Craigslist Frustration

[Mitchell Ristine]

I am in the market for a used 16/32 drum sander. Every time one comes up for sale, one of two things happen:

1. They price it in the 550-700 range and won't budge on price, or
2. It's priced at 500 or under and I miss the sale.

It's the folks in category 1 that frustrate the beejesus out of me. Am I wrong in thinking that someone's 12-15 year old Performax 16/32 just isn't worth 600?

[Steve Demuth]

I would not pay more than $500 for one that old, unless it was obviously very lightly used and in excellent condition, because by my math that's where I'd shift to considering paying the price of new. But, the value of a machine in the market is what others are willing to pay for it, not what I say it is. And even old, well used, Performax machines do attract buyers at $700-800.

For what it's worth, I have one craigslist bargain machine in my shop where I snapped up something because of the price without a thorough evaluation of the tool. I got what I paid for. Those sub-$500 machines may not be the lost bargain you imagine.

[Brian Nguyen]

What you think is fair price is 1/3 of the equation--the other 2/3 are what the seller and other buyers think. Either you need to up your budget or be prepare to wait and be quick on the next listing, and not waste energy being frustrated.

[Bill Dufour]

SearchTempest does help me find stuff faster on craigslist.
Bill D

[Art Mann]

If someone can get $700 for a used drum sander then, by definition, that is what it is worth. Get over it. I see the same thing in my area with used cabinet saws. There is a certain magical appeal about these machines that is unwarranted in my view.

[David M Peters]

I got my Performax 16/32 on sale for $1000 last year. I'm not sure if that will continue now that they're owned by Laguna but it might be worth waiting out.

[fRED mCnEILL]

When I'm looking at buying something major off Craigslist I look at where the person lives first. I live near Vancouver B.C. ,a fairly large city so the buying audience if quite large. However, as one progresses into the suburbs the audience shrinks.Many from the city won't drive 30-50 miles to look at something. So I often will make a "rediculously" low bid-up to 1/2 of the asking price. One of three things will happen.They will either tell me to bugger off, or they will come back with a counter offer, or has happened on occasion they will accept. I also look for items that have been on for a while. You NEVER know WHY people are selling.
Case in point is last week my wife suggested I put 3 bikes on Craigslist for free. We don't ride anymore and they were in the way. So I advertised all 3 for 25 each.Guy offered 50 for all 3 and I took it.

[Mike Cutler]

Expand your search and be willing to drive. Analyze what is coming with it. MObil stand, extension wings and rolls of paper will definitely up the price.
I sold my Perfomax 16-32 many years ago when I bought a dual drum sander, and it is the only item I've ever sold, that I truly regret. I really wish I had never sold it. They're limited in what they can do, but what they're limited to, they do very well.
If I still had it today, I wouldn't sell it for anything less than that asking prices you're seeing

[Mitchell Ristine]

I got my Performax 16/32 on sale for $1000 last year. I'm not sure if that will continue now that they're owned by Laguna but it might be worth waiting out.

Did you mean that Laguna bought Supermax? The SuperMax 16/32s seem to about $1200 right now

[Nick Decker]

Did you mean that Laguna bought Supermax? The SuperMax 16/32s seem to about $1200 right now

Yup, and add the extension tables to that.

The thing about used is you might get a bunch of sandpaper in the deal. In my area, though, used drum sanders are like hens' teeth. When I moved up to the 16-32, even my Jet 10-20 sold within 24 hours.

[johnny means]

Why be frustrated at #2? Chalk them up as non-existent. You can do something about #1, those are your actual missed opportunities.

[Simon MacGowen]

I got my Performax 16/32 on sale for $1000 last year. I'm not sure if that will continue now that they're owned by Laguna but it might be worth waiting out.

Let's do the math:

If new is $1000 and old is $600 - $700 (and you don't want to be glued to the screen to watch for an offer of $500 or below), buy new!

After 10 years (15?, 20?), if you decide to sell it, you should get back $500 (ignoring the inflation factor). So you are paying a rent of $50 for its use each year, $4 a month.

Worth it?

For essential workhorses like tablesaw, Festool gear, thickness planer, etc., I always buy new. I usually get back 60 to 70% of what I paid when I resell/upgrade...

Simon

[Mitchell Ristine]

Right, but if I were of the means to buy new at $1200, I'd really rather pony up the extra 300 or so to get a supermax 19/38. I had to draw an artificial line somewhere otherwise ... well, I'd be divorced.

[Matthew Curtis]

I am one of those guys that got #2. Sorry. Next time I will wait and let you get it. Or not. Either you contnue to wait and wait and wait. Or just pony up the money for one. I have watched Craigslist and the auction sites for way too long before finding things that met my buying criteria. Sometime you just need to adjust your buying criteria if you really want something. I do not blame the sellers at all.

[Jeff Duncan]

I am in the market for a used 16/32 drum sander. Every time one comes up for sale, one of two things happen:

1. They price it in the 550-700 range and won't budge on price, or
2. It's priced at 500 or under and I miss the sale.

It's the folks in category 1 that frustrate the beejesus out of me. Am I wrong in thinking that someone's 12-15 year old Performax 16/32 just isn't worth 600?


So $550 is too high and $500 is a bargain that gets snapped up? If that's the case I'd reconsider $550 being too high. Spending an extra $50 sounds like it will save you a lot of frustration and get you a machine that can be put to work? Seems like a no-brainer to me, but I sold my PermorMIN 16/32 many years ago and never missed it for a second:)

good luck,
JeffD

[glenn bradley]

I know a great many people have made peace with the 16/32. Given the belt tracking, dust collection and abrasive changing horror stories I read over the years I went straight to the Supermax 19/38 and love it.

[Van Huskey]

You are trying to buy at the apparent bottom of the market in your area. Anytime you are doing that you will simply have to be the quickest, this can be very difficult for people with a ~9-5 and a family. It may be better for you in the big picture to move on from what you feel are overpriced 16/32s and figure a way to adjust the budget if it is a tool you need or really want. Personally, I think CL is being kind to you by not letting you buy a 16/32...

[Mike Cutler]

I know a great many people have made peace with the 16/32. Given the belt tracking, dust collection and abrasive changing horror stories I read over the years I went straight to the Supermax 19/38 and love it.


Glenn
I had one for a few years and as I said earlier, I really regret getting rid of it. The dust collection, while not fantastic, did work, but you need a true dust collector and not a shop vac. Sanders are the worst for dust collection in my opinion.
I never understood all the problems folks had with changing the sand paper. I changed hundreds of rolls while I had mine and never had any issues. It only took a few minutes to remove and replace a roll.
I never had issues with the belt tracking.

I ran 10', long 14", wide, 1" thick Jatoba boards through mine for one project. I think I've pushed one to it's limits. Those boards were heavy. :eek:
The following are all of the projects involved in our library. All of them were done using a Performax 16-32. It will do a lot more than just thin veneers and small objects.

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?21243-Starting-to-get-there-Bookcase-close-to-finished&highlight=
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?23141-Arts-amp-Crafts-Style-Door&highlight=
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?10801-Finished-Project-and-a-question-Long&highlight=

[Pete Staehling]

How much frustration are you willing to put up with for $50-200. For me not all that much. On the other hand some of the difference may be the condition they are in.

How long has the frustration been going on? Here is a suggestion that just might work. Every time you miss one of the ones in the range you want to pay, set aside another $50 and add it to the amount you are willing to pay. If you don't feel the ones on offer are worth the newly raised amount just pass on them. If you don't find a used one you want you will eventually have raised your budget enough to buy a new one. That or just bite the bullet now and buy a new one now. It will have a warranty and the joy of using a brand new machine.

[Nick Decker]

I've had my 16-32 (Supermax) for several months now, zero problems. Even sanding pieces wider than 16" works better than I expected.

[Mitchell Ristine]

UGH ... OK. Beginning to rethink my approach here. Thanks folks.

[Wade Lippman]

If the people in category 1 sell their sanders without lowering the price, then that is a fair price. Trying to buy one for less that fair price will be a continuing frustration.

I had a friend once who took his house off the market after 6 months because he couldn't get a fair price. There was nothing unusual about his house; he just couldn't get a high price. You are the opposite.

I am out in the sticks and have to ask 60% of a fair price or I will never sell anything. Now THAT is frustrating. I have to put small things on eBay to get a decent price, and i would just as soon throw them out as deal with eBay.

[Brian Nguyen]

I never understood all the problems folks had with changing the sand paper.

I have a Supermax 19/38. I can't say about the others, but my problem has always been being too dumb to remember which direction to start the new roll from. Left to right? Why does the roll not fit tight???? Repeat for an hour in full on frustration mode, before trying from the other direction.

I'm also too stubborn to leave some notes for myself as well.

Ah well.

[Nick Decker]

I have a Supermax 19/38. I can't say about the others, but my problem has always been being too dumb to remember which direction to start the new roll from. Left to right? Why does the roll not fit tight???? Repeat for an hour in full on frustration mode, before trying from the other direction.

I'm also too stubborn to leave some notes for myself as well.

Ah well.

Always put it on starting on the left side, always take it off starting on the right side. That's my rule and I'm stickin' to it.

[Rick Potter]

Just checked my local Cl, and found a Ryobi 16" for $550, a Delta 18" for $450, and.....wait for it........a General International 24" double drum sander for $975. And it looks like new.

Bet that one will go fast.

[Lyle Moore]

My advice would be to hang in there and keep looking. I saved the search on kijiji on my phone's browser and after a month of looking I found a Delta 18/36 drum sander 90 minutes drive from where I live for 350 Canadian dollars. I was the first caller and set up a meet, jumped in the truck and bingo, I got to his house and he still had the sander. He had answered about 30 calls since the time I phoned him so he wouldn't haggle but I didn't mind. When I got it home I replaced the gears to set the platen up and down and it has worked perfectly for me since then. It adjusts to sand veneers too so that is an added bonus.

[richard poitras]

Do a Craig’s list search of the country and see what that sander is selling for to review fair pricing. Then consider what a fair price is that you are willing to go or if the seller is asking a reasonable price for the condition it’s in. Just remember what you want to pay is not always what things are going for.