Delta Wood Lathe Question

[Mike Goetzke]

I don't use my old/inexpensive Craftsman lathe very much, but, this caught my eye:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/010203011602010410200804296465df90c.jpg


Here's the description:

"Delta variable speed wood lathe with duplicator and full face shield.includes access. turning diameter 12". 38"distance between centers.Like new."


I've only turned a couple of things like pens and tool handles - so I don't know a lot about lathes. I don't like it when people do this but approx. what is this worth?

Thanks,

Mike

[Paul Douglass]

There are two of them for sell in my neck of the woods right now. No duplicator one is asking $1300, the other is $950. I've seen some for around $600 but I don't think they were variable speed.

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/tls/656690495.html (http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/tls/656690495.html)

or
http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/tls/658861972.html (http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/tls/658861972.html)

[Dick Strauss]

Mike,
I've seen these go for $300 (and up) not including the copy attachment.

[Tony Bilello]

It is a good lathe and I really enjoyed it. Currently, it is still on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico somewhere. I bought mine new around 1984 and I think it was under $1K., which was substantial back then.
I would not give more tha 400 to 450 for a used one. Once you get to the $700 used range, I would be looking at the new Jets or Deltas in the $1,ooo to $1300 range.

Tony B

[Ken Fitzgerald]

It appears that the VS on that is Reeves drive. I suspect those could be made to function but one would have to do regular maintenance on them based on their engineering.

[Jon Lanier]

What would the equivalent of it today cost? Then Mark it from 40 to 60 percent down. Depending on condition.

[Scott Hubl]

Mike,
Keep in mind here I Love the Old Delta Tools.
I have a Delta 1460 Lathe that has most of the available accessories that were available in its day. The 1940's.
I hope to fully restore it as a show piece in my shop, maybe use it for some metal turning now and then.( I have the Jack Shaft pully system thay allows for 16 speeds to slow it way down for light metal turning)
I have seen the lathe your looking at sell for as low as $150.00 without the copy attachment, and as high as $650.00.
These older lathes, and the one your looking at is not nearly as old as the 1460 can vary greatly in price.
Someone selling it may want the world for it thinking its the best lathe from the days of Made in the U.S.ofA.
It all depends on what it is worth to YOU.
Do you like old iron, are you a collector?
Will you USE the copy attachment? If not it has no value to you other than to sell it off on ebay, I bought one for $100.00 that was NIB still.(Just to have it basically)
It has a 12" swing with the small gap bed, that may get you a 14"? platter or so. It has outboard turning IF you want to utilize it.
How slow RPM wise will it go down to?
These were basically Spindle lathes. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
You have to ask yourself what kind of woodturning do YOU want to do and will this lathe fullfill those needs.
Todays lathes have changed as woodturning has changed and developed in recent years. Bowl turning and HF's have become alot more popular for hobby turners.
The older Delta lathes were/are GREAT lathes, for their intended use. I personally don't like any of todays Delta lathes. Something in their design I just don't like about them.
I really wish that wasn't the case and they had continued to make a great lathe.
The full face sheild you will most likely remove as they mostly were intended for school shop use.
If it fullfills your needs it is worth what you are willing to pay, keep in mind these come up at auctions all the time and they sell for CHEAP, look at Gov. auctions and School auctions theres only a few people interested if anyone, so your likely to get it for a song.
I have talked to some guys who said they were the only one to bid on a lathe at school auctions, the hot items are the Uni TS's, bandsaws, ect. and even those can go cheap at these auctions.
Ebay isnt the "deal" place it once was all the time, I have watched some things actually sell for more than what you could just go to the local store and buy it for. I think some just get caught up in "winning" the item.
I myself like the Modern lathes that have reverse, very low RPM's I can go down to 49rpm with the 3520B, I like the large swing, the added swing with the 18" bed,and slidinding the headstock down to the end.
I like turning small to large items, a large swing lathe can do small things, but a small swing lathe can't do large items easily.
How much are they asking for the lathe?
Good luck with your desision.

[Gordon Seto]

If you are into spindle reproduction business, this lathe probably will outlast any current Jet or Delta lathe of the same specification. The gap bed has limited usage, because you can't place the tool rest between the headstock and the blank. I believe the outboard side needs different left hand thread spindle and a free standing tool rest.
A new Jet 1220VS (with bed extension) probably would give you more enjoyment in more variety of turning.

[Ron Ainge]

In the area I live I go to school auctions several time a year and those lathes are in the wood shops that are sold at the auctions. I have bought them at prices as low a $5 and I have seen them go for as high as $600. They are good iron and they do not take a lot of maintanence to keep them going. I bought one that was so abused that it would not even spin. A bit of wd40 and a half hour of work and it functioned as new. The only problem you may have with them is availability of parts.

[Raymond Overman]

I used a similar lathe for 5 years that came off a school surplus sale. I wasn't the enclosed/reeves drive model though and I upgraded it with a true variable speed motor. They're good steel and good equipment as long as the bearings in the headstock are in shape and the headstock and tailstock align.

The only draw back is the swing is limited to around 12" diameter, maybe 14" at the gap. If you're looking at doing large bowls and platters some day this can be limiting.

[Mike Goetzke]

Thanks for all the great feedback - guess I need to do some more homework.

(BTY - this one was listed for $1050)

[Scott Hubl]

For that price, I would keep looking.
I DO love old iron but you can easily find that lathe much cheaper I think.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I think like another said for that kind of money I would look at the Jet 1220 with bed extension or a Jet 1642 for a little more money would be a better buy in my eyes.