Know nothing

Hi, I need to sell my father's lathe which, I'm told, is a Myford ML7B with clutch and capstan-handle driven tailstock. It comes complete with spare main chucks and tailstock chucks and a wealth of cutters, tools and accessories. My expertise stops at recognising taps and dies!

I could really do with someone who has some knowledge to advise me of a realistic value, please. It's all in my garage near Petersfield, Hants (GU32).

Many thanks.

Hi Nick,

This is a pretty good place to start looking for historical details and photos to give you some idea what it's worth (quite a lot by the sound of it)...

**LINK**

You can then choose to list it on here in the Classifieds section, on lathe.co.uk or try to sell it via a dealer.

Good luck

Jon

Nick - try posting some photos. You're going to need to take some at some point if you intend to sell the lathe and where better a place to start than a reasonably friendly forum like ME/MEW. At least you're likely to get a sanity check on any offers you receive.

Upload them from your PC to your personal album in this forum (click "albums" in the top green band and add photos), then insert them into your post by clicking the camera symbol in the message editor and selecting the photos you want to show.

Not a Myford person myself but people pay silly money for them, so it's worth getting a decent valuation for yours.It's not possible to do that based solely on a vague description and you can't describe it if you don't know what you are looking at yourself. So much depends on the condition, options and accessories.

Murray

Hi there, Nick,

Read your personal messages.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

the only way to get the true value is to put it on eBay with good photos. if it was a super seven it would be worth a lot. its only worth what someone near you is going to pay for it.

Hi Nick,

I sold an ML7 using the classified's on here last year. Your father's machine as described, has a gearbox, clutch and comes with a rack operated tail-stock all desirable accessories. As mentioned above, take some clear photos and describe it well. Good Myfords are sought after by some people, often now seen as collector pieces (sad to say).

Here is the album (as an example for you) which was used to help describe my machine. **LINK**

Check the sold prices for ML7's on Ebay to get a feel for the value, please note: Myford Super Sevens especially, are fetching silly money at present.

Regards

Phil

Edited By CotswoldsPhil on 17/04/2015 19:01:57

Not convinced I would simply slap it on ebay if I were trying to get a decent price for it, although it might give you an idea of the fire sale value. A timed auction restricts the potential market significantly.

A bit of effort coming up with a decent advert really doesn't take long and can pay dividends, especially if you are presenting it to a targeted audience and don't have a very imminent sales deadline.

Hi, again

I've just trawled 3bay for ML7 with gearbox (sold) and only found one.

**LINK**

Prices on 3bay are very varied and probably reflects local demand as paul 1950 noted earlier.

Another route is to contact one of the dealers advertised in the magazine.

Phil

I sell all the time on eBay and get a better price there than I would else ware. everyone uses the internet these days just start the bidding close to the price you want for it. I sell lots of good tools on eBay and any junk goes to a local auction where there is no comeback.

Hi Nick. Myford ML7's can go for as little as £300 when they are badly listed or Photo's are poor.
A well listed with good Photo's ML7 can make £800 and sometimes more for a good example.

You may well be better off selling the Lathe and a basic set of tooling as 1 Auction Lot and the 'nicer' accessories as separate lots.

When you describe your ebay items be Brutally Honest. If the paint is bad, say that the paint is bad, If it's rusty say it's rusty and take pictures.
Being Honest will often attract more bidders and a higher price.

Driils, taps, Dies metal stock and the such sell as job lots. 20 - 30 items at a time.
It might be worth some mixed lots for any left overs.

Finally, work out what it will cost to post any items. Weigh them and use the price calculators from all the postage co's. People hate vague or excessive shipping costs.

Good luck and hope you get good money for your stuff.

I also sell much through eBay and with a potential market of millions it's the best way to get the best price - but only on easily shipped items (Royal Mail or a carrier). For collection only it's a different story as you've shrunken your market dramatically. You can offer to palletise but it all start getting very complicated then and there's a greater risk of damage.

Range of Myford's, 5 in fact, on the homeworkshop site at the moment.

Range from bog standard ML7's from £400 up to a S7 at £3250 but a couple more at around the £1200 / £1400 which seems about average nowadays.

One difference between this site and Ebay is you deal direct with the seller and there are no fees involved on either side. Ebay at the moment, if using Paypal runs about 15% of the final price, big lump on machines running into 4 figures.

Nick, have you tried the local model engineering society? It sometimes takes a while for information to disemminate through the grape vine.

Thanks to all for your helpful and fast replies. I've contacted Tony @ Lathes.co.uk who is very helpful and is prepping an advert for me. Meanwhile, I've created an album as suggested above - **LINK**

does the tool cabinet have a fold up front is so that alone would fetch a good price on eBay and the shipping cost would only be £10.50 with UPS or cheaper with others that i would not expect to get it there in one piece, and there are other bits that would make good money sold on their own. i sell tools on eBay as a hobby all the time and 15% may seem a lot but at an auction they often take that amount off both the purchaser as well as the seller.

By the way one of the chucks will have 3 not 4 jaws. Look around and you will find a 'loose' set of 3 jaws for this chuck. They ar eimportant and go together. Huge numbers of chucks and lathes do not have their second set of jaws because relatives don't realise this.

Ebay tips. Do not sell "20-30 items" together. Only dealers are interested in this sort of lot. Do not be lazy either by expecting the buyer to peer at your blurred picture and try to read the writing on the part.

Just had a look at your photo's. You have a nice looking machine there and a lot of tooling and kit.

If I were to list this lot on ebay:
The tap and die sets sell separately as sets.
The Tool chest is desirable as an item on it's own. Hard to judge a value.
The items contained in the chest. I'd probably sell lots of similar items. Mostly not of great value.
Used milling cutters on their own have low if any value. List those as lots.
The devices and Instruments picture. The vertical slides list separately. they'll fetch ~£50 each.
The dividing head I'm interested in. ( The round disc with the holes in it and associated bits ) Message me.
Bottom L is the Std tool holder. Sell that with the Lathe. Should also have a spring.
In 'Tools' you have the Chuck Jaws. They go with the chucks and are important. Prolly go with the Lathe.
In Spares & Accessories #2 you have a plate that goes with the other similar one and Dividing head.
The angle plates have small but good value. Probably list those individually.
Most of the rest list individually.
Spares & Accessories #1 Most of that can go with the lathe.

There are companies that clear workshops. If the Ebay idea sounds like a lot of work ( it is ), they may be able to help.
There is also a "For Sale" section on here. I'm sure that will generate some interest.

Nick thats some collection and a beaut machine pity you are in the UK I'd snap the lot up and be divorced at a moment notice.

Its a shame you can't use it yourself or if you have children who may wish to take it on. He obviously was into it in a big way.

May I ask what sort of stuff he made?? If any photos you could share.?