A minor gloat

[Toller]

I bought a new Bosch 1617 on Ebay last year for $120. Its not clear where it came from, but was new. The switch broke in the middle of a big project, and the local repair shop wouldn't fix it under warranty because I didn't have a receipt. I wrote the guy I bought it from, to see if he could help me out with a receipt. In the meanwhile I shorted out the switch and turned it on and off with the plug. The seller unexpectedly sent me a replacement at no charge and said he would think about how I should return the old one. Since my router table has its own switch, I offered him $70 for it, rather than returning it. I figured that was a fair price for a used router with a broken switch. He accepted. I then sold the base, wrenches, collets and chip shield on Ebay for $98.

So I started with a broken router and ended up with a new router, a router motor for my table, and $28!

Not a major gloat, but aesthetically pleasing. If only I could do something similar with my house.

[Rob]

Pretty cool!

[Larry C in Auburn, WA]

Cool, but I'm confused by your math. Didn't you pay $120 plus $70 for a total of $190 and then sold the base, etc for $98? That would still be a nice deal, but it seems you forgot about your original $120 outlay, in other words it cost you $92 instead of pocketing $28.

[Tom Veatch]

Depends on how you define the base state. If you start from the point of not having any router at all, then you are correct. But if your initial point is a broken router in hand, as the OP stated, then the change from that point is as he said. He changed a broken router into a working router, an extra router motor, and $28 in cash.

It all depends on how you look at it. To use your approach to figure out how much you current automobile cost, for example, you'd have to add up the purchase price plus maintenance costs for all the automobiles you have ever owned and subtract the amount received from selling or trading each. That is a valid measure of the cost of your present automobile, but ignores the "value" of any use you might have gotten from the items in the interim.

Tom Veatch Wichita, KS USA

[Larry C in Auburn, WA]

I understand your point Tom, but I think you've taken it too far. He just bought it last year so I assumed it was essentially new to him (i.e. I suspect he hasn't gotten much value out of it yet). So, either you count the $120 he spent on the first router or you don't include it in your final collection of goodies (i.e. the good news is he has a new router and $28 in his pocket; the bad news is he has a used $120 router that only has a motor and can only be used in a router table). Whatever though, I've already spent too much wasted time on someone else's $100 router...

Larry C in Auburn, WA

not having any router at all, then you are correct. But if

change from that point is as he said. He changed a broken

how much you current automobile cost, for example, you'd

automobiles you have ever owned and subtract the amount

of your present automobile, but ignores the "value" of

[Mapdude]