A Lazy Man's Way to Shed Unused Tools

[ken hatch]

My name is Ken and I'm a toolaholic. I'm also a lazy sod and money doesn't have a lot of motivation power. Selling a tool for $10 USDs seems a waste of time and effort. A long way around to: How do I get rid of a lot of excess tools, many either didn't work that well from the get go or the way I work has changed. Things like a complete WoodRat system, a bunch of powered routers, more marking gauges than WoodCraft, some good some not so good. Tools I'll never use like router micro fences and all kinds of micro setting tools, way too many hand saws, chisels and even a few planes like A Stanley 45 in the box. I expect eBay is too much work for too little money, Craig's List would be even worse. I hate to just throw 'em in the trash. Anyone else have this problem? If so how have you handled it, if you have?

ken

[Brian Holcombe]

I like using the classifieds here, basically you'll always have to ship but there aren't any erroneous fees.

[glenn bradley]

Other than just boxing them up and letting me pay shipping to my shop, I would list them right here on the forum. Those that would fit in flat rate boxes I would just price including that cost to make it quick and easy. The USPS will deliver the boxes to your door for free. You just order them for $0.00 on their web site.

[Stan Powers]

Find a good woodworking school and donate them to the school and/or the students. You can know that they went to a good use. You can also take a tax deduction and get some value for very little effort

[Reinis Kanders]

You can also offer someone local a comission for selling them. I do agree that packing and shipping is a nuisance.

[Allan Speers]

If even Craigslist is too much of a bother, then the only thing I can think of is offering someone on these forums, who lives close by, to come take everything out for free.

With Craigslist you could just have a single weekend tag sale. People come to you with cash, so there are no hassles other than a bit of lost time, and if traffic is slow, you could do some woodworking at the same time. At the final hour, if there's still stuff left and only one guy looking, offer him the remaining booty for one crazy low price.

Done.

[ken hatch]

If even Craigslist is too much of a bother, then the only thing I can think of is offering someone on these forums, who lives close by, to come take everything out for free.

With Craigslist you could just have a single weekend tag sale. People come to you with cash, so there are no hassles other than a bit of lost time, and if traffic is slow, you could do some woodworking at the same time. At the final hour, if there's still stuff left and only one guy looking, offer him the remaining booty for one crazy low price.

Done.

This suggestion I like. I've thought about it before, I suspect Craig's list and the local woodstore would be the best way to get word out...May do it.

ken

[Rick Fisher]

I work with a lady who has a son who likes to woodwork .. He is about 14 and has cerebral palsy .. I give it all to her for her kid.. I think if you took a quick look around town, you would find someone . I started with cheapo clamps and upgraded to Bessey.... . gave the old clamps.. Stuff like that .. his mom doesn't let him use power tools..

[Frederick Skelly]

I work with a lady who has a son who likes to woodwork .. He is about 14 and has cerebral palsy .. I give it all to her for her kid.. I think if you took a quick look around town, you would find someone . I started with cheapo clamps and upgraded to Bessey.... . gave the old clamps.. Stuff like that .. his mom doesn't let him use power tools..

What a great idea Rick!

[Dave Parkis]

If your area is anything like where I live, I suggest you state a start time of about an hour later than when you actually want to start. Every sale around here that advertises woodworking tools has several people show up about an hour before the sale starts so they can snatch up the decent tools. If the people advertise woodworking tools, its a frenzy.

[Jim Belair]

I donate a lot of unused stuff to my local Habitat ReStore. They have a fairly broad market, the funds go to a good cause, and the donor gets a tax receipt.

[Harold Burrell]

Man...I might even drive out to your house to look at that 45. Google Maps says it's only 2,308 miles...

[David Keller NC]

For the power tools, I'd list them individually on SMC classifieds for the reasonably valuable items (like the Woodrat), donate the less expensive power tool items that aren't worth selling to a local WW club or school (or a worthy local individual, preferably a beginner), and for antique and/or collectible hand tools, I'd take them to the local MWTCA meet in your area. The only drawback of that last route is that you may come home with more than you sell ....

[Judson Green]

Man...I might even drive out to your house to look at that 45. Google Maps says it's only 2,308 miles...

Wow the perigee is getting real close

[Dan Hintz]

My solution? Generally I give the tool away. Seriously. Someone is made one very happy person, and I get space back in my shop.

It took years to convince my wife it was actually cheaper to throw away items below a certain monetary value versus wasting time selling them on Amazon/eBay/etc. Now when something is cluttering up the house and it's below about $100 to buy one new, it either goes to a new home free of charge or in the round file.