Craftsman Drill Press Price Negotiations

I am in the market to buy a Craftsman Seeley 150 floor model drill press. I am looking at one that has been restored - full tear down, bearings replaced, belts, lube, de-rusted, repaint, stainless fasteners, etc. It also has the variable speed control pulley set up. I am wondering on the price. What range of price would a drill press like this go for? Many new drill presses - a decent one - cost from about $400 to well over a grand. I just need a price range for something like this before I go into negotiations. Any info will help! Thanks.

What's the actual asking price?

circa1964 said:

I am in the market to buy a Craftsman Seeley 150 floor model drill press. I am looking at one that has been restored - full tear down, bearings replaced, belts, lube, de-rusted, repaint, stainless fasteners, etc. It also has the variable speed control pulley set up. I am wondering on the price. What range of price would a drill press like this go for? Many new drill presses - a decent one - cost from about $400 to well over a grand. I just need a price range for something like this before I go into negotiations. Any info will help! Thanks.

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I assume it's this one:
https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/tls/d/incredible-vintage-craftsman/6728909315.html

I think his asking price is fairly reasonable IF he did a professional quality restoration vs. a hack job. (and it looks professional from the ad but it might be a different story in person).

My only concern is the motor. It's not original and 1/3 HP is a little wimpy.

Original/unrestored would be around $150 + or -.

You just need to check it out. I wonder if the X Y table goes with it.

Couple things I noticed: The base seems from an earlier model. There's something (chrome cover?) missing where the handles come together.

It's not a variable speed (Vari-slo) attachment, but a middle pulley.

Pice is ~Ok knowing how much work goes into it.

Yes, using a non-Craftsman motor and non-original paint will lower the value for many. Is the bling an attractant? Yes, for some. Or do you want a solid user, looks aside.

Your opinions and results may vary, but since I don't spit-shine my machines, $200 would be top dollar.

You say you want a Craftsman 150 and that's not arguable. I picked up a perfect user bench model for $75. Consider what else will do the same work. Being patient will find another Craftsman/Delta/Walker-Turner/Buffalo/Atlas of equivalent size for half his asking.

jack vines

I sold my 1957 Model 150 for $385 and the buyer was thrilled to get it. Completely original press and Craftsman motor, no accessories. Everything disassembled, cleaned, bead blasted, primed, painted, new bearings, you name it.

I paid $80 for it and probably didn't break even on the deal after all the work that went into it plus the fact I tend to overdo everything.

Well since you could easily sell the extras for more then the asking price it's hard to go wrong. If you like it there is no reason not to give it a shot.

Once you get into the $400 price range you might find some better options though.

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Well since you could easily sell the extras for more then the asking price it's hard to go wrong.

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Extras? I see an X/Y table - $100 if old US; zero if it's Chicom. The center pulley setup sometimes brings $100, but since they can be home-shop-made, I don't value them that highly. What else there adds up to $375?

Without seeing it in person, hard to judge the workmanship. For example, the feed handles and hub could actually be an improvement over the OEM.

Bottom line - for that asking, an inspection, including drill rod/dial indicator to check runout and a close look at the chuck jaws is required.

Since period-correct Craftsman motors are thick on the ground and for cheap, it's difficult to not subtract points for the older motor. Look closely to determine if it's ball bearing. Why so many will throw on a sleeve bearing motor without understanding they're not rated for drill press vertical mounting?

Way OT, but locally we had a guy who worked full time for the Air National Guard. He had access to the surplus from the Guard and Air Force shops, plus the supply bins and time to play. He'd buy broken or non-functioning machines, rebuild them with parts from others or parts he found on his own time. He'd use aircraft grade bolts and hardware, machine up missing parts from stainless. In his case, this $375 drill press might have cost the taxpayer $1500 in parts and labor by the time he had it up for sale.

jack vines

For a comparison, I am in the middle of redoing a CM 150 floor model. No middle pulley, but had the original paint matched, and going to respray same color after full strip. All there, all OEM parts. Same idea of new belts, new bearings, Will polish everything. A single small divot in table. Going to ask $325, hoping to get 300 total. And this is in an area where nice stuff goes fast, and not a lot of old iron left.

I just don't see the appeal, with that many replaced parts. Valuing the middle pulley and x-y at $100 each still leaves almost a $200 machine.

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I don't know where you guys are finding pulleys and xy tables for $100.
Sold my pulley and made $185 just a few weeks ago.
I was assuming atlas table but I do agree that you can't be certain from the pic.
Have not seen any atlas tables for less then $200.

BMW57Isetta: That’s a beautiful color you used there on your resto-mod...sassy!
What is it?

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Stillgottimefor1:

Thanks for the kind words. I'm a sucker for that color blue. That's Rustoleum Metallic Cobalt Blue, number 7251830. I'm pretty sure I got it at Home Depot but it's not that hard to find.

I used two spray cans to do the whole drill press but bought a third just in case. It was laid down over Rustoleum light gray primer. End caps on the motor were done in Rustoleum Satin Black.

This is mine. I put a lot of work in it.

honza.vosalik said:

This is mine. I put a lot of work in it.

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Thats a good looking machine Honza. You did a nice job on her.

lafester said:

I don't know where you guys are finding pulleys and xy tables for $100.
Sold my pulley and made $185 just a few weeks ago.
I was assuming atlas table but I do agree that you can't be certain from the pic.
Have not seen any atlas tables for less then $200.

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Earlier this year purchased a 100 with middle pulley (not original Craftsman setup, but Craftsman pulley) and later I came across a 150 with Vari-slo. I moved the Vari-slo to the 100 and restored as you can see. Now I have an extra pulley and 150. Since my intention is to just get my money back, I think the best is to just get the 150 in working condition and sell the middle pulley separately. Would you agree?

Hello everybody. A family emergency happened just after I posted this question that could not be ignored. Of course. That's how life happens.

I want to thank everyone that took the time to give me some input on this drill press. I love forums like this and it's diverse opinions. From the purists to the pragmatists. from the OEM factory perfect guys to the rat rodders - just get it working. From the budget conscious to the collector grade enthusiasts. From the perfectionists to the every day shop guy. All these diverse opinions need to be looked at decide and which is right for you.

I went ahead and purchased the drill press mentioned above in the craigslist post. It runs beautifully. The restoration/refurb is very well done. It came with the American steel xy table. I have played with it for the last couple hours and am very happy with it. Works great - for me. I do props, miniatures and stop motion special effects. I do need equipment that runs true and good. But, I am not sending anything to NASA or Space X. So maybe my stuff doesn't have to be perfectly dialed in. This machine is a HUGE step up from my crappy, foreign made, bargain drill press I had been using. A clearly inferior machine it was. So, it's all a bit of perspective in the equation too. Where are you moving up from. What do you really need for it to do. Also, looking at the various new drill presses out there are more expensive then this was. And the motor mounts are common enough and higher horse power motors are too. I can upgrade at any time. All in all a good purchase for me.

Thanks again for all the info and comments. It is greatly appreciated and helped me make a decision.

At the end of the day, sounds like you are happy. End of the day, that is what counts the most.

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