Anybody else buy random tool lots on eBay?

[waterboy12]

I've found a lot of auctions up lately of tool lots with <30 min left and no bids. I put up the minimum bid an wait and see what happens. Funny thing is, is that most of the time I'm the only bidder. Now these aren't snap on tools but decent older stuff that to the normal person(certainly not a garage journal member) are nice tools. I've probably only kept 5% of what I've bought, it usually gets thrown in to the yard sale pile, trying to make a little profit. Anybody else do this?

 

[davesnothere]

Quit buying my tool lots!

 

[waterboy12]

Ahh Dave.....don't take it personal buddy. Lol

 

[zbadass28]

Do it all the time. Funny thing is I'll buy a 15 pc lot of snap on, keep the 3 or 4 pcs I need or want sell the rest off and usually come out ahead. Now I don't come out ahead all the time but the times I don't I brake even. That equals free tools.

 

[Mastermind]

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I've picked up a couple of those, and gotten some really choice stuff out of them. My favorite thing out of all of them was listed as an "off brand small hammer" in a mixed lot of Craftsman sockets. That little 4oz SK ball peen has been one of my cherished friends for a few years now.

 

[fivespdcat]

I always check out the tool lots, but haven't been too impressed lately. The best I ever got, or at least the the most fun, was a 25lb box of random bits. It was like I was a 5 year old on Christmas all over again. There were masonry bits, hex bits, torx, standard, taps, dies just about anything you could get. It was well worth the $40 I paid. I just loved going through it! Oh and they were mostly NOS USA tools!

 

[geojag]

I have done pretty well buying random tool lots from fed. govt. surplus. I get a lot of good USA made tools (SO, Mac, Matco, Industro, Easco, Thorson, K-D, SK, etc), most are SAE but the last lot I got was all metric. I have no ideal what some of them do, I think some are pretty specialized. It also seems you get a lot of junk, plain and simple. I bought a couple lots on ebay years ago and was terribly disappointed, but I guess if you find the right seller....

 

[greasemonkey44]

sure; its how i ended up with alot of my 3/4 sockets

 

[930dreamer]

I picked up a four box pile last year, I sold one vintage ratchet and almost paid for the whole lot. The rest was all $$$

 

[Jarhead0408]

What search term are you using?
A specific mfg. or just going to the tool category?

 

[waterboy12]

What search term are you using?
A specific mfg. or just going to the tool category?

If I told you I'd have to kill you....lol. Search "tool lot". Pretty simple.

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

I was doing it for a while. I haven't made any sales, or purchases in about a month due to moving. But I was into it hard. I started with 35 bucks. bought a lot and kept a few things while selling the rest. I made like 10 dollars off that lot... shipping and fees included.

I started an excel spread sheet showing price paid, price sold, individual prices, recently sold prices, retail/new, part numbers and descriptions.. as well as condition updated part numbers and availability, country of origin if canadian and warranty/guarantee.. I got a little out of hand with it, before you know it you have something like this...

I started telling myself... "self, your so close to a set of that, just keep buying until you complete it..." well it snow balls fast. You end up wanting to keep more then you sell especially when you are getting things that you wish you had in the first place.

With how ebay goes it's a gamble. One week I saw two f720 3/8 drive ratchets sell for 35-40 bucks. I put one up for 20 and had it rebuilt, got no bids, no questions cheap shipping. other times i put things up cheap expecting them to not sell, and they would go for alot more then I thought. Right now I'm down, but I still have alot of inventory to move. It's always like christmas to open up a box of tools not knowing every little peice.

 

[Jarhead0408]

If I told you I'd have to kill you....lol. Search "tool lot". Pretty simple.

Man, now I do feel stupid.
I tried every term I could think of except that one.