycle and head into Houston, about 40 miles away. I arrive there just as the store is opening. On no! There's a guy already giving the lathe a detailed look over. The counter lady asks if she can help me. I told her that I was interested in the lathe. She tells me "Great, everything is half off today". Now, what do I do? My response was " I will take it". The guy looking at the lathe was dumbfounded. I just smiled and handed the lady my credit card.
I told her that I would have to go back to the house and get my truck and trailer. She that would be fine and by that time she would have help to load it. A couple of hours later I am back and for the first time am looking over my purchase. Wow! I have a 40-year-old lathe still on its shipping pallet with motor, tooling, etc still in their original boxes. There are still spots of Cosmoline on the ways! THIS LATHE HAS NEVER BEEN USED!
Yeah, there is lots of surface rust to clean up and it will have to be repainted, but I can easily handle all that needs to be done. So, I have a new Summer project
Randy
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