Dave Ficken wrote:

"Steve Lusardi" wrote in message ...
I have an opportunity to obtain a pristine Lodge & Shipley Lathe, Model 1610
Power Turn, 18" x 54", snip
.Please help with your best guess
of current market value.
Steve

Steve,
It seems to me that the person best qualified to answer this question
is you.
I have no desire to add that machine to my shop at any cost, so its
value to me aproaches zero.
It seems that you are intrigued by this machine and *need* to own it.
Therefore, you are uniquely qualified to answer the question as to how
much it is worth to you.
The machinery market right now is in a major slump, prices are down
across the board.
However, it is always tough to place a value on a pristine machine.
Where do you think you'll find another one like it? So question one
is: "How bad do you *need* to own this lathe?"
I should think that someone looking to buy and use this lathe
commercially would figure out what a brand new import replacement
would cost and look to get a savings over that price. That might give
you an upper limit. Also, figure that it would cost in the
neighborhood of $5000 to recondition a lesser machine to pristine
condition (and it will still never be the same as it was when new).
I don't see how you could possibly go wrong spending under 5K for the
whole machine, unless it is the wrong machine for your needs..
If I understand correctly, you are looking to make an offer and want
to know what that offer should be. If so, my next question would be:
Why are you trying to be both the buyer and the seller here? It is the
seller's responsibility to name the price, not the buyer's.
I would ask the seller to name his price and chip away from there.
In my experience, it is very difficult to deal with someone who will
not name a price up front. Nine times out of ten, you end up as an
unwitting participant in a private auction where you don't get to see
your competition or place a second bid. The seller tells your offer to
the next guy, he beats it, seller tells that offer to the next
guy......and so on until no one ups the ante anymore. A great way to
sell if you don't care how many people you **** off. A bad way to buy.

Regards,
Dave Ficken
Meridian Machinery
http://www.mermac.com

Use the clock method... lay 4000 on the bed and look at the second hand
on the wall clock.. Either he picks up the money or you do. Machinery
is cheap in these times.

John