[Sleeper]

I’ve been reading about all these incredible buys of used tools over the years because the seller has no idea of what their selling. Just saw a thread on a table saw bought with a Bessemer fence and it occurred to me that if something happened to me my own table saw would be probably end up as someone else s good fortune.

When I pass on and the Grim Reaper has passed by my door a few times already with no one to leave my tools to. It will probably all end up either in the trash or sold on Craigslist without any knowledge of the value. So I have decided to make a file of each item in my shop with photos and a list of upgrades that were made.

Of course I know the value cannot be over what a brand new item would be with all those extra features already included. And I’m pretty sure most power tools don't qualify as an antique like I’ve seen with planes and hand tools so I can’t expect a lot, but I do want my family to get a fair price.

“One man’s gain is another mans loss”

 

[Sleeper]

I’m starting my list with my Table saw

I have Craftsman 10” Table saw #113.298762 w/cast iron top that my son bought me as a gift in 1997. I don’t know how much he paid, but I think they were going for around $400 at the time and it is in excellent shape almost like brand new. I looked for a price on Craigslist in the Los Angeles area and found rusted out garbage not even in my class for $250 to $300. I even saw a direct drive 10” saw completely rusted out for $150. Now I know much better deals will come up and I’m only looking at what’s for sale today and something else may come up later, but I’m just looking for a base number.

I’ve added a Solid Cast Iron Table Extension from eBay for a $100 and a 42” Jet xacta II fence with a 64” rail that knotscott turned me onto. I can’t remember what I paid for the fence, but think it was around $300 with the rails.

I also built a wheeled base, out feed table with dust collection and added a shelf on the side to put accessories on. I have no idea of what the value of those would be but I think would be worth something. A sheet metal worker would probably charge about a $100 for the dust collection enclosure.

So what do you think this saw is worth?

 

[Pirate]

I see the fence by itself being worth $200 +/-
Saw and fence, with extras $300 - $400

It would be a good saw for someone who needs a saw asap, but would prefer a cabinet saw. Buy yours for 3-400, and use it, while keeping an eye out for a cabinet saw, with a crappy fence. Then buy it, swap fences, and sell the CM saw. The xacta fence is excellent.

There's a guy on one of the sites, that prefers a CM contractor style saw, over a Unisaw! Go figure. He might give you $5-600 for it.

 

[Sleeper]

It sounds like it might be better to piece it out because I know I can get $100 just for the solid cast iron table extension and there is a Jet XACTA Commercial Rip Fence on eBay for $310.99 without the rail. I think I might be able to get over $200 for the saw in its original configuration with the craftsman fence & miter gauge without the wheels, but toss in the outfeed table and dust collection. That would total about $700 to $800
​

 

[FrankC]

The sum of the parts are generally worth much more than the item as a whole. There are very few complete metal lathes listed on Ebay but there are literally hundreds of parts at any given time. I suppose one reason might be cost of shipping the complete unit, but shipping is often not cheap for parts either.

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

7 or 8 hundred bucks? :blink:

 

[Sleeper]

7 or 8 hundred bucks? :blink:

So what do you think?

If this guy can get $150 for this piece of crap, I should be able to get $200 for my 3 HP saw. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/tls/4153809930.html

The $100 for the cast iron extension is pretty much guaranteed. I’ve been looking for another one for a long time but I’ve been out bid every time. This one sold today for $81 and I would have offered that much except that I got scared with the 16 bidders. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-T...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Not real sure about the fence, but the rails are almost as much as the fence if I remember correctly.

 

[sawdustfactory]

I think someone has this as their signature here, but I like it so here goes: lord, when I die please don't let my wife sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them ;-)

 

[Sleeper]

I think someone has this as their signature here, but I like it so here goes: lord, when I die please don't let my wife sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them ;-)

Yes I have seen that. LOL.:smile:
I’ve told this story before, but years ago my neighbor died suddenly and his wife put all his tools outside for the trash. There where people blocking the street grabbing stuff as I drove into my drive way. There was also a RAS being loaded up into a pickup that I was supposed to buy weeks before, but just didn’t get around to it. So I ran up to talk to the woman about selling everything instead giving it away to complete strangers which she agreed. As I was helping her bring everything back inside I picked up a box full of his gun collection.

 

[Steve Neul]

I've been there. I found a guy that was selling a Belsaw molder for 50 dollars. He had bought the house and the previous owner had left it so he didn't have any idea what it was. When I got there the guy plugged it in to show me it worked and it didn't so I asked him how much he wanted for it not running and it said 20 dollars so I got a $500.00 machine for 20 bucks. It turned out the molder just needed the safety switch adjusted.

Where you are you should be able to get some good deals on equipment. I've been looking for equipment myself and the good buys are usually in California or the east coast. I'm in Texas and it's too far and too expensive to ship.

 

[Sleeper]

In all reality the ultimate value is what my family decides to accept. I just want them to have some insight into what they can get.

The biggest problem is the amount of stuff I got and if they will have the drive to get the best they can out of it. They may just not want to deal with it and let the whole lot go cheap.

I’m still going to put together something for them to refer to, but I may have to just start getting rid of stuff myself, otherwise I may be one pissed off spirit. :laughing:

 

[rrich]

Yes I have seen that. LOL.:smile:
I’ve told this story before, but years ago my neighbor died suddenly and his wife put all his tools outside for the trash. There where people blocking the street grabbing stuff as I drove into my drive way. There was also a RAS being loaded up into a pickup that I was supposed to buy weeks before, but just didn’t get around to it. So I ran up to talk to the woman about selling everything instead giving it away to complete strangers which she agreed. As I was helping her bring everything back inside I picked up a box full of his gun collection.

There is a solution and it depends. . . .

When you bought the tool, did you get a "You paid that much for that?"

The solution is to put your tool in your will.

If the situation at purchase time was not that hostile, just make an inventory showing the list price of each item.

 

[Sleeper]

I think I may have to use a marker to label some of my other tools as well because they may not look like a tool to one who has never used one or is not a tool guy.
I had to do that at work because people were throwing expensive tools away thinking it was either broken or a leftover part. So now about half of my tools are marked with “Tool – Save” along with what it goes to. I also have to regularly check the dumpster before it gets emptied. :blink:

 

[Sleeper]

I’ve been looking at prices of new saws with all the accessories built in and now I don’t know what do.
I guess I’ll finish the projects I’ve already have going on and start piecing out my saw for sale on eBay. There is no way I can get any more than 15 to 20% of what I paid for all of it by selling it outright as a package.
If I do take the loss and sell it as a package, I guess I could try to sell it on Craigslist to someone just starting out in the hobby, but I’m really afraid of Craigslist with all the murders, robberies and home invasions associated with it.
I may even have to wait and take it all to a flea market.

 

[cabinetman]

I don't know about your area, but here, a local ad in the paper (or internet), for "tools" brings buyers out of the proverbial woodwork. I've seen ads for complete shops for sale...as done like a garage sale, and the place was cleaned out before it got dark.

What else works is to hold an auction (you may need a permit of sorts). That could bring more than expected. I found that selling parts can get to be a nickel and dime affair, and a lot of time dealing with different people. If you part out a working tool, you may end up with parts.

.

 

[Sleeper]

Auction is another good idea, I’d have to pack it all up and take it into LA to an auction house because there just aren’t enough people around here.
Craigslist is really the best way of selling things because of the vast amount of buyers. I only wish I could just find a way to protect myself.
At least at a flea market there are plenty of people around and no one is coming to my home. Maybe I could advertize the stuff I’ll be selling at the flea market so interested people will come by.