Running down my workshop

[Tony MartyrParticipant @tonymartyr14488]

I am having to divest myself of my workshop.

I have given to a local Repair workshop some of my equipmwnt but my lathe is cusing me some heartache as I would like to get some money for it.

It is a 1967 ML7 fitted with myford’s threading gearbox and a model digital speed control and motor. It sits on a Myford steel cabinet that houses chucks, faceplates, steadys and all the tools one gathers in 25 years of use. I would like it to go to a good home but have no idea how to best advertise it and consider that most people able to use such a machine already have their own.

I’d like to here your comments

Tony M

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

A good start would be to put it in the classified adds on here. Others may have better ideas. Good Luck. Noel.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Best way to sell is via eBay if you want the best price.  Much wider reach, and the auction mechanism creates competition amongst buyers which increases the price.  Don’t use “buy it now” and don’t set a very high reserve – the idea is to encourage people at least to “watch” and then make bids.  I have been amazed at the prices I have got for items on eBay, especially watching how the price surges in the last few minutes.

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

FWIW decide how much you expect/require for your lathe, a straightforward listing may be best if you intend to be realistic. You may get more than you expect on e bay, but there is always a risk that you may get less!

Other outlets:  If you care about who owns it next, then apart from the dwindling market via this site, possibly Home Workshop (free) or Lathes.co (paid for) on the basis you may get a better class of punter at those sites.

Otherwise, Gumtree (other free listing sites are available including Fakebook Market, but can have a higher proportion of timewasters and scamsters in my experience)

[Mike CrossfieldParticipant @mikecrossfield92481]

+1 for eBay. Include plenty of good photos and a full description of the lathe and all the accessories. To get the best price, don’t set a buy it now price or entertain offers from people wanting to end the auction early. Let the auction run for at least a week, and set a user-friendly end time, say 6 pm on a Saturday or Sunday.

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

I’m not sure about the argument ‘Most people who could use one have already got one’.

How about saying this to Columbus as he finished loading up? – “I don’t know why you’re going. most people who want to go somewhere have already got there.”

Education is a wonderful thing, and best is what you learn by trying it.

Cheers, Tim

 

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

I’ve sold machines via Tony’s lathes site in the past with a remarkable lack of timewasters and dreamers. Although me makes a charge somewhere around the fifty quid mark, that’s all you pay. All you have to do is send clear photographs and he will write the description and set the price. I’ve just sold something on Ebay for £350 and after their fees and Paypal charges ended up with a few pence over £300 actually into the bank account, Tony’s is a one off fee, just something to bear in mind. Good luck with whatever route you decide to go down, it looks like your machine, with the gearbox and stand is quite desirable. For others in the same situation it would be good if you let us all know how you get on.

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

I sold a Boxford 240TCL in pristine condition, ex-university, on eBay because I mistakenly thought there would be a bit of a demand for such an item. It never went above the starting price, with only one bid, plus with 15% listing and commission cost I was very disappointed. I would not recommend eBay to anyone after my own experience in trying to sell a genuine machine for a fair price alongside all the over-priced junk that is on that site.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Selling anything on ebay that can’t be posted will always see a smaller active market. Basically unless it is a unique item it will just be local buyers. Ebay has changed over the years it is now much more a marketplace than an auction site. 15-20 years ago you could start an item at 99p and be fairly sure it would get a fair price. Not anymore. When setting a start price always consider that you may only have one bidder.

Robert.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

John Stevenson and Charles Ping’s homeworkshop site, now Run by Adam Stevenson, is a very good place to list machines.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

I have followed and used the homeworkshop site more or less since it creation by Chris Heapy but I’ve never come across the name Charles Ping before now.

Now just curious what the connection is.

Ian P

[Robert Atkinson 2]

On Robert Atkinson 2 Said:

Selling anything on ebay that can’t be posted will always see a smaller active market. Basically unless it is a unique item it will just be local buyers. Ebay has changed over the years it is now much more a marketplace than an auction site. 15-20 years ago you could start an item at 99p and be fairly sure it would get a fair price. Not anymore. When setting a start price always consider that you may only have one bidder.

Robert.

Trick if you don’t like the bids is to get a relative to whack in a bid you would accept just before closing time. If he wins you have to pay ebay fees, but you won’t have to accept 99p when you wanted £99

[duncan webster 1]

On duncan webster 1 Said:

On Robert Atkinson 2 Said:

Selling anything on ebay that can’t be posted will always see a smaller active market. Basically unless it is a unique item it will just be local buyers. Ebay has changed over the years it is now much more a marketplace than an auction site. 15-20 years ago you could start an item at 99p and be fairly sure it would get a fair price. Not anymore. When setting a start price always consider that you may only have one bidder.

Robert.

Trick if you don’t like the bids is to get a relative to whack in a bid you would accept just before closing time. If he wins you have to pay ebay fees, but you won’t have to accept 99p when you wanted £99

That is not a trick, it’s called shill bidding and it’s illegal.

If you and someone else agree to do it thats conspiracy to defraud on top. In theory the conspiracy offence exists at the agreement stage even if no shill bids are placed. Very hard to prove that of course.
Ebay routinely keep records of the IP addresses  etc that you use access your account. Bids placed from those on your items will set off an alert.

Don’t do it.

Robert.

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

That is not a trick, it’s called shill bidding and it’s illegal.

I suspect shill bidding happens more often than not with high interest items, but is basically undetectable. E-bay claim to monitor, but why do they care? they get their fee in any case (perhaps several times for the same item!). E-bay have no incentive to do anything, publish no information on their monitoring. E-bay is  literally a closed shop apparently outside of any regulatory control.

In addition, you also have to contend with widespread use of sniping software so you never get any feel for how your sale is going until it closes. Always was a bit dodgy but now even more so and expensive too as charges getting up to near 15%.

It has its uses but use with care. If I list anything, it is at the minimum price I will accept allowing for fee and delivery. If it doesn’t sell, then there is no loss. If it goes for the start price, fine. Occasionally, I have even had a small premium on an item, but not often.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Well I never knew that. I’ve only done it once, I’ll desist. Mea culpa

[Author]

Posts