grubstake said:
Other people may well want it, but the question is: how much are they willing to pay? Maybe these machines are like hen's teeth and hold their value indefinitely? Personally, I have no idea, although I see there's an older, less complete package on Gumtree for $3,500, that's been listed since December:
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/ath...ollectables/halls-faceting-machine/1235763261
That,s a Hall Mk5, good solid machine but too much money, should be around $1k less than that at $2.5k.
A Hall Xtra for $4,500 is way over the top, probably working on the principal that when you order a new one it will take anything from 9-12 months to arrive.
My wife had an Xtra for a while and hated it, but she does wear bi-focals which make the Xtra very hard to work with.
Suggest you find a club and learn a bit first, plus get to work some different machines, but if there is nothing local, the Mk5 is probably a better buy provided you can negotiate the price down. The laps with it are not worth much and the polishing lap needs re-machining. Factor in new spindle bearings as well, they are only around $10 each, plus time to install, motor bearing might be needed as well.
You'll also need 2 pre-polish laps, copper on aluminum backing, around $60 I think, one for 3k and one for 8k. machine looks clean, if you go for it just make sure they remove the mast if if bent the machine is cactus without getting a new one made. The Mk5 would have to be somewhere between 10 -20 yrs old, at least three models were made after the Mk5, the 2000, the 2000 with extended protractor and the Xtra, my 2000 extended is 2010 vintage.