Cool Tools Cheap

[jerryW]

Did I get took this morning?

Snap-on 7/16 combo wrench oxa-140'
Mac 1/4 x 5/16 open end dr-810
Mac 1/2 combo 6 pt ch16
Vlchek 1/2 x 9/16 open end w1628
Vlchek 3/4 x 5/8 open end unmarked shield v
Vlchek 1/2 combo wbe 16
Bonney 7/16 box end / 12 pt tubing 23314
Herbrend 3/4 combo 1224
Herbrend 7/16 combo 1214-n
Proto 1/2 x 7/16 open end 3025
proto Plomb 1 combo 1232 peble around size
plomb 7/16 combo 1214 pebble panel
Plomb 1/2 x 9/16 box end 1126 IF date
plomb 1/2 breaker bar 5468 pebble panel
Williams 5/8 x 9/16 deep offset box end 9727
Wilde 5/8 x 9/16 open end 1727
BOG mfg 7/16x 3/8 offset box end
Penens 15/16x 1 open end
Craftsman 11/16 x 19/32 open end 1027
Billings !5/16 x 1 open end 1033c
Blue point 9/16 boxocket x18 offset one end double bos
blue point 1/2 x 9/16 offset box end xs-1618
Proto 3/4 6 pt standard socket 3/8 dr 5224-h
Proto 5/8 12 pt deep socket 3/8 dr 5020
Snap on 3/8 12pt sf-120 knurled base

Went with $38 in my pocket. Now I gotta go to the bank for lunch money for tomorrow!


jerry

 

[Rickster]

I love a good "cheap tool" story. What was it; Estate sale? Garage sale? Friday I got some Snapon channel locks, an Armstrong two jaw puller and a baby food jar of really nice little screws for $2.50 at an estate sale.

 

[eschoendorff]

I hate you guys!

 

[jerryW]

Just our typical weekend park and swap. Gotta love people that don't know what it's worth unless it's a snap-on or a mac! I even get those really cheap with a handful of other stuff. This was from about 7 different sellers. Most expensive piece was the PLVMB breaker bar at $10.


jerry

 

[Jared]

Id say you got ripped off lol

 

[Rickster]

Everyone knows the Craftsman name and will price them high, but SK and the rest can be had for cheap.

 

[jbilbo]

How do you find these swap meets? I'm clueless!

 

[Rickster]

Several different ways to locate estate sales.

Your local paper should have a website where you can check out the classisfieds. Go to both the major city paper and the suburbs papers. Here I check the Detroit News, but better info comes from the suburbs papers. Here the local cities are either Hometown or Heritage newspapers and each has a website classifieds section that will list estate sales.

Sometimes the ad in the paper will tell you the estate sale company's name and website, check it out and bookmark it. They will often let you know when and where the sales will be ahead of time and the better sites also have pictures available.

Here is a decent site to start out with; http://www.estatesales.net/

Things I learned:
- They all seem to start on either Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
- Opening day the prices are pretty firm and they deal more as time goes on.
- If you want to be there when they open the doors, when you arrive ask the people in thier cars or standing around who's handing out numbers. These are called "street numbers" and get one ASAP, it will determine your entry order at the begining. After the initial rush at open, usually the first hour, you can just walk in.
- Always head for the garage and then the basement furnace room, thats where the workshops usually are.
- Bring your own bag, something that will hold a heavy load. I have a canvas shopping bag from somewhere I use.
- Cash is king at these things, but some of the larger companies will take credit cards and checks. The ones run by the family are cash only, but that's where the deals can be had.

 

[Gregdoo]

Rickster has some valid tips. The opening morning crowds (if not on a weekend) usually are folks (and pros) who are responding to ads, and looking for higher end stuff like furniture, art and jewlery. If the ad doesn't list tools, so much the better, as it will not lure folks only looking for tools.

Another thing, I went to an estate sale this weekend and the garage had a lot of stuff in it that was on tables and heavily picked over. The estate sale staff hadn't yet "refilled" the tables from the boxes under the tables. I ended up with a nice tap and die set and a bunch of screw extractors (some Snap-on, Blue Point and other US brands) for $12, just for looking in a box under the table.

Garage sales are even better if the ad states it is a divorce sale. You can often get items REALLY cheap from the spurned spouse. Nothing like a bit of hate to temper greed!

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

Jerry, Came in late for this thread. Those are OLD SCHOOL tools

All great tools, YOU GOT A BARGAIN!!!

-BWP

 

[jerryW]

I know!

I looked at about 18 different tool piles to find those. Out of about 150 vendors, mostly just walk on by types, just for the fun of the hunt.

Just started really collecting about 2 years ago. It's always amazing to see what is out there for cheap. I usually just go on by the guyas with all the Snap-on all lined up. They usually want close to retail anyhow.


jerry