[OP]
Member
I may go to an estate sale which appears to have some nice planes. I think what I’m looking at is a number seven or number eight jointer and may be a number five bench plane and may be a #4 smoother. I think the larger planes are Lie Nielsons. Can you guys please take a look at my pictures and tell me what each plane is and what I should maybe offer for them? They look like they’re in good condition. He also has a set of Marples chisels. Thank you
Gregg Feldstone
Contributor
Do you know if the estate sale is being undertaken by family or a professional?
Usually my expectation is the seller will ask a price. As Mike Wolfe says, "what, do you want me to buy it and sell it?
If they ask my thoughts on the price, and the often do, my response is based a lot on observation of the surroundings. Sometimes my foot ends up in my mouth. At an estate type sale put on by a person who just had a lot of stuff to sell there was a Stanley 8" brace without a price tag. Asking the woman at the counter about it she asked, "what do you think it is worth?" My answer was based on not really wanting it. Saying about $2 was all I would want to pay for it. She said, "it's yours." It ended up with my grandson.
In other words, be careful what you say when they ask you, "well what do you think it is worth?" You might just end up taking something home that you could have gotten for less.
The #7 might be one of those things you can get for a lowball price. It might be something a professional estate seller might want to purchase for their own store. A lot of estate sale professionals do have their own stores or outlets.
The #4 size planes look like Millers Falls.
The router and the rabbet plane might be good deals.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
To prevent you being disappointed on the day, the way prices have been on eBay and other outlets for used tools, LN and Veritas have sold either for close to new price, and sometimes greater than new price. The reason is availability, or lack thereof. No bargains.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Member
The jointer is a Lie Nielsen, looks like a No. 7.
If they know what they have expect to pay retail or retail+ the way all things LN have been.
If they don't know what they have make them throw out the first number and feel good about anything $350 or less. More than that I would just get on the LN waitlist and buy new unless it is an urgent need of yours.
Contributor
Expect the items to be pre-priced when you get there. Liquidators will typically do some research before pricing an item but that can be hit-or-miss. Agree that the #4 sized plane looks like a late-model (60s or newer) Millers Falls 90B or similar. The phillips screw on the knob is the clue.
Last edited by Marc Fenneuff; 04-07-2022 at 11:18 AM.
Contributor
My clue was the red frog, the adjuster nut, the lateral lever and the mound around the knob, didn't notice the phillips screw, must be slipping.The phillips screw on the knob is the clue.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
That large one is certainly a LN No7. You can see it on there when you blow up the picture. The second one says Made in USA, but doesn't really look like a LN to me.
[OP]
Member
They are also selling these clamps at the estate sale. What are they for and what might I offer for them? Thanks
Gregg Feldstone
Contributor
I have a 90B user and it takes such a nice shaving that I've left my unrestored #9 type 2 on the shelf. I guess that makes me a collector.Originally Posted by Jim Koepke
Contributor
Yes, Millers Falls made good tools. At one time there was a Dunlap #3 sized plane in my shop. Dunlap was a Millers Falls name made for Sears. My grandson has it now.
My tendency is to keep almost all of my bench planes as Stanley/Bailey models. Bedrocks are nice planes, but mine have always been sold.
Keeping my planes to one brand, as much as possible, makes it easier to keep spare parts.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
Google rockler.com and then search for panel clamps. Used as one way to glue up wide, flat panels. (Never use them myself.) Typically, you buy the hardware and supply your own wood.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
Contributor
Greg,
I can't comment on everything, but will on the Stanley 78 and the Stanley 71.
On the auction site the sold via auction stuff was a little thin, and that is the source I use to estimate values of old tools, but I consider the prices there at the very high end that stuff should sell for. I think that all of these old tools are currently over priced, and I think the prices will go down, as the prices going up and down to an extent is what I have observed over the last several years
That said, I think that the 71 would probably sell for about $120 (with shipping) as a minimum price with shipping on that site for a plane in that shape. I think that will go down eventually, but that is just my guess. Depending on how badly I wanted it, I would offer a bit less than half that. You can always accept an offer for more if they aren't liking $55. The low ball bid gives them room to ask for a bit higher price so that they can feel good about agreeing to a price, and still gives you bargaining room yourself to still end up with the plane. However you get a bargain if you end up a little over half price, and they aren't being robbed. (This assumes that the depth stop is still present, so be sure to check to make sure that it is on the plane. Also ask if they have other bits for that plane other than just the one that is on it. The added bits add to the price, but I would not offer more than $15 each for the added bits, even though they sell for more than such.
The 78 would bring about $90, this, again, is with shipping at the fairly low end of the current auction prices for such a plane in that condition. I would offer $40 or so. This again gives room for them and yourself to bargain. This with you still getting a good price and them not being robbed. It wasn't that long ago that such a plane sold for $60 to $70.
In my view they cannot expect Ebay prices at an estate sale, and I think half of the auction site price is fair for both of you.
You may want to offer a bit less than the above, again partly because I think that all of the old woodworking tools are currently selling for too much on the auction site, because again they can't expect Ebay prices at an estate sale, and finally such an offer gives both sides bargaining room.
Finally, I would ask what they want for each of the items before making an offer.
One other thought, as Jim K. has pointed out in the past, after discussing all of the items you are interested in, and before making an offer on any of them, make an offer for all of the ones you are interested in.....for one money. Make that offer a good price for yourself, at the very low end (or maybe a bit less) of what you would give for the planes individually. Sometimes they will take less for a group than they will for the items sold one at a time, this because they have guaranteed sales for several items at one time and make more than they would if some of the items would fail to sell.
Let us know how you do on the rust hunt. Hope you do well.
Regards,
Stew
Last edited by Stew Denton; 04-08-2022 at 2:28 PM.
Contributor
Those are used to clamp a panel, across, from both sides of the panel to hold the boards in alignment while you clamp them. You can think of it as two cauls used to clamp across a panel to hold the panel flat. You still need clamps to pull the boards together.
I have three of those which I got in an estate sale. They're okay but take a lot of storage room. I wouldn't offer much for them, but that's me. I'd start at $5 each.
On the ones I got, I had to put some camber on them. The two pieces of wood were flat against each other. It's easy to put some camber on them with a hand plane. It doesn't take a lot.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Contributor
One thing to remember when making an offer, once your offer is made, if they don't accept, it is easier to go up a little than to try going down if they accept it. Don't be too eager to go up. Instead ask how much they can come down or what they need to get.
This is negotiations, pure and simple.
A lot depends on 'getting to understand' the person on the other side of the table.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Member
Greg - also consider the real value of any savings you may get from research and bargaining amortized over the the usage life of the item. No one wants to get ripped off, but if you're buying a bench plane you may use on almost every project for the next x years, the actual value on any price reduction reduces pretty quickly in my book. I know because when I see tools for sale that I purchased for a higher price, I start to go crazy sometimes.
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