Hypothetical lathe/mill trade question

[perp]

Ok guys, I got a question for you.
I was going to post it in one of the existing threads but it would be a little of a hijack so...

What i am looking for is a bridgeport mill for CNC conversion and a good lathe. You guys have got my mind spinning about what I can do and make with these tools.
I have done some research and the knee mill conversion to cnc is not too expensive if you start with a mill in decent shape and even easier if if was originally an NC (like a BOSS) or early CNC model with outdated electronics/steppers.
Do you think it is possible to find someone who would want to trade this type of machinery for a 2003 Honda CR 250 dirt bike in near perfect shape (rode 5 times, still has original rear tire even) or should I just sell the bike and try to purchase these items with the cash.
I hate selling used bikes as everyone wants to lowball and argue and then i got a hundred meth heads looking around my garage while i am trying to sales pitch there brohers. just a PITA in my opinion.
I realize that some used mills may be worth more than the bike so i would be open to cash in or out of these types of trades.
Am I smoking crack or is this realistic.
Thanks
Doug

 

[BadDog]

I would say sell it. It will be harder to find someone with a suitable machine wanting to trade, though if you can, you may do better over all. Problem is, the guy that want's your bike badly will probably not be the guy with "the perfect machine". And having cash quite literally "in hand", even if the bike produces less quantity of cash than you hoped, will often do more to loosen a person's grip on that "perfect" candidate than any consideration of a trade. And very often the best deals are in cases where cash is the only consideration as they are looking to pay bills and don't want to hassle with selling a traded item.

 

[perp]

You bring up some good points, especially the part about "loosening their grip"
Thanks

 

[diesel4me]

another good point!..a little off topic,but not really..

He also brought up another good point---about letting strangers who are supposedly interested in "buying" something you have for sale,getting a good look at what you have in your shop,truck,home,etc!!!..unfortunately,all too often around here,addicts POSE as interested customers when they see something for sale,and use it to their advantadge--while they are "looking" at the item for sale,they are also "taking inventory" as to what you have for tools,ATV's,and other items easily "fenced" for drug money..most travel in pairs,or several come in the same car..

I had one friend who was selling a motorcycle have two guys come to "look" at it--they said they would think about the price, and call the owner if they decided to buy it..later that night his garage was broken into,the bike,a few thousand dollars of tools,his sons ATV, and a compresser were stolen!..

He made the mistake of telling his wife "I'll be ready to go out to eat with you as soon as I'm done showing the bike to these guys"... needless to say,they probably waited around the corner for him to leave!!..only took five minutes to clean his shop out...

There is a lot more of these types around than ever before now!..
I hate selling anything for this reason,on top of them jewing you down, and the usual ball busting that selling something usually brings....

I put the item for sale outside,far from my shop or other valuables..and tell them to wait outside if I need to go inside to get something..and watch them like hawks!--I take note of licence plate numbers too,just in case..

 

[perp]

Isn't it really kinda sad that honest people got to deal with crap like that. Thieves and addicts just suck ass

 

[garlicbreath]

He also brought up another good point---about letting strangers who are supposedly interested in "buying" something you have for sale,getting a good look at what you have in your shop,truck,home,etc!!!..unfortunately,all too often around here,addicts POSE as interested customers when they see something for sale,and use it to their advantadge--while they are "looking" at the item for sale,they are also "taking inventory" as to what you have for tools,ATV's,and other items easily "fenced" for drug money..most travel in pairs,or several come in the same car..

I had one friend who was selling a motorcycle have two guys come to "look" at it--they said they would think about the price, and call the owner if they decided to buy it..later that night his garage was broken into,the bike,a few thousand dollars of tools,his sons ATV, and a compresser were stolen!..

He made the mistake of telling his wife "I'll be ready to go out to eat with you as soon as I'm done showing the bike to these guys"... needless to say,they probably waited around the corner for him to leave!!..only took five minutes to clean his shop out...

There is a lot more of these types around than ever before now!..
I hate selling anything for this reason,on top of them jewing you down, and the usual ball busting that selling something usually brings....

I put the item for sale outside,far from my shop or other valuables..and tell them to wait outside if I need to go inside to get something..and watch them like hawks!--I take note of licence plate numbers too,just in case..

Man, you sound just like me!

I must say, the 8 surveilance cameras in plain sight sure helps with my paranoia! Not to mention the 3/4 inch hitch pin on the garage door rollers, the alarm, and the booby traps.

 

[diesel4me]

not to hijack ,but..

I'm not paranoid,but am well aware of the things drug addicts pull around here to get free money..my neighborhood hasn't had many problems,but the ones that do are not far away,and they will strike anywhere they see easy money..

I can't put my truck out for sale on my front lawn anymore--within the past 5 days 4 kids with BB guns shot out 25,000 dollars worth of plate glass store windows,and 10,000 dollars worth of car windshields and rear windows nearby!--one was a 2006 BMW ,only a month old!..and mailboxes here are bashed in with bats about once a week too,or blown up with M80's.. I bet they get off easy,and plenty more kids will take their place IF they get any punishment at all..

Just 2 days ago,someone STOLE the trailer the city next to my town uses to store its "Weights and Measures"!--it had 2 -400 lb cast iron weights in it,and other stuff used to calibrate gas pumps,etc..the trailer and contents are valued at 10,000 bucks!..all the local scrap dealers are on high alert for the weights!..

If I had the cash I'd fence in my entire yard,and put cameras everywhere..better still,I'd MOVE where nobody else lives within 50 miles!..

 

[uao85]

Yeah I know what you mean as far as thieves and vandalism goes, there is an apartment complex down the street that for the most part has nice people living there, they are neat, polite, and are a part of the neighborhood, but a few months ago some hispanics moved in and we have had the police out quite a few times, blasting hispanic music at 3am, and doing burnouts behind my neighbors house. Would love to beat the crap out of them, but I guess I have to wait to be provoked. Sorry for the hijack, back to the topic, I have a family member who is liquidating his metal shop and could check on a mill and lathe for you if your interested. The mill I know he has that is available is Lagun Republic FTV-2S-E that has a servo II control system installed, and is in excellent working condition, he also has a regular ftv-1 series mill. He has numerous lathes, I think around 6 off the top of my head, and atleast 3 that are working condition, and the other 3 or maybe 4 that need a few small things to be functional. Let me know.

Regards,
Remington