Need help with Craftsman Lot

[Ayles]

I picked up this lot of tools and box over the weekend. I was told all is from the early 80s, clearly none of it has ever been used. One 1/4" ratchet has a small ball bearing set into the top of the head marked -v- as does everything else. The tool box is in new condition and had no key but the lock was easily picked. Inside was a catalog and invoice for the box stating it was purchased in October of 1982 for just over $200. Not a large box but extremely heavy. Is there much value here?

 

[slip knot]

you can probably get the $228 back out of it.

 

[Ayles]

That's $228 in 1982 dollars though , I didn't really know where to go but here to try and get an honest assessment of what I have. Maybe it's not vintage enough for this particular forum?

 

[Smokeshow69]

The box is 80's and I do not have any reason to question it with the receipt . You got some killer ratchets there . Do a search on here about rhft's and you will learn about how great they are! That stuff is vintage enough for around here! Go post the box in the vintage tool box thread and you will get some comments on it ! Wish craftsman still had s line up like that! Might I ask what you paid ?


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[Ayles]

Thanks for the info! The estate owner seemed to be very much a hoarder that didn't open anything. Lots of old unopened stuff. I didn't even get all of the tools... maybe I should have. I left two unopened Craftsman industrial drills of similar vintage for $19 each, some wood chisels and other stuff that didn't really resonate with what I use my tools for.

Tool box was $50, $120 total for everything else.

 

[honza.vosalik]

Wow, wishing I found one like that too.

 

[Bdgjr215]

Sad part about finding nos stuff like this is once you start to use it,it's no different than
Any thing else on the used market.Its all cool though and the price was pretty good.

 

[thehorse13]

You would have to find the right Craftsman collector. As already stated, the second you use and/or open any of the items, the value goes out the window.

Craftsman stuff from the early 80s is plentiful at every flea market and yard sale in the Country. There are no rare items in the lot that you've posted.

The items are authentic and from the early 80s. The entire lot is beautiful. Good luck with your resale.

 

[Toothaker]

That is a beautiful set! And I agree with others - using any of those tools will quickly reduce their value to a collector. They aren't going to go down in value, so if you can't find someone who will pay what you feel they are worth, hang on to them.

Isn't it funny that a flawless set of 35 year old tools aren't considered 'vintage'?

Edit: you can get replacement keys from https://www.easykeys.com/Craftsman.aspx - and perhaps other places have them too. I have no business relationship with them, except I'm a customer.

 

[Packard V8]

I didn't even get all of the tools... maybe I should have. I left two unopened Craftsman industrial drills of similar vintage for $19 each, some wood chisels and other stuff that didn't really resonate with what I use my tools for. Tool box was $50, $120 total for everything else.

Last thing I need is more Craftsman tools,
but it would have been hard to avoid making an offer on the lot.

Having said that, even NIB, corded tools can't be given away today. Everyone wants LiOn battery stuff. I bought a new Milwaukee screw gun for $5 and the seller thought he'd found a real sucker.

I picked up what I thought was a great buy on a shelf full of routers and can't give them away. They're 1/4" shank and today, everyone thinks he has to have 1/2" shank. The old tool market changes constantly and flippers have to be in it every day to know what will make money on the buy.

Isn't it funny that a flawless set of 35 year old tools aren't considered 'vintage'?

That would make a wonderful user set, but how many generic Craftsman collectors are there? Sort of like collecting 1982 Chevrolets. Yes, they're now thirty-five years old, but then it was not a particularly significant year, not especially good quality, not high performance and GM made millions of them.

jack vines

 

[Super Sport]

Nothing there is of high value, but I'd say you did quite well at $170. Some of the NOS might catch a slight premium on Ebay if you want to sell it, especially if it's in the packaging.

 

[jd_1138]

Nothing there is of high value, but I'd say you did quite well at $170. Some of the NOS might catch a slight premium on Ebay if you want to sell it, especially if it's in the packaging.

Yeah if you sold it all separately on ebay, you'll get a lot more for the stuff. I'd keep the toolbox.

Cool score. I wonder why the tools were never used? A Christmas or wedding gift for a dude who never used them?

 

[Ayles]

Thanks for all the feedback! I think it was a hoarding situation. Lots of unopened and unused things covering decades.

 

[ssdave]

You paid about the going rate, nice stuff if you collect it. I'd estimate the tools shown would bring $150 to $180 on ebay, maybe just a bit more as craftsman stuff is doing better than usual lately. The box is a good solid $75 value, again a collector may pay a bit more for the condition.

If you use the box and tools, they will depreciate in value quickly to below what you paid for them. Most of their value is in their top condition. Otherwise, they're just like millions of other Craftsman tools out there in everybody's garage.

 

[Packard V8]

I think it was a hoarding situation. Lots of unopened and unused things covering decades.

I've been to a couple of similar estate sales. Usually, one could write a story about the retired guy wanting to get out of the house or the old farmer liked to have an excuse to go into town and hang around the big store. He'd always buy something every trip. There were duplicates upon duplicates of most every hand tool.

jack vines

 

[ssdave]

I've been to a couple of similar estate sales. Usually, one could write a story about the retired guy wanting to get out of the house or the old farmer liked to have an excuse to go into town and hang around the big store. He'd always buy something every trip. There were duplicates upon duplicates of most every hand tool.

jack vines

My father in law was that way. After he retired, he fished almost daily for a while. As he got older, he didn't want to go to the trouble to get the boat out, so he looked for other things to do. He got to going downtown and going through the thrift stores and pawn shops. He brought home tons of stuff that was a good price. It got out of hand. His entire workshop and garage became a hoarders nest, boxes floor to ceiling. He didn't even have tunnels, he had to remove boxes to get to anything. It would take him half a day to move stuff, get to his tablesaw and take it out into the driveway so he could use it. When the roof got to leaking, he couldn't even see it happening, and a lot of stuff got ruined.

I went to his place one time, and counted on a shelf 13 belt sanders, lined up next to each other. He had a box with probably 150 fishing reels in it, most still had the $.50 or $1 stickers on them from the thrift store. He had boxes of screwdrivers, sockets, wrenches, machine tools, carpentry tools, in duplicate, triplicate, even dozens of an item. When he died, his son had a yard sale and sold everything for a few hundred dollars. What didn't sell in that one day got tossed or sent back to the thrift store. For a few hundred dollars of hoarded value, he'd have been a lot better off with working space in the shop, or being able to park his car inside.

Just one more personal illustration of why I'm going through my stuff, getting rid of unused and duplicate tools. I want to only have what I use, and devote my space to organizing what I need so I can find it and have enough space to work in. I don't want to store stuff just to have it.

 

[PelicanPines]

I concur ... you got $100 toolbox because it's the deeper version. If it was the 12" deep... $50

The tools... $100 to $125...

 

[rsanter]

No you don't have a bunch of value there. But there is some good stuff

If it was me I would ask $150 for the box and take $125. Its new and a deeper model

The round head ratchets are popular, value $10,$15, and $20
The nut driver set is nice, that should do $20-$25
Adjustable wrench set is nice.

Personally if you want to sell the stuff I would put it on eBay and talk it up. New old stock, you will never find these old great things again in new shape...bla bla bla...
And then ask too much for them on a fixed price auction. Use the accept offers option and see what happens.
Group them into a couple lots and flat rate them out so the shipping doesn't add up too much in comparison to the value f the tools.

Second option. Wait for secret Santa time and gift them......to a member here

Bob

 

[EOC_Jason]

You would probably be surprised what you would get for some of those items being unused and still in the box / with tag... Not a gold mine, but would definitely fetch some premium prices compared to the going rate. Condition is everything, and mint in box will have some collectors drooling.

Don't know what you paid for them, probably way less than new (and chinese)... Nothing wrong with using them either if you don't have those particular tools.

 

[Smokeshow69]

No you don't have a bunch of value there. But there is some good stuff

If it was me I would ask $150 for the box and take $125. Its new and a deeper model

The round head ratchets are popular, value $10,$15, and $20
The nut driver set is nice, that should do $20-$25
Adjustable wrench set is nice.

Personally if you want to sell the stuff I would put it on eBay and talk it up. New old stock, you will never find these old great things again in new shape...bla bla bla...
And then ask too much for them on a fixed price auction. Use the accept offers option and see what happens.
Group them into a couple lots and flat rate them out so the shipping doesn't add up too much in comparison to the value f the tools.

Second option. Wait for secret Santa time and gift them......to a member here

Bob

I would respectfully value the rhft's almost double what was said. I would check eBay listings on this stuff and you will see it has value compared to today's stuff! Advertise it here first but break up the lots and see how much you get! I would pay $100 for that box all day long .


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[Ayles]

I would respectfully value the rhft's almost double what was said. I would check eBay listings on this stuff and you will see it has value compared to today's stuff! Advertise it here first but break up the lots and see how much you get! I would pay $100 for that box all day long .


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Been digging in ebay and prices seem in line with what you are saying. Lately several nos half inch ratchets went for $40. Looks like i have lots of research to do.

 

[Stuart in MN]

So are you looking to sell, or do you just want an idea of the value?

They're good tools, worth keeping in my opinion.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Just tell us this... Do they smell like the 80's???

I love going into old shops... smells like history...

 

[Smokeshow69]

Just tell us this... Do they smell like the 80's???



I love going into old shops... smells like history...

Please tell me I am not the only one who likes the smell of the craftsman screw driver handles [emoji6]


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[Ayles]

So are you looking to sell, or do you just want an idea of the value?

They're good tools, worth keeping in my opinion.

To be honest I am really torn.

 

[Ayles]

Please tell me I am not the only one who likes the smell of the craftsman screw driver handles [emoji6]


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They have that familiar smell!!

 

[Zeeman]

Ewwwwww, Dead screw driver handle smell!

 

[bluebolt]

The right collector would pay $200 plus for that NOS box alone. It even has the little piece of Styrofoam sitting on the tool tray to keep it from moving around while shipping!

The other stuff might surprise a few people on here if sold on Ebay as well. NOS stuff doesn't come along that often. If you find a collector for that era of Craftsman they would pay up.

 

[Ayles]

The right collector would pay $200 plus for that NOS box alone. It even has the little piece of Styrofoam sitting on the tool tray to keep it from moving around while shipping!

The other stuff might surprise a few people on here if sold on Ebay as well. NOS stuff doesn't come along that often. If you find a collector for that era of Craftsman they would pay up.

The only problem is that it might cost $200 to ship! I haven't ever shipped anything that heavy so no idea what it would cost.

I spent some time last night and looked up each part number on ebay for the highest and second highest recent sale and I think you are correct. The prices are actually pretty shocking and I was only able to find a few actual NOS sales from the era. One was the 1/2 ratchet. Which appears to sell often at $40.

I am really on the fence about selling, a thought I had last night is that it might make a nice set to stuff in the closet for when my son is old enough.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I am really on the fence about selling, a thought I had last night is that it might make a nice set to stuff in the closet for when my son is old enough.

Screw that, use them for yourself... He can inherit some beat up old tools like everyone else...

Honestly, I would just keep them clean and in a conditioned space for now until you decide what to do... Not like they will ever go down in value.