PDA

View Full Version : How far would you drive?



Dustin Lane
05-15-2009, 7:21 PM
For a good deal on a unisaw? SWMBO says 250mi is too far. I say its far, but not quite too far. This would be a significant upgrade for me.
Should I ignore her (is that possible for SWMBO) or just wait and hope for another nearby?

Cary Falk
05-15-2009, 7:32 PM
I guess that would depend on how good of a deal the unisaw is. At 15mpg, that is about $40 in gas each way. I hate to drive long distances but I drove about half that to pick mine up.

harry strasil
05-15-2009, 7:40 PM
Ask her how far she would drive to get something she really wanted.

Rod Upfold
05-15-2009, 7:48 PM
That would make a good field trip with a bonus of a unisaw


Rod

Dustin Lane
05-15-2009, 8:05 PM
The saw is priced at $250. There aren't many details and I still have to hear back from the selling to see if its even available, but I was leaning towards going. 200mi or so is about the distance to any real major city for me so a lot of the better deals seem to be just out of reach.

I'll have to try a romantic get-away that just happens to be in the same town as the saw.

Wayne Wheeling
05-15-2009, 8:39 PM
I just drove 100 miles each way this Wednesday to pick this up for $575. So, if I really wanted something I'd make a road trip outa it....But you don't know what you'll find when you get there, can be chancey. This saw had been stored for 2 years and looks like new when I cleaned it up. Now to get the rails back on. I felt like the trip was worth the savings. Now to find a 18" bandsaw worth the drive!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/redhawknc1/IMG_0415.jpg

Simon Dupay
05-15-2009, 8:55 PM
Don't you tell her AFTER you get the saw?:D

Jamie Smith
05-15-2009, 8:55 PM
We drove 6.5 hours, through the mountains, in the snow to get our dog ;)

The kicker is that the breeder met us half way...

So, no-- for the right deal it is not too far

Curt Harms
05-15-2009, 8:57 PM
The saw is priced at $250. There aren't many details and I still have to hear back from the selling to see if its even available, but I was leaning towards going. 200mi or so is about the distance to any real major city for me so a lot of the better deals seem to be just out of reach.

I'll have to try a romantic get-away that just happens to be in the same town as the saw.

If you can make a romantic getaway out of it (or even better a shopping trip for her:D) the odds of not having to hear about it for the next decade would improve if your SWMBO is like mine. I'd try to make very sure the saw would be there when I got there. It'd truly suck to drive 4 hours and watch it leave the seller's property in someone else's vehicle. I'm not certain how you could be sure of that.

Curt

jon reedy
05-15-2009, 9:11 PM
Be prepared to not buy it. Don't buy it just because you've driven a long way.

Paul Ryan
05-15-2009, 9:38 PM
For the right deal nothing is too far. I was prepared to drive a lot farther than that for a SS a few months back. But the seller wouldn't go down far enough. Just get a lot of pictures before you go. Stay a night with the miss' if you can. I have driven 700 miles in a day for my job. It stinks but look it as you are making money by driving, or you are saving money.

Roger Savatteri
05-16-2009, 1:39 AM
.

Just a thought.

Before you make the drive, have the seller put the phone to the saw and have him turn it on. (The bearings on the blade assembly have been known to go at times.)

And no it's not too far.

hmm, did he send you any pics to show around?

....r


.

Tom Wassack
05-16-2009, 10:01 PM
Greetings from NC!
Back in 2006, I drove 1600+ miles for an early 40's model Unisaw that I won on eBay with a Buy-IT-Now bid of $5.00. The drive was from central North Carolina to Chicago. The deal was sweetened when the owner threw in 3 vintage drill presses for $10.00. Here's some links to the story on OWWM - http://owwm.org/viewtopic.php?t=16321&highlight= and http://owwm.org/viewtopic.php?t=16487&highlight=

So for me the deal (and the experience of traveling to a city I had only seen from the air) was worth it!

Respectfully,
Tom Wassack
Asheboro, NC

Phil Thien
05-17-2009, 10:26 AM
At $250 I guess I wouldn't worry about bearings or anything. I'd want to make sure there weren't any large dents or cracks or anything.

BTW, if the kids weren't around (like at camp), my wife would LOVE to take a trip like this with me. We'd stop for lunch. We'd maybe even make a couple of other stops to see what we can see.

glenn bradley
05-17-2009, 10:42 AM
250 miles? That's a run to Vegas for me. Not far at all. I'm driving about 180 miles round trip today to go visit my folks. Make a long overdue "time together" trip out of it. Google some interesting things to see along the way.

Mat Ashton
05-18-2009, 12:30 AM
I drove from Victoria British Columbia to Portland Oregon to buy a powermatic model 90 lathe from Barbos (are they still around?). That trip included a 1 1/2 ferry trip each way... Just turn it into an adventure and hope it doesn't rain on the way back... And as others have said be prepared to walk away. There will always be another one you just have to be patient.

CW McClellan
05-18-2009, 1:10 AM
I'm going to drive 290 mi Wed. to get my bandsaw 145mi one way --will take about 8 hr total time --but it is worth the trip for it :rolleyes::D
Wife says :eek:

Roger Bell
05-22-2009, 11:29 AM
I wouldn't have a problem with that length of drive for that kind of deal. Factor it all into the price and be prepared to drive back empty handed if the saw does not meet your expectations.

And it is also about getting something you really want that doesn't come available for sale all that often.

Jerome Hanby
05-22-2009, 11:43 AM
I made an apx 500 mile round trip from Trussville, Al to Nashville, TN to buy a $300 Unisaw. I think the trip was worth it!

Ben Franz
05-22-2009, 6:43 PM
Any shoe stores or outlet malls on the way? So shoot me for saying it but you know you thought the same thing!

John Shuk
05-22-2009, 7:55 PM
I drove quite a ways up into New Hampshire and stayed in a Motel 6 for a great deal on a lathe from a fellow Creeker. I even bought my buddy a steak dinner and beers for taking the ride with me. No regrets at all and meeting Syd Lorandeau was very nice.

Andy Bardowell
05-22-2009, 10:44 PM
The saw is priced at $250. There aren't many details and I still have to hear back from the selling to see if its even available, but I was leaning towards going. 200mi or so is about the distance to any real major city for me so a lot of the better deals seem to be just out of reach.

I'll have to try a romantic get-away that just happens to be in the same town as the saw.

Usually if they are priced that low it may be three-phase Dustin, if it’s single-phase I’d most likely be in the truck already.