Small Tool Valuation???

[leonard hofstadter]

My father has a shitload of small power tools he has accumulated over his 80 yrs on this planet that I mostly have no use for or even have an idea what half of them are. Is there a site out there where I can do lookups to place an approximate value on so I don't give the shit away? I realize people aren't going to pay full price but they aren't going to rob me either since most of this is 30 yrs or older and we all know the quality back then makes them still worth some good money. I know some stuff will still have company website I may be able to look at but for example just looking up the following I came up empty!?!?!?

Astro Power 1/4" Air Die Grinder Model AP-205

Thank You!

[philoÂÂ]

Just look on eBay and see what the stuff is actually selling for.

Since most such tools usually sell for $5 - $10 at rummage sales you probably should not expect more.

If they are quite old they may have some antiques value though.

[leonard hofstadter]

Just look on eBay and see what the stuff is actually selling for.

Since most such tools usually sell for $5 - $10 at rummage sales you probably should not expect more.

If they are quite old they may have some antiques value though.

============================= If most people feel that way then I guess I'll just be keeping most of it then, like I said I'm not giving it away, people should be willing to pay a little bit more for high quality tools considering the savings if they had to go buy new - I've thought of starting with Harbor Freight prices for now.

Here's another example:

Columbus McKinnon 3/4 ton pull lever chain come along - cheapest I can find is starting around $200 new - not going to sell that to someone for $5-10.

[Vic Smith]

You might look on eBay for what tools of the vintage sell for. That's a pretty big competitive marketplace. That's also probably your best bet to sell them. You'll get offered a quarter or a buck at a garage sale, while it might go for 20 bucks on eBay. Sad to say, sometimes the old stuff isn't as "high quality" as you think. Modern tools, even if they have a plastic casing, are often more precise and reliable because of better engineering and metallurgy.

But on eBay you'll find many people want the old stuff, and will pay. "Nostalgia market." A couple of my kids made some decent money by snapping a digital picture of rummage store crap bought for 50 cents and selling it for

5-20 bucks on eBay. Big exposure on eBay. Around here there's a lot of rummage stores where you can pick up stuff for a song. I have no patience for them, but my wife and son love going through all the goods. A couple weeks ago he picked up a brand new packaged PC motherboard at Goodwill, an older socket. Five bucks. Sold it for $45 on eBay a week later. All you need is a digital camera, and then it seems easy enough. Probably find the camera for 5 bucks at one of those stores. "Instant entrepreneur."

[philoÂÂ]

That's a whole different story, when you said small hand tools I was thinking of 1/4" drills and jig saws etc.

It won't cost you anything to put the stuff like that on Craig's List.

50% of new might be reasonable.

[TomR]

and,

If you have no use for them, or even have an idea of what half of them are, I don't think it makes sense being too concerned about how much you will get from them.

For those tools that you know what they are, you could check out the Harbor Freight price for a new one and try pricing yours at half of that ore less. I would rather buy a brand new (probably lesser quality) tool at Harbor Freight than a buy a similar used (probably better quality, but who knows if it works, etc.) tool from someone I don't know and who I will never see again. So, pricing yours at half of the brand new Harbor Freight price (or less) would make sense to me.

Or, post an ad on Craig's List and combine it with a 1-day yard sale featuring used tools, and price the items at whatever you think they are worth based on eBay and/or Craig's List sale prices.

Or, honor your father's memory and donate them all at once to a Goodwill store (

) or Habitat For Humanity ReStore (

) other similar charity in your area.

[Unquestionably Confused]

Don't get the feeling that everyone is out to screw you. A simple fact of life is that most often our "stuff" is worth nowhere near what we think it is.

The best determination of price is the last sale price you can find. Yes, you CAN find somebody who will pay a LOT more than that, but it's far more easy to find people who will pay a LOT LESS

Having the attitude "If I can't get my price, I'm keeping it" makes little sense. By your own admission, much of what you have is a puzzle

- you don't even know what purpose it serves. So what do you do with it when you keep it rather than "give it away." Something else to dust, move around the garage or basement, or stumble over.

Listen to what people say... Do some research on Ebay and Craigslist to get an idea. Establish an asking price based on prior sales and condition and add a bit to that figure and then post it. $100/OBO and be prepared to negotiate.

At the end of the day you'll get rid of the stuff you don't understand and/or need and have some money to buy what you do understand and/or want/need.

[leonard hofstadter]

Don't get the feeling that everyone is out to screw you. A simple fact of life is that most often our "stuff" is worth nowhere near what we think it is.

The best determination of price is the last sale price you can find. Yes, you CAN find somebody who will pay a LOT more than that, but it's far more easy to find people who will pay a LOT LESS

Having the attitude "If I can't get my price, I'm keeping it" makes little sense. By your own admission, much of what you have is a puzzle

- you don't even know what purpose it serves. So what do you do with it when you keep it rather than "give it away." Something else to dust, move around the garage or basement, or stumble over.

Listen to what people say... Do some research on Ebay and Craigslist to get an idea. Establish an asking price based on prior sales and condition and add a bit to that figure and then post it. $100/OBO and be prepared to negotiate.

At the end of the day you'll get rid of the stuff you don't understand and/or need and have some money to buy what you do understand and/or want/need.

====================================== I like this - not going to keep stuff just not going to give it away either but realize going to get nothing for some I think is worth more and may get a lot for others, just trying to find my jumping off point. ;-P

[Ed Pawlowski]

In the long run, you may get more satisfaction by giving it away to the right person or organization than can use it but perhaps not afford it.

[clare]

That's where you and I differ. I'd buy a well looked after 30 year old north american power tool over a Harbour fright Chinese peice for the same dollar any day of the week. If the tools are heavily used, or in less than great condition, the price starts to drop - and at a certain point they become almost worthless - just like the new Chinese stuff.

[clare]

First step is to determine what everything is, and who may have a use for it.

Then determine what it's approximate value is. If the market for it is small, and you do not have ready access to that market, you are going to get a low price for it. If the market is large and readilly accessible, the return will be significantly higher. Some things with a limitted market may make sense for you to give away to someone who can use it but would not spend the money to buy it. Find someone who will appreciate it.

Genrally, tools that hobbists have a lot of use for get pretty good prices. At auctions I have seen a LOT of older woodworking and machinists tools go for new list or higher - because the guys KNOW what the "good stuff" is, and value it accordingly.

Like an auctioneer friend once told me - an article is worth EXACTLY what the highest bidder is willing to pay for it on a given day - not a penny less, or a penny more.

That is assuming the auction was properly marketted and the right people (who know what the stuff is) have been attracted to the sale.

[Bill]

And even after all that, the seller has to pay a 30% commission to the auction house, the buyer 10% + sales tax--so the seller receives at least 40% less than "it is worth".

[philoÂÂ]

Then I say to the OP he's found the person to buy them... go for it.

[Frank]

I watch Pawn Stars sometimes and they generally offer to buy things for half what they can sell it for as there may be need for restoration and there is always the holding time in their store.

I'd consider giving the lot to charity for the tax deduction.

[bob haller]

theres a big used tool store in beaver falls near pittsburgh. hamilton tool owned by fred hamilton and his family. The old bank building its amazing it doesnt collapse from the weight.......

Must be a million bucks if every tool was just sold as scrap metal.

Well worth visiting just to look around:)

[Ashton Crusher]

Bottom line is things are only worth what someone will pay for them. Start out high and see what happens.