Hey Trolls. I hope this is the right forum. If not please harass me accordingly. Ha.
Anyway, I have a possible opportunity to pick up a Rek-O-Kut portable record lathe.
The amp needs to be gone through since it is not working. The issue with the amplifier is unknown. He mentioned the cutterhead wasn't included but I asked if he would supply it if I was to send it out to be rebuilt. Outside of that he said the motor and everything else works.
Rough estimate with/without cutterhead (which is dead anyway, allegedly)
I have no problem picking it up and giving it some love but I don't want to overpay and also want to be fair. Any guidance is appreciated!
Rough estimate of what this lathe is worth?
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- soeffingodly
- Posts: 273
- Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:48 am
- Location: Florida, USA
Rough estimate of what this lathe is worth?
"I wasn't lying. Things I said later seemed untrue."
Re: Rough estimate of what this lathe is worth?
As of right now, there is nobody that I know of repairing cutterheads (until opcode starts taking them again which he said would be at least six months). And those lay down type heads are hard to come by because they didn't make a lot compared to vertical upright heads.
I would use a modern Solid state amp anyway, but it would be worth much more if it were restored.
Also, ROK lathes have a really hard to find and extremely expensive to remake feedscrew, so unless it comes with more, you only have one cutting pitch. And in my experience they usually come with either a 112 (max 3 min per side of a 7") or a 254 (only good for cutting soft voice, not music). Edit: that looks to be 112. You also don't ha e a crank, so you can't do lead in/out grooves or between song bands.
I'll admit to being biased, because I'm a presto man (I'm a presto man for a reason; they are far superior machines), but I wouldn't pay more than $300 for that (I already own 15 lathes, though). And I wouldn't recommend a newbie pay a penny over $800, and only do that if you were extremely desperate to get a lathe. That thing is gonna sit until you find a new head.
I would use a modern Solid state amp anyway, but it would be worth much more if it were restored.
Also, ROK lathes have a really hard to find and extremely expensive to remake feedscrew, so unless it comes with more, you only have one cutting pitch. And in my experience they usually come with either a 112 (max 3 min per side of a 7") or a 254 (only good for cutting soft voice, not music). Edit: that looks to be 112. You also don't ha e a crank, so you can't do lead in/out grooves or between song bands.
I'll admit to being biased, because I'm a presto man (I'm a presto man for a reason; they are far superior machines), but I wouldn't pay more than $300 for that (I already own 15 lathes, though). And I wouldn't recommend a newbie pay a penny over $800, and only do that if you were extremely desperate to get a lathe. That thing is gonna sit until you find a new head.
I Buy/Sell/Restore Vintage Machines/Parts and Provide Phone/In Person Tech Support
www.MichaelDixonVinylArt.com
www.LatheCutCamp.com
www.RecordLatheParts.com
www.MobileVinylRecorders.com
www.LatheCuts.com
www.MichaelDixonVinylArt.com
www.LatheCutCamp.com
www.RecordLatheParts.com
www.MobileVinylRecorders.com
www.LatheCuts.com
- soeffingodly
- Posts: 273
- Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:48 am
- Location: Florida, USA
Re: Rough estimate of what this lathe is worth?
Thank you so much!
My concern was the amp and cutting head. I didn't even think of the feed screw. And this is why I am here.
Presto lathes are really nice but not necessarily raining from the sky. Ha.
I can't thank you enough. Cheers!
My concern was the amp and cutting head. I didn't even think of the feed screw. And this is why I am here.
Presto lathes are really nice but not necessarily raining from the sky. Ha.
I can't thank you enough. Cheers!
"I wasn't lying. Things I said later seemed untrue."
Re: Rough estimate of what this lathe is worth?
Buying a mediocre and limited lathe like that for cheap is fine to start, but you are better off waiting for one that might be able to made usuable. Basically all it lacks to be usable is a head.
I Buy/Sell/Restore Vintage Machines/Parts and Provide Phone/In Person Tech Support
www.MichaelDixonVinylArt.com
www.LatheCutCamp.com
www.RecordLatheParts.com
www.MobileVinylRecorders.com
www.LatheCuts.com
www.MichaelDixonVinylArt.com
www.LatheCutCamp.com
www.RecordLatheParts.com
www.MobileVinylRecorders.com
www.LatheCuts.com