sources for "old school" tools

[Scott Lurndal]

Thanks. I've measured 26.6" here since January first; added to another

12" in December (our water year is July 1st - June 30th, and this area gets about 20" annual on average). So we're at 150%, and expecting another inch or more tomorrow, and the wet pattern looks to extend for the next couple of weeks.

It was 29F this morning, which is a good 20 degrees below normal for overnight temperatures this time of year. Good for the cherries, bad for the oranges. Does bring the snow level down during the rainstorms, last Tuesday there was snow on Mt Loma Prieta (3790') (yes, the epicenter of the 1989 quake during the world series); which has happened only a couple times in the last four decades.

I remember the Barker Reservoir floods, saw quite a bit of video at the time. My nearest reservoir has been spilling into the emergency spillway since the end of December (it was practically empty at the start of November, about 10k acre-feet). The level has been as high as 18" over the lip (which does cause significant downstream flooding, including closing US101 a couple of times in the last month or two), but generally is only a few inches above the spillway lip due to continued drainage in the foothills and coastal mountains during the non-rainy days.

The creek downstream of the reservoir and the spillway flows all join into the Pajaro (PA HA RO) river, which is the river where the levee broke near Watsonville and flooded the entire town of Pajaro.

[Bill]

They hold the auction over Friday and Saturday (with the preceding Thursday allowing you to "inspect" everything). They hold the auction for the "collectors" tools on Friday, and the auction for the "users" tools on Saturday. Assuming you go on Thursday to have a close look at things for a few hours (which you almost have to unless you are willing to pay $50 for the collector tool "catalog"), you see that this is at least a "two day event". On the positive side, with a little patience you can probably find whatever you want, and even going to the inspection on Thursday is comparable to going to a museum, and can get your adrenaline going a bit. I didn't go on Friday, so I can't say how many were there. But there were well over 100 on Saturday (including a few spouses). One final note: I think many of the price "estimates" that they publish on their web site are on the low side to help generate interest. At least that was my experience. If you attend, or buy their catalog ($50), they will send you a price list of how much everything sold for after the auction is over.

[pyotr filipivich]

Good to know. But ... even their low bids are too rich for my blood.

[pyotr filipivich]

[e-mail] on Mon, 27 Mar 2023 11:40:22 -0400 typed in rec.woodworking the following:

When I have to register in order to get basic info, I am less inclined to go even further. Auctions sites, clothing, tools, random news, ... nope.

[Bill]

Well, this is a legitimate business. They rent a conference room (or 4), travel with everything round trip from the east cost, have employees that need to be lodged and fed, etc. I wrote that with a little patience, you could probably get just about anything that you want. I didn't say it would be cheap! : ) I am someone who doesn't own any "green" tools. When I went, I talked briefly with a couple who came from Illinois for the "event". That's a four-night stay at the motel plus travel and meal costs--all in addition to the cost of any tools procured! But I guess they didn't have to pay "shipping" on them, just the 15% buyers premium. ; ) I forget whether there was an entry fee, but I believe there was a "nominal" one, maybe $15. If you think about it, the auction house only makes it's money on the entree fee, the buyers premium, and maybe their catalog, and they need to deduct all of their "expenses" from those things alone. Well, they most-likely charge a "sellers fee" too.

[pyotr filipivich]

Bill [e-mail] on Wed, 29 Mar 2023 21:04:35 -0400 typed in rec.woodworking the following:

Thanks fo that info.

[pyotr filipivich]

Bill [e-mail] on Wed, 29 Mar 2023 21:04:35 -0400 typed in rec.woodworking the following:

Is not a question of "Is this a legitimate business?" MDJ Tools is as far as I can tell, legit. But having to wade through a bunch of stuff to find out about shipping, "title, tax, and license" for total costs, annoys the heck out of me.

Mine is a question more of "How do I know if I want to buy from you when I have to create an account in order to see what you have?"

[Bill]

I understand and would feel the same way! I haven't visited their web site recently. I think it's safe to say that they will make the buyer pay the full shipping fees (but they will probably combine orders to minimize them).

[hubops]

The auctioneers in my area all have the shipping details clearly defined in their " Terms ". They tack on a handling fee for their trouble plus the shipping cost. There are always many items that they will not ship - clearly stated in the description of the item. You need to register and log-in to make a bid - but it' not required just to see the details, terms, and all the bidding. Some will post the final selling prices - some do not.

This is just posted as an example - not for tools content :

The condundrum over "collectors" and bargain hunters exists in most of these auctions - the selling prices usually climb when the item is close to closing - the beauty of the online auction is that you can bid your maximum as your first and only bid - then carry on with your life ! .. the bidding increases in defined increments

- you get a notification when you are outbid or when you are the successful buyer. John T.

[pyotr filipivich]

[e-mail] (Scott Lurndal) on Thu, 23 Mar 2023 15:48:39 GMT typed in rec.woodworking the following:

Many thanks.

Not sure I'll be buying but still "oh man ..."

[pyotr filipivich]

As I used to wisecrack "Of course there's a shipping and handling fee. Those fingerprints don't get on the merchandise without effort!"

[Bill]

The problem with that is that some sellers have learned to game the system. Basically, the seller, or her "friend", will outbid you and cancel the bid if it is the highest. Ebay has special rules for cancellation which one can read if interested. Having felt the victim of this, I often place my ebay bid in the final seconds of an auction. THEN, it works the way you wish, or at least it is more likely.

In a related story, someone in my area was selling a lathe on Ebay. Then I saw the same photos on Craigslist the day after the auction. The seller told me he outbid me because he "didn't think my bid was high enough"--he said it was my fault for not bidding more. Without going into the details, I don't think he payed Ebay any commission either. It's a jungle out there... ; ) I ordered some "tested" new speakers for my television off of Ali-express last year, and they were worse than the bad one I already had. I just "ate" the $30-40 cost. Some purchases work out okay too! Oh, I bought a "used" GPU last year off E-bay last year, and it didn't work at all (and it didn't look like it saw a day of work in it's life despite seller claims to the contrary). I got back my money, but not my time.

.. the bidding increases in defined increments

[hubops]

The auction sales that I'm referring to are not ebay - they are estate and consignment auctions run by an established local auction company - there is no cancelling of bids possible - you register with your credit card and it gets billed soon after closing. As a buyer - if you bid your maximum as your first and only bid then you cannot be gamed in any way - someone out bid you - - period. If it was the seller - he pays 15 % buyers fee plus

13 % sales tax and then tries to sell it again ? possible .. but quite doubtful. Add the bother of delivering the item to the auctioneer's site and picking it up again .. John T.

[Bill]

It occurred to me that I have seen the same phenomenon at my local auction house. Say the auction has a box of "identical" widgets. There is this person standing next to me in the front row that bids just frequently enough to make sure no widget is sold for less than $15. I didn't catch on immediately. Same place, different day--a worker followed me over to a different building to quietly look over someone's shoulder to stare at the computer screen to examine the bid I was placing in advance on a piece of furniture. I notified the "management" explaining that it would all be on their video camera, and they said "Find a different auction house if you want". Maybe it is just a coincidence, but I don't think I've been back. I have one or two more stories like those, but those two are enough to make my point. Things aren't always as they seem! :) My final offering to you, which might save you some money, is to "bid as nonchalantly as you can". In particular, a bid placed in advance is not as subtle as it might be... you may get a better price bidding in person. YMMV.

[Bill]

Yes, Unless he works for the auction house, right? He doesn't even need to move item. He can sell it "next week" from the exact same location.

and then tries to sell it again ? possible .. but

[hubops]

Nope. You're just dreamin' stuff up now - be careful that little pixies don't come and steal your gold fillings while you sleep ! John T.

[hubops]

The pandemic pushed our local auctioneers from live auctiona to online auctions - where they seem to do better for most items -

- they're staying online for that reason - with just a couple of old-school guys trying to go back to live sales. A few have devised a combination live + online but I haven't looked at their sales - large equipment sales. Anyone who thinks that they're getting gamed at an auction sale is usually just a tightwad or sore loser. John T.

[Bill]

Anyone who thinks people won't use methods available to them to take extra bucks off the table is naive or somehow has a vested interest! I've seen enough to know (one of my previous posts mentioned a few incidents). How many auctions have you actually attended?

[Bill]

There is no shame in admitting you haven't thought this out.

[John Grossbohlin]

This store in Catskill, NY is fantastic... not giving anything away but fairly priced. I like looking around there for things I don't have but need. No more tool museum in my shop!