buying fixer-upper tools on eBay
#20
(12-08-2020, 02:02 PM)mr_skittle Wrote: Admiral, you've confirmed my suspicions on the whole topic. eBay seems like a huge time commitment for what can actually be gotten. I think my time would be better spent cruising the few local antique shops a few times a month.

Your point of adding value is exactly what I intend to do. That's why I'm looking for stuff on the cheap. Buy low, sell high! I also don't expect to pay my mortgage with profits. Just like you, the most I hope for is a few extra bucks to go back into the shop and the occasional upgrade on a tool.

..................
The best place to buy tools for me has always been yard and estate sales followed by flea market vendors. {who buy their tools at yard sales}..
Winkgrin

S&S has been a good place to buy and sell tools because of the fellowship we have here..Admiral, I and other woodnetters guarantee a refund {less shipping} if you don't like a tool we sell for whatever reason...We have a reputation to maintain and honor means something to us..
Often Tested.    Always Faithful.      Brothers Forever

Jack Edgar, Sgt. U.S. Marines, Korea, America's Forgotten War
Get off my lawn !
Upset





Reply
#21
(12-08-2020, 02:14 PM)Timberwolf Wrote: ..................
The best place to buy tools for me has always been yard and estate sales followed by flea market vendors. {who buy their tools at yard sales}..
Winkgrin

S&S has been a good place to buy and sell tools because of the fellowship we have here..Admiral, I and other woodnetters guarantee a refund {less shipping} if you don't like a tool we sell for whatever reason...We have a reputation to maintain and honor means something to us..

I was thinking that I should pay some attention to local auctions and estate sales. There are two auction houses right in my neighborhood. 

I would never think twice about buying anything off S & S on this forum. With a young family my woodworking comes happens in fits and starts. Over the many years I've been a member of the forum, there are some remarkably constant members, such as yourself. You don't get that if you all were ripping fudge off. While I wouldn't hesitate to but a user for my own tool box here, the quality and fair prices aren't quite what I'm looking for in a tool for this particular purpose. I'm looking for cheap and ugly so I can get them up to par and sell them for the prices I see here. I've taught quite a few "Intro to hand planes" classes and I always send people here if they are serious or want to get started without having to restore their own thrift store find. 

I did swing by an antique shop today and scored a plane and saw. Other than the couple things I snatched, prices were too high, I think. $50 for a #5 that needed plenty of resto. What do folks think? There was one tool, and while the price was crazy high, it might have been ball park. It was a pristine #608 for $235. What a massive tool! The clerk was saying they sold a #1 for $900 not that long ago. He was also saying that in the last 5 or so years tools have been hot. Not just WW but any kind of special craft tools. The next step is to figure out what the hell to charge.
How do you know you're learning anything if you don't screw up once in awhile?

My blog: http://birdsandboards.blogspot.com/
Reply
#22
(12-08-2020, 11:08 PM)mr_skittle Wrote: I was thinking that I should pay some attention to local auctions and estate sales. There are two auction houses right in my neighborhood. 

I would never think twice about buying anything off S & S on this forum. With a young family my woodworking comes happens in fits and starts. Over the many years I've been a member of the forum, there are some remarkably constant members, such as yourself. You don't get that if you all were ripping fudge off. While I wouldn't hesitate to but a user for my own tool box here, the quality and fair prices aren't quite what I'm looking for in a tool for this particular purpose. I'm looking for cheap and ugly so I can get them up to par and sell them for the prices I see here. I've taught quite a few "Intro to hand planes" classes and I always send people here if they are serious or want to get started without having to restore their own thrift store find. 

I did swing by an antique shop today and scored a plane and saw. Other than the couple things I snatched, prices were too high, I think. $50 for a #5 that needed plenty of resto. What do folks think? There was one tool, and while the price was crazy high, it might have been ball park. It was a pristine #608 for $235. What a massive tool! The clerk was saying they sold a #1 for $900 not that long ago. He was also saying that in the last 5 or so years tools have been hot. Not just WW but any kind of special craft tools. The next step is to figure out what the hell to charge.

To local auctions and estate sales, you can add garage sales and storage area auctions as possibilities. If there are local woodworking clubs, they might have some older members looking to sell off some tools to help a youngster get started in selling hand tools to the next generation.

You already know that SnS here is a great source of user and (occasionally) collector tools, but you are right: there shouldn't be enough margin between what you can buy here and what you can sell in a booth with a fast enough turnover to pay for the booth (much less your time). The rare exception to that is when someone local to you decides to get out of woodworking and is selling off their tools before a move. It is sorta sad when that happens, but it does happen.

Not telling you anything that you do not already know, but someone selling a 2020 Tesla for big bucks does not increase the value of the junker '75 Dodge Dart that was sitting next to it on the sales lot. In the case of that dealer with the planes, a couple of collectables may increase what they expect to get from tools, but it should not increase their worth to a buyer.
"the most important safety feature on any tool is the one between your ears." - Ken Vick

A wish for you all:  May you keep buying green bananas.
Reply
#23
(12-08-2020, 11:08 PM)mr_skittle Wrote: I was thinking that I should pay some attention to local auctions and estate sales. There are two auction houses right in my neighborhood. 

I would never think twice about buying anything off S & S on this forum. With a young family my woodworking comes happens in fits and starts. Over the many years I've been a member of the forum, there are some remarkably constant members, such as yourself. You don't get that if you all were ripping fudge off. While I wouldn't hesitate to but a user for my own tool box here, the quality and fair prices aren't quite what I'm looking for in a tool for this particular purpose. I'm looking for cheap and ugly so I can get them up to par and sell them for the prices I see here. I've taught quite a few "Intro to hand planes" classes and I always send people here if they are serious or want to get started without having to restore their own thrift store find. 

I did swing by an antique shop today and scored a plane and saw. Other than the couple things I snatched, prices were too high, I think. $50 for a #5 that needed plenty of resto. What do folks think? There was one tool, and while the price was crazy high, it might have been ball park. It was a pristine #608 for $235. What a massive tool! The clerk was saying they sold a #1 for $900 not that long ago. He was also saying that in the last 5 or so years tools have been hot. Not just WW but any kind of special craft tools. The next step is to figure out what the hell to charge.
...............................
What do folks think?

I think if you are doing it to turn a nice profit, IMO you are working for the LOVE of restoring tools or you are working for peanuts.
Big Grin .This is true for me anyway..The advent of the internet has made people "somewhat" aware of the value of antique tools..And many private sellers are under the impression that they have a tool far more valuable than it actually is and they price it over the moon...That is not to say that there aren't "jewels" out there in the wild...there are, but you will drive many miles and spend hours of your time finding them...I used to attend a tool meet to buy tools and round trip was 1,000 miles with three nights in hotels..The tools I found helped offset my expenses but never exceeded them...My reward was the  "love of the hunt"...Never "the kill"....The bonus was the pleasure of meeting quite a few woodnetters who also loved old tools and were members of the "Midwest Tool Collectors Association"....an organization dedicated to the love of old tools...Happy Hunting!!!!!
Winkgrin
Often Tested.    Always Faithful.      Brothers Forever

Jack Edgar, Sgt. U.S. Marines, Korea, America's Forgotten War
Get off my lawn !
Upset





Reply
#24
(12-09-2020, 08:37 AM)Timberwolf Wrote: My reward was the  "love of the hunt"...Never "the kill"....
Winkgrin

I could not have summarized this better.  I've only been to one tool tailgating event since March, and have not gone back to the flea markets since then either.  Maybe in the spring . . . .
Credo Elvem ipsum etiam vivere
Non impediti ratione cogitationis
Reply
#25
I don't recommend Ebay at all.  Every one posting a plane as a collector's item, most are way over priced.

That said, you can pick up a fixer upper pretty cheap if you stay with "Buy It Now" or "Make an Offer".  I recently saw a #4 Stanley $25.

And, you have to know what you're looking at, IOW you have to have some knowledge of plane manufacturing, any Stanley plane made after WWII is part of the "Stanley Downgrade".  IOW, poj's compared to what they did make early on for the professional carpenter and furniture builder.

I've picked up a few ww'ing tools at consignment shops, but most of the stuff I've seen is WAAAY overpriced. So how are you going to make any money buying something on Ebay and sitting around until a "sucker" comes along?

Pass on the offer!
Reply
#26
Over the years I've found ebay to be hit or miss on snagging used items, at a decent price.
I usually set me a price and stuck with it.
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








Reply
#27
(12-09-2020, 11:59 AM)rwe2156 Wrote: .....any Stanley plane made after WWII is part of the "Stanley Downgrade".  IOW, poj's compared to what they did make early on for the professional carpenter and furniture builder.

Actually, Type 18, and early Type 19s are pretty good planes.  But anything japanned blue, or with the pressed steel lateral, I have issues with as they need plenty of fettling.
Credo Elvem ipsum etiam vivere
Non impediti ratione cogitationis
Reply
#28
I shop auctions for old tools for my Daughter and SIL's antique mall. They can turn a profit on the tools I rehab ONLY because my labor and materials are free to them. Those tools I rehab fly off the shelves. But you need to consider how much your time and materials to do the job are worth. Sandpaper ain't cheap, wire brushes wear out, humma humma humma. They sell those ready to work tools for slightly less than the average auction site sold prices with shipping included. Are the rehabs I do perfect? Heck no I'm not a machinist But they are cleaned, functional and somewhat sharp. People just love to run their finger along an edge and although somewhat sharp they get cut, so beware of that little concern. If you believe that $10 shipping kills any profit margin then you will need to be able to completely rehab the tool in less than an hour based on $10/hr labor.

Your mileage may vary.
Train to be miserable...
that way when the real misery starts you won't notice.
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.