Colchester Lathe Value

[hawkerxj]

What would you guys estimate the value of a Colchester Master 2500 lathe? It's old but still in working condition.
Any suggestions on what it would be worth?

 

[Doug Arthurs]

I sold an older Colchester student for $2500 three years ago.

 

[ReggieR]

Anywhere from $300 to $1000 or so. You need to go run the thing for an accuracy and wear test. If it cuts true and tight ,the cosmetics are irrelevant. Many a spray "paint restore" is out there that cuts terrible. Then there are the rough looking ones, like that one, that have run while in the hands of a person with a brain that cut tight like they did 40-50 years ago. It just depends

 

[yaidunno]

There are hundreds of variables that will play into the value of the lathe. That one looks to have sat for a few years, and needs a thorough cleaning before being put back in service. Size is a big factor. That looks to be a 13, or possibly 15 inch. Do all the speeds work? Remove the inspection plate on top of the headstock and make sure the gears are in good shape, and shift properly. That lathe is missing a chip pan, so plan on buying or making one. It seems to be without steady rest, so that will be more cost, should you need one. Is the tool post an Aloris or Dorian? Your local market will have a big influence on price as well. If that's the only decent lathe in 500 miles, expect to pay more.

Here in WI, market value would be $1500-1800 in that condition, assuming it checks out mechanically and is sound. Cleaned up, complete, and under power would be $2500-3000.

 

[larry_g]

There are hundreds of variables that will play into the value of the lathe. That one looks to have sat for a few years, and needs a thorough cleaning before being put back in service. Size is a big factor. That looks to be a 13, or possibly 15 inch. Do all the speeds work? Remove the inspection plate on top of the headstock and make sure the gears are in good shape, and shift properly. That lathe is missing a chip pan, so plan on buying or making one. It seems to be without steady rest, so that will be more cost, should you need one. Is the tool post an Aloris or Dorian? Your local market will have a big influence on price as well. If that's the only decent lathe in 500 miles, expect to pay more.

Here in WI, market value would be $1500-1800 in that condition, assuming it checks out mechanically and is sound. Cleaned up, complete, and under power would be $2500-3000.

Perty much agree with the above. Do you understand what 'complete' means? Two chucks, steadies, tool holders, plus some accessories. A bare lathe as pictured will take an additional $1000 of tooling and accesories to become fully functioning.

Where do you place yourself as a machinist?

Beginner with little to no experience.

Amateur, have done some machining,

Advanced hobbyist.

Good machinist, moving up to a better lathe.

Welcome to the group.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Packard V8]

As mentioned, how high is up?

Do you understand what 'complete' means? Two chucks, steadies, tool holders, plus some accessories. A bare lathe as pictured will take an additional $1000 of tooling and accesories to become fully functioning.

Agree, a fully tooled lathe is easily worth twice that of a bare machine.

Buying a lathe without seeing the ways and measuring wear thereon is the ultimate pig-in-a-poke.

That lathe shows signs of having been in industrial service and that usually makes it worth 1/3 of the same machine which spent it's life in a home basement shop.

jack vines

 

[ducksface]

I don't know What to think.
A lathe value given based on fact and wear and industrial use and potential use?
Maybe gj has finally gone beyond the absolute silliness we usually read about unseen lathes of maximum value.

Thanks guys.
What a breath of truth and honesty and fresh air this thread is.
Let's make this standard on values given.

 

[hawkerxj]

Thanks for the replys guys. It has been sitting at work for the last 15+ years and rarely used. I believe it was at a military repair shop before that, but i'm not sure. When it did get used in the last 15 years, the people using it were generally not machinists. The oil level, in the headstock was good, oil looked clean, the carriage oil was low.
Reggie, It has been disconnected, so I can't run it to test it. I have run it before and it seemed to work ok, but I wasn't doing anything precise, so not sure how accurate it is.

Dunno, Chip pan does come with it, they just had it removed to taking it out of the shop, but it does not have a steady rest. Pretty much just the 3 jaw, tool post, one tool holder and live center is all it has. It is 5hp 13", as for the tool post, I can't tell, it does not appear to have a name stamped in it. I did attach a couple pictures of it if you can tell me?
Larry, I'm not a machinist, I would say an amateur. I took a few machining course in collage, and did machining for work for about 6months, but that was a decade ago. I also used this lathe for a few small projects with good results.

There will be the additional tooling costs and electrical since I only have single phase 240v, the motor is 3p575V. Either finding a VFD to run it or swapping the motor, may be just as much as the machine. What would you guys budget for electrical? I took the side cover off and got a picture, but didn't have time to take the top cover off.

 

[sreeb]

I'd pass for free. You'll be in it double for tooling and I don't know how much, but certainly too much, into the phase conversion. Tail stock missing.

Honest, as an ameteur, not for free.

Take a look at that things footpint plus working room. It'll take up half a car space.

It has a tail stock in the pictures. If it is a little large, it is more capable because of it. It isn't so large that it won't be good for general usage.

If it works and the ways aren't awful, it looks like a keeper to me.

 

[ez-duzit]

Anywhere from $300 to $1000 or so...

This.

 

[Rick_Br]

Single phase in - 575 3 phase is not going to be an easy conversion.

Rick

 

[exmaxima1]

Single phase in - 575 3 phase is not going to be an easy conversion.

Rick

My Colchester has the same weird voltage requirement. It came with a multitap transformer to handle that.