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Unimat SL DB 200
- Thread starter chipmunk
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2011
- Messages
- 2,082
Sweet! I'd say it was well worth it. That's a neat little lathe. I'd probably shine that up a bit and put it on my desk at the office.
-Ron
-Ron
Hello, this little lathe is traded a lot on eBay. IMO the lathe as pictured would bring about $250 plus freight on eBay. I am getting ready to sell one I took in trade last week on a new minilathe. I would be happy with the price I quoted. The accessories I got with the deal should bring more than the lathe. Apparantly quite a few are collecting this lathe and the rarer accessories are almost gold.
I have 2 I am keeping--one set up as a drill press and the other as a lathe. Both have Grainger motors with mounts I machined from aluminum.
I use the drill press. I haven't used a Uni as a lathe in over 10 yrs.
Watch out chips clogging your leadscrew if u machine iron or steel.
Good luck Joe
I have 2 I am keeping--one set up as a drill press and the other as a lathe. Both have Grainger motors with mounts I machined from aluminum.
I use the drill press. I haven't used a Uni as a lathe in over 10 yrs.
Watch out chips clogging your leadscrew if u machine iron or steel.
Good luck Joe
- Joined
- May 4, 2012
- Messages
- 121
My Main Machine is a little Cast Iron Unimat DB, and I love her! I remember the day she overtook my life 
we were out Cruzing around old East Dallas ( Lakewood) Garage Saleing . and I found her at an estate sale. I asked the lady if she had any tools to sell, turns out her husband had been a Jeweler/ Watch Smith , and lots of useful tools for what I do. When I asked what she wanted for it, she asked me what it's worth, and I truthfully told her it's worth a lot more than I could give for it. and told her all I had was about $100 in my pocket and Karma rewarded me by a little old Lady Voice saying "That'll be awright"! I also Got LUCKY in the old guy that decided I was worthy to have his tools, was also the kind of guy that bought everything to be had, except the 2 things I need most desperately (indexer and the T-Slot Face plate) But I also have the Power Feed, slow speed drive, and The Thread cutter. and the Threading attachment is USELESS, it only does that goofy Metric stuff, unless you got a buddy that will make you REAL Thread Followers for S.A.E. my poor old Uni is showing it's 60+ years of work, and I've ben looking for a second one to rebuild and MOD, so $375 is a reasonable. but will Ya Take Payments? I wish I had $375 I could lay out all at once
we were out Cruzing around old East Dallas ( Lakewood) Garage Saleing . and I found her at an estate sale. I asked the lady if she had any tools to sell, turns out her husband had been a Jeweler/ Watch Smith , and lots of useful tools for what I do. When I asked what she wanted for it, she asked me what it's worth, and I truthfully told her it's worth a lot more than I could give for it. and told her all I had was about $100 in my pocket and Karma rewarded me by a little old Lady Voice saying "That'll be awright"! I also Got LUCKY in the old guy that decided I was worthy to have his tools, was also the kind of guy that bought everything to be had, except the 2 things I need most desperately (indexer and the T-Slot Face plate) But I also have the Power Feed, slow speed drive, and The Thread cutter. and the Threading attachment is USELESS, it only does that goofy Metric stuff, unless you got a buddy that will make you REAL Thread Followers for S.A.E. my poor old Uni is showing it's 60+ years of work, and I've ben looking for a second one to rebuild and MOD, so $375 is a reasonable. but will Ya Take Payments? I wish I had $375 I could lay out all at once 
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2012
- Messages
- 21
I think the going prices for Unimat related stuff has more to do with collecting than usefulness. I am not saying they aren't useful. These little machines convert to a small vertical mill and have accessories available to do many other things but the prices are driven by guys trying to "complete" their setups which is really tough since there were so many accessories available. I love my Unimat although it rarely comes out of its box. I figure one day I will no longer be able to work in the shop and I can set it up in front of my easy chair. Here are a couple pictures of my setup:
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- Joined
- May 4, 2012
- Messages
- 121
That is a Beautiful little Uni, mine is a 1st gen Cast iron, much heavier than a zmac Machine . But being my Main Machine and 50+ Years of use have taken their aesthetic toll on my little unimat, as soon as I can find some one to shot my little Unimat with that original Hammer Tone or Black Wrinkle Paint, I'm going to do a full restoration on it I tell you the Old guy that had it before me, god Bless his soul, had EVERY accessory in the Unimat catalog, so I do now too. and of all the MUST HAVE Accessories the one you have to have is the Scroll Saw, and I use the Table saw alot to cut sheet Brass.
. But being my Main Machine and 50+ Years of use have taken their aesthetic toll on my little unimat, as soon as I can find some one to shot my little Unimat with that original Hammer Tone or Black Wrinkle Paint, I'm going to do a full restoration on it I tell you the Old guy that had it before me, god Bless his soul, had EVERY accessory in the Unimat catalog, so I do now too. and of all the MUST HAVE Accessories the one you have to have is the Scroll Saw, and I use the Table saw alot to cut sheet Brass.
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2012
- Messages
- 21
Thanks - I fixed a couple of bad picture links.
The few accessories I have I picked up over the years by buying five or six Unimats and robbing the accessories I didn't have from them then reselling. (that is evident in the color difference between my lathe and the power feed) It is very rare to have as complete a set as you have.
BTW - I have been using the Rustoleum hammered finish spray paints on some other projects with very good results. If they just have the color you need. . .
The few accessories I have I picked up over the years by buying five or six Unimats and robbing the accessories I didn't have from them then reselling. (that is evident in the color difference between my lathe and the power feed) It is very rare to have as complete a set as you have.
BTW - I have been using the Rustoleum hammered finish spray paints on some other projects with very good results. If they just have the color you need. . .
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2015
- Messages
- 12,232
I've had one of the 1st gen cast iron Unimats for decades but I'm not obsessive about collecting all the accessories for it. I have the power feed base and the vintage E16 collet chuck and 8 collets, plus the three-jaw, and that's all I really want. I think when Emco started getting into the complicated threading attachments and stuff they kind of went overboard. But I have made many small parts with mine over the years, it's a great little tool.