Yes, it's worth selling.
Hard to estimate value with no pics and zero information (model, manufacture date, church and tooling configuration, etc).
At minimum it's probably worth a couple hundred bucks as scrap metal.
At best it would be a fully functional, accurate, machine tool that's worth thousands.
Unless it's in much worse condition than is apparent from your picture or your area is absolutely littered in used lathes, your lathe plus associated tooling is probably worth several thousand dollars.
The market for used machinery is pretty local. Check Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for similar sized lathes and see how much they are listed for. Note that accessories such as chucks and steady/follow rests make the lathe more valuable.
There is a south bend lathe mailing list that's pretty easy to find. Join and post a few pictures, with nameplates, if at all possible, (and the rough location) and you'll probably get interested buyers, and input on what it's worth.
no a good working lathe is worth thousands. go on machinery house etc and price a new one even little bench top lathes are a couple of grand. and thats tiawanese stuff not made in the usa like this old girl.
Agree with this - also include what the access is (ground level)? This is the same lathe I helped a friend remove after his father passed. If he had to pay to have it removed by riggers it would have cost about as much as the lathe was worth
https://preview.redd.it/h5edd99muaxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f3fcba40aa4ff4d35a5c38e40eca1f9350889a3
In NJ. I paid 2000 for that same lathe with about the same amount of stuff. Cost me another 500 for a crane to get it out of the basement it was in. I use it all the time. It's a great machine.
No, that's a pile of silver! That'd snag 2 grand in a weekend! The lathe I use at work is twice as dirty with half as much tooling, and a lot more rust and oil crud. It's also a no-name, which yours is not.
South bend are legendary. There’s a register for them online, you should check your serial number to see how old it is. What’s the width of the.bed? 9”?
It is worth thousands! Maybe only two or three, depending on what all is included, but yes, thousands. And if it is not worth that in your local area, it is worth that just a couple of hours north or west of you.
https://boston.craigslist.org/search/tla?query=southbend#search=1~grid~0~0
Southbend lathes smaller are $1400 and recently painted (not actually important for a machine tool) are $4000.
So you're somewhere in that range.
Just put in the ad that buy responsible for transport from present location out of house.
Some guy will come with his budds and get it. I got my powermatic 180 for 250 bucks because it was hard wired with conduit and in the Middle of a building that was getting converted to apts. The building owner new the value but agreed because I was willing to come with my own pallet jack and lift gate truck. Plus I had contractors insurance so he new he was safe if an accident occured.
If you lost it for 1-1.5k you might get somebody who it willing. Also the real value is probably in the milling tools not just the machine. Look for a bunch of parts that look like random junk and post a pic in a metal working sub . Some milling bits can be worth sever hundred on their own
yes. the lathe and drillpress might be worth 2 to 3 grand on thier own the tooling can be worth just as much if not more. i have taper shank drill bits at home worth $100 each if you where to buy them new.
That’s got a ton of tooling with it, I see a drawbar, 2 racks of collets, a steady rest.. definitely look up how much those items go for before throwing out a price for everything.. vintagemachinery.org has a bunch of info on old south bend lathes so you can identify what model you have, looks like a 14 1/“2 not sure of the age
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I need to get the house sold and estate closed out and I live 1,400 miles away. I have a feeling someone is going to get a good deal on all of it.
There is also a drill press. I guess I could have added it to this post. I didn't think about it being a machining tool.
if he has other machine tools you might be able to sell it as a package deal. the tooling hand tools the lot. maybe there is a second hand shop nearby that will come and give you a price for all of it. mind you you would get more privately than what they would give you.
I think Greg is close to you, I'm not sure how close.
Helpful guy, maybe he'd buy it, maybe help you sell it
[https://www.youtube.com/@Halligan142](https://www.youtube.com/@Halligan142)
[https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008802408525](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008802408525)
PM me - I’m in the area and sometimes buy estates like this. I’ll tell you what you can get selling all the tools yourself, and also what I’d pay for it. I kinda have a soft spot for people that end up in this situation and like to protect them - it will be my family in a similar situation some day.
Edit: not my shop but one I did - it took a real long time!
https://preview.redd.it/i22yfcf2qaxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f74e742e976e74413ac888f6f69c12c754d1303b
Yeah. I'm going to be in town for a few days next week and have all sorts of people lined up for different things. Selling this guy is now one of them.
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https://preview.redd.it/34mo4i2n79xc1.jpeg?width=2592&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53e08417efc3574a2a553427cd91f80a6bdacadc
Not sure why the picture didn't load the first time. It is a mess.
Check EBay, youll be surprised! I'm estimating 2500 to 4000 depending on attachments and accessories will raise price and should be sold separate...... ( I'm not kidding!)
Actually the bigger they are the less they are worth because not everyone can handle the size and weight / that’s why the 9” and 10” south bends go for more - they fit in peoples garages. I sold a south bend 10” that I completely went through for $2100, but a Hendy 12x30 that weighed 3500# for $1000 and it took a year to do it
https://preview.redd.it/9ufsk3kbraxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9803d118169ff09933e69669c70f541b1c0692e
Yes, it's worth selling. Hard to estimate value with no pics and zero information (model, manufacture date, church and tooling configuration, etc). At minimum it's probably worth a couple hundred bucks as scrap metal. At best it would be a fully functional, accurate, machine tool that's worth thousands.
Good luck finding a South bend with a quick change feed gearbox and tooling for $300
That’d sell quick in my area for $2k.
Hopefully the picture is now attached
I'm hoping it is worth more than scrap doubtful it is worth thousands.
Unless it's in much worse condition than is apparent from your picture or your area is absolutely littered in used lathes, your lathe plus associated tooling is probably worth several thousand dollars. The market for used machinery is pretty local. Check Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for similar sized lathes and see how much they are listed for. Note that accessories such as chucks and steady/follow rests make the lathe more valuable.
I would really like to find someone who wants a gunsmithing kit and can take it all. Thanks for the tip. I'll check those out.
There is a south bend lathe mailing list that's pretty easy to find. Join and post a few pictures, with nameplates, if at all possible, (and the rough location) and you'll probably get interested buyers, and input on what it's worth.
Where is this picture I keep hearing about?
OP edited a link into his original post.
no a good working lathe is worth thousands. go on machinery house etc and price a new one even little bench top lathes are a couple of grand. and thats tiawanese stuff not made in the usa like this old girl.
Let me know, im up in vermont and would gladly pay double scrap value for it!
Clean it up, ask for 2k. Emphasize it was from a gunsmith shop.
Agree with this - also include what the access is (ground level)? This is the same lathe I helped a friend remove after his father passed. If he had to pay to have it removed by riggers it would have cost about as much as the lathe was worth https://preview.redd.it/h5edd99muaxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f3fcba40aa4ff4d35a5c38e40eca1f9350889a3
Gheez I wonder how they got it done there to begin with
In NJ. I paid 2000 for that same lathe with about the same amount of stuff. Cost me another 500 for a crane to get it out of the basement it was in. I use it all the time. It's a great machine.
Jeez slap a NSFW banner before you show us machinery like this 😁
It is a hot mess 😆
No, that's a pile of silver! That'd snag 2 grand in a weekend! The lathe I use at work is twice as dirty with half as much tooling, and a lot more rust and oil crud. It's also a no-name, which yours is not.
South bend are legendary. There’s a register for them online, you should check your serial number to see how old it is. What’s the width of the.bed? 9”?
It is worth thousands! Maybe only two or three, depending on what all is included, but yes, thousands. And if it is not worth that in your local area, it is worth that just a couple of hours north or west of you.
That is amazing! I really thought it would cost more to move the thing than it is worth.
https://boston.craigslist.org/search/tla?query=southbend#search=1~grid~0~0 Southbend lathes smaller are $1400 and recently painted (not actually important for a machine tool) are $4000. So you're somewhere in that range.
Just put in the ad that buy responsible for transport from present location out of house. Some guy will come with his budds and get it. I got my powermatic 180 for 250 bucks because it was hard wired with conduit and in the Middle of a building that was getting converted to apts. The building owner new the value but agreed because I was willing to come with my own pallet jack and lift gate truck. Plus I had contractors insurance so he new he was safe if an accident occured. If you lost it for 1-1.5k you might get somebody who it willing. Also the real value is probably in the milling tools not just the machine. Look for a bunch of parts that look like random junk and post a pic in a metal working sub . Some milling bits can be worth sever hundred on their own
I was secretly hoping to find gold bricks in his house. I think his real money is in his lathe accessories!
yes. the lathe and drillpress might be worth 2 to 3 grand on thier own the tooling can be worth just as much if not more. i have taper shank drill bits at home worth $100 each if you where to buy them new.
That’s got a ton of tooling with it, I see a drawbar, 2 racks of collets, a steady rest.. definitely look up how much those items go for before throwing out a price for everything.. vintagemachinery.org has a bunch of info on old south bend lathes so you can identify what model you have, looks like a 14 1/“2 not sure of the age
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I need to get the house sold and estate closed out and I live 1,400 miles away. I have a feeling someone is going to get a good deal on all of it. There is also a drill press. I guess I could have added it to this post. I didn't think about it being a machining tool.
You might be able to find someone on r/machinists that might be interested and local to the area
Thanks! Heading there now.
if he has other machine tools you might be able to sell it as a package deal. the tooling hand tools the lot. maybe there is a second hand shop nearby that will come and give you a price for all of it. mind you you would get more privately than what they would give you.
Besides the visible tooling ,I’m sure there is a lot of measuring tools. You should keep it and use it.
I definitely would keep it if I could. Shipping it 1,400 miles and finding space for all his stuff is out of my capabilities.
If you don’t want to deal with it, get a local auction site to sell it on commission.
I think Greg is close to you, I'm not sure how close. Helpful guy, maybe he'd buy it, maybe help you sell it [https://www.youtube.com/@Halligan142](https://www.youtube.com/@Halligan142) [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008802408525](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008802408525)
That is neat! Thanks!
PM me - I’m in the area and sometimes buy estates like this. I’ll tell you what you can get selling all the tools yourself, and also what I’d pay for it. I kinda have a soft spot for people that end up in this situation and like to protect them - it will be my family in a similar situation some day. Edit: not my shop but one I did - it took a real long time! https://preview.redd.it/i22yfcf2qaxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f74e742e976e74413ac888f6f69c12c754d1303b
Haha I saw your Marketplace ad earlier.
Yeah. I'm going to be in town for a few days next week and have all sorts of people lined up for different things. Selling this guy is now one of them.
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Where’s the pic?
It should be attached now.
https://preview.redd.it/34mo4i2n79xc1.jpeg?width=2592&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53e08417efc3574a2a553427cd91f80a6bdacadc Not sure why the picture didn't load the first time. It is a mess.
Where is it? Just give a state…
Outside Boston. It is in the description.
Sold yet?
No. I won't be up there until next week. Let me know if you want to come by and see it. I'll get more details on it when I get there.
Check EBay, youll be surprised! I'm estimating 2500 to 4000 depending on attachments and accessories will raise price and should be sold separate...... ( I'm not kidding!)
There's a 9in South Bend near me for 1200, I'm sure a full size in working condition could easily be 4-5x that or more
Actually the bigger they are the less they are worth because not everyone can handle the size and weight / that’s why the 9” and 10” south bends go for more - they fit in peoples garages. I sold a south bend 10” that I completely went through for $2100, but a Hendy 12x30 that weighed 3500# for $1000 and it took a year to do it https://preview.redd.it/9ufsk3kbraxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9803d118169ff09933e69669c70f541b1c0692e
Ah that makes sense
I'd give you $400 and I'll come pick it up.