Value of a Performax 16-32 Drum Sander - Quick Response Requested

[Charlie Barnes]

There is a garage sale 3 doors down from me this morning. They have a Performax 16-32 drum sander tagged at $600. It's in good shape, but I know it isn't worth that. It appears to be about a 1998 vintage. Any ideas on a fair price?

Thanks.

Charlie

[Stan Urbas]

Not in my book - I'd offer them $400 -- but be prepared to walk away.

[Jerry White]

Charlie,

I have the 16-32, which I bought in used, but as new condition, a few years ago. It came with accessories: Jet casters, extension wings, and about 3 boxes of Jet paper of various grades. I paid $500 and I think I got a good deal. The accessories added significant value.

Good luck,

Jerry

[Pat Germain]

I think Stan a Jerry are spot-on. Most power tools should go for roughly half the full retail price when in good condition. After all, the buyer is assuming risk. Typically, a used power tool purchase involves spotty history and no warranty whatsoever. Thus, the discounted price compensates for the risk.

Obviously, some tools hold their value better than others and something in high demand will fetch a higher price. Since you can buy that drum sander brand new, with a warranty, for just over $800, a used price of $400 sounds reasonable. As Jerry mentioned, accessories can easily push up the value.

Dollars to doughnuts, many a browser will ogle that sander, but nobody will pony up the money. I'd offer the buyer $400; cash. If he refused, I'd give him my phone number and ask him to call if he changed his mind. After an entire weekend of nothing but lookie-loos, he'd likely call.

[Jason Beam]

Charlie,

I have the 16-32, which I bought in used, but as new condition, a few years ago. It came with accessories: Jet casters, extension wings, and about 3 boxes of Jet paper of various grades. I paid $500 and I think I got a good deal. The accessories added significant value.

Good luck,

Jerry


I got this exact same deal - tables, casters, paper, etc - for the same price. If you consider the prices of new:

Sander - ~800 (maybe 700 on sale)
Casters - >100
Tables - >100
Paper - ~100

I got about $1000 worth of sander for $500.

If you do want to make an offer, be sure of a few things: Motor size - they changed sizes of the motors over the year - make sure it's the 1.5hp. Dust port size - they started with a dinky 2.5" port, I'd walk away from any without the 4" port that's now standard. The good news is that these two features have been around awhile and the odds are good that it has these.

Another very major feature change that was relatively recent (within the last year or two) was the conveyor electronics. They now have a sensor that automatically adjusts the feed rate if the drum motor is overworked. My sander didn't have this feature but a used sander with this feature would be worth a little more (maybe 600ish, used).

If I were in your shoes and it doesn't have a 4" port and 1.5hp motor, I'd walk away. If it did have those things but didn't have the feed tables and casters, I'd seriously offer $400 and walk away. If it does have the casters and tables, then I'd probably talk 'em down some - $600 is maybe on the high side of fair, $500 is a decent price. $400 would be a steal (i saw one for this price on craigslist about a month after i bought mine).

[Charlie Barnes]

Guys - thanks for all of the good advice yesterday regarding my possible purchase. The owners weren't too willing to negotiate and the sander had the small dust port which really limited my interest.

[Steven Wilson]

The small dust port isn't a problem. It's not ideal but it works fairly well. You do notice the lack of size when you sand full width panels. My Oneida 2HP commercial evacuates a the 16/32 pretty well. Having the 1.5hp motor is much more important.

[Jim Becker]

That's not very far south of new for the 16-32. I agree with the $400 suggestion.

BTW, the small dust port can be retrofitted if you want to.

[Steven Wilson]

Jim, have you done that to a 16-32? I would be interested in doing that (or going to 5") to mine. I looked at replacing the top but the hinges are different between the newer and older models. I also looked at cutting up the plastic hood and doing some fabrication but my metal fab skills aren't the best.

[Jim Becker]

Personally, no. But a guy named Dizzy did it a number of years back. He built a new top for the thing out of black plastic. He's unfortunately taken down his website at this point...

[Jason Beam]

I know Dizzy!

I hadn't seen that mod, but i liked his idea for storing incra templates :P

(Sorry ... completely derailed the thread there).

I would think that taking the original plastic lid off and completely starting from scratch (even with just a couple chunks of plywood and some plexiglass) you could toss something together with a 5" or 6" HVAC shoe (round to square thingy).