Your Biggest Tool buys you did not make

[Arlin Eastman]

Me personally I wish I had more say to the VA on what they bought for me.

I would love to have a 8" or even bigger jointer but they make up for it in a 17" cut 5hp bandsaw and tablesaw and 15" planner.

Both the jointer and planner have the carbide cutter inserts which is really nice and not very loud so that is a positive also.

[DieselDennis]

I went to an estate auction last year. The estate-ee (the man who's shop was being auctioned) was in attendance.

He had an 8" Grizzly joiner. Older, but in good shape. Mobile base. Paddle switch up top. Only brought $350.

He also had a Grizzly cabinet saw with a 50" fence on a mobile base. Older, but in good shape. Came with a few blades, push sticks, jigs he had made, etc. Only brought $300.

I had everything I needed but the trailer and time.

[MKepke]

Hmmm..

..I once looked at a package deal for a Felder BF-41 (16" combo machine), Felder 20" bandsaw, Felder dust collector and an Inca cabinet saw all for $5500.

I passed because some of the machines had been kept under cover but outside and exposed to salt air - r-u-s-t-y. Plus the BF-41 had been partially disassembled and I had no confidence I'd get all or even most of the parts.

The seller had nice zebras tho.

Also passed up on a deal for a 20" Griz planer for $800. Didn't need it.

-Mark

[jstraw]

Went to an estate auction of a dream shop. Did very well on smaller tools and lumber, so when the lathe came up, I didn’t feel like I had the money. Plus, I’m not a turner. But, when nobody put in the minimum bid for a Powermatic 4224, with all the accessories, I should have found the $1,000 that nobody else was willing to part with.

Probably would be posting mainly on the turning forum now if I had.

[Arlin Eastman]

Went to an estate auction of a dream shop.  Did very well on smaller tools and lumber, so when the lathe came up, I didn’t feel like I had the money.  Plus, I’m not a turner.  But, when nobody put in the minimum bid for a Powermatic 4224, with all the accessories, I should have found the $1,000 that nobody else was willing to part with.

Probably would be posting mainly on the turning forum now if I had.

Boy that was a heck of a deal and could have resold it for at least double that.

[sniper]

The biggest one I didn't buy, I ended up getting a few years later. Someone down in the Tampa area had a 12" jointer they had to sell due to moving. I wanted it but couldn't drive down. Bones ended up buying it.

Fast forward a few years and Bones is selling it at a time I was driving down that way with a trailer. I picked it up on the way home.

[Ray Newman]

Arlin: how did you get the VA to buy you tools?

I've been receiving VA medical care and prosthetic services since 1968 when I was rated 100% service connected and I occasionally here about this, but cannot find anything specific.

[Arlin Eastman]

I guess I was one of the last lucky ones.  Just after Obama came to power he shut it down.  I assume he would rather give the money to his Arab brothers and help American service men who needed the help.

I really do no know how it all worked but my mental health Dr. made a suggestion to the VA administration and they asked me what I needed to build bird houses so that is how I came here and asked questions and got the All Grizzly tools

They bought me the cabinet saw, Jointer and Planner with the carbide inserts and a big 17" cut 5hp bandsaw and the PC 7518 router.

Everyone in hand tools helped me out there and after hurting my neck again while turning the Dr's told me I would have to stop turning or look for another way to do it.  Guys in Turning taken up a collection of $1700 and I got it at Tools Plus which had the 15% sale and there employees taken up a collection of $400 so I could get the PM3520b with remote switch and 18" extension so I can turn off the end of the lathe which makes it sooooo much easier to turn for me now.

The rest my wife put on the CC and paid it off a year or so later.

[BloomingtonMike]

Not sure if the question is what is the biggest tool somepne gave you or what was the biggest tool.ypu did not buy and walked away from?

I was given a 5x5 cnc router in 2017 grom a buddy that moved and lost his shop. I converted it to a cnc plasma machine. I have about $5k in the conversion and the machine was about $5k.

I have some amazing crazy crazy deals but I usually.pay something.

I also got a box of tooling from a buddy here for free. Thousands of dollars in combinatioj endmills in that box. Also an amazing alum drill press table was given to from a member on smc.

Biggest deal i walked away from and kick myself, widebelt sander in 2006. Had no idea why i needed it back then.

I've given away many tools to friends here locally and some stuff to friends here. Even gave away a small cnc. Pretty sure the guy sold it. I believe in karma on both sides.

[tablesawtom]

The new Sawstop table saw that had the free dust collection offer last April.

Tom