Hi Folks,
My cousin called the other night and told me he had a whole garage full of old tools, hardware, wood burning stoves and some really nice doors and windows- a veritable plethora of old stuff. His wifes grandfather passed away and the family just wanted the stuff cleared out. Three pickup loads and two large utility tralers full.
Dodo me forgot the camera so I don’t have any pics yet but I will take some today. I did notice an arsenal of old powered hand tools, PC router, Skilsaws, drills and jigsaws and a huge Glenwood parlor stove.
I’m curious to know if some of these old power tools are worth anything significant. In the buckets and boxes of hardware there were unopened packages of hinges, door latches/catches and bunch of various sized cut nails. I will be buying all the cut nails, some of which are spike sized!
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Replies
Back in the 70's I used some old Porter Cable power tools in Japan. They were of utmost quality and had stamina of a full breaded horse. I'm sure any old tool power or otherwise shall be a gem in the rough and worth of salvage. Possibly a list of sorts of these treasures are in order so that we all can experience the joy?
It's really difficult to match up all that miscellaneous "stuff" with the people who need that particular item. I used to frequent estate auctions (on-site, where the auctioneer sells everything that's not nailed down) and see what sells and what doesn't. For the hardware, it might be best to donate to Habitat for Humanity and write it off taxes. Separate out the good tools that could fetch a decent price on Craig's List or eBay (easy to research), pay a fair price for the items you want.
I sold an old black and decker half sheet sander on eBay. I don't know how old it was but, it was all chrome, had a cloth wrapped cord, weighed a ton, and had the original box and instructions. And it worked, not to well but it still started and moved.
It went for a little over $100!!!! I was shocked!
Yeah, many of these are chrome plated too. There's a really old Millers Falls sawzall too. I think it would look really cool hanging from the ceiling in the woodshop.
AND, there's an ancient radial arm saw head end.... Mebbe I could interest Lou in it. :-)
Sounds to me like you folks have it nailed pretty much - auction the stuff off or clean 'em up and use 'em. Maybe I was getting a bit paranoid about messing with what might be a collectors item.
Gotta get some pics in here so you folks can have a look.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
"I agree put the stuff up for auction, you’ll get more for it." I don't think that's what I said, but it is an option.
These on-site auctions, for those who are interested, do work well for a family that needs/wants to get a house emptied out quickly and thoroughly, assuming you have an auctioneer as good as ours. They go through the entire house, garage, basement, yard, everywhere, and catalog all the items, putting a numbered label on each one (some things are sold in lots, e.g., "wall above workbench" meaning everything on the pegboard.) Priority items such as good hand planes might go on a table in the livingroom to ensure they don't walk away during the preview. Auction starts at 9am, goes at about 100 items/hour, you take what you won with you, or come back during the 4-hour pick-up time, usually Monday or Tuesday. Everything left goes in a dumpster, and the house is virtually empty.
Family members can put aside items they don't want auctioned, or put an absentee bid on something the want price-protected (doesn't happen often, usually they just take it).
I actually got a few tools from an "estate" where the woodworker-guy was still alive and ticking, he just wanted to liquidate his tools so they could pack up in the RV and leave town.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 10/16/2008 6:54 pm by forestgirl
My barn is stuffed full of things I don't need anymore. Having retired from the apartment business, I have lots. I have contacted a couple auctioneers. One wasn't interested. The other came out and looked at the stuff and then wasn't interested. I have thought of a yard sale but don't have any idea what price I could put on it. I have a friend? who has regular yard sales and would like to do that more when he retires. Several times he said he would like to sell it but never does. Tools, supplies, furniture. Some new but mostly used - Things I have paid thousands of dollars for. I'm about to get a dumpster and move things out.
Hard to understand why you'd throw good stuff away when you can donate to a deserving organization such as Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill or some other local thrift shop. Even if you can't use the tax deduction, at least someone would get the benefit.
Usually, at least around here, a yard sale with "tools" in the advert will bring lots of people. If you're not sure what to price things at, take a stab at it, hold a 2-day sale with prices starting at your guess, then mark them down at 2pm the first day, and then mark them way down at the start of the 2nd day. Let people know you're doing that. If someone wants something for sure, they'll buy it close to the original price; if it's overpriced, they'll come back late in the day or the next day. Be willing to bargain that first morning.
Note that I hate having yard sales, so I'm not saying this is easy, it's just one way to do it. But for sure, no need to just throw stuff in the trash if it's useable and decent.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 10/19/2008 12:06 am by forestgirl
Well yah, I probably wouldn't actually throw it away but I surely feel like it some times. It will probably take a good portion of the rest of my life to just sort through. I still have a couple ideas up my sleeve before I turn it over to charities.
I've tried to keep myself from looking at tools from garage sales or estate sales... I can ALWAYS can find a reason to buy a tool but the thought that it is a "good buy" is useless unless I actually need the tool. That happens very rarely but I still look! (my wife does the same with shoes but she doesn't seem interested in vintage...) What I'm trying to say is that you will not find a bargain tool that will pay for itself very often and when you do, mostly, you will find yourself just storing the tool until when? well, that's why I try to by old tools that I will actually use in the near future.
Smart man.
The universe must be kept in balance. Thus, the pleasure of acquisition must be offset by the pain of (proper) disposal. ;-)If you don't want to endure the hassle of a yard/garage sale, or putting things up for sale on eBay, most charities that operate second-hand stores are happy to come out and pick up donations.
I think it goes this way. Back in the late 40's, Delta bought out Atlas. Then, in the 50's, Rockwell bought out Delta. And likewise, also eventually bought Portacable.
Then Rockwell cheapened the portacable line and did away with Portacable name. Eventually, thru competition, Rockwell needed to develop a higher, quality line of portable power tools, brought back ingreediences of Portacable and named their new line of "heavy duty, contractor's model, portable tools" as guess what,...Portacable.
So, if you have some vintage tools, keep them and use them. Or pass them on to family, relatives, long lost cousins, any who do woodworking seriously. Be wise !!
I actually had a yard sale some years ago. My secretary and her friend set the prices and helped man the fort. While we were getting things ready we sorted out some clothes and had them on a lower level of this old store. Well, a big rain and flood came and got all the clothes wet. I wasn't sure what to do so put them in the dumpster - two cubic yards of sleeping bags, coats, all kinds of clothing for both sexes. Had a lot of furniture and misc. that did sell. After all was said and done, I think I paid the help more than what I took in from the sale.
Ah, there's your problem. Yard sale staff should be paid in beer (or Mason jars of a clear beverage), not coin of the realm. ;-)
"I'm curious to know if some of these old power tools are worth anything significant. "
Bob,
Most of the time they aren't worth that much. I go to old tool swap meets and there are plenty of old power tools that are passed on.
However, some might be worth more to you than anyone else. If you don't have on and ever thought I really needed a "blank tool" to get the job done then it would be worth it to get it. If they haven't been used much and are quality manufacturers then it would be worth it. But again more likely for you.
Over the last few years, I have been both blessed and cursed with the handing down of old tools. All have found homes either with me or others that are needy. And at the worst case, they land in the loaner box. No one borrows tools from me much anymore...lol.
Len
"You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time. " J. S. Knox
After a bit of cleaning and operation verification, one might be surprised at the market value of some of these things on eBay or a similar auction site. Value, after all, is in the mind of the buyer.
I have an old Porter Cable half-sheet finish sander (like-new in box, in eBay-speak), for example, that I've thought of putting in a shadow box and hanging on the wall just because of the art-deco design. I'd need to use a French cleat, of course, due to the weight. ;-)
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