Need good tools for projects. Buy them, sell them after projects done.

[Gene Davis]

I have a lot of furniture pieces to make over the next few months, and was thinking of buying the following high-value items, selling them when done.

Parallel body clamps, Bessey, Jorgensen, or Irwin.

Festool domino.

Good tools sell quickly and way up close to retail if they are in good shape and can be demonstrated as such with good photography in sales at Ebay or Craigslist.

Please don't tell me I'll never sell them once I use them, because I have gotten along for a long time without them, and only need them for this batch of projects. It is a couple thousand outlay, and once all is built, close to that in return after placing ads.

Has anyone else done this?

[Wade Lippman]

I don't know what world you live in...
I have a Ceros on CL now with 1 hour of use for 65% of retail. Based on past experience, it could take months to sell. Yeah, it will sell immediately on eBay for that price, but then I am out shipping, paypal, etc.

[Matt Day]

I'd say you'd be out 20-25% of your cost, maybe a little less with Festool. I don't think many people would pay more than that for used tools when they can buy new for not much more.

[Moses Yoder]

THere is often a difference between what people ask for something and what they eventually sell it for. Good quality hand tools, yes, about retail. Clamps, not so much I think. I would figure on getting 50% of what you paid and see if you still think it's a good idea. If it is, you are safe to go ahead with it.

[Gene Davis]

I have been looking in my market for this stuff, and have not seen it. No parallel clamps, no Festool dominos.

And I am willing to take a hit on the cost. I'll be selling the large Domino kit and eight clamps. $1400 for the tool, maybe $400 for the clamps. I'll bet I can get back $1100 and $200.

Am building tables and cases that retail from a Stickley store for about $10K at full best discount, and am saving a bundle doing it.

[Peter Quinn]

New tools come with a warranty. Typical is 1-3 years, some more. Festools is pretty good, bessy is pretty good too. Anybody who pays you close to full retail for used tools with no warranty is pretty much a fool. I'm not saying they are not out there, that you wont find that person, but logically, why would they bother to trade a 10% for any warranty on the goods? A lot of the price of the goods goes to pay for that warranty that is essentially an insurance policy taken out by the manufacturer for your and their protection. It may still make sense to buy what you need and sell it, but perhaps a you may take a more conservative outlook on the resale price potential. I'm sure you can sell those things in a busy market area, but at what price remains to be seen.

[Matthew Hills]

Any chance of buying your clamps on craigslist?

I'd think you could recover decently on the Domino.

Matt

[Don Jarvie]

You can always use clamps so I can't see any reason to sell them unless you screw or nail everything. Instead of the Domino either use a biscuit joiner or handcut your M&T.

[julian abram]

Don't know about your location but where I live 50% of retail seems about the standard going rate for nice clean used tools. I know there are always exceptions, more popular tools like the Domino will bring more. I certainly would not count on even a popular used tool bringing more than about 70% of it's retail value. I purchase a Grizzly 0690 tablesaw a couple years ago off Craigslist for $1,075 which was a high price but it had never been used. The fellow purchased and assembled it in his shop, then decided he would rather put the money into a boat. Any tools I purchase used, 50% of retail is the target, depending upon condition of course. Good Luck!

[Gene Davis]

Maybe one or more of you guys will be the lucky ones to get either a domino 500 kit complete with DC, or a nice set of 50" Bessey Ks. I am finishing the bow armed Morris chairs, and am now going to begin with buying stock and prepping it for the Stickley "Highlands" table, a tall pub table based on some Amish design, a mission style Stickley-inspired TV console, two end tables, and a large square cocktail table. I am tired of mortise and tenon work, thus the desire for the large Domino. For the table work, I have to make up a bunch of top sections, thus the need for better clamps.

I have a few dozen clamps, most all of my large ones being pipe clamps, and I want the Ks for this batch of projects.

[Bill Orbine]

Surely, you can revert back to the old days and form your joinery by hand with chisel, mallet and some good elbow grease instead of purchasing and later dump a Festool Domino. What's a Domino worth? Three/Four days or hard labor? Can't you do the joinery (for whatever the dominoes is needed) well within that time frame? A days worth? Maybe two? You've got to have more than a Domino and clamps to make Stickley furniture. Tablesaw? Radial-arm saw?... If elbow grease doesn't appeal to you, maybe those two machines (or whatever you got) could be incorporated with the joinery process. If I'm going to acquire machinery, it's for keeps! A well thought out investment for the job ahead and well into the future.

[glenn bradley]

Gene, it sounds like you're already convinced this is the way to go. Given what you plan to build, even if you give the tools away, you will still be ahead. I don't know that even lightly used tools will go for as high a price-point as you are talking but, I wouldn't worry about that. I would go for it and reap as much recovery as you can. I don't see a downside here unless you get hung up on what you recover on the tools. Who knows? You may get what you ask, you may get less, either way I still think you win.

[John Piwaron]

It's an interesting idea - buy high end tools for one job then sell somewhere close to the purchase price to recover the money when they're no longer needed. But are they really no longer needed? My experience is that once I've got the best, it's the "lesser" that now goes unused. It's those that get sold. I've got pipe clamps that will probably never be used again now that I have a lot of Bessy K bodies. You imply that if you continue to own the Domino that there will be no further use for it.

I don't think so. Every time I get one of things it's my new standard. Other projects come along. The Domino just proved it's value again. I'm building the Benchcrafted split top Roubo. I used the Domino to help keep the boards aligned during glue up. No slipping while clamping. Of course there are other ways. Since I have it, I used it. I used it to build some planters last spring. I modified my plan from M&T to dominos as a time saver. It's the same with other things. Clamps. Routers. Saws.

So, I wouldn't be so quick to get rid of anything that's so useful in the shop. You *do* intend to continue building things don't you?

[scott vroom]

Maybe one or more of you guys will be the lucky ones to get either a domino 500 kit complete with DC, or a nice set of 50" Bessey Ks. I am finishing the bow armed Morris chairs, and am now going to begin with buying stock and prepping it for the Stickley "Highlands" table, a tall pub table based on some Amish design, a mission style Stickley-inspired TV console, two end tables, and a large square cocktail table. I am tired of mortise and tenon work, thus the desire for the large Domino. For the table work, I have to make up a bunch of top sections, thus the need for better clamps.

I have a few dozen clamps, most all of my large ones being pipe clamps, and I want the Ks for this batch of projects.


This thread looks to me like a not-so-subtle "Domino and Clamps For Sale, Rarely Used" ad. Perhaps the OP, who is not a SMC contributor, should be invited to spend the lousy 6 bucks and re-post the thread on the "for sale" forum.

Then again maybe I'm just a cynic.

[James Zhu]

It's an interesting idea - buy high end tools for one job then sell somewhere close to the purchase price to recover the money when they're no longer needed. But are they really no longer needed? My experience is that once I've got the best, it's the "lesser" that now goes unused. It's those that get sold. I've got pipe clamps that will probably never be used again now that I have a lot of Bessy K bodies. You imply that if you continue to own the Domino that there will be no further use for it.

I don't think so. Every time I get one of things it's my new standard. Other projects come along. The Domino just proved it's value again. I'm building the Benchcrafted split top Roubo. I used the Domino to help keep the boards aligned during glue up. No slipping while clamping. Of course there are other ways. Since I have it, I used it. I used it to build some planters last spring. I modified my plan from M&T to dominos as a time saver. It's the same with other things. Clamps. Routers. Saws.

So, I wouldn't be so quick to get rid of anything that's so useful in the shop. You *do* intend to continue building things don't you?

Agree. Once he has the Domino with Festool dust extractor, he will probably fall in love with Festool, forget about selling it and start buying more Festool products, it is an addiction :)

[John Sanford]

But are they really no longer needed? My experience is that once I've got the best, it's the "lesser" that now goes unused. It's those that get sold. I've got pipe clamps that will probably never be used again now that I have a lot of Bessy K bodies. You imply that if you continue to own the Domino that there will be no further use for it.

I don't think so.
This. The only thing I use my pipe clamps for is glue-ups that are too large for my K-Bodies. I can't speak to how useful you may find a Domino down the road, as I don't have one and it's merely a ways down on my long list of future tool acquisitions, but I'd be far more inclined to simply give away my pipe clamps than I would to sell my K-Bodies even at 80%. The only clamps I use more often are my Quick-Grips.

That said, I expect that you should have no difficulty getting 50%, maybe even 60% on the Besseys or Jorgensens, 30-45% on Irwins. The Besseys' resale will depend in part on whether or not you have a lot of Lowes around that blew them out recently, if so, that may hurt their resale in the fairly near term. For the Domino, if you haven't seen any crop up on your Craigslist thereabouts, then you've got a good shot at getting 60-75% for it, possibly more. That, or squat. The market is either starved and hungry, or there is essentially no market for 'em in your area.

Go for it. If after you're done using the Domino and clamps, you either can't sell the stuff there, or decide you'd rather not hassle with it, I'll be happy to pay shipping and take 'em off your hands to free up space for you.

[Jim Matthews]

Man, join a co-op.

They've already got tools.
No hassle with selling off, afterwards.

[Frederick Skelly]

Man, join a co-op.

They've already got tools.
No hassle with selling off, afterwards.

Another idea along those lines - see if a local community college offers woodworking classes. If so, you can use their stuff.
Fred

[John Piwaron]

Agree. Once he has the Domino with Festool dust extractor, he will probably fall in love with Festool, forget about selling it and start buying more Festool products, it is an addiction :)

The Festool dust extractor - I have one. Wow. It's great. Great for the Domino, even better for sanding. Besides Festool's own sanders it works with my
PC sanders. My PC sanders have a circular exhaust that happen to fit the Festool hose.

[Keith Weber]

Sell tools? Hahaha!! Good one!

The only tools I sell are the ones I've replaced (read Chiwanese) with better quality (read American/German/Japanese) ones. As far as losing 10 or 20% -- good luck with that. Someone is dreaming if they think that I'm paying more than 50% for used tools. No warranty, no guarantees on wear/condition/faults. If you plan the sales, you can usually knock off 10-20% off new prices anyway. Of course, there's always a sucker out there.

Regarding the Festool thing, you'd probably pull better than 50% on those just because of the whole cult-following/price-fixing thing that they've generated.

Stickley furniture is expensive, but they make really nice stuff. I have no idea about your abilities, so please keep that in mind with what I'm about to say. Most people that have the ability to match Stickley's quality, probably would already have all the tools they needed for the job. If you're new to woodworking, you're probably not going to match the Stickley quality, so you essentially will have lesser-quality Stickley knockoffs. Those can be readily bought at prices well below what Stickley charges, so your savings will probably not be nearly as big as you're thinking they will be.

The value of a Stickley is in its name. If it's not a Stickley then your furniture will not have the same value. If your motive is to save money on Stickley furniture, then I'm not sure your plan is what you think it is. If your motive is have furniture (in the Stickley style) that you can feel proud that you built with your own hands, then that's a different thing all together, and is probably what most guys here aim for.

[Jim German]

If you're planning on selling the tools when you are done, you should buy them used instead. Then you'd only be out the shipping and fees (assuming you can sell them for what you paid for them).

[Rich Engelhardt]

New tools come with a warranty. Typical is 1-3 years, some more. Festools is pretty good, bessy is pretty good too. Anybody who pays you close to full retail for used tools with no warranty is pretty much a fool.

Just as an FYI - the Festool warranty is fully transferrable. As long as the original purchaser supplies the original sales slip, what's left on the warranty will transfer over.

That's according to posts on the FEG forum.

[Buck Williams]

I don't know how the numbers work for you, but if you have "X - amount" in the Domino and clamps and end up with a room full of furniture worth $10K (don't know what the Quarter Sawn White Oak and etc.. costs you) , I'd say that you have the tools paid for. Selling them could be a plus, but having them for future work is. as they say, priceless. Are you giving up woodworking after this, or will there be another scenario where having the same set of tools can save you $100's or $1000's again?
When I consider woodworking as something that I work in around my day job, a tool like a Domino or a quality clamp allows me to throw something together in less time, less of my valuable time, than a lesser tool, is worth a lot to me. Either way you're ahead, keep the tools as an investment, (my vote, if I planned on continuing building furniture) or sell them and cut the cost of this project.

[Gene Davis]

Festool 500 just came on for sale at the Festool Owners Group forum site, classified. He is asking 550 and it is the early one with pins not paddles.

Says he has some dominos but does not mention bits.

[Bill Clifton]

To directly answer the question - yes I have seriously considered buying the needed tool, using it for the intended purpose and then selling it. I am remodeling the kitchen and need to paint my cabinets. I have told the wife that I will apply a professional grade finish even though I have never done this. I read the Fine Homebuilding article on painting cabinets and intend to follow it step by step. The plan is to buy an Earlex HVLP spray outfit for about $350 - $400 and sell it for half.

I do mostly home repair type woodworking - not fine cabinet work. I need to pay off bills so I can retire. I'd love to have a spray outfit but don't see another need in the next 5 years. So buy it, get the cabinets done and sell it. For me it makes sense.

[Gene Davis]

Here is an example of what the Domino 500 might be sold for after using it to knock out my projects. Guy came on the Festool forum yesterday with this, said 550, stepped in later in the day and edited his asking price to 500.

He obviously thought eBay might be better, put it up there, too. Bidding is up to 595 and he has three days to go. It is an earlier model of the one being sold today for 925, I think. Today's tool has flipdown paddles and not the button studs for repeating a sequence along an edge.

We'll see what the eBay marketplace does with this.

[John Piwaron]

I am remodeling the kitchen and need to paint my cabinets. I have told the wife that I will apply a professional grade finish even though I have never done this. I read the Fine Homebuilding article on painting cabinets and intend to follow it step by step. The plan is to buy an Earlex HVLP spray outfit for about $350 - $400 and sell it for half.


Advise - practice on something to get your technique down before committing to the "real deal". It looks easy, but isn't necessarily so. I've got a Wagner Finecoat. I bought it many years ago. After comparing it to the Earlex machines, I suspect it was made for Wagner by Earlex or Wagner copied Earlex. I don't know for sure either way. What I do know is that a new Earlex gun would attach to my Finecoat. At the moment, that's what I use. It works o.k. My intent is to buy an Apollo rig by next summer when finishing season arrives again.

[John Coloccia]

Why would you buy a new tool just to sell it? If you plan on selling it, buy it used, use it, and sell it used. The stuff I rotate in and out, I buy used. The stuff I plan to keep for a long time, I buy new. Simple as that.

[Chris Padilla]

Folks,

I just did a ton of editing (well, deleting to be frank) in this thread. Let's stick to the topic and not veer off into non-germane topics.

Thank you :)

[Kent A Bathurst]

This thread looks to me like a not-so-subtle "Domino and Clamps For Sale, Rarely Used" ad. Perhaps the OP, who is not a SMC contributor, should be invited to spend the lousy 6 bucks and re-post the thread on the "for sale" forum.

Then again maybe I'm just a cynic.

Nope. You aren't.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Why would you buy a new tool just to sell it? If you plan on selling it, buy it used, use it, and sell it used. The stuff I rotate in and out, I buy used. The stuff I plan to keep for a long time, I buy new. Simple as that.Needs and the supply of used tools are usually strongly opposed to each other.
IOW - the used tool market is a poor place to depend on for something you need - when you need it.

[Gene Davis]

My observation after studying this for a few weeks, is that the Festool domino is a high-value item seldom seen on Craigslists anywhere, most likely because the sellers realize that Craigslist is more typically used for selling stuff at ten cents on the dollar. The sellers go onto the Festool forum where there is a classified section, or onto eBay, where bidding frenzies can happen.

Also, I have come to think that many of what go up for sale have been stolen, because they seem to be offered by people who cannot claim original ownership, and who have no reason when you ask why the tool does not come with its power cord. The power-cord-is-not-with-it is typical of those for sale on eBay and elsewhere.

But nevertheless, the Domino seems to get something like 70 or 75 percent of price, when sold used, when compared against the new-today-price. Much better resale than anything else in the whole Festool lineup. It is because it is unique. No one else makes a portable mortiser for small loose tenons.

So maybe I'll bite the bullet and buy a Domino new when I get to needing it, which is pretty soon.

As for the parallel-jaw clamps, I have been thinking this over some more. The movers loaded us out yesterday for our move to the new digs near Denver, and I was looking at all the pieces I have made over many years of woodworking, at all those glued up panels I made just fine without ever having parallel-jaw clamps. Much of it happened before there were any clamps with parallel jaws. My clamp collection was packed into large trash barrels and consists of a whole lotta pipe clamps, most all of them with 1/2" pipe. So that is what I used.

Doing panel glue ups, I always alternated my clamping, going both sides, and always used arch-top cauls. No matter how flat and true I got things, finishing always seemed tedious.

Jorgensen makes a nice set of clamp heads for 3/4" pipe that have standups. The "Pro" model. See attached. With eight of these and some dirt-cheap 3/4 pipe from Home Depot, I can handle all my future large glue ups.

First project on my list is a breakfast table that has a 48 x 48 top, and I took a price for it from my new hardwood jobber already glued up, trimmed, squared, surfaced, and sanded to 120 g. A little over $200. My cost for enough roughsawn cherry to do this is about $100. I am mulling over the idea of having these guys make up all my panels. My project list has close to 15 of them.

[John Coloccia]

Farming stuff like this out is almost always a strong contender, especially if it's something that's requires a lot of space and a lot of repetitive steps. I used to recommend that a lot, but no one ever seemed open to it, so I stopped. :)

[Jim German]

Farming stuff like this out is almost always a strong contender, especially if it's something that's requires a lot of space and a lot of repetitive steps. I used to recommend that a lot, but no one ever seemed open to it, so I stopped. :)

Farming stuff out for a one time thing is usually more work than it saves. First you have to find someone who wants to do it, convince them to do it for a reasonable price, the get the stuff to them, manage them, then get it back and hope its what you want. Not like you can just go to amazon and get it.