How to sell a usable, frustrating tool

[Steve Demuth]

After years of successful, but frustrating use, I finally bought a SuperMax drum sander to replace my Delta 31-255X. The Delta works fine, but has some real drawbacks: it's a Delta, so no parts for it, the table height adjustment is prone to slip, putting the table out of adjustment, often to the point it can't be moved at all with out recalibration; the conveyer belt can't be made to track reliably, and I've had to replace the conveyer motor with an off-the shelf DC gear motor that works fine, but tops out at 2/3 the max speed of the original equipment.

I could junk it, and save the two motors and cast iron table for some future projects, but I'm inclinded to try to sell it.

My question is, suppose I list the thing for, say $300 - less than 20% of the cost of any comparable capable new equipment. If any of you were looking at the ad, what would you expect me to say about it, to make it a fair listing? For a woodworker who doesn't use a flat sander like this often, it's a perfectly capable machine that just needs TLC to do the job, but it'll take you twice as long on average as a good machine that holds its calibration. It's clearly worthless to anyone who wants to use their sander a lot.

Thoughts?

[Richard Coers]

After years of successful, but frustrating use, I finally bought a SuperMax drum sander to replace my Delta 31-255X. The Delta works fine, but has some real drawbacks: it's a Delta, so no parts for it, the table height adjustment is prone to slip, putting the table out of adjustment, often to the point it can't be moved at all with out recalibration; the conveyer belt can't be made to track reliably, and I've had to replace the conveyer motor with an off-the shelf DC gear motor that works fine, but tops out at 2/3 the max speed of the original equipment.

I could junk it, and save the two motors and cast iron table for some future projects, but I'm inclinded to try to sell it.

My question is, suppose I list the thing for, say $300 - less than 20% of the cost of any comparable capable new equipment. If any of you were looking at the ad, what would you expect me to say about it, to make it a fair listing? For a woodworker who doesn't use a flat sander like this often, it's a perfectly capable machine that just needs TLC to do the job, but it'll take you twice as long on average as a good machine that holds its calibration. It's clearly worthless to anyone who wants to use their sander a lot.

Thoughts?

Keep it simple. Delta sander for sale. They'll ask questions if they want. If they Google the machine they will be educated. If they don't do their homework, it's on them.

[Phillip Mitchell]

I think we have different definitions of “useable”

Those details and issues you outlined above would move a tool into the “un-useable” category in my shop.

Doesn’t mean you can’t sell it for some small amount of money. I agree with Richard to a degree. Put a *reasonable* price on it, advertise it clearly and let interested buyers do their own research to determine if it’s the right model for them to spend their money on. If they ask you can tell them what your experience has been with it and all the details you feel like sharing and say that “the price reflects all of the above.”

[Tom M King]

I would give it away.

[Bruce Page]

I think you should be completely upfront on ALL the issues you mentioned. The “it’s on them” doesn’t fly and is wholly unethical, IMO. Seasoned wood workers would stay away from it while a newbie might not.

[James Tibbetts]

100% agree with Bruce !

[Ron Citerone]

I also agree with Bruce.............it is what it is!

[Mel Fulks]

Delta Dawn where have all your parts gone ? Each enquirer should have a signed paper saying , “ I read the Enquirer” …and want to
buy it anyway”. Just like in the old Westerns ….trust the guys with the WHITE hats.

[Michael Burnside]

I’d be honest even if I had to give it away. My integrity is worth more than 300 bucks.

[Rick Potter]

I would advertise it for $200 and honestly say "I don't like it, and cannot keep it adjusted to my liking. Maybe you can do better. For the price why not give it a try?"

Then take the best offer I get. Someone will take up the challenge.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Sell it for parts.

[Prashun Patel]

I agree with Bruce. Marketplaces function best in the long term if everyone is honest and truthful.

Doesn’t mean you have to go overboard.

Eg, don’t say “I can’t for the life of me make this thing work and it’s frustrated me so much I got a new one, and want to dump this. You’ve been warned.”

Say, “calibration mechanism requires adjustment.”

[George Yetka]

Can you get it aligned perfectly and convince the machine to be unable to slip? Weld/bolt/screw? The tracking i dont have any solution for you I have the supermax and I had it tracked in 3 seconds and its been perfect for 2 years.

[Randy Heinemann]

Sometimes you just have to let go of a tool, especially if it has been a tool you used over many years. I personally wouldn't pay much of anything, especially $300, for a tool which has that many things wrong with it; significant things that affect its usability. However, there is nothing wrong with trying to sell it but anything short of complete honesty would be unethical. Regardless of what is wrong with my tools, I am always honest when I sell them. If someone buys it knowing all that is wrong, that's their choice, but they have to know.

[Mike Henderson]

I agree with Randy H. Be honest. There's someone out there who will take it on as a challenge. If s/he can fix it, they will have gotten a machine for a low price. And if they can't, they haven't lost a whole lot.

Being retired (having time to work on it) and mechanically inclined, I might try something like that if I needed the machine.

Mike