Looking at Used Older Woodworking Equipment for Sale

[Heath Puckett]

I have an opportunity to get first shot on some more equipment, and wanted to get some expert opinions. I haven't seen any pictures or model #'s, and I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the 3-hour drive one-way to check it out. I spoke with him and he's selling it because he's afraid to use it anymore (80 years old) and claims he's only used it "a few times" over the years, but its all been in his heated basement and covered in years worth of dust. Mostly OLD or older stuff when they still were made in the USA. He's asking $1250 for the following:

"Group of various woodworking tools as follows:
10" Sawsall Radial Arm saw with cabinet
9" Delta Table Saw with motor and stand
10" Skil Miter Saw
30" Craftsman Band Saw with motor and stand
Craftsman Jig Saw
Router & bits
6" Delta Jointer with motor and table
4" Craftsman Jointer
15" Craftsman Drill Press, var. speed with milling table and mortising attachment
(2) Rockwell 3x18 belt sanders (one new, one used)
36" belt/8" disc sander combination
36" lathe with table and tools

All in very good condition."

He also has quite a bit of hardwood lumber that he'd be willing to throw in (or sell separate), and other small tools included as well. What do you think? Sound like junk or possibly a good opportunity? I'd hate to waste the time and gas if it likely isn't worth looking at...
Thanks.

Heath

[Matt Meiser]

My opinion is thats it's too much time and money for what is at best a bunch of ho-hum equipment.

I highly doubt that's a 30" BS.

[Van Huskey]

My opinion is thats it's too much time and money for what is at best a bunch of ho-hum equipment.

I highly doubt that's a 30" BS.


Agreed about the price, it is HIGH for basic CL low end tools. Craftsman never made a 30" BS, my guess is it is a 10". A 30" bandsaw would be a very odd machine in a shop with the rest of that stuff!

[Richard Wagner]

Too high???

How do you know that without seeing the equipment? If the equipment is in good condition, that could be a steal. Even the hardwood. How many board feet of what? One could spend half of that amount on good hardwood without having a real big truck load of hardwood.

I think you should put your check book in your coverall pocket and go for a ride. Take the big truck!

[Bob Reda]

Its worth a ride. Alot of times the wife really doesn't know what is there. Also, if it is old craftsman, it was made good at one time. And for $1200 these days you don't get that much.

[Jim Matthews]

I'm with the nay-sayers on this; it may be worth a look, but don't jump too high on price.

If the items don't serve your needs, you'll be saddled with storage or disposal problems.
I, for one, consider the RAS an unnecessary implement - a crosscut handsaw is faster, and less likely to take off a digit.

From the Craigslist ads I've responded to, here in the North East, the unspecified "hardwood lumber" stash will likely contain more pine offcuts and plywood scrap than claro walnut slabs...
I would ask if he has a sample of something he's made to show you. If he has a stash of dogs barking up trees, or old woodcutters leaning on same, you'll know more what to expect.

Your time is worth something, too.


Jim
Westport, MA

[Heath Puckett]

Thanks for your replies! I originally inquired about the delta jointer, router/bits, and drill press when I called..... Then he mentioned the hardwood and quite a few other tools not on the list, and my gears started turning. I thought if it looked like a good lot, I might try to flip the rest to make it a better deal for me. I don't have any hand planes (nor do I know anything about them!), but would like to start learning and using them. Based on our conversation though, I'd be willing to bet that none of his stuff is less than 10-15 years old....maybe older.
Six hours round-trip is a long way to pull an empty trailer alone...

[John McClanahan]

Not only is the price too high, but do you really need a radial arm saw, 2 jointers and 2 belt sanders?

[Matt Meiser]

True you don't know for sure without seeing it. But I see a lot of $100 (or less) stationary tools like an odd 9" table saw, radial arm saw, virtually any Craftsman bandsaw, etc and $25 or less handheld power tools you can buy on Craigslist regularly--often the same ones listed over and over and over and over again. Odds are the drill press, jointer, and maybe the lathe (but I'd bet that is one of those single-tube models or an off brand since none is listed) are the only 1/2 way decent tools in the list.

Of course if he's got a truckload of genuine mahogany he's going to throw in that could change everything.

[Jeff Duncan]

Yup, I'm with the others here, I don't need to see the equipment to know it ain't worth $1250....unless he's gold plated it??? If we stick to the machinery listed I think he would be a little high at half his asking price. He would have to throw in a LOT of extra lumber to make that lot worth $1k.....at least for me. And you still have to drive 6 hours!

Now there are obviously price and availability variations in different parts of the country, but even with that in mind I think for what he's offering that's an awful long way to drive for entry level machines. That's my 2 cents anyway...

good luck,
JeffD

[Myk Rian]

Sawsall RAS? Never heard of them.

[Jim Foster]

The bandsaw may have a 30" spec if it's one of the hobby 3-wheelers.

Does not look like a bargain deal at first blush.

[Paul Incognito]

Around here there's an ad on craigslist everyday for a radial arm saw. Can't give them away.
Anywhere local to get good 9" blades for that table saw?
With stationary equipment I generally say the older the better, but for had held power tools I think the opposite is true.
The only things on your list that look interesting to me are the 6" jointer, the drill press and the 36" sander.
And I wouldn't spend 6 hours in my truck to buy any of them.
My 2 cents,
Paul

[Don Jarvie]

No one says you need to pay 1250. If the stuff is worth 900 then thats it. See if you can get the model numbers for the Band Saw, Lathe, Delta Jointer and Drill Press. Then you can determine what items are worth.

Check what else he has. He may have nice hand tools, planes, saws, etc. He also might have a ton of hardware, screws, nails etc. Look how much it costs for screws and nuts these days. There may be a couple of vices, clamps. These are the type of items you need to buy if your just starting out.

If ther are plently of other stuff it could be worth offering him the 1250 and take it all. If you have no screws, drill bits, etc this is a good way to get inventory for short dollars.

[Mike Cruz]

First of all, I will preface this with...I wouldn't really want much if any of that stuff (regardless of the condition). Not for me, not for flipping. Around here, that stuff is on CL perpetually and keeps getting relisted. IF, and that is a BIG if, I were to go get it, I would want pics and model numbers of everything first. And THEN, I would still only offer about $900...at best. That would include the wood. And I'm making a big asssumption that it isn't pine and fir.

[Brian Weick]

"Group of various woodworking tools as follows:
10" Sawsall Radial Arm saw with cabinet, -10" RAS.......$50-$150.00 (depending on the manufacturer and condition)
9" Delta Table Saw with motor and stand- $30-$40.00
10" Skil Miter Saw- $30.00-$40.00
30" Craftsman Band Saw with motor and stand- Either 12" $75-$100.00 or an 18" $150.00-$200.00 in very good condition
Craftsman Jig Saw- $10.00
Router & bits - how many,brand,shank......$?
6" Delta Jointer with motor and table- $100-$200

4" Craftsman Jointer- $50-$75.00
15" Craftsman Drill Press, var. speed with milling table and mortising attachment- $150-$200 i
(2) Rockwell 3x18 belt sanders (one new, one used)- $50-$60.00
36" belt/8" disc sander combination- $75-$100.00 (speculation craftsman)
36" lathe with table and tools - $50-$75.00 (speculation craftsman)

All in very good condition."


He also has quite a bit of hardwood lumber that he'd be willing to throw in - don't know species or quantity?

Anywhere from $600.00-$1000.00 , no pictures, missing or incorrect info, etc,,etc,,etc,,, lots of "If's"

B,

[Greg Peterson]

6 hour drive is the big deal breaker for me. That and the fact that none of the tools listed are of rare exception in the world of CL. I would consider the list quite ordinary and even less remarkable. I find the vague offer of hardwood to 'sweeten' the deal suspicious.

[Heath Puckett]

Thanks again to everyone for the input. I drove up anyway just to see what he had...and to stop by the Woodcraft store on the way back ;) Just as I figured a bunch of OLD Craftsman and Rockwell stuff. I must say though he had taken GREAT care of it. The best thing he had IMO was a late 60's drill press model 113.24511. I offered him $100 for it, but no dice. There was a bunch of extra sawblades with the RAS, and I just happened to notice the date on the newspaper they were wrapped in...1973 :eek: It was a good day for a road trip, and a chance to drool over some equipment at Woodcraft I can't afford. :)

[Van Huskey]

Sometimes you just have to look! All those blades were most likely steel and pretty much worthless. The thing I kept coming back to was the 6" Delta jointer and wondering if it was on one of the very cool Art Deco stands but the rest of the stuff just didn't make that seem possible. What sort of RAS was it?

[Heath Puckett]

The RAS was actually a SawSmith....one of the gold ones from the 60's. I believe these preceded "ShopSmith" based on my internet research. I'm not very knowledgeable on old tools, but a collector of vintage tools would've fell all over themselves in there! I'm just looking for tools to use, and not worry about parts availability....or snatch a good deal and flip it.
I wonder...is there a market for vintage tool collectors???

[Van Huskey]

The RAS was actually a SawSmith....one of the gold ones from the 60's. I believe these preceded "ShopSmith" based on my internet research. I'm not very knowledgeable on old tools, but a collector of vintage tools would've fell all over themselves in there! I'm just looking for tools to use, and not worry about parts availability....or snatch a good deal and flip it.
I wonder...is there a market for vintage tool collectors???.

I have never seen a SawSmith in the wild.

There is definitely a market for vintage tools, but you have to know what you are doing so as not to end up with a bunch of junk that there are a million of.