Murad Bormilathe Value

[John Ross 4Participant @johnross4]

Hi

Would anyone have any idea of the value of a Murad Bormilathe that I no longer have need off, has all the gears for threading, quick change tool post, faceplate, 3 and 4 jaw chucks. Boring table allowing a vertical vice to lock down. Sits on what looks like myford cabinet with doors. Runs fine.

thank you

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Can’t help with the value I’m afraid, but in the past have had to help with the sale of deceased club members workshops , some of which contained quite unusual machines, we advertised them through Tony Griffith’s Lathes website. If you send a set of decent photographs and a list of everything there he will value it and draft an advert, there is a charge for composing and running the advert, but everything we put on there has sold well, with no fuss or timewasters. Found it best to ring him for a chat before emailing the details to him.

I did recently sell two mills on Ebay when I moved house, and that was less painful than I imagined it would be, but they were fairly common machines and easy to value. But previous to that the experience of Ebay was not so good with non payers and timewasters who had had no thoughts on the collection of a heavy machine.

Good luck with the sale.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

A truly wondrous contraption, that deserves a good home !

I regret being unable to provide that, or I would have been rushing to make you an offer.

MichaelG.

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

John, the Bormilathe inhabits the dark world of the esoteric and unusual and therefore like antiques is difficult to price as value is generally in the eye of the punter.

Seen 2 come up on e-bay in the last few years when I was after an example. One I am sure sold for about 550, It was fully loaded as yours is. The other I don’t think sold was not quite as complete.

I coughed up 200 for an incomplete short bed version (particularly wanted a short version), otherwise would have considered the one  I saw on the Bay, which I rather regret not going for now. I paid another 200 for substitute change gears, faceplate, motor, countershaft and it still needs a cosmetic makeover (although mechanically A1). Also still requires a boring table, which is really a fundamental part for this machine.

If you are patient, I would have thought realistically, somewhere between  550 to 650 should be possible depending on condition, degree of originality and extras etc. but you will likely be selling to an aficionado of the arcane and obscure.

+1 for the Lathes UK site for sales, it is a paid for site but generally attracts people who at least have some idea of what they are looking for and associated issues (i.e. the moron factor is is minimised).

E-bay Ok but not as an auction. Put it on at the price you wish to get as ‘buy it now’ and ignore the half wits asking if you will take ten quid for it, scammers wanting to pay £1000 into your bank account for later collection etc. Be prepared to answer sensible questions via ebay messaging, cumbersome, but keeps you safe). Dont dismiss gumtree, but beware of scammers. As I recall, both examples above were on e-bay for a considerable number of weeks, so you may need to be prepared to take time. If ‘twer me, I would try and hold out for 600+, but for many reasons, times are not what they used to be in the old Britiron market.

No experience of fakebook market, but am reliably informed it is something of an idiot magnet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Agree with Martin that Facebook Marketplace can be an idiot magnet. But it’s free and I find genuine buyers are almost always local. Which helps with transport issues. The ability to link to local buy and sell groups can be helpful.

These days I tend to take punt for a week or three on Facebook before shifting to E-Bay and accept the faff of dealing with messenger enquiries from folk with funny screen names and no intention of buying. Often wondered just how sad and intellectually challenged folk have to be to amuse themselves by making fake enquiries. I guess it’s the sitting in your fetid bedroom equivalent of the distaff side going out for a day wandering round the shops for the terminally socially inadequate!

I have standard cut’n paste responses to speed up negotiations via messenger.

Over everything I’ve tried to sell success ratio is probably very roughly about 1/3 rd Facebook, 1/3 rd E-Bay and 1/3 rd no interest. Which is undoubtably skewed by the actual items concerned.

Clive

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Exactly as Martin explains, it’s worth what someone is prepared to pay for it.

Best price got from an auction where two or more bidders know what it is and want it desperately.   On a good day, a Murad could go through the roof.   But auctions are risky:  also possible that no-one wants it for more than scrap value.

Whether you accept a low bid also depends on how quickly you have to get rid of it.  Hefty machine tools are a major embarrassment when one is forced at short notice to move into a tiny top-floor flat.  Or are closing an estate where time is of the essence.  Conversely, if you have time and space, it could be stored and re-offered until an acceptable to you offer is made.

Assuming it’s in Good Working Order, I’d auction it on ebay with a reserve of about £500.  Set reserve lower for a quick sale, or higher if you have time to try again if there’s no interest.

ebay is good because lots of people search it.  lathes.co.uk and here are good because savvy folk who know about lathes are more likely to lust after a Murad than a newbie.   Could advertise here and in the magazine (free), that it will be offered on ebay.

Gut feel is the value of second-hand lathes is falling.   In the past Murad’s were highly desirable.  Less so today because there’s more choice.   Many Hobby buyers prefer new Far Eastern machines, and there are plenty of ex-industrial manual lathes available.  Ex-industry are affordable because the switch to CNC and outsourcing made large numbers of them redundant in industry and education.  True bargains; well out of amateur reach when new.  Also possible that traditional Model Engineering is in decline – newcomers going for digital, 3D-printing, and outsourcing rather than metal-bashing themselves.

There isn’t a fixed value.  Can you report what it goes for please?  Anything between having to pay a scrappy to remove it and £5000!

Good luck!

Dave

[Norman BrammerParticipant @normanbrammer57811]

John,

I’m a collector of obscure English small machines and could be in your Boremilathe. Is it still available and if so, where are you located?

Norman.

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