Old Electric Motors?

[SCscoutguy]

When my grandfather died years ago we were forced to clean out his garage and thus most of the stuff out of it was piled into my fathers shop making it unusable. My dad asked me today to help him put allot of stuff on craigslist and to start he wanted to sell all of these electric motors my grandpa had laying around. The problem is I have no idea whatsoever what they are worth. They seems to be really old as some of them have cast steel bodies and a few are made by craftsman. I don't have the amp's and rpm's of them but he is going to write them down for me. I was just really hoping you guys could give me some ball park figure I should ask for these as a lot on craigslist and if you think anyone would possibly want them? They have to be worth at least what the copper inside of them is right?

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[sdowney717]

high HP single phase motors that can run saws, compressors are worth a lot more than little 1/4 HP 1/3 HP motors which most people wont be needing for anything.
People dont usually need the smaller motors since they dont seem to ever wear out.

 

[SCscoutguy]

I went and looked at these and most are 1/3 HP with a few 1/2 HP units. Most of them are 1725 to 2200 RPM as well. I am going to put them on craigslist as a lot. Any idea what I should ask for them all together?

 

[gorilla]

IMHO I think that you would come out ahead if you sold them for scrap.

 

[Dale B]

The black ones with mounting brackets / feet shown in the bottom picture are handy for small projects , I'd say $10 each. The grey ones are from appliances , prolly only worth scrap

 

[SCscoutguy]

Thanks guy I am think I am just going to list them on craigslist for $40 obo and see what happens. It really isn't with my time to break them down for scrap and take them to the yard.

 

[lilredex]

$10 ea. is a good asking price for those black ones, as suggested. Rather than put them out there as a lot, I'd take the best two and wipe them down a bit, and see what happens.............you may sell them all to the first guy that shows up. If you put them all out there, you'll come across as a "junk dealer/scrounger" and probably turn away most people..........'cause they'll think you ARE selling junk.

That is my first impression when I see those kinds of ads. Especially on Kijiji..........there is a link there "see sellers other ads" (to see if he really is a junk scrounger)

If you were around here and didn't want to bother with them, just put them all curbside a day before garbage day and they'll be gone within the hour.

 

[Mr_fixit]

$30 -$40 for all of them sounds reasonable. Must take all.

 

[antolod]

We junked out 2400 pounds of dead motors for a quarter a pound just a few weeks ago.

 

[sdowney717]

pulling all the copper out is not feasible. The copper is wound thru the steel laminations.

another motor which people need to replace are heat pump - ac fans and air handler motors. At my home, I simply tossed them in the trash when i replaced them.

I have 3 or 4 older motors laying in the garage like yours. They work but I have nothing to use them for yet. A couple came off a well pump, another a treadmill.

 

[lilredex]

pulling all the copper out is not feasible. The copper is wound thru the steel laminations.

another motor which people need to replace are heat pump - ac fans and air handler motors. At my home, I simply tossed them in the trash when i replaced them.

I have 3 or 4 older motors laying in the garage like yours. They work but I have nothing to use them for yet. A couple came off a well pump, another a TREADMILL.

If they are those 2 HP D.C. motors and you have the controls (variable speed), there are many neat re-uses for them............lathes and DP's to name just a couple. Nobody out there make bench grinders or sanders to use up those 1/4 and 1/3 HP motors?

Junk guys around here DO take the time to strip the copper from items like those. Put them curbside instead.

 

[sdowney717]

it was 120 volt. the speed adjustment accomplished by a sliding pulley which changed the diameter

 

[lilredex]

it was 120 volt. the speed adjustment accomplished by a sliding pulley which changed the diameter

Have that set up on a Delta DP-350 drill press, but only goes down to 500 RPM. Wish it would go slower as it is sometimes difficult to get things in my old Southbend for drilling.

 

[oltruckag]

Blaze Recycling here in Atlanta will take motors and pay pretty decent. More than steel price, less than #2 copper price.

 

[Skin]

if you were local i'd take the bench motor with the wire wheel off your hands [provided it had the cover so i didnt lose a finger while it was running . Stupid things are hard to find anymore with just a single threaded shaft

 

[SCscoutguy]

Just a update. We loaded them onto the trailer with all of the other junk out of the garage we needed to get rid of and went to the flea market yesterday. Some guy walked up and gave us $20 for all of them and I was happy to take it. I can't believe some of the stuff that we were just going to throw away that people bought.

 

[Ocho]

Just a update. We loaded them onto the trailer with all of the other junk out of the garage we needed to get rid of and went to the flea market yesterday. Some guy walked up and gave us $20 for all of them and I was happy to take it. I can't believe some of the stuff that we were just going to throw away that people bought.

I'll be watching for a "look what I scored for $20 at the flea market" thread.

Anytime you get money for something you were going to throw away, it's a good day. After all, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

 

[1Garageman]

I'll be watching for a "look what I scored for $20 at the flea market" thread.

Anytime you get money for something you were going to throw away, it's a good day. After all, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

I LOVE that saying!
It is so true. I have been on both ends of that saying, and I love it.


One man's trash is another man's treasure!

 

[sdowney717]

If he has a real use for them other than sitting around taking up space then it was a bargain to him.

My father in law is a hoarder. Those motors would be at his house till he died.
There will be a lot of cleanup to do at both his houses.
To hoarders, stuff is their wealth.

 

[jwillis]

I would definitely save some of the ones with the feet on them. I have made them into grinding/buffing wheels in the past. The wheels side right onto them. In fact the one I have in my garage now I made in the 70s. I made a table on a hinge to mount it on so I can drop it down and let it hang on the wall to save space when I am done with it. Maybe you could sell some to your buddies with that thought in mind. I don't think $5.00 to $10.00 apiece is too far out of line. I always have kept an old motor or two around for purposes like that. The ones that are grey with all of the holes in them with no mounts probably came out of a clothes washer or dryer. Might need one of them one day. Ya think?......Good luck........jwillis

 

[e-tek]

If all they are worth is $5-$10 each, I'd be inclined to keep them! Give a couple to some friends who could use a grinder or buffer, make a wire wheel and polish/buffing station for yourself.