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Thread: Need good tools for projects. Buy them, sell them after projects done.

  1. #1
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    Need good tools for projects. Buy them, sell them after projects done.

    I have a lot of furniture pieces to make over the next few months, and was thinking of buying the following high-value items, selling them when done.

    Parallel body clamps, Bessey, Jorgensen, or Irwin.

    Festool domino.

    Good tools sell quickly and way up close to retail if they are in good shape and can be demonstrated as such with good photography in sales at Ebay or Craigslist.

    Please don't tell me I'll never sell them once I use them, because I have gotten along for a long time without them, and only need them for this batch of projects. It is a couple thousand outlay, and once all is built, close to that in return after placing ads.

    Has anyone else done this?

  2. #2
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    I don't know what world you live in...
    I have a Ceros on CL now with 1 hour of use for 65% of retail. Based on past experience, it could take months to sell. Yeah, it will sell immediately on eBay for that price, but then I am out shipping, paypal, etc.

  3. #3
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    I'd say you'd be out 20-25% of your cost, maybe a little less with Festool. I don't think many people would pay more than that for used tools when they can buy new for not much more.

  4. #4
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    THere is often a difference between what people ask for something and what they eventually sell it for. Good quality hand tools, yes, about retail. Clamps, not so much I think. I would figure on getting 50% of what you paid and see if you still think it's a good idea. If it is, you are safe to go ahead with it.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "You don't have to give birth to someone to have a family." (Sandra Bullock)




  5. #5
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    I have been looking in my market for this stuff, and have not seen it. No parallel clamps, no Festool dominos.

    And I am willing to take a hit on the cost. I'll be selling the large Domino kit and eight clamps. $1400 for the tool, maybe $400 for the clamps. I'll bet I can get back $1100 and $200.

    Am building tables and cases that retail from a Stickley store for about $10K at full best discount, and am saving a bundle doing it.
    Last edited by Gene Davis; 10-04-2014 at 6:54 PM.

  6. #6
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    New tools come with a warranty. Typical is 1-3 years, some more. Festools is pretty good, bessy is pretty good too. Anybody who pays you close to full retail for used tools with no warranty is pretty much a fool. I'm not saying they are not out there, that you wont find that person, but logically, why would they bother to trade a 10% for any warranty on the goods? A lot of the price of the goods goes to pay for that warranty that is essentially an insurance policy taken out by the manufacturer for your and their protection. It may still make sense to buy what you need and sell it, but perhaps a you may take a more conservative outlook on the resale price potential. I'm sure you can sell those things in a busy market area, but at what price remains to be seen.

  7. #7
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    Any chance of buying your clamps on craigslist?

    I'd think you could recover decently on the Domino.

    Matt

  8. #8
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    You can always use clamps so I can't see any reason to sell them unless you screw or nail everything. Instead of the Domino either use a biscuit joiner or handcut your M&T.
    Don

  9. #9
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    Don't know about your location but where I live 50% of retail seems about the standard going rate for nice clean used tools. I know there are always exceptions, more popular tools like the Domino will bring more. I certainly would not count on even a popular used tool bringing more than about 70% of it's retail value. I purchase a Grizzly 0690 tablesaw a couple years ago off Craigslist for $1,075 which was a high price but it had never been used. The fellow purchased and assembled it in his shop, then decided he would rather put the money into a boat. Any tools I purchase used, 50% of retail is the target, depending upon condition of course. Good Luck!

  10. #10
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    Maybe one or more of you guys will be the lucky ones to get either a domino 500 kit complete with DC, or a nice set of 50" Bessey Ks. I am finishing the bow armed Morris chairs, and am now going to begin with buying stock and prepping it for the Stickley "Highlands" table, a tall pub table based on some Amish design, a mission style Stickley-inspired TV console, two end tables, and a large square cocktail table. I am tired of mortise and tenon work, thus the desire for the large Domino. For the table work, I have to make up a bunch of top sections, thus the need for better clamps.

    I have a few dozen clamps, most all of my large ones being pipe clamps, and I want the Ks for this batch of projects.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  11. #11
    Surely, you can revert back to the old days and form your joinery by hand with chisel, mallet and some good elbow grease instead of purchasing and later dump a Festool Domino. What's a Domino worth? Three/Four days or hard labor? Can't you do the joinery (for whatever the dominoes is needed) well within that time frame? A days worth? Maybe two? You've got to have more than a Domino and clamps to make Stickley furniture. Tablesaw? Radial-arm saw?... If elbow grease doesn't appeal to you, maybe those two machines (or whatever you got) could be incorporated with the joinery process. If I'm going to acquire machinery, it's for keeps! A well thought out investment for the job ahead and well into the future.

  12. #12
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    Gene, it sounds like you're already convinced this is the way to go. Given what you plan to build, even if you give the tools away, you will still be ahead. I don't know that even lightly used tools will go for as high a price-point as you are talking but, I wouldn't worry about that. I would go for it and reap as much recovery as you can. I don't see a downside here unless you get hung up on what you recover on the tools. Who knows? You may get what you ask, you may get less, either way I still think you win.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  13. #13
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    It's an interesting idea - buy high end tools for one job then sell somewhere close to the purchase price to recover the money when they're no longer needed. But are they really no longer needed? My experience is that once I've got the best, it's the "lesser" that now goes unused. It's those that get sold. I've got pipe clamps that will probably never be used again now that I have a lot of Bessy K bodies. You imply that if you continue to own the Domino that there will be no further use for it.

    I don't think so. Every time I get one of things it's my new standard. Other projects come along. The Domino just proved it's value again. I'm building the Benchcrafted split top Roubo. I used the Domino to help keep the boards aligned during glue up. No slipping while clamping. Of course there are other ways. Since I have it, I used it. I used it to build some planters last spring. I modified my plan from M&T to dominos as a time saver. It's the same with other things. Clamps. Routers. Saws.

    So, I wouldn't be so quick to get rid of anything that's so useful in the shop. You *do* intend to continue building things don't you?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gene Davis View Post
    Maybe one or more of you guys will be the lucky ones to get either a domino 500 kit complete with DC, or a nice set of 50" Bessey Ks. I am finishing the bow armed Morris chairs, and am now going to begin with buying stock and prepping it for the Stickley "Highlands" table, a tall pub table based on some Amish design, a mission style Stickley-inspired TV console, two end tables, and a large square cocktail table. I am tired of mortise and tenon work, thus the desire for the large Domino. For the table work, I have to make up a bunch of top sections, thus the need for better clamps.

    I have a few dozen clamps, most all of my large ones being pipe clamps, and I want the Ks for this batch of projects.

    This thread looks to me like a not-so-subtle "Domino and Clamps For Sale, Rarely Used" ad. Perhaps the OP, who is not a SMC contributor, should be invited to spend the lousy 6 bucks and re-post the thread on the "for sale" forum.

    Then again maybe I'm just a cynic.
    Last edited by scott vroom; 10-05-2014 at 10:40 AM.
    Scott Vroom

    I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by John Piwaron View Post
    It's an interesting idea - buy high end tools for one job then sell somewhere close to the purchase price to recover the money when they're no longer needed. But are they really no longer needed? My experience is that once I've got the best, it's the "lesser" that now goes unused. It's those that get sold. I've got pipe clamps that will probably never be used again now that I have a lot of Bessy K bodies. You imply that if you continue to own the Domino that there will be no further use for it.

    I don't think so. Every time I get one of things it's my new standard. Other projects come along. The Domino just proved it's value again. I'm building the Benchcrafted split top Roubo. I used the Domino to help keep the boards aligned during glue up. No slipping while clamping. Of course there are other ways. Since I have it, I used it. I used it to build some planters last spring. I modified my plan from M&T to dominos as a time saver. It's the same with other things. Clamps. Routers. Saws.

    So, I wouldn't be so quick to get rid of anything that's so useful in the shop. You *do* intend to continue building things don't you?
    Agree. Once he has the Domino with Festool dust extractor, he will probably fall in love with Festool, forget about selling it and start buying more Festool products, it is an addiction

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