Glenn Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 There are some REAL DEALS out there that we may want to reconsider before we reach for our wallet. I made a call this week on a 150 pound anvil that was advertised with no price. It was 3 hours drive but still could be a bargain, so I called first. The 150 pound antique anvil, good rebound, nice face yada yada was only $1500 or $10 a pound. When I ask why so high, was it still new in the box, the reply was that is what they sell for on ebay. Second call was for a Lincoln 225 welder, the ole tombstone welder. The price was $250 without leads. I said the big box stores sell them new for $300 with leads and he shot back a price of $225. You figure the leads are copper and expensive so his price was higher than a brand new, still in the box, never been used before welder. I thanked him and hung up. The purpose of the thread is to educate others to research your item and get prices before you make the trip, wasting your time and gas. Have you experienced any REAL DEALS lately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 The comments I was looking for was the over priced, way out of line for the condition offers that you want to pass and move away from quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Ok how 'bout this one posted near me, a few tongs at a "nice price": 5 pieces blacksmith tools from Wyoming ranch founded in 1890's. $400.00OBO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbows Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Not exactly blacksmithing specific but for £1000 Clearly there is money to be had in making old tools that look like they are old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Someone near me is trying to sell a 55 pound Harbor Freight ASO for $325 on Craigslist. They stripped the bright blue paint to attempt to make it look older? Best o' luck with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 There's been an average 140# Peter Wright anvil listed locally for several weeks now at $840. ....at that price I'm guessing it won't be selling anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I've met a lot of people who never seem to have been to an auction and realized that the number the auctioneer throws out to get started is NOT the base level; I've seen many an item have the first bid at less than 1/10 what the auctioneer called out to start. They also fall afoul of the idea that the "buy it now" price has any relation to what a piece may bring.Many people seem to be fishing for suckers and I shudder to think how many parents/SOs/friends have shelled out outrageous prices for trash because the seller tells them it's a good price. Researching actual selling prices is standard in the business world; you can even subscribe to services that will provide auction listings with the prices things actually sold at.And a story: a smithing acquaintance was going over the annual sidewalk antique sale in a place near where he lived and saw a set of "farmer tongs" for $45; as he was goggling over the price the owner came up to him and extolled how cheap they were, (about 9 *times* the going rate at that place and time) When he asked the owner how they figured that out he was shown a book of antique prices and it had a pair of tongs in it that had been forged as a demo by a famous individual, (Henry Ford???), that had been sold for $90 and so they thought that 1/2 that price must be a real steal for a set of "farmer tongs". So a dealer with no idea about what they are selling... (My friend offed to sell the owner as many pairs as he wanted for half his asking price!)When I lived in central Ohio, USA and people at my favorite flea market would want to sell me stuff for way too much because it was "old" or an "antique" I could reach down and pick up a piece of limestone gravel with a fossil visible and offer to trade them even as the fossil showed that it was *A* *MILLION* *TIMES* older than the tools I was interested in. Or if they extolled how "collectable" it was I'd put it back down and tell them sorry I was hunting tools to use.Not being in a hurry to buy stuff and having the cash on hand to jump on a great deal are two methods of saving dollars I have used to great savings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiack Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 As a general rule I find that if an item is listed anywhere that does not charge for the listing then said item is going to be overpriced. In almost all cases they are going to get on EBay and find the most pristine example they can usually in unused condition which also sold for an exorbitantly high price and think theirs should at the least be pretty close to the same. I routinely see items listed on Craigs List and EBay that are higher than what they cost if you were to buy a brand new one. It quite boggles the mind however if it does not cost them anything to list it they have nothing to loose. I have found several great deals in the past few years. One was a Bridgeport shapping attachment. I found it under a work bench at a tool sale. I ask the guy what he wants for it and he says $100. I say it says Bridgeport on it so it’s probably worth more than that. This guy has a whole shop full of stuff he has to clear out including several larger machines as says he does not have time to mess with all the little stuff and to give him $100. I get the item home clean it up and replace the belt and oil. After the cleaning this thing it looked brand new so I took some high resolution photos along with a video of it running and it brought $1600 plus shipping on EBay. The second was for a large Fisher anvil that was listed on Craigs List for around $1100 or $1200. The add also said he had a few other smaller anvils. I went to see the smaller ones as the Fisher was out of my price range, I did however take a fist-full of cash. The guy had two good smaller anvils, the large Fisher, and a leg vise. I told him I wanted all of them and stated counting out hundred dollar bills. I guess the smell of the green stuff eventually got to him because I got the whole lot for $800. I ended up getting that for the Fisher and made another $1000+ on the other three. My favorite deal though was the brand spanking new still in the wrapper Peddinghaus anvil I bought 3 years ago. I think it was $1600 on sale and the shipping was just over a $100. I think this is just about the best deal you can find for a new anvil and really even a pretty good deal when compared to what used ones are bringing now. It was $6 a pound shipped to my door when I was finding that most used ones were actually selling for $4-$5 per pound. Last one I’ll list was some steel plate that I had sheared by a local shop which I used to build my forge. After figuring how much plate I needed and getting several prices from steel yards it was only going to be $50 more to have them buy the material and cut it for me. There are no longer and scrap yards here that will let you in to buy used materials so I had to buy new. It saved me no telling how much time over cutting it myself with the torch and prepping it for welding.With the price of acetylene I probably came out even and saved myself all the work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 And on the other hand, try to sell a Mousehole in decent shape for $2 a lb, and watch the complaints roll in about how you're trying to rip off the world. "How dare you, don't you know that new anvils only sell for $3 a lb? And you can even get a brand new one at Harbor Freight for only 60 bucks? That thing has a little sway (maybe 1/8" in the middle) and is gonna need milling anyways." I once was called on the carpet, including cursing for having to gall to put $40 as a starting asking price for a working post vice with all the bits and pieces. Sigh........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I will give ya $60 NS .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 There is a lady with a lovely 285# mousehole with a chunk out of the face and 1/3 of the face around it delaminated. She was told it was worth 600-900$ at least. It made you want to cry seeing such a lovely anvil damaged like that... I told her the truth, if it hadn't been damaged she could have easily gotten 900-1200$ for it, but damaged like it was a buck a pound was generous. She didn't agree. The hardest truth to come to grips with, is the one that is not in your economic best interest. Doesn't change the fact that it is still the truth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I once found a bridge anvil lieing out in the desert behind a building at the local U, the rotting remains of a wooden cable tool drilling rig was nearby---I was at the annual "surplus auction" so I tracked down the people in charge and asked if they would sell it? Solid NO! So I visited my friend who is the Fine Arts Metals Instructor at the U and told here about it and it now is in her classroom with a prominent University asset number on it. She was told by "facilities" that this beat to heck bridge anvil was worth $3000 when I thought $300 was overpriced for it...Still works for when the Lads want to sledge on stuff and are surprised that I won't let them use my *good* anvils, (the fact that one of her students once broke the horn off her shop anvil does play a part...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I blame the TV for a lot of the silly notions people have about the value of old tools. Another "trend" I'm seeing when I sell on Craigslist, ... is callers who want to "negotiate" prices, sight unseen, and without asking any questions about the item. Obviously, I don't take any of them seriously, ... and resent them wasting my time. I do believe posting a "high" price, helps keep the "hustlers" and "traders" away. A guy who bothers to call anyway, ... and asks intelligent questions, ... will get invited to come take a look, ... and then we'll talk about a "fair" price. --------------- That being said ..... Sometimes I'm wrong :o ... and a guy who sounds like a "flake" on the phone, turns out to be sincere. On New Years Day I sold a rare John Deere Tractor, to a guy from out-of-State. He broke all my "rules" :rolleyes: about asking questions, and premature negotiation, .... and I'd have bet he'd be a "no show". But He showed up with a hand full of cash, and took the tractor home with Him. Freeing up precious floor space, ... and making room for my next project. :D Proving that you just never know, ... and you've just got to "kiss the frogs" ... and see what happens. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_K Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 On CraigsFist last week was a power hammer. Expertly rebuilt, because said rebuilder had rebuilt 10 others. Funny thing though, 'expert' couldn't say how hard it hit. :lol: It was a mere $4000. Edit: Oops! Wait! Found it. It's a 35LB Champion. Owner states he is not certain of the force of this hammer, its more than 25lb but less than 50lb most likely about 35lb And it's $5500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Wright 275 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 I just spent 1150 on a 275lb PW on your favorite auction site. It was a recent listing I'm sure many of you saw it. I didn't have to pay shipping, he shipped for free to a local dock. That is the most that I have ever spent on anything with out looking at it first. I have yet to pick it up as it just got in on Friday afternoon. I hope that I got a real good deal on it. I couldn't tell from pics if it had been repaired or not. Now I'm into axe heads and let me tell you prices are all over the place. I just looked at one for fun today listed for $875 but it is a black raven by kelly and it is pristine. My wife says that she'd kill me if I even think about it. lol. I am not wealthy, quite the opposite really. I just had anvil fever and it was bad, kept me up at night. I could see how a seller could easily take advantage of a newbie like me who knows no better. Anvils, axes and hammers are my new weakness. I will be changing my user name as soon as I figure out how. I mean no disrespect to any PW fans. This was only a temp account so I could contact admin to address log in problems. What an awesome site! Contact Steve Sells, Dale Russell, or Glenn they can change it for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Some years ago, I saw an ad for a blacksmith's forge so I called the guy and asked for description and pictures. Turns out it was an old homemade wooden frame with a pipe stuck in the middle for the tuyere and some concrete set around it - no blower or other equipment. I didn't really want it but inquired about the price anyway. The seller hemmed and hawed around and finally said he wanted to trade for a tandem axle trailer or some such thing. I told him I didn't have a trailer to trade but what value was he looking for? His response was that it should be worth around $1800. I wished him best of luck and hung up. I also saw a 50lb LG in an old shop that was essentially destroyed, lots of parts cannibalized, frame and sow broken, etc. - didn't run and was really worth nothing more than scrap. The old smith had died but the shop was in disuse for about 20 years prior to his passing and the whole place had rotted away. The heirs wanted $5000 for all of the shop contents and were betting that the 150lb anvil (also beat to heck) and the power hammer were the prizes so they would not consider selling anything separately. I paid my respects and went on my way - the ad kept showing up for several months so it appeared they were not willing to negotiate. The place finally got bulldozed so I do not know if the tools went to the scrapyard or were ever sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Nothstine Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 This CL anvil started out at $130.00 and has been going down in price slowly, But it's gold plated and custom made for a blacksmith named Dave. If only it said Jacob :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Judging by the way the contour of the back end, matches that of the "Horn" end, ... somebody "mass produced" that thing. Not a bad idea ..... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Here's a story on the flip side of this subject: Probably 25 years ago - maybe longer, I got a call from a nice older lady who said she had some blacksmith stuff that belonged to her late husband which she wanted to part with. I asked what it was but she didn't really know - so I took a chance on the 180 mile round trip to see what she had. Turned out to be a very clean 55 lb Peter Wright, a couple of vises, a cotton scale, a big bucket of rivets and about 500 lbs of coal, which was stored in old nail barrels. I asked her what she wanted for all of it and she replied that getting everything out of her garage was her only wish. I told her that it had value and I wouldn't feel right taking it for nothing, so she said $20 was plenty. I tried to give her more but she was adamant. So it can work either way with regard to perceived value... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyP Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 just watched a 150lbs anvil go for $100 dollars on Kijiji a couple months ago, but previous to that I had to talk down a lady from $500 for a 4" post vice. she thought I was a collector but when I explained to her that I would be using the tool as a blacksmith she agreed to go down to $200 which I still had a hard time with but I caved and grabbed it lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I watch ebay a lot because you sometimes come across tooling that's cheaper to buy than try making. I'm a sucker for old hammers that have neat lines, and I'm apparently not the only one. Watching rusty old tongs sell for three times the price of a new pair really boggles my mind. A set of 6 tongs recently sold for over $300, and I haven't got a clue why. Must be a bunch of interior decorators buying them up. I recently lost out on a matching pair of hammers. The bidding went all the way up to $70! I really wanted those hammers, too. Never seen anything like them, and a matching set would have been just too nice to have in my collection. Of course, there's always the run in with folks that watch too much American Picker and think they're sitting on a pot of gold. I had one guy try to sell me a big cast iron forge for $500. The only problem, I explained, was that I was looking for a forge to work with and not running a museum. While that forge was just right for my needs, I could easily buy a quality firepot and build the rest of the forge without hitting the $500 mark. A person only needs that "ole timey" look if they're having a bunch of visitors that expect it. I just needed something decent to burn coal in! Would have been nice to have, but certainly not worth a six hour round trip and five bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Smith Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Did a lot of free work for a "gentleman" farmer (his wife was the breadwinner) One day I welded up the cracks on his old planter and charged him $20 for over an hours work. He thru a fit and never came back. Best $20 dollar lesson I ever had! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 For a large deep table forge with a coal and water reservoir in good condition with the champion 400 blower and a clinker breaker that wasn't burned out I would give 500$. I didn't have the 350$ the last time I saw one available, and haven't seen one since... at all... Not that I have 500$ to rub together right now that isn't already spoken for... :-) No one is making the big cast iron table forges, or the lovely old buffalo down draft forges either, and if you look at what a factory fabricated forge table costs, 500$ is cheap... Supply and Demand vs time, materials, and overhead... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 My first and only Craigslist experience proved interesting. Advertised an old tube type cabinet radio as being in Vermont and an immediate hit back from a woman in NYC saying she wanted it and the price was fine and to remove it at once from the listing. Then e-mails about her having sick kids and couldn't get here herself but was making arrangements with a hauling company. I was suspicious by now and then she said she would overnight a check up to me and it would contain the haulers fees as she didn't have time to get to them to pay them because of her sick kids. If I would cash the check and pay the haulers she added $25 BUT the haulers would be there the following day after the check would arrive. Had lunch that day with my former school friend and army buddy who is now County Sheriff. He perked right up esp. when I said I had to be 150 north of home that day he said he would wait for them. Next morning he showed up about the time I was leaving put his cruiser in the garage and settled down. When the Hauler showed up they were driving a U Haul rental van and when he met them on the porch in Full uniform they turned white he said and jumped back into the van and were gone.Never sure where they went but weren't caught figured they had another vehicle somewhere. Van found abandoned 35 miles away in another state. Check turned out to be stolen and written on a dead woman's closed account in NJ. Credit card was stolen and the drivers license was forged to rent the van. All in all a negative experience just wished I was there to have seen their faces. Also wished we had electric door openers by the time sheriff got the 12' doors up by hand he had lost track which way they had gone when they hit the paved road.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george m. Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Dear Notownkid, How many $ were involved? I am guessing that the radio was worth a few hundred dollars. It seems that they went to a lot of trouble to try to rip you off of something worth that little. If the value was in the thousands it would make sense. Maybe there is a vast market for vacuum tube radios of which I am unaware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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