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Originally Posted by Rich Riddle
Agree 100%, I've been slowly building up my garage shop & have scoured CL for the last year 1 1/2 in Oregon & CA & have not bought 1 used tool due to exactly what you said. I've even seen multiple used tools on CL that are listed for more than you can buy them new for ????
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For my area, if you can be patient, there are plenty of deals to be had (although in central Texas we have 4 large metro areas and everyone in between) There are CL ads that have sat for months or maybe years due to being overpriced. The true deals are posted and only last hours or perhaps a few days.
I’ve had good luck with misspelled ads so search for “tablesaw” and “table saw”. Also, search for terms separately “Grizzly” and “bandsaw” not “Grizzly bandsaw”. Try searching for “woodworking” occasionally, go through the pictures and see what you can see. Many people don’t list all the items accurately or may not know what they have. Also look for tools in the background of pictures and ask if items are for sale. That’s how I found a good deal on a 15” PM planer. Guy didn’t have it listed yet.
Or if it’s a major tool purchase, expand your search radius. Just some ideas. The ads also seem to come in waves, not sure if it’s end-of-the-month bills or a surge of new tool deliveries.
[OP]
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Sort of irony when looking through Craigslist.....two junk multimeters with no batteries or leads and the guy wants $35 because the came from a trade school. He's not sure they work. Look at the ruler that apparently is there to show the size, but it has other implications as well.
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The price listed anywhere has always been based on what you can get for it. Even back when 6 dozen eggs got you a bag of sugar. It ebbs and flows, always. Remember when people paid 15% interest on home mortgages? It's not news, not a mystery, it's how our system works. Wait until gas goes over $5 a gallon. Our son just traded in a Mercedes diesel cargo van for $2,000 less than he paid for it. He was thrilled until he saw the dealers ad listing the van for $13,000 more than he paid for it. It sold.
Last edited by Richard Coers; 02-19-2022 at 2:34 PM.
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I guess it depends on condition and savings. New $1000 tool here adds another $100 in tax. Like new with no tax, maybe. Supply and demand in the local market will determine the price. I personally think the interwebs wisdom on what someone should pay for used machines is crazy optimistic. Maybe if your hobby is driving around and lowballing sellers then I suppose. That's not me.
Member
A couple of tips:
1) Put the minimum price in the Craigslist search to $2. Anyone that lists something as 0$ or 1$ is too embarrassed (for good reason) to list the actual price in the price section of the add.
2) There is a little garbage can "delete" icon on each add. If you have no interest in the item then stop looking at it. The over priced junk items hide the true deals. I have over 300 tool items in my "hidden" list right now. Some pains in the rear will delete their add and relist the exact same add using add listing software instead of renewing their add and the "hidden" doesn't work. Oh well.
3) People will ask ridiculous prices for their junk and it will either be listed for months or years and they will get tired of listing it or someone will buy it. I don't give it a second thought.
Last edited by Michael Schuch; 02-19-2022 at 6:15 PM.
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Those look like the free ones I got from HF.
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The supply and demand thing is a key issue. I've been looking for a jointer for quite a while and the only ones listed in my area are seriously old and rusty Craftsman 6" listed for over $200.
Looking at cabinet saws yields the same results. To me a 1960's Rockwell saw (rusty and in pieces) isn't worth $12-1500 and a Craftsman contractor saw isn't worth $250.
I just keep a saved search (sending results to my email), hoping to run into someone that isn't so clueless or greedy.
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
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The AirWorks auction used to be in my neck of the woods before I moved, and always enjoyed going. Still keep an eye on it every year. Just looking at the prices from this past weekend, still seems that there were potentially "deals" vs. retail price but definitely a bump from the past few years.
https://airworksauction.proxibid.com...catalog/215067
Member
Everything is up, but from what I'm seeing used commercial/ industrial machinery is not close to used hobby level pricing. This excludes auctions houses that everyone knows (irs) those prices are all over the place.
Well that or my threshold for "good prices" have trended up as well.
Member
A few years ago I listed my Craftsman jointer on Craig’s s List for $75. The tables had been ground flat, knife setting gauge was included, all the spare blades were sharpened. Guy showed up to look at it. I dropped the price to $50 just because the guy’s last name was Chippendale. Maybe I should have held on to it.
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The problem is that with the internet people can find used equipment at much further distances than they ever could. That pushes prices up all on it's own. I bought my jointer used from a guy who was about a 4 hour drive away because of facebook marketplace. At the time I thought the price was a little high (about 60% of new) but it was in great shape and came with the Powermatic mobile base. That was during the pandemic in summer 2020. Now the price has gone up enough so I paid closer to 40% of todays prices.
Member
I wish I could find good used equipment locally. In Austin most the items on Craigslist are cordless tools likely stolen from a borg, welders and occasionally a poor quality band saw that has sat in someone's barn for a decade. Even if the prices were good I would not be interested.
From what I gather some areas of the country have a good supply of used equipment and others, like mine, have a good supply of junk.
Contributor
Some examples of items people are trying to sell in the DFW area on Craigslist & Marketplace.
1. A Jet contractor table saw. Sure it has a router in the side table and comes with an Incra fence, but they are asking $3000 for it.
Jet table saw.jpg
2. 6' jointer for only $200
Jointer 1.png
3. 8" jointer - old & big iron, but not for $1500
Jointer 2.jpg
4. an indistinct belt/disc sander that can be yours for $350.
Sander.jpg
It almost makes you wonder if people are just greedy, trying to take advantage of a situation, or completely clueless.
Didn't PT Barnum have a saying about this?
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
Contributor
I thought you would appreciate this Marketplace ad Rich. $150 for 10 used files and rasps.
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