My "new" ER.

[skou]

OK, picked it up today. Didn't get all the pieces I wanted, but here is the good news. Headstock bearings are the absolute best I've ever felt. Period. Upper pulley has a big bite on the largest pulley. Tapping on the nameplate, sounds hollow underneath. I've never actually seen a headstock with that hole, but I think this one has it. Motor is standard AO smith 1/2 HP.

Metal legs. Casters. Look dirty, but work.

Speedchanger 5 "speeds" instead of 8, which means it is the later version. Bearings, see above. NO slop! Old grease, looks like it has been run a few times. Headstock pulleys are facing the same (speedchanger setup) way, but only one belt. Speedchanger has chipped paint, and is dirty, but works just fine.

No miter gauge, but has a bar, and the wooden extension.

No tie bar. No saw or arbor. Lathe dead center, the 2 lower pieces of the toolrest, but no actual toolrest.

Table looks fine, solid rods. Angle screw rip fence. Solid upper saw guard. Normal extension table, with 9 inch bracket.

Once I put a tailstock on the head end, the headstock moves REAL easy (too lazy to dig out a tie bar. Ways look to be about the best I've seen. Thick version.

For $150, not a bad deal. But, I still need LOTS of parts. The major reason I got this, was to get the "other parts."

So far, I'm happy.

Model ER serial number ER12082? (Rivet is through the first 2 digits.)

steve

[fredsheldon]

I just paid $125 for a speed changer on E-bay and had to purchase a set of belts for $20.00. You made out great for $150.

[skou]

I could see the speedchanger and metal legs in the CL ad. Just those 2 are more than worth the price. Took me about 1/2 second to decide.

steve

[skou]

OK, the ER is stripped down, except for the bench.

Am I the odd one, thinking an antique ER bench makes a decent coffee table? Yes, I'm going to put some spacers under the legs, to keep them from discoloring the carpet.

After disassembling this ER, I took the pulley shaft out and switched it with the one in my other headstock. (This one has a "bitten" outer pulley, and the other one is fine.) Ways had some LIGHT surface rust, which sliding the headstock or carriage over, removed. The ends had the standard set-screw marks. A gentle filing will take care of them.

Someone in the past, drilled 3 sets of holes for the casters, on the pivot end, and 2 sets on the head end. In the retract position, the wheels still touch the ground. (Well, they did.)

This bench is going to play "coffee table" until the other ER is restored, then this bench will be shortened (the diagonal braces will meet at a single bolt) for a dedicated drill-press setup. (Kinda.)

All the parts fit into 3 milk crates, except the way tubes. Now, I need to find some camphor blocks to put into my outside closet.

steve

[BuckeyeDennis]

OK, the ER is stripped down, except for the bench.

Am I the odd one, thinking an antique ER bench makes a decent coffee table?

Heck no, Steve. You are clearly on the leading edge of the "urban vintage industrial chic style"! Look what I stumbled upon yesterday while looking for ideas to best use a pair of old cast-iron workbench legs that I got for free. (Actually, I got the whole workbench for free, but the lumber connecting the cool old cast-iron legs is worthless junk.)

[ATTACH]22560[/ATTACH]

Here's a link to some more photos: http://www.industrialartifacts.net/coll ... ffee-table


Yup, that old workbench top is priced at $1200. Apparently, vintage industrial chic sells for big bucks to the Manhattan Yuppie crowd. Lord knows, even with their outrageous salaries, most still can't afford a parking spot for a car ... and so they don't have cars. But then competing for some pretty cool old rust-belt junk gives them something fun to do with all that surplus cash. Heck, if I had a spare $1200 burning a hole in my pocket, and the wife would tolerate it, I'd like to have that "coffee table" myself!

So I figure there's gotta be a goldmine in vintage 10ER bench furniture. Steve, you hereby officially get credit for being the first to spot the "killer App". Tap into the right market, and the bench is worth way more than the speed changer. So maybe we can finally balance supply and demand for good old Shopsmith machines!

Seriously, everyone, check out the stuff at the web site:
http://www.industrialartifacts.net. I'm torn between consternation at the outrageous prices paid for some pretty common junk, and appreciation for the eye of the beholder that found beauty in some old and beat-up, but very well-crafted old industrial artifacts. The story of the business is a thought-provoking read.

[charlese]

Very interesting, Dennis~ Yesterday, I wouldn't have believed that that junk was valuable to some folks.

Guess that's why I'm not rich!

[skou]

Thanks, guys!

Here's the "rest of the story," as Mr. Harvey used to say.

Here in the Phoenix area, an ER goes for about $200.
New, $189, plus a motor, and you had to build the bench.

So, you Mk5 guys just gotta wait it out.

Oh, had a good friend come in, all the way from work.
(a whole 150 steps) She LIKED the "coffee table." But,
after the fire, I had to borrow a power saw from her. She's
more of a tomboy, if that's possible over 55!

steve

[BuckeyeDennis]

Heck, if I had a spare $1200 burning a hole in my pocket, and the wife would tolerate it, I'd like to have that "coffee table" myself!

Unbelievable. My wife absolute LOVED that "coffee table"!

I am now accepting donations, with a goal of raising $1200. Please give generously!

Thanks in advance,
BuckeyeSucker