Selling a manual metalworking lathe from a small workshop

Manual lathes are often described in shorthand. A dimension remembered by the owner may refer to centre height, swing over the bed or distance between centres. Write the label alongside the number and record where the information came from.

The Colchester Master VS and Harrison V350 specification separates swing over the bed, swing over the cross slide, distance between centres and spindle bore. These are different dimensions, with different implications for the work a machine can accommodate. Use that distinction when building your record; do not copy this current model's figures onto an older lathe.

Where two bed lengths were available, confirm which one is present. Also identify the spindle nose, tailstock taper and speed range from the matching documentation. If the machine has been altered, retain both the original specification and the evidence explaining the change.

A missing manual is a reason to ask the manufacturer or a competent specialist for help. It is not a reason to estimate capacities from a photograph.

Take photographs only from safe, authorised positions. Do not remove guards or run an unfamiliar machine for the sake of a listing.

Identity and overall arrangement

• A whole-machine view showing the bed length, cabinet and guards.
• The model and serial-number plate, legible at normal viewing size.
• Any motor or replacement-component identification already safely accessible.
• The matching manual, original invoice or service identification.

Headstock and bed

• Headstock controls and the spindle area as presented for sale.
• The fitted chuck and its visible identification.
• Accessible bed and slide surfaces, including obvious damage.
• Feed or thread charts, where readable without opening machinery.

Tailstock and carriage

• Tailstock, handwheels, toolpost and supplied holders.
• Any digital readout, including its make and the axes displayed.
• Visible missing components or repairs, described neutrally.

Loose accessories

• Chucks, jaws, centres and steadies arranged as identifiable sets.
• Taper-turning or other attachments with associated parts.
• Items shown for context but excluded, clearly labelled in the inventory.

Keep each photograph tied to a sale reference. The workholding guide is useful where jaws, chucks and fixtures have become mixed across several machines.

“Used until retirement” describes history, not current condition. “No known faults reported by the current owner” is also different from a specialist inspection result.

Record the last known use, any period in storage, service evidence and faults that staff have reported. State whether the machine is presently available for an agreed demonstration. Avoid “runs perfectly” unless a defined assessment supports the claim, and even then describe the assessment rather than offering an open-ended guarantee.

HSE's work-equipment inspection guidance distinguishes inspection according to the equipment and the risks involved. The photographs in a sale file are not a substitute for a competent safety assessment. Where a condition question could materially affect the description, brief a machine-tool engineer with that exact question.

Age does not remove the responsibilities associated with supplying equipment. HSE's second-hand products guidance explains the position in Great Britain, including why a broad “sold as seen” phrase does not settle safety duties.

Check the accessories against production needs before promising them. A steady or toolpost that serves another lathe may need to stay. If workshop power has already been disconnected, the guide to machines without a demonstration explains how to present the available evidence. The manual milling-machine guide covers the neighbouring machines without mixing their tooling into this lot.

Send the photographs, labelled specifications and condition notes to UK Auction Group. Include any deadline affecting access or collection so the sale discussion reflects the workshop's circumstances.

More machine preparation topics are in the engineering and CNC hub.