Gov Deals

[tiggi]

I know there is a garage sale thread but I though it might be helpful to start one with government sales. I don't know if many of you shop for government surplus but those can be some of the best deals ever. States sell their surplus in public auctions and based on the bids I don't think many are aware of this. So without further ado here is the deal I just brought home.

File lateral cabinets

Filing cabinet, comes with a key and the color is not bad. Its 42" wide, 18" deep and almost 6' tall It's very heavy and sturdy.

Doors open and slide back and then you can slide out each drawer.

It even has the sliding top in the middle.

I am really liking this cabinet, I am not sure what I am going to use it for, but I am thinking maybe for my smaller power tools, drills, saws, sanders... I'll put on some casters for easier moving. Believe it or not all of these fit perfectly into my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Even the guy that worked there was speechless.
I am open to suggestions what I can do with lateral cabinets.
All of this I got for $20.

 

[Colin Len]

Those yellow cabinets look great! Is there a link to the gov auctions you're talking about?

 

[SALIV8]

theres a bunch of sites for governemtn surplus. google will help.

govdeals.com is one of many

 

[38 Dodge Coupe]

I think this may be the site he is referring to.
http://www.govdeals.com/

 

[tiggi]

^^^^^^
govdeals.com is one that I use, you can search listings by location.

Now I have to reconfigure my garage again lol

 

[Colin Len]

theres a bunch of sites for governemtn surplus. google will help.

govdeals.com is one of many

I've seen a few before but never seen deals as good as what the OP posted so I was wondering what his cut-rate auction house he bought from.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

I've been watching these sites and rarely do you get a deal. This was a fluke to get all that for $20. Usually metal scrappers pick up the items for far more than that.

The biggest challenge in the bidding is that you have to frequently take ALL OF IT. That means if they have some awesome metal cabinets, then you have to take all 40 of them and have to do so in a very short period of time or pay fines. If you can go there in person to check it out, do so. You don't want to bid blind.

Sometimes the items will be at some remote spot, so check the location of the item as well.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Those cabinets are great!

 

[kkcshipp]

I've bou there several times. Sometimes though knuckleheads run the price up too high because they don't understand the value of the item. Great site though.

 

[tiggi]

I think this all depends on the area and the people that set these auctions. So far what I've seen is very low prices. Deals like mine are not very rare at all but lots of the stuff on sale I have no use for.

I've been watching these sites and rarely do you get a deal. This was a fluke to get all that for $20. Usually metal scrappers pick up the items for far more than that.

The biggest challenge in the bidding is that you have to frequently take ALL OF IT. That means if they have some awesome metal cabinets, then you have to take all 40 of them and have to do so in a very short period of time or pay fines. If you can go there in person to check it out, do so. You don't want to bid blind.

Sometimes the items will be at some remote spot, so check the location of the item as well.

 

[ichabod]

there is a couple of state surplus sites I check weekly. one is state run, so you pay your bid amount plus tax, the other must be a third party deal, you pay bid amount plus 10% commission plus tax. it can be very surprising some of the stuff they sell. sometime you find a good deal.

last thing I bought,

 

[loveall13]

Govdeals

I'm always watching for a deal on govdeals. Last august I purchased 2 lots (11 total) of new fume collection arms ($1,500 each from the manufacturer) for $250. We installed 5 in my shop and sold the rest on ebay for a pretty good profit.



Jeremy

 

[tiggi]

Re: Govdeals

I'm always watching for a deal on govdeals. Last august I purchased 2 lots (11 total) of new fume collection arms ($1,500 each from the manufacturer) for $250. We installed 5 in my shop and sold the rest on ebay for a pretty good profit.
Jeremy

That's a damn good deal!

 

[kbs2244]

Go to your state home page a roam around for "surplus property"
Many states sell it on their own.
Large cities also.
Both Illinois and Chicago have departmens just for this.
(Not through a broker like govdeals.)
Also try the same with a big university.
They can be a real bargain basement.
U of WI has a good site.

I just brought this home Thurs from http://www.wisconsinsurplus.com
$63.50 with all taxs, fees etc.
It is an old IBM card cabinet.
They are getting real hard to find.
To show the generation gap, it was listed as "For VHS tapes."
The drawers extend fully and are easily lifted out.
HD rollers (Fully loaded with IBM cards a drawer would be 60 lbs.)
I grab every one under $100.00 I can find.

 

[a1veedubber]

I signed up for the Govdeals website yesterday and got an email today asking for a copy of my driver's license. Is that normal?

 

[Catadj78]

I bought a camper off GSAauctions.gov before at a great price. Looked locally and no deals for me on shop items though

 

[tiggi]

I signed up for the Govdeals website yesterday and got an email today asking for a copy of my driver's license. Is that normal?

It didn't ask me, are you sure you're on right website, it's govdeals.com.
Maybe try registering again with a different email and see if it happens again.

 

[Jaynuke]

tiggi, I'm not sure if this has changed, but, You ****!
Nice score.

 

[tiggi]

tiggi, I'm not sure if this has changed, but, You ****!
Nice score.

Well thank you, and you can see the cabinet being used in my garage thread http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278743

 

[a1veedubber]

It didn't ask me, are you sure you're on right website, it's govdeals.com.
Maybe try registering again with a different email and see if it happens again.

That is the one. I got this email from them this morning:

Hello,

Your account is temporarily inactive because our verification department was not able to validate some of your information.

To enable us to verify your information, please send a copy of your government-issued photo ID, such as your driver’s license, to [email protected]. If the address listed on the ID is different from the address you entered on your registration, please email a recent utility bill in addition to the photo ID.


The utility bill must:
1) Contain your name
2) Have a service address that matches the address on your registration.
3) Be dated within 30 days of the date you registered

Once our Customer Service Department receives these documents, they will contact you.

Thank you,

and then it has the person's contact info in the Help Desk-Bidder Services

 

[My Old Tools]

I bought a metal lathe off GovLiquidation a few years ago. Some items are marked as defense critical items and are US only. On those, you have to provide additional documentation and agree not to resell to foreign nationals. It took several months to get approved to pick up after the sale. To pick up at an Army depot you had to provide proof of insurance on your truck and trailer and make a reservation. On this one they loaded with a fork lift.

Most of the machinery was stored outside for several months before the sale. On my lathe there was no real damage from rust, but it had been dropped on its face bending a couple of handles and the cross slide shaft. Those were not apparent in the pictures. Otherwise it turned out to be a nice tight machine with serial number matched accessories. I bought it because it went cheap. It was a Sheldon 10" and it sold for 1/3 of what any similar sized South Bend sold for.

A couple of years ago they auctioned off about 20 South Bend metal shapers that were said to be new in the crates with all accessories. Those went for $2000-$5000, crazy money for an obsolete machine. Most of them showed up for sale a short time later with significant markup. I bet many of them are still for sale.

 

[tiggi]

That is the one. I got this email from them this morning:
and then it has the person's contact info in the Help Desk-Bidder Services

Looks legitimate enough, I guess they verify users, proly with current residency they have on file. So if you moved recently they might not have the updated info.

 

[aka rotten]

I bought 25 t-8 ,4 buld fixtures,with bulbs from there and box of 25 bulbs,for 48 bucks one time.Did need to replace couple ballests after 2 years .Accually picked them up 20 miles from shop.Not complaining.