How to price up and sell a super 7 lathe

[David Stewart 5Participant @davidstewart5]

Hi,

My late father had a super 7 lathe with cross feeder and stand as can be seen in the photo. Nobody else in the family would really use it. I am trying to figure out a) how to sell it and b) how to transport it to the eventual buyer. We are in London but including the stand it is quite a bulky item…

Any advice appreciated

[David Stewart 5Participant @davidstewart5]

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi David sorry to hear about your father but the lathe looks a nice piece of machinery. You can post it on this web site or others under classified but a few more pictures would help, close up of the bed and if you were to lay out the spare chucks and other tools it would help. As to moving the lathe it is easy to unbolt the main lathe from the base just four bolts and disconnect the wire to the motor, take a picture of wire connections before. There are movers who will come and move it for you at a cost ie Landylift or others or just post it as collect and move at buyers expense.

David

[bill ellisParticipant @billellis45274]

I moved almost exactly the same kit with just an ordinary hatchback and roof bars. The cabinet went on the roof bars (not that heavy once separated from the lathe. ). I borrowed a small engine crane (500kg) to lift the lathe into the car, this then folded up and slid in alongside so I could unload once home. I recon 2 strong people could lift the lathe if you take off the tailstock & motor, I'd leave the saddle on but removal is an option to lighten further. Personally I'd let the buyer have the hassle and sell as pick up only.

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

Sorry to hear about your Dad.

Selling it is easier than you think – it's the most popular lathe out there for model engineers so there will be lots of potential buyers. Use homeworkshop.org.uk which is free to sell on and you don't get time wasters. Or use the classified section on this forum. Or both.

If you want to get the highest amount for it use eBay but more likely to get time wasters. If you don't have an eBay account maybe use a friends account. Whatever way you go take some nice photos and describe it well. If you say to a buyer you know nothing about it they will try to knock the price down.

The solution to moving it is simple, just let the buyer organise it and come and collect it – that is pretty standard. You don't need a professional mover for a Myford really. 2 fit men can lift one a short distance or use a sack barrow and they fit in an estate / 4×4. If you don't want to get involved with moving it leave it to the buyer.

Price would be between £800 and £2000 depending on condition and tooling / accessories – it looks nice in the photo. So it's worth making an effort with it.

Andy

[Steamer1915Participant @steamer1915]

Hello David,

That looks like a nice lathe there. The only thing to point out is that it doesn't have a power cross feed as you have implied.

It won't make that much difference to the price but it is worth knowing when preparing the advert.

Best regards,

Steve.

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

Or use lathes.co.uk, Tony Griffith's amazing machine tool info site, Tony will write the advert for you and recommend a price he thinks is right and the site gets huge numbers of views. But it costs 30 odd quid to have an advert.

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

As others, sorry to hear about your Dad. The lathe has one price and as DG said, a picture of the chucks and other lathe tools helps potential buyers. I suspect there are many other tools some which are lathe related and others just workshop tools. These would probably have a combined value of a few thousand pounds. My modest workshop in the wooden shed have a value in excess of 20,000 pounds if they were bought new, so don't let them go for a song. My only caveat to that statement is that if a youngster turned up who showed a keen interest (apprentice or club member) to perhaps look kindly on the buyer.

[J HancockParticipant @jhancock95746]

I have the exact same model ,very nice lathe.

As previous posts have written, advertise here , don't sell it for a pittance ,it will only get sold on for the real price.

Anyone interested enough will do all the moving themselves. With a few accessories removed it is a two man job, after they have paid you !

[Alan Waddington 2Participant @alanwaddington2]

Look in the ‘wanted’ adverts section down the right hand side of the page. Someone is looking for a Myford. Do a deal and save yourself the inevitable hassle of selling via ebay. From what i can see in the photos, start your negotiations around £1200

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Hi David,

Sorry to hear about your Dad always a difficult time, my sincere condolences.

However back to the Myford which I am sure was Dad's pride and joy, as far as value its difficult to be precise but it was probably made around the 1960's you can find the number on the lathe bed usually near the headstock and look up the date on the Myford web site.

The machine has a longitudinal travers but not a cross traverse, price is governed by age, condition and whats with the machine. For yours IMO age is good, condition is difficult to ascertain from the photo but it does look good and clean, one downside is it hasn't got a gearbox – not essential by any means but very desirable but so is the machine.

It would probably be worth looking for local ME clubs and contact them or look up SMEE in London and just maybe they will help with valuation?

I would start at a higher price – you can always negotiate from there.

Look at your PM as well — little box flashing at the top of the page

John

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Steamer1915 on 12/06/2019 08:36:57:

That looks like a nice lathe there. The only thing to point out is that it doesn't have a power cross feed as you have implied.

Maybe, as a non-modeller/machinist, he only meant ‘cross’ as being from left to right?

[Steamer1915Participant @steamer1915]

Quite so – I was merely clarifying for other non-modeller/machinists…

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Quickest and easiest way to get rid is to contact a dealer, like this chap. This won't get top price!

A house-clearer would probably take it, but likely they'd value it as scrap metal.

Selling privately via this website, homeworkshop or lathes.co.uk is more work and you have to negotiate a price. Maybe the deal will include the buyer removing it, which saves the bother of packing and organising shipping. Prospective purchasers are more likely to be sensible about price and practicalities, but they will probably want to inspect the lathe and see it running. This one opens the door to sensible cooperation!

Best way to maximise value is to put it into an appropriate auction. Not a local furniture auction because these are unlikely to attract lathe buyers. Ebay is the obvious choice because huge numbers will see it. You can specify 'Buyer Collect'. Downsides are Ebay commission, and an increased risk of meeting time-wasters. One advantage of selling a Myford bu auction is that they are highly-prized (dare I say overvalued), and you might get lucky and trigger a feeding-frenzy.

In the circumstances, you may value moving on more than raising cash. It's a difficult time.

Dave

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

Plenty of food for thought there, at a time when you have a lot on your plate

I'm sorry for your loss and hope you find a good way of passing on part of your dads legacy to a good home.

All of the above advice is good but there is no easy answer, the only alternative that has not been mentioned is donation to a good cause, something like mens shed charity or a model club needing a lathe for their members who cant provide their own.

Whatever you decide I'm sure your dad would be happy to see it keep on turning.

All my very best wishes

Mick

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

[This posting has been removed]

[Martin Shaw 1Participant @martinshaw1]

There's currently a chap in the wanted ads looking for a Myford on a stand, got to be worth a conversation.

Martin

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

If you sell privately get the buyer to collect, it's absolutely no problem moving Myfords of this size, obviously a dealer will give you bottom dollar, advertising on Gumtree is free.

Tony

[David Stewart 5Participant @davidstewart5]

Hi,

Thank you for all the suggestions. They are all quite varied so will give it some thought. We've actually held onto it for almost a year along with the contents of his workshop. We knew we would have to start clearing it at some point but kind of tried to pretend we wouldn't. I think we are ready now. I don't necessarily want to get the highest price ever for it but at the same time I know how much he valued his tools. So I wouldn't want to just give it away. Also, I'd like to feel whoever takes it off us is the end user rather than someone just interested in a business transaction. I'm not sure if that makes any sense. Anyway, I'll give it some thought and if anyone wants to message me in the meantime please feel free.

Thanks

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hello David,

Sorry to hear about your father.

You can place a free classified on this website here.

Or you can now email free adverts by sending your advert text, with your address and confirming you accept the term and conditions to neil.wyatt@mytimemedia.com. Use the form below as a guide as to the info required and number of words.

Neil

[Author]

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