Buying Machine Tools At Auction?

[confab]

That looks very similar to mine. Early, no gauge on the spindle. The ID gauge mounted to the right of the motor, if included in the deal, is worth more than the machine itself.

Jim

Oh yeah.. The auctioneer didn't want to close it at 300 bucks. He actually stopped the auction and said: "Come on, guys.. The gauge is worth 700 bucks? No interest? Nobody?"

lol

[confab]

On a roll!

Now I need a Clausing Mini Mill..

One day, I'll find a deal on one.

[JBinNC]

Oh yeah.. The auctioneer didn't want to close it at 300 bucks. He actually stopped the auction and said: "Come on, guys.. The gauge is worth 700 bucks? No interest? Nobody?"

lol

Hope you bought it!

Jim

[confab]

Hope you bought it!

Jim

Oh yeah.. We're taking a mini vacation/adventure tomorrow night/monday to pick it up.

The auctioneer is a massive, industrial, outfit.. They livestreamed audio of the whole thing.

And I think nobody there bidding knew what it was. But the auctioneer sure did!

I forget which lot that passed.. But it was a really nice, giant lathe.. He stopped the auction a couple of times over it. He begged people to bid on it. He didn't want to pass it. He ended up begging for anything: "Two fifty.. Will anybody give me 250 for this? Anyone?"

Pretty incredible. it came up after my lot.

I think it was one of these two:

https://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auc...9-ad95012ea0c3

https://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auc...1-ad95012ea0c3

[rockman96]

Holy cow, a real live Sunnen!!! Congrats! Did it come with any bars/hones?

[Peterson13]

Big lathes are great,years ago, I ran a Binns & Berry, I was reworking oil tools. Also a Axelson “oil field” lathe. Thing hasnt been under power for 25 years but I still have it. Tried running a VTL for short time. A lot of using PI tapes-

[confab]

Holy cow, a real live Sunnen!!! Congrats! Did it come with any bars/hones?

I counted about 19 on the cart?

I hope none of that stuff walks off before I can show up on Monday..

[confab]

Any machinist types got a line on where I can download the manual for a Sunnen Model 666 hone?

[JBinNC]

Any machinist types got a line on where I can download the manual for a Sunnen Model 666 hone?

I have never been able to find one for my machine. Your best bet is to go to the Sunnen website and read the material available on honing, and that information is extensive.

Jim

[JBinNC]

www.vintagemachinery.org has some manuals and other information. Go to the manufacturers index and click Sunnen.

Jim

[confab]

Thanks, JB!! That's a great website.

They don't have my model, but they have something almost the same and with the same controls.

[confab]

Oh my gosh, there's just so much stuff out there right now. There's just a total glut of machine tools. I can't believe it.

If you're wanting to build your shop out? Check the auctions and FB market place. A total, total buyer's market.

[farmall]

Markets are regional so be glad you're in a good one.

[confab]

Actually, I'm irked at all the good deals that are too far away to remain good deals when physical retrieval is figured in..

Seriously.. If you want something for your shop, now's a good time.

Check the industrial auctions. I only wish I had an economical way to pack things back from NY, NJ, TX and CA!!!

[rockman96]

Actually, I'm irked at all the good deals that are too far away to remain good deals when physical retrieval is figured in..

Seriously.. If you want something for your shop, now's a good time.

Check the industrial auctions. I only wish I had an economical way to pack things back from NY, NJ, TX and CA!!!

Fastenal can be a good place to check with for shipping. Weight does factor in, obviously, but not as much as the size... If you can fit whatever you are shipping on a standard size pallet, it can be extremely reasonable.

[confab]

Yeah.. That is a great thought. I know a lot of guys ship harley stuff through them.

The problem with auctions in particular is removal. They're total dicks about it.

You have to either post a million dollars in insurance of some kind, specifically naming them as the beneficiary.. Or hire a rigger if they have one. (The lathe I bought had no such services available. But you still had to remove it on time.) Or do it yourself.

Which isn't a problem if they're close.. Some of the deals are too far to make it feasible for me. Be a good deal for someone, though!!

It's a great time to build your shop out if you have a few bucks to spend!

[farmall]

If hunting tools in future it's wise to assemble a DIY rigging equipment packout list based on equipment you own then leisurely fill in any gaps.

You can never have too many jacks and if you can't conveniently score a forklift jack etc you can rent those.

Wooden block dunnage is wonderful for many tasks like supporting vehicles, machinery and anything else. I recently bought a 20' 6x6, sawed it into ~18" sections, drilled those for rope like aircraft chock sets then soaked them in used oil. Pressure treated lumber acts like a sponge and while modern pressure treatment is worthless drain oil protects wood outdoors for many years as I proved with previous blocks.

Large ratchet tiedowns, chain and chain binders, hand winches like the glorious Wyeth-Scott (they sell parts so buying used is fine), mechanical jacks (Simplex preferred for the ratchet but others will do), bottle jacks (have at least two to permit faster shim swaps since bottle jacks have little range), steel and casters for my elsewhere-mentioned machinery outrigger dollies etc are pretty painless to score over time and all are very fucking handy.

Have a plan to rent suitable truck and trailer if you don't own one and wargame potential moves before doing one for real. Besides machine tools you may score steel, other building materials, perhaps a deal on a steel building you can tear down to move and all sorts of other fun stuff.

A dual-axle trailer creates many hauling opportunities and mine paid for itself many times over. My bro (it became a communal trailer so he who lives longest will keep it) decked mine with steel I supplied and added a quick-disconnect electric winch mount so we can move trucks, smallish tractors etc with little effort. He also fitted his Suburban with serious LED rear-facing work lights and a backup cam with are crazy handy for night work.

If you have a full-sized pickup a liftgate is wonderful. Mine lives on an F150 with Timbren urethane overloads, Hellwig leaf overloads and coilover shocks so it does F250 tasks with no fuss.

Auctioneers have to be dicks about removal out of self-defense so Bubba doesn't smash facilities or kill someone. That means either shop insurance so ya can drive inside, or get creative about working from outside like I did by winching equipment from outside the structure. Chains, snatch blocks etc made it easy and entertaining for the staff.

Because we're thoroughly prepared we know what we can buy and how quickly we can retrieve it. Best to visit some auctions with no intention to buy so ya get the feel, then plan everything like a military operation (but without retarded 2Lts).

Many sites have no power so we bring multiple LED headlamps (because wasting a hand holding a flashlight is usually silly) and other portable lights, We wear those on prebid inspection too. Phones make poor flashlights so at best they're a backup.

[Revelator]

Big lathes are great,years ago, I ran a Binns & Berry, I was reworking oil tools. Also a Axelson “oil field” lathe. Thing hasnt been under power for 25 years but I still have it. Tried running a VTL for short time. A lot of using PI tapes-

I had a really sweet Okuma LS (16" X 60") (10HP 3 Phase) precision lathe that I sold when I moved.
I really miss that lathe, But I needed the money, I sold it for $7500
& $ 6,000.00 of that paid for all of the Gas I burned up Moving. Ugh!
& that was when gas was 25% cheaper.
The guy that bought It,
Brought along a trailer axle with some small tires, (not too high off the ground)
& we used a floor jack, wood blocks, huge pry bars,
to get the lathe onto the trailer axle. & we
used some 3" tall steel rollers on the other end
and got it on to His low boy 2 axle trailer that He rented.
It was a choir, But we did it. I almost cried when He drove off, It was
like I lost My pet dog!