Is it just me or are these prices out of hand?

[Dave Lehnert]

The sellers are not the idiots. They're are waiting for THE idiots to respond! Caveat Emptor!

I think Bill hit the nail on the head.
I have a friend who sells on ebay. He sells car parts on there. Wife purchased a new couch. Took the old one out to the burn pile. For fun he snapped a pic and posted it for sale. Guy bid $200 and was excited to get it.
I own and use a Shopsmith Mark 5. I'm amazed what parts sell for on e-bay. People don't realize Shopsmith is still in business and parts can be had new form the manufacture for less than e-bay.

[Mike Cutler]

Not much in the line of old iron locally unless a Craftsman table saw and ROS count as old iron.

My theory is that when norther woodworkers get older they sell off all of their old iron and move to Florida where they buy newer stuff. Then when they get too old or die its only the newer junk that shows up on CL. That would explain our lack of big iron (left behind up north) and all the Craftsman level stuff we see here.

That's probably a very valid theory. Moving heavy machines can be a pain, and require a special type of moving company. Many, many, threads here on the forum for how to move a heavy machine.
I know of two instances up here where a full sized milling machine and lathe were left in the basements of the houses when the owners retired. How they got them in there, was definitely not how they were coming out.

[Marshall Harrison]

That's probably a very valid theory. Moving heavy machines can be a pain, and require a special type of moving company. Many, many, threads here on the forum for how to move a heavy machine.
I know of two instances up here where a full sized milling machine and lathe were left in the basements of the houses when the owners retired. How they got them in there, was definitely not how they were coming out.

Thanks for the confirmation bro.

I just thought they would sell the big iron before moving it. Never thought about getting it out of the basement being too big of a task.

I'm planning to move from Florida to the North Carolina mountains in the next few years. That has me wondering what big purchases I can put off until I move. Don't want to leave things here for the kids as they won't use them. But don't want to have the expense or hassles of moving a lot of stuff.

I'm retired but wife still has a couple of more years to go. Also can't move until our elderly moms pass away so no real timeline. Leaves me questions like do I buy a large bandsaw fro resawing? Or do I hold off until after the eventual move?

Being a woodworker (or tool collector) isn't easy.

[Charlie Hinton]

It's pretty much the same in Dallas.
Mostly entry level tools in poor condition with very 'optimistic' pricing.
Once in a while a decent tool at a fair price for the buyer and seller will show up but those sell real quick, so unless you are being very diligent about looking you miss it.
The Facebook market place is better for me than Craigslist.
Last October I was able buy a Ridgid jointer that was still brand new in the box for $400.
The seller was one of those warehouse auction people and it was in one of the units he bought.

I kinda get a kick out of some of the asking prices and since the items go away I wonder if they sold or went into the dumpster, if they are actually selling the stuff my truly well maintained excellent condition 13 year old Delta hybrid tablesaw might sell for more than I paid for it if I ever decide to get a SawStop.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I noticed a decent leg vise listed locally this last fall, seller wanted $600 obo. It's worth maybe $100, so I offered that. He responded with the "experts say its worth...", so I just walked. It's still listed, now at $150 obo. Bet he would take the $100 now, I'll probably offer $50. These nuts sure don't do themselves any favors with the selling tactic.

[Marshall Harrison]

I noticed a decent leg vise listed locally this last fall, seller wanted $600 obo. It's worth maybe $100, so I offered that. He responded with the "experts say its worth...", so I just walked. It's still listed, now at $150 obo. Bet he would take the $100 now, I'll probably offer $50. These nuts sure don't do themselves any favors with the selling tactic.

If you look around long nought you can always find an expert to say exactly what you want to hear. Doesn't mean they are right though.

[Charlie Hinton]

If you look around long nought you can always find an expert to say exactly what you want to hear. Doesn't mean they are right though.

People think I am 'touched' when they hear me talking to myself, but in reality I only talk to myself when I need expert advice.

[Michael Weber]

people think i am 'touched' when they hear me talking to myself, but in reality i only talk to myself when i need expert advice.

lol . . . . .

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks for the confirmation bro.

I just thought they would sell the big iron before moving it. Never thought about getting it out of the basement being too big of a task.

I'm planning to move from Florida to the North Carolina mountains in the next few years. That has me wondering what big purchases I can put off until I move. Don't want to leave things here for the kids as they won't use them. But don't want to have the expense or hassles of moving a lot of stuff.

I'm retired but wife still has a couple of more years to go. Also can't move until our elderly moms pass away so no real timeline. Leaves me questions like do I buy a large bandsaw fro resawing? Or do I hold off until after the eventual move?

Being a woodworker (or tool collector) isn't easy.

The big considerations on something like a bandsaw is will there be any help to move it and unload it at the other end. Also in my case all my moving has been done without hiring 'professionals'. My folks had a furniture and appliance store so growing up everyone in the family was a 'professional' furniture and appliance mover.

My bandsaw comes in at about 200 pounds. With a bit of careful planing and leverage it was not difficult for me to unpack and assemble the unit on my own. Moving it with a hand truck isn't difficult. Loading it onto and securing it to my pickup truck for a move wouldn't be difficult for me. Just find some plastic wrap and padding to protect it and the truck and some rope to hold it secure.

Then it becomes a question of how much can you use a bandsaw before your move and is the value of its use worth the hassle of arranging for its eventual move.

The other option is to pick up a smaller used bandsaw with the idea of reselling it before you move. A moving sale ad with tools mentioned always brings a few more lookyloos.

jtk

[Carlos Alvarez]

A lot of sellers also list high prices expecting to be haggled to a "reasonable" price. They assume that if they start high they end up high, rather than in reality, there's just more haggling. About a year ago I picked up a scroll saw that had been listed for many months at a very high price. The guy's wife had just re-listed it with a reasonable, easy-sell price, and I picked it up. While there I mentioned that I'd been watching it for months. The guy asked why I didn't call to haggle, and I said I simply don't do that. I pay what's advertised or don't bother contacting the seller at all. He tried to explain to me why that was crazy and wrong. As a seller I list everything with a clearly firm price, no screwing around.

[Marshall Harrison]

Jim, my reasoning tracks pretty close to what you said.

I have a 9" Delta band saw so I can cut curves etc and the only real thing I am missing is the resaw capability. I think I can make that wait until the move.

[John C Cox]

Two things:
1. Most people are horrible at selling stuff ....
2. This tendency is made massively worse by "free" ads - the seller has no "skin in the game" to be anything other than stupid via no selling costs to list stuff...

And as a result - CL becomes the confluence of bad behavior... So for example - 5,000 ads that say stuff like "guitsr for sale" and have no pix and no other info.. Or sellers who can't be bothered to sell anything because it's too much trouble...

Fees weed out those folks.

[Carlos Alvarez]

Change your view to "gallery" and you can easily avoid all the ads with no pics. That's what I do.

phoenix_for_sale__unisaw__-_craigslist.jpg

[Mike Cutler]

Thanks for the confirmation bro.

I just thought they would sell the big iron before moving it. Never thought about getting it out of the basement being too big of a task.

I'm planning to move from Florida to the North Carolina mountains in the next few years. That has me wondering what big purchases I can put off until I move. Don't want to leave things here for the kids as they won't use them. But don't want to have the expense or hassles of moving a lot of stuff.

I'm retired but wife still has a couple of more years to go. Also can't move until our elderly moms pass away so no real timeline. Leaves me questions like do I buy a large bandsaw fro resawing? Or do I hold off until after the eventual move?

Being a woodworker (or tool collector) isn't easy.

I try not to be a tool collector, but sometimes it just happens. Case in point;
I need to rebuild my porch and was thinking about converting my old Jet contractor saw to a job site saw for all of the rough cut lumber I'm going to need to cut, and save myself 10,000trips back and forth to the shop. I was talking with the folks at work and one of them said, "I have a really old radial arm saw you can use, but there's a catch"
I asked what?
He said you have to keep it, and take this old bandsaw with it, so I can clear up my garage. He doesn't even know what make of machines they are.
I haven't seen them yet and his only description is "big, heavy and in the way". I'll find out this weekend. One man's trash, is hopefully another's treasure. Mine.
I'm hoping the radial arm saw is semi functioning. It will be great for cutting rough cut lumber, 1x12", 2x10's, and such to length right onsite.
Haven't a clue what I'm going to do with a third band saw.

[Marshall Harrison]

Mike, keep us informed as to what you find out. Hopefully you will get some golden nuggets out of this.