Bradford Machine Tool Co. single phase lathe

[In The Doghouse]

What does the hive think about this lathe? I know to check ways and gears etc. It could be beautiful and functional if restored.
Could this have been a pre Cincinnati Machine company machine? Collectability, quality, fair price etc. welcome.

http://greenville.craigslist.org/tls/5303057377.html

 

[Murphy4570]

That looks suspiciously like a 3 or 4 speed car/truck manual trans in the last photo hooked up to the belt drive. That's one way to change chuck speed I suppose.

Looks pretty bad ***. Dunno if it's useful. Does have threading capability though.

 

[zkling]

Another turn of the century +/- a bit up till about the beginning of WWII machine tool company. It's a neat old lathe, but pretty dated for someone serious about making parts. If you want something to tinker around on that's one thing. It was common when those old machines were converted from line shaft for people to use car/truck/buss transmissions to add speed control. Value is at scrap, possibly a little more if it's not clapped out.

 

[rsanter]

I might offer $200-300 for,it just to play with it and learn with.
One nice thing is that if you get it for that price you will be able,to,sell it,for,that or part it out for the chuck and handles when you want to move on to another machine

Bob

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Mr. In The Doghouse: Is that your 69 Z/28 in your avatar?

 

[justanengineer]

That looks suspiciously like a 3 or 4 speed car/truck manual trans in the last photo hooked up to the belt drive. That's one way to change chuck speed I suppose.

Drive-all and a few other companies made conversions for lineshaft machines based around automotive trans, also possible as zlking mentions that its a shop built conversion.

JMO, but the owner must think its important if he wants a wheeler in trade. If I REALLY wanted it I might offer $100 for it. Machines of that era were selling for similar money when scrap was up, it isnt any longer and an oldie like that is S-L-O-W.

 

[gearhead1]

Scrap is $2.00 per 100 pounds right now in this part of the country. I'd go $200 or so and that's it. Like others mentioned, great to learn on. Probably want something newer if you really want to make parts.

I paid $800 for an old LeBlond for reference, plug in and go except for replacing the three phase motor. That was 10 years ago. I haven't repaired a thing on it.

 

[Whitworth]

The Craigslist "for trade" crowd are truly the least realistic people on Earth when appraising what they're hawking.

A: It's a pile of antique ****.
B: it's worth maybe $50.
C: it doesn't even have part-out value.
D: it would be beautiful if restored.
E: but it would not ever be functional as the present concept of a metal lathe goes.

Edit....actually I'd go as high as $150, but only for the legs to make a work bench.