Subject: The going rate

From: [email-masked] (Paul Amaranth)
Date: 10 Feb 1994 14:51:04 GMT

I was at a machinery auction the other day and I was wondering if the
prices were more or less typical for used machinery in good condition.

The three pieces I remember were:
  - Series I Bridgeport 2hp, power feed  $3000
  - Series I Bridgeport 1.5hp, no power feed, but 2 axis numerical
    readout $3500
  - A really nice LaBlond geared head lathe for around $4500.  It
    was 15 x 32, I think

There were also a couple of horizontal mills, one went for around $800, the
other for $250.  A couple of gear shapers went for $150 and a huge broaching
machine went for $50 (just what you need to fill up your garage :-)

For the mills, the rigger wanted $100 for loading, $100 for unloading and
another hundred for setup.  I can't imagine what moving that broach was
going to run.

I have a lathe now (doesn't compare to the LaBlond, though - sigh), but I'd
like to get a mill sometime in the future.  Were these good prices?  Or
does someone have a story on picking one up for $700 that was only used
on Saturdays by a little old lady making cookie cutters?

In case you were wondering, I didn't come away empty handed.  I picked up
a Miller 2.5KVA spotwelder, which is the reason I was there in the first
place.  And for $20, I got an air drill with a pneuamatic quill that looks
like a great start for a small cnc drill machine.
-- 
Paul Amaranth  Manager User Services - office: (313) 370 4541 (also voicemail)
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---

From: [email-masked]
Date: 11 Feb 94 11:48:56 PST

>   - Series I Bridgeport 1.5hp, no power feed, but 2 axis numerical

These prices seem comparable to what I saw at a huge machinery
auction in Torrance, California a few months ago.   18 Bridgport
mills were sold.   Most were 1hp, but there were a few 1.5hp.
A few had power feed, but most did not.   The prices ranged from
$2250 to $3000, with the one that had power feed and a Mitutoyo
DRO going for $4750.   The condition was generally good, but
some showed a fair amount of wear.

I am really kicking myself for not getting one of the twelve
Bridgeport Series I CNC mills with Boss 6 controllers.   They
went for $4000 to $5000.   All were in good shape and some were
fantastic.

I really want a small CNC mill, but the Bridgeport is just too
big for the available space in my garage.   What would be ideal
is one of those "desktop" CNC mills for small prototypes.
If any of you see one for sale, please let me know.

In the meantime, I will probably retrofit my small Enco
mill with stepper motors, just so I can get some experience.
I know the accuracy will be crap, but it will let me do
some the projects that are beyond me now.

--  Alan E. Frisbie               [email-masked]
--  Flying Disk Systems, Inc.
--  4759 Round Top Drive          (213) 256-2575 (voice)
--  Los Angeles, CA 90065         (213) 258-3585 (FAX)