Wills and workshops

Been thinking on this subject overnight and have decided it is time to start selling and stop hoarding. At least that way, hopefully it will go to someone who loves workshops.

I recently sold a Myford ML7 to a model engineer. I had upgraded to a Super7 with gearbox etc., and the ML7 was in the back of the garage. I did't advertise but my son heard of this fellow who was looking for a lathe so he could build a steam engine so he rang me to ask if it was still in the garage and when I heard that it was for a fellow modeller, I quoted a reasonable price. The expression on this guy's face was a treat, he was like a kid with a new toy. Seeing this, i also threw in some cutting tools to get him started and a new copy of Ian Bradleys ML7 manual.

Although I guess the deal left me about £100 short of the market price the sheer joy I got from seeing this chap carefully placing the lathe in his trailer and covering it in protective padding before carefully strapping it down made my day. I can only hope that he makes that steam engine.

The next thing is, listing all that has to go, Could well end up with a bigger list to keep than the sale items.

Did it really go a lot cheaper ray ?

Been listing some of Gerts stuff on Ebay last night and not been on there for a bit and it's a total minefield now.

You have two categories Payment and posting, both have drop down menus with 8 or 9 digit codes at the side that tell you what you can charge postage etc

Not very clear, even the collection slot has a code and doesn't say collection.

I spent far more time that I should have, finished up listing a big mobility scooter for £5.50 postage world wide and generally got pi$$ed off.

End of the day I'll have to pay 10 to 15% fees so is it that good a deal ?

I have noticed that the stats on homeworkshop.org.uk have been going thru the roof recently, wonder if this is why ?

It's not a plug for the site We make nothing out of it, the adverts barely pay for the site, in fact with the move to bigger servers with more space we will probably be in a hole again but not moaning, it's a service, not a living.

Unfortunately Gerts stuff doesn't fall under the remit of the rules so it's got to be Ebay but I know where the rest of my sort out is going.

Hello all, Ive decided that if possible, I would like one of the workshops on the West Somerset Railway to have my stuff if possible, or at least the proceeds. Just my contribution to keeping a much loved organisation going. Cheers.

I got my lathe and a lot of its tooling from a chap who was getting too old to use it anymore and I must admit that I felt emotional when I took it away. I did get a good deal which enabled me to have something that I would maybe not have been able to afford if I had purchased from a dealer but I also think of him when I use it sometimes - even though I didn't know him.

I feel that if you don't have family or friends who would want it then it should be sold - but at a good price to attract newcomers, advertising on homeworkshop or on here.

"on Ebay last night and not been on there for a bit and it's a total minefield now."

Do you think? I have no idea how people new to ebay manage to be honest.

"End of the day I'll have to pay 10 to 15% fees so is it that good a deal ?"

And now every local auction house has cottened on to this so their fees have gone up too. Let's not forget the Paypal fees too. How it is, in this day and age, that Paypal are not a regulated financial institution is beyond me. Just think, if they ever did become regulated and someone started a class action suit over the fees AND WON........

"I got my lathe and a lot of its tooling from a chap who was getting too old to use it anymore and I must admit that I felt emotional when I took it away."

A wise man, knew when to throw in the towel. Some of us are just too obstinate. I know my youngest son would use all my kit so he is probably going to end up with it though my eldest would get the vintage items off my desk as he really appreciates them - even though he cannot use so much as a hammer! Well we all can't do everything.

graham.

I bought some stuff at a yard sale from an old moldmaker. Prices not great but doable. Chatted awhile then found a Machinist hand book and bought it. I had Him sign it and it made His day to be remembered that way.

I recently purchased a bit of kit advertised on a well known site and had to drive up to London to go and collect it. The previous owner had passed away and the guy I was dealing with was a friend and fortunately knew the Widow too. The reason I mention this is that she had been apparently approached by a (well known) machinery company to help her "clear" her husbands Shed. They had offered her a total of £1,800 for all of it's contents.

Fortunately, their friend had very wisely advised her against selling to these people and had already sold the lathe to someone for more than the £1,800 offered. This still left a Centec 2A (with vertical quill head), a BCA Jig Borer, Drills, Presses and other machinery (plus tooling that covered/filled two benches and walls) to dispose of. It was mostly all in new/mint condition!

My learning from this little anecdote was to remind my wife (and sons) that all my "Junk" is probably worth more than they (and I) think. I've also started to list the more valuable bits (with some form of estimated value and a bit of descriptive prose) so that they will know what they have lurking at the bottom of our garden when I finally go to join the Fairies that live down there!.

IanT