I Need Help!!!!

[FIVEBYFIVE]

I took out a loan, and i might have enough left over to make an offer to an uncle for some tools. He offered them to me for $1,000.00 last year, i told him no. there is a story about how these tools used to be my dads. divorce + hiding tools to not have to claim their value. i think u understand. there is a craftsman radial arm saw, craftsman table saw, craftsman drill press, a craftsman bandsaw, and a craftsman jointer. When bout fifteen years ago my mother bought them for my father who did cainet making and remodeling work. All are commercial grade. Not sure how much use they have had since uncle got them.

I need advice quick...not sure how long the tool fund stays open after she starts spending it.


Thanks guys

 

[Travis Porter]

I would get a tally together of the tools and figure 1/2 of what retail of them would be today. If the price comes out to what you are going to spend, you have a deal. If it is much more, you might be better off just buying new as you need/want them.

 

[FIVEBYFIVE]

That makes since, but should i worry about them breaking down soon?:saw:

 

[Travis Porter]

It really depends on how long they have been just sitting around and how much use they have gotten IMO. Motors, gears, bearings, etc will freeze and be trouble when not used or maintained over time and tools that get heavily used will wear parts out. My comment on price is based on whether or not you are getting a good deal or not. If I have to pay more than half of what it costs new, I figure I am probably better off buying new to get the warranty, tech support if available, and knowing that some parts are available. I would definitely inspect, run, and check them out just to make sure you know what you are getting.

One other point. I have a RAS, and I know several other members do as well, but I barely ever use mine anymore whatsoever. A lot of the time they are tough to keep cutting true and in line (mine has done fine), but I would not recommend ripping boards with one. I have seen one shoot boards across a shop first hand and it is a scary sight.

 

[junquecol]

I saw five tools listed with a value of approx. $100.00 each based on craigslist prices. Unless there is something special about any one of them, they seem over priced. You said they were hid to protect from divorce, then they are still your fathers tools-correct? Assuming that your dad is no longer alive, then who should have inherited them. Are you buying your inhertance from your uncle? It seems that he would want you to have them, and just give them to you. -Bruce

 

[Steve D]

Good advice thus far. Craftsman had some very good quality power tools up until the 50's and some into the 60's. Beyond that they began lowering the qc specs and changing manufacturers frequently. If there is true sentimental value then it might be worthwhile to try and "negotiate" a fair price. I would have to agree that the miter saw has pretty well replaced the radial arm. You can pick up a good quality new miter saw for $300, a used delta, jet or grizzly jointer for $2-300, a used delta BS for $250 and a used drill press for $100. If the tools are only about 15 years old they were not made in Craftsman's hayday. Parts may also be hard to come by.

 

[FIVEBYFIVE]

Thank you to all for shinning a different light of my decision. He told me that he bought them from dad, but mom says yea for $1.00. Right now i have a bench top drill press and band saw. Are bench top that bad? i like the stand alone devices, but couldnt afford when i got started. Good News I told the gf that i wanted to expand the workshop from one bay to two. yippie

 

[Steve D]

Bench tops aren't necessarily bad. There are good quality bench top items but they are limited in what they can do. I have a Delta bench top drill press and it is fine for what I use it for 90% of the time. The badsaws are OK, just very limited due to their capacities.

I started with a bench top table saw but I would urge you not to make that mistake. They are fine for jobsite contractor work but they are not well suited to woodworking.

 

[michaelgarner]

5x5
I dont know if your intersted but I have a craftsman table saw that you can have. The only thing is the motor stopped, I didnt even see what the deal was,,i was in the middle of a contract so I just purchased an upgrade. If your intersted let me know, it was a good saw. Brand new it was 180.00. Im sure a new motor couldnt be more than 50.00, but i dont know. be blessed.

 

[DaveD]

I would think $500 for the lot would be a fair price.

That assumes everything is in decent working order and not rusted to crap. If the motor on the table saw is one of those flex shaft things that used to be popular then even $500 is high.

He sure isn't doing you any favors at $1000.

 

[Steve D]

Not to get into the family squable aspect too heavily but if my uncle bought tools off my dad for a dollar then wanted to sell them to me for $1000 after he passed away, I wouldn't buy them if they were the finest equipment money can buy.

Thank you to all for shinning a different light of my decision. He told me that he bought them from dad, but mom says yea for $1.00. Right now i have a bench top drill press and band saw. Are bench top that bad? i like the stand alone devices, but couldnt afford when i got started. Good News I told the gf that i wanted to expand the workshop from one bay to two. yippie

 

[FIVEBYFIVE]

i thought about just waiting til he died, but i felt ashamed.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's tools!

 

[DaveO]

5x5
I dont know if your intersted but I have a craftsman table saw that you can have. The only thing is the motor stopped, I didnt even see what the deal was,,i was in the middle of a contract so I just purchased an upgrade. If your intersted let me know, it was a good saw. Brand new it was 180.00. Im sure a new motor couldnt be more than 50.00, but i dont know. be blessed.

Michael, this might be a stupid question but did you try the reset button on that saw. I had the same one, gave it to a blind kid a while ago. It regularly would pop the thermal breaker, and I would have to let it cool down and then press the reset button and it would run again like nothing happened.
Just a thought, Dave

 

[michaelgarner]

lol..you know i didnt even,,i was in the market for a better saw and just thought it was a good time as ever,,let me go out to the shed and see what the deal is,,lol maybe,,lol be blessed.

 

[ashley_phil]

Sounds like you have a swell opportunist uncle like a lot of us. It doesn't sound like $ 1,000 is a great buy for the machines. As suggest above paying 1/2 of retail is the rule of thumb for used equipment, but that is generally for fairly new and high-quality stuff.

There is something to be said for sentimental and convience of buying a complete package that could be worth something, but as dealer of used equipment people generally want a discount for bulk purchase as opposed to paying a premium. I'd offer him $ 250 - 350 bucks max. Sears is good at marketing but not at making tools!

phil

 

[McRabbet]

If you believe that he only paid $1 for the tools, tell him you'd like to buy them for what he paid for them, without divulging that you know the amount. If he lies to you, don't buy them -- but if it was me, I would tell him then I knew what he paid for them all along. A family member should not profit over a family loss.

Good Luck.

Rob

 

[4yanks]

FIVEBYFIVE,
With your benchtop tools add the new tools listed below for your $1000.00 budget and you'll have a heck of a shop.

Table saw:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0444
Jointer:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0452
Planer:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0505

Hope this helps.

 

[Gofor]

Michaelgarner: I had a Craftsman similar to yours with the reset button. Problem was that even after it cooled off, it wouldn't reset. I had to disassemble the reset assy and "pop" the wafer back to make the connection. I finally mounted a circuit breaker on it, but other than the bad reset, it was an "OK" saw. My guess is that the motor, etc, are good, but there are a lot better saws out there now.

 

[cpowell]

I have a benchtop DP and planer and they make work well. They are only limited by my ability.

You'll benefit a lot from an upgraded TS with a good fence and a decent jointer.

I bought a 6 inch Sears jointer for 50 bucks from a friend when he upgraded to an 8 inch. The friend tried to give it to me but I insisted on paying. I sold it for 50 bucks a year later when I upgraded. It had flat, coplanar beds, no rust and the fence was solid. It was well worth 50 bucks.

That's the deal you want on those used tools. Sounds like your dad already paid new price once.

Chuck

 

[FIVEBYFIVE]

Thanks to all for their input. i decided to not buy them. Dad told me that he could go down there and use his tools whenever he wanted. guess that was part of their deal. wonder if i can go use his tools?????? Thanks Michael for the offer, but I already have a table saw. Did you find the reset on yours?