Lots of Tools on Craigslist......Too many

[Jimmie Mayfield]

Consider yourself lucky. Woodworking tools tend to be a rare breed on the three craigslists within 80-90 miles of me. About once a week someone will list a small jointer or tablesaw. Since last summer, I think I've seen two cabinet saws (a 52" Uni was listed this week in fact...but sadly much too large for my workspace). I keep telling myself that sooner or later, someone around here is going to list a decent 14"-17" bandsaw or small cabinet saw...

[Peter Quinn]

All my tools are paid for, some have even paid for themselves. But my wife says if I buy one more major tool it had better be useful for the construction of a dog house big enough to fit my sleeping bag. What do you think she means by that? I'd better stay off of craig's list for now.

Perhaps new kitchen cabinets would soften her up a bit?

[Neal Clayton]

i've been shopping for a jointer upgrade and just missed a 12" powermatic over in mississippi last week, busted motor and the guy wanted 200 or 300 for it? i forget, but it was a steal.

broke down and bought a new grizzly, other than that rare find my local CL is like the person above mentioned...

it reads like...

craftsman - 200 dollars
craftsman - 100 dollars
craftsman - 300 dollars
snap on tool chest - 3000 dollars
shopsmith - 3500 dollars
ULTIMATE ROUTER BIT SET - 200 dollars (probably paid 50 at harbor freight an hour before)
craftsman - 150 dollars
welder - 400 dollars (probably stolen an hour before)
pressure washer - 200 dollars
craftsman - 100 dollars
craftsman - 200 dollars
snap on tool chest - 2500 dollars
craftsman - 175 dollars
shopsmith - 3000 dollars

[Daniel Berlin]

I sympathize. I see an awful lot of stuff on the DC CL at or near retail cost (or more--how about a Festool Trion PSB300 EQ, retails new for $295, for $375, or a Leatherman Wave, which I can buy on the net for $54, for $75). Certainly a lot of the stuff could be had reconditioned by the manufacturer (with a warranty) for a lot less.

But, just occasionally... Thar's gold in them hills.

I'm the guy who continually posts the actual retail values of these things on DC CL.
If i see one more craftsman tablesaw for 400 bucks i'm going to scream.

[Jim Kountz]

I got lucky with CL a couple of times. Found a Dewalt 12 dual bevel miter saw for $125. It looked brand new so I got it. It wasnt hot to the touch either! LOL
I find the occassional deal on there but mostly harry homeowner stuff like Black & Decker, Skil and other useless tools.

[Eric DeSilva]

I'm the guy who continually posts the actual retail values of these things on DC CL.

Were you responsible for the little "Bang head here" graphic? I loved that one...

[Ryan Eldridge]

I have found a few really good deals on Craigslist here in Boise, but stuff is usually pretty high priced. However I was just on the list and someone must be selling off a shop of something because there are several shapers from 2-5+ hp for sale for decent prices and even a unisaw for sale for $500.

Too bad I do not have anymore room

[Mark Roderick]

I have a bad taste in my mouth about Craigslist. Earlier this year my wife and I were flying through Seattle and stopped at a restaurant to eat. While we were inside, thieves broke into our rental car and stole everything - passports, laptops computers, a treasured coat my wife had inherited from her deceased aunt, etc. It cost me a lot a money plus a great ski vacation in Whistler.

A few days later, lo and behold, we saw some of our stolen stuff advertised on Craigslist, by anonymous vendors, of course. It made me wonder, and as I looked through the listings I saw lots of stuff that could well be stolen. For example, when you see a listing for a digital camera "without the case or the original manual" or a laptop computer "without the case or power cord" why do you think that is? I came to believe that Craigslist is the new way that thieves use to fence stolen goods in America, just as it's a popular way to engage in prostitution rings, according to recent news reports.

I doubt anyone is selling stolen table saws on Craigslist, and I'm sure the people who run Craigslist have the best intentions, but the experience soured me on the whole thing.

[Eric DeSilva]

... Earlier this year my wife and I were flying through Seattle and stopped at a restaurant to eat. While we were inside, thieves broke into our rental car and stole everything...

... I came to believe that Craigslist is the new way that thieves use to fence stolen goods in America, just as it's a popular way to engage in prostitution rings, according to recent news reports.

I doubt anyone is selling stolen table saws on Craigslist, and I'm sure the people who run Craigslist have the best intentions, but the experience soured me on the whole thing.

I feel for you re: the vacation... Friend of mine had an even worse experience--he was moving to law school, had their *entire* household packed into a trailer, stopped for lunch at a rest stop, and saw someone drive away in their car towing their trailer with everything they owned.

I'm sure some things I see on CL are stolen. Bunch of jobsite tools w/o cases, things like that. And, I also see a lot of scams--guys selling HD "cash cards" that don't really have anything on them, etc. Can't say about prostitution, I've really only perused the "tools" section and can't say I've seen any of those ads...

But, I'm 100% confident that I've never bought anything off CL that was stolen. I'll ask why its being sold, and if I'm not comfortable with the person I'm dealing with, I'm not giving them my money. I've bought a Unisaw, a bunch of K bodies, an 8" jointer, a 20" planer, a 3HP shaper, a power feeder, a 14" bandsaw, an open frame sander, and a bunch of other tools off CL and have saved a huge amount of money.

But, I went to every single one of those people's houses. I've heard why they are selling and I believed each one of them. I consider myself a pretty good judge of people, and all the folks I dealt with were good folks. And, a lot of time, you are helping someone out by buying their stuff.

So, don't let a few bad apples spoil the bunch. It is a good resource overall.

[Marlin Williams]

I'm the guy who continually posts the actual retail values of these things on DC CL.
If i see one more craftsman tablesaw for 400 bucks i'm going to scream.

I think I have seen some of your work.

Ha... I live in N.VA and can;t believe how bad the "deals" are on craigslist here. Every now and then something decent pops up but it is at least 50 miles from me and probable could have been put in the Richmond CL as it seems closer to them then me.

I did get my 3hp Grizzly shaper from CL but I don;t think it was from the DC/N.VA one.

[Kevin Burandt]

Don't laugh almost two years ago I bought a dewalt roofing nailer off the clearance table (no box or manual) for $50 at HD and it sat in the cabinet unused. About a month ago I needed $$ for my cashback purchases and sold it on CL for $225. The exact same nailer sells new for $228 at HD.

Kevin

[Daniel Berlin]

I think I have seen some of your work.

Ha... I live in N.VA and can;t believe how bad the "deals" are on craigslist here. Every now and then something decent pops up but it is at least 50 miles from me and probable could have been put in the Richmond CL as it seems closer to them then me.

I did get my 3hp Grizzly shaper from CL but I don;t think it was from the DC/N.VA one.

It's a part time hobby.
I stopped putting return email addresses on the ads because i got spammed by people telling me how lucky I was they were even offering their used tools, let alone for double retail price.

I think i've seen maybe 4 or 5 good deals in the past 6 months (rigid 3650 for 200 bucks, a few okay unisaws, etc).
I usually try to take the time to email these people and say "Hey, i can't buy this, but i'm really happy you are offering this at a reasonable price and i'll be sure to let everyone i know about it".
Just to try to encourage the good eggs

[Eric DeSilva]

I live in N.VA and can;t believe how bad the "deals" are on craigslist here.

C'mon, its not *that* bad, even if you do have to sort through a lot of trash. In the last six months, I picked up an almost new Jet 25CS 3HP shaper for $700 (Dulles). A new, never been used 3HP Grizzly for $300 (Arlington). An 8" Grizz jointer and a 20" Grizz planer, package deal, $750 fer both (Bluemont). Before that, I got my good condition Uni w/52" Bies fence w/lots of extras for $700 (Fairfax) and a 14" PM bandsaw (that, as far as I can tell, has never been used) and several NIB blades for $650.

I tend to post deals when I see 'em in the deals forum--in the last six months I've seen a a '90 Minimax combo machine for $2500, a vintage Dewalt/AMF RAS in good condition for $250, a 450# 3PH Oliver Mortiser for $300, a nearly new Grizz 16" drum sander for $320, an 8.5' x 4.5' Quality Vakuum frame rig for $650...

Not always what you want when you want it, but there are deals. I *still* kick myself for missing the PM ultimate pair--an 8" parallelogram jointer and 20" planer that were 6 mo. old, in beautiful condition, and listed for $750 ea. I talked to the guy... I could have had 'em... But I decided the weight was too much to wrassle 'em into the basement...

[Kirk Poore]

I
Ha... I live in N.VA and can;t believe how bad the "deals" are on craigslist here. Every now and then something decent pops up but it is at least 50 miles from me and probable could have been put in the Richmond CL as it seems closer to them then me.

In St Louis we get a lot of plastique and aluminium junk, but we get a fair amount of good stuff too. In the last three years I've bought a Powermatic 65 tableaw, PM 30 sander, Craftsman 9x30 lathe, Penncraft (rebadged Delta) 11/14 lathe, and a Delta 24" scroll saw for myself, and three PM 1200 drill press heads and a Craftsman shaper for friends in other cities. Of course, all needed restoration to various degrees, but that's why they were cheap. And I sold a Taiwanese DP for a decent price.

Now, of any hundred tool listings, there will be a dozen chopsaws or cheapo table saws, and half a dozen Craftsman RAS's of dubious value, but you gotta flail out the chaff to find the wheat.

Kirk