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Thread: Craigslist adventures

  1. #1

    Craigslist adventures

    I only got into woodworking about a year ago when my dad bought some low end tools. I started out by just making odds and ends things for family and friends. Since then I have caught the woodworking bug, seriously... some nights I lose sleep over thinking what I can build in my shop. The past few months I turned into a raccoon scavenging craigslist for any deals I could find. Recently I picked up a delta 36-l31x unisaw for about $800. Its been lightly used and looks almost brand new. Overall I think it was a pretty good deal, definitely worth it for me. Anybody else have any luck with craigslist?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    1,408
    Pretty regional I think. Lots of great Craigslist scores to be had, but in my area, it's extremely slim pickings. Tons of junk, and if something decent comes on, the price is usually pretty high. I haven't ever been on the receiving end of a good CL deal, but have sold a fair amount (that I think were good deals).

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Whitewater Ks
    Posts
    584
    Yup, keep your eyes open and you'll find some sweet deals! I outfitted my shop mostly off of CL..... Also just letting friends and family know what you're looking for and stuff shows up in the weirdest places. Just today I stopped at my bank to get cash for a 3phs convertor on CL and stopped by an old brick building across the street that use to house a hardware store the my grandparents owned. I saw the owner there and stopped in as I had never seen the inside. We got to looking around and there was cool stuff all over. Some nice WW machinery, but nothing that I really needed except a Walker Turner drill press for 25$. Had a older Delta 13" planer and 14" bandsaw, basically brand new Jet cabinet saw but they weren't steals so I left them.
    Only one life will soon be past
    Only whats done for Christ will last

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,529
    You're definitely new here ;-)
    Lots of CL scores and it's pretty regular that people post their gloats. It's "required" to post a picture to prove it, or it didn't happen. But mainly bc we all like some good tool p0rn.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Bloomington, IL
    Posts
    6,009
    I am a big fan of CL. Save a fist full of cash, COMMIT immediately, and be ready to drive.
    Glad its my shop I am responsible for - I only have to make me happy.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    3,739
    Here's my Craig's list find I bought the saw for 250. I put about 7 or 8 hundred in it its not a perfect restoration still some parts missing, but it's a wood ripping beast,It spins a 12inch blade powerd by a 2hp Dayton motor.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Whitewater Ks
    Posts
    584
    Andrew, that's a neat saw. I've never seen one with the extended table/miter slots.
    Only one life will soon be past
    Only whats done for Christ will last

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Wake Forest, North Carolina
    Posts
    1,981
    Blog Entries
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    I like Craigslist too. We use it some. We bought a freezer off craigslist a couple of years ago. It was a Kenmore, a one owner, maybe 2 or 3 years old. We got it for about half the price of a new one and it's done fine. We're thinking it will last for several more years.

    I live in a suburb of Washington DC. We have a very good craigslist here. I would think this area would be pretty strong in disposable income, So lots of nice things show up on craigslist here.

    PHM

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    El Dorado Hills, CA
    Posts
    1,311
    The best bargains on CL are usually snapped up within minutes. The 2nd guy to call gets added to a list in case the first guy doesn't show up. So the best bargains are gone quickly. The over=priced Harbor Freight junk gets re-posted every week with no nibbles. It makes it look like there are no bargains, when the reality is that the bargains just move quickly.

    Steve

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Mechanicsburg, PA
    Posts
    402
    Does seem regional but I've gotten many good and great deals over time.

    Gotta get in quick for the best stuff though.

    My buddy gave me a good tip. If it's dirt cheap offer more than asking price. That can move you up the list.

  11. #11
    Locally, Craigslist rarely has any worthwhile tools at all, even cheap crap. I've looked now and then, I don't really need anything but you never know, but I have never seen anything worth buying from there. Some people swear by it, I've found it useless.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,529
    Brian,
    As Steve said, good deals move quickly so if you don't check it often, you might not see the good stuff.
    Where do you live?

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Day View Post
    Brian,
    As Steve said, good deals move quickly so if you don't check it often, you might not see the good stuff.
    Where do you live?
    Southern California. It isn't like I need anything, I have a full shop, but I do look from time to time and have never seen anything that I'd even be remotely interested in. I went looking for bandsaws or jointers or the like and came up pretty much empty. It isn't that there are no good tools, often it's that there are no tools at all. I just went looking for 14" bandsaws, thinking they'd be common, and found only 2 since the beginning of the month. Woodworking just isn't a thing around here, I guess.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Toledo, OH
    Posts
    152
    I've had good luck on Craigslist, both buying and selling. I think many times good, quality tools go so quickly that many never see them and think that there's never anything worthwhile.

    My crowning glory of deals was 500 board feet of ambrosia maple for a $100. A guy with trim shop bought a huge amount to do a huge custom house and wanted the leftovers out of his pole barn. I was more than happy to help.

    Maple2.JPG

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Camas, Wa
    Posts
    3,855
    I use CL less and less. There aren't that many deals around here and lot of the people are flakes. That being said lately I found a Grizzly 8" jointer for $450 and a 3hp 2bagger DC for $200 that are going into my friends shop. I bought a Porter Cable 690 router for $30 this weekend.

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