# What would you Pay for this Lathe and Stand



## gdonham1 (Oct 31, 2011)

I have been busy building a new lathe and stand. I bought a new Harbor Freight 1018 Lathe and a Rockler Excelsior Extension. I cannot stand that horrible green that the central machinery is painted. The Rockler Excelsior Extension was painted black. I sand blasted the paint off both pieces and primed them with Ace Primer and painted two coats of Rustoleum Hammered gray paint. 

Since I had the head stock disassembled for painting I ordered two premium bearings from Ebay. The original bearings were 6005RS and I replaced them with 60052RS bearings with Mobil Grease in them. THe 6005RS is a single seal bearing and the 600052RS is a two sided sealed bearing. 

I used some diamond stones to lap the tool rest because it was rough as a cobb. 

I made a new stand based on Alan Lacer's design. Mr Lacer uses plywood that is doubled up and glued to make his stand. I used a finger Joint to join smaller pieces of oak and them laminated two layers together to make the A frame and stretchers. I used a single layer to make the top and bottom shelfs. The oak was originally from am out of business church furniture factory. The boards were glued up church pew ends that I resawed up and make into boards. 

I also put a nice power strip on the back of the stand with a 15 foot cord. I used a couple of coat hanger hooks to make a winding reel for the cord when the lathe is not in use.

I also got some Rockler Bench Wheels with brackets. The brackets are installed in what ever you want to move and you move the wheels around so you can have multiple pieces is equipment mobile using one set of wheels.

I have a Nova double MT #2 Alignment Tool I used to line up the tail stock and the head stock. 


Please tell me what you think of the lathe and what you think it might be worth as a package.

I may sell it or may keep it. If I keep it I will order a Penn State variable speed motor. I already have a Nova 16-44 and a Jet 1014 so I really dont need it but it is like potato chips, you cant eat just one.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Nice, and not a clue what it would sell for. I had a HF lathe years ago, good tool. Painted it bright yellow, looked better, and added some lightness to the shop. Sold it, because I found out all I liked to make on it was carving mallets, got a bunch of those around the shop. Made a stand out of plywood, glued together, very sturdy, and never had any vibration at all. Not a clue how I made it, just started building.


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## dirt_dobber (Jun 9, 2017)

nicely done - from the repaint to the stand - great work!


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Good looking project! 

Now the hard part.... how much is it going to sell for. It looks like you have about $400 or so in the lathe and extension, and about $100 in the stand. Unfortunately, it's hard to recapture the value of your hard work improving the lathe. If you try to sell it on Craigslist, you can list it at $450, and see what kind of offers you get. looking on my local craigslist, lathes are all over the place in price and value. There's a Rikon with an extension for $600 right now, and a beat up Craftsman single tube lathe that someone optimistically hopes to get $250 for.

If you aren't desperate to sell, list it high, see what nibbles you get, and that will guide you into what the package is worth in your area.


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## gdonham1 (Oct 31, 2011)

In reality I have the following in costs:

$200.00 Lathe (239.00 - 20% Coupon)
$79.00 Excelsior Extension (Sale and Free Shipping with Coupon)
$12.00 Bearings
$20.00 Paint and Sand to Blast
$25.00 Power Strip
$57.00 Rockler Bench Wheels (Coupons and Free Shipping)
$7.00 Misc Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Glue, etc.
______________________
$400.00

The stand was made from recycled oak that I bought some time ago. There was my labor but part of this build was using a finger joint router bit that I wanted to use to find out if it was feasible to recycle more of this oak into usable material. Most of it is 2-3" wide 18-28" long boards. Many of those boards are glued up into seats or feet and/or legs. So even though my labor is worth something, building the stand will enable me to use a lot more of the oak than was previously possible.

One more thing that may seem strange to many of you, profit is not my motive. I would like to help someone else enjoy turning as much as I do. I will not take a loss to sell the lathe I only need to break even and that puts me ahead in my mind.


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

@gdonham1 - Guy - that's a nice looking stand, very sturdy and a good job on the refurb of the lathe.
Now, as far as what you could sell it for, it really depends on your area and whether anyone is willing to pay for a ready-made stand/lathe.
What I've found when searching Kijiji (I'm from Canada) is that there are very few people who are willing to pay what a tool is worth and most people who sell tools think the value is a lot higher than it should be - I'm not suggesting that is you - but a lot of people looking for tools want them for next to nothing.

This may not be helpful to you, just my opinion.


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

I agree with others, it looks great! Nice work.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Great job...not sure though if you're gonna get your money back. It takes a bit more of a woodworker to appreciate the work you've put into it...AND...appreciate the components you've replaced or modified. And as has been noted, most people buying "used" tools are looking for the cheap way out or just want to see if they'll like it.

One thing's for sure...it won't sell if you don't list it. Put your price on it and let 'er rip...adjust (or not) accordingly.

In your listing, make sure you put in what you believe sets yours apart from anything else...that may catch someone's eye...

Good luck...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

The only way you are going to get out what you put into it is to use it. Other than that would be not recuperating what you have have put into it,but getting joy out of getting it a good home where an individual is getting started in turning and the feeling of helping them get a good start.

Go Harbor Freight.
Herb


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## marecat3 (Nov 30, 2010)

Well I like it and if I could afford it I would buy it.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

At the end of the day, it's a Harbor Freight lathe, and I think it would be difficult to sell it for double what it cost, regardless of what you did to it.

If you are interested in making money, find an old, high quality lathe that needs a lot of work, and restore that. And unless you find a really good deal, even that would be tough to make money on.


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## gdonham1 (Oct 31, 2011)

*Profit is not the motive*

Thanks to all who replied. I was asking a general question about what you might pay for this lathe. I am maybe going to sell it but I mostly built it to build it. I like to make things work and build. That is why I am a wood worker. I may sell the lathe and stand but really just wanted to know what the community thought. 

I do not go around throwing hundred dollar bills out of my pocket but I will spend money on something I want to do. This is just what I did. I may talk to the local high school about giving them the lathe due to the lack of support schools give to woodworking these days. I used to help out one of my neighbors that taught building trades at Kingwood High School. Although they did not have a wood shop class they did have students that would compete in competitions. They usually made gavels but they were introduced into using their hands and not just their fingers to push the buttons on a phone. 

Thanks. Since this project is finished and I just bought a CNC Router I will probably put this on the back burner for a while. Just this week alone was completely taken up with downloads of software, tutorials and trying to figure out what CAD/CAM software to use. I did get a startup license for Fusion 360 and have tried Carbide Create and got a Vetric trial. What I am not going to do is spend $1000.00 or more for software for a hobby shop. I am not starting a business or trying to monetize my shop.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

Software is just another tool. Some tools are more expensive than others.


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## gdonham1 (Oct 31, 2011)

I just wanted to close the loop on this post. I sold the lathe for $500.00 on craigslist. I did include a PSI Barracuda scroll chuck but I may have made a few dollars overall. I know that I really enjoyed building the lathe and the stand. I have been very successful at selling unwanted wood working equipment on craigslist. I take good pictures and write up (hype) the equipment. Everything I have put up has sold for full asking price even though I am quite remote in location. 

Craigslist will allow you to put your ad in multiple locations. You simply log in and copy and paste your ad to a different area and you will get your ad to more eyes. I live in east texas but list in deep east texas, east texas, Houston Texas and Dallas Texas. This strategy puts over half of the state visibility to my ads. also at the bottom of my ad I put at least 20-25 words related to woodworking, wood, lathe etc. This increases my chances of being seen during searches. 

The moral of this story is to be persistent and stick to your price. The ads on craigslist run for 45 days before they expire. If required let the posting expire. You may need to adjust your price a little but if you research and see what the market will bear you can get what you ask or pretty close. I have had weirdo folks call and low ball but I do not drop my price until the ad has expired. Everyday new people come on craigslist and check out what they are looking for. 

When I list on craigslist I do not put my address, just my town. I also allow reply by phone. When prospective buyers call I can cull out the ones that have not got a clue about what I am selling. If I feel comfortable with the caller and/or email I will give them my address to come and look. Some reply via email but I always have them call me to talk before I give out my address. 

When dealing with the general public that I do not know I am armed with my glock in a holster on my right hip under my shirt. It is better to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it. So far I have not had any trouble but as a good boy scout I am always prepared.


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

Thanks for that tidbit. Though I've had a lot of luck selling and buying through craigslist, I didn't know that one.

Some of the clueless that call are borderline hilarious. Just sold an Accumiter table saw miter gauge for the asking. Up until then, some of the callers were hilarious. At $75.00, it was a bargain (half price of the Ebay ones), but one wanted to know if it came with a stand (the Unisaw it was sitting on to show it in use), one with blades, one . . . .




gdonham1 said:


> Craigslist will allow you to put your ad in multiple locations. You simply log in and copy and paste your ad to a different area and you will get your ad to more eyes. I live in east texas but list in deep east texas, east texas, Houston Texas and Dallas Texas. This strategy puts over half of the state visibility to my ads. also at the bottom of my ad I put at least 20-25 words related to woodworking, wood, lathe etc. This increases my chances of being seen during searches.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Good info on selling on Craigs List. Like you, I enjoy making stuff for others and unusual uses. I'm converting an old school cafeteria into a theater and have about $1200 into it so far, with more to come.

But it will be a nice asset for the community, and I was a theater brat from age 12 to 20. Time to give something back, and I can afford it without pain.


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## schmitt32linedrill (Apr 23, 2013)

*Nice looking stand*

The stand looks great and your upgrades to the lathe also, but why are you selling it after getting it all fixed up? Have you used it and produced some projects?

Art S


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