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Unused Tools and or Dust Collectors


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What are the unused tools in your shop, the one(s) over in the corner collecting dust?
When was the last time you recall using the tool?
Was it purchased or did you make it?
What caused it to become unused?
Photos are encouraged.

If you were to put it in the tailgating section of IForgeIron, what would you ask as a selling price? Remember it has not been used in a while and as a public service, we may offer to give you money AND let you reclaim that space in your shop. Provided it is the right tool or comes with a good story (grin)

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Little used a few, unused only those things I bought at auction for cheap that I haven't yet have time to rebuilt or repair. Two that have been standing in the corner now for 6 years is a big spin riveter (the pneumatics are shot) and an investment casting burn-out oven (need some electrical repairs).

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I have one ore two full shops of tools I don't use.
Small tools would be top swages, big would be a couple 25# lg, 2 50# LG, bigger is a 250 Murray hammer.
As for selling no way I am a hoarder not a seller

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30 years ago around here they gave them away.
Cheapest I paid was $5 for a 25# and $5 for a $50.
But then I live about 60 miles from where they were made at Mankato, MN
Last 5 years or so bid $650 over the phone site unsee and havnt bought one.
The last one I sold I got $400
I have a 60 Kilo air hammer I use. It is in a different shop from the rest. Actually it is hard to get into the building with the mechanical hammers due to all the stuff piled inside the door and around the hammers.
Hoping a long time before the eastate sale but you never know.
Maybe my heirs will just call the junk man that is what happened to the shop in the town I live in when I was in the service in the 70s. They saved the hammer and anvil but the rest went for scrap.

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Six weeks ago I had a weekend garage sale and sold 25 pairs of tongs, they hadn't been used in years and I needed the money for my overseas trip. Blacksmithing tools are as good as money in the bank if your prepared to part with them and cash them in, I've still got around 100 pair and really only use 25 pair most of the time. So my wife would call them dust collectors, with a $$$$ value attached.

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My largest collection of dusty tools these days is my extensive collection of scroll forms from 16'' to 1''. They were once a mainstay back when railings and gates were pouring out of my shop. I don't miss making scrolls all that much but I do miss those days........
I try to stick to a regimen whereby, If I haven't used it in 4-5 years it gets sold or goes to the scrapper. I love Craigslist and Ebay!

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I have an old tire-roller (makes big circles) that came from a local forge. The smith died a few years ago and his tools all jusy stayed where they were until last year when the family finally sorted out how all the money would be split.

I've only used it twice so far - it'll get more use when I have moved - once to make a large ceiling mounted candle-holder ring (a sort of middle-ages-chandelier) for a friend and once to make a 'toy hoop' for a cousin's daughter. But... although he used it for decorative gate and fence work, he told me how his father had used it for the old wagon and cart tires. I remember it being used when I was a child thirty years ago, long before I was interested in smithing and I loved it, still do. It's staying, end of story.

I got a lot of scroll formers at the same time, which I have used maybe three times, I'll give some of them away as and when I come across someone in need who I think will make the most of them.

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My woodworking tools are all rusty as can be, I should sell or give them away. I haven't turned them on for over twenty years now, I keep thinking I'll use them someday, make me an offer.
Harold bought all of my smithing tools since I just can't see them sitting there unused, I'm sure he will put them to good use. I still have my big Fisher and there it sits collecting dust at Mike's studio. He wants it but not for as much as I want for it so there it sits. Getting old, damaged and not being able to use you tools as they ought to be used is the pits I tell you. :wacko:

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Tire roller and guillotine tool. I used the tire roller once but it took too long to use, it only has one driven wheel and needs several passes to bend most things. A press seems to work better for most of what I do. I probably should find some more uses for the guillotine tool but I tend to make dedicated spring tools instead. Although the guillotine is not really heavy enough to use under a power hammer

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Anyone ever heard the old saying that if a tool sits unused for a year the next time it's used it will seek blood? It was certainly true for that rusty old blower I finally dug out and started to clean up today, I swear the thing jumped up and bit me...

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I have a lot of weird and oddball tongs and hammers that generally sit quietly for *YEARS*---until they are the *perfect* tool for some weird or oddball job and get the heck used out of them for a day or two and then go back to lurking. I have the space on the racks, they are not in the way and they didn't cost me much either---but sure save me a lot of time and effort when they do get used.

Whenever someone tells me you should get rid of anything you haven't used in a year I ask them if they did that with their Fire Extinguisher. Some things you expect to use only sporadically; but they still are a good thing to have handy all the time!

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