Speciality tools - What to do?

BTMSUP · Feb 8, 2015

Hey guys,

I have a whole **** ton of tools that I don't think I will ever use but I don't just want to give away. My father was a machinist for 40+ years and he passed away a while ago. I went through all his boxes and I am keeping a lot of it, but the specialty stuff I will not have a use for. Here are some photos of the kind of stuff I am talking about. Micrometers, dial caliper, mill bits, taps and dies, etc.

If anyone has interest in it, I can get more photos of what is really in the bin. Ideally I would like to sell it all in one shot. What is even a ballpark value on stuff like this?

View media item 48173 View media item 48174 View media item 48175 View media item 48176 View media item 48177

Wayfastwhitie440 · Feb 8, 2015

Post tons of pictures of whats in it so we can get a idea of whats all there. Or you could just hang onto it for a while and be 100% that you wont need it as you advance your skills and then be like man to bad I didn't keep those. Just my 2cents

BTMSUP · Feb 8, 2015

View media item 48178 View media item 48179 View media item 48180 View media item 48181 View media item 48182 View media item 48184 View media item 48186

BTMSUP · Feb 8, 2015

Wayfastwhitie440 said:
Post tons of pictures of whats in it so we can get a idea of whats all there. Or you could just hang onto it for a while and be 100% that you wont need it as you advance your skills and then be like man to bad I didn't keep those. Just my 2cents

I get that. My skills do not lack. My father however was a tool hoarder. He seemed to have 2 or 3 of most things. I am a painter/fabricator so some tools will cross over and others never really will. I worked with him for a number of years so I have a good idea of what I will have a use for. I also know what will just sit in a corner and rot. I would rather it went to someone that can use and appreciate it.

bonneyman · Feb 8, 2015

That machinist tooling is high end stuff. Not cheap. Not just anyone can use it, but - to an employed machinist - it is treasure.

Heck, I'd take a few of the pieces to any local machine shops (or even technical schools) and ask around. you might find someone who's in the market.

LXCam · Feb 8, 2015

Sorry about your dad, losing a parent is a terrible experience. Also a little suggestion. The cased tools always have a value to them. But not any of the cutters or drill bits. Anytime you see that stuff just tossed into a box or drawer where there is no protection they become worthless except for someone who has the capabilities to sharpen them. All I'm saying is don't expect a value more then a dollar a piece for a end mill and pennies for a drill bit unless it's still in it's original case.

Good luck with your sale and if you figure out a price for everything and can put together a complete list of the tools, I'd be interested.

Malczewski · Feb 8, 2015

It's all over the map. You best go to a local tool and die shop(yellow pages) and have an "out of the trunk' sale.There's a lot of cashola there.He was a smart man with excellent tools.
PM me. I'll maybe buy the Brown & Sharp dial calipers from you.

Malczewski · Feb 8, 2015

Line those "stepped"(1/2" shank/larger drill point) drills up and make a complete set. Those sell quick.

Boiler · Feb 8, 2015

No way to tell what's all in there. Either way separate it into two lots. The precision measuring stuff vs the hard stuff like bits, taps, chucks, etc. spread out both lots and take a picture of each and we can probably help.

rsanter · Feb 8, 2015

Condition wil determine value.
The measuring tools if they are in good shape will bring decent money.
The cutters will sell but for a smaller percentage if what the original,price was.

I am interested in some of the stuff.....I guess I am a tool,hoarder like your dad

Bob

Richard Cranium · Feb 8, 2015

Pm member Kevin54, he is your man, He is one of the most honest guys on here. Plus that is what he does. He has his own shop at his home. Make him a good deal and he probably would be able to use all of that stuff.

softailgarage · Feb 8, 2015

Sorry to hear about your dad. My dad was also a machinist for 30+ years and I have all his tools, many the same as the pics you posted. A couple of things, first, when he passed in '98 I wasn't really into metal work or anything really "garage" related other than my job and knew absolutly nothing about machinist's and their tools. 5 years ago I started spending my free time in his old garage and started reading up on things like dial indicators, tramels, sine bars, taps, etc.and I now find myself using many of his old tools. I had 4 huge coffee cans of taps, 2 of which I tossed before realizing what they were and hundreds of drill bits. I've now gone thru, labeled, sharpened and housed in containers all the bits and taps, use them almost daily and will never have to spend money for them.Also, when I'm using dads old tools, in a strange way, it makes me feel closer to him even though he's long gone. Second, yes, back in the day I'm sure dad spent big money on this stuff. How could he not?,precision instruments are not cheap, never have been and I thought I had a small gold mine. The problem is with CNC being the modern way , a lot of these tools are obsolete. Todays machinist's dont have to do alot of the figuring now, they have a computer to do it for them. If your going to sell his tools and I hope you dont, from what I've seen, is to sell them as a complete lot and do your research first because some of this stuff is still worth big bucks, not many, but some pieces.

BTMSUP · Feb 8, 2015

Thanks guys for all of the advice. The stuff pictured is more or less the stuff that is extra or not needed by myself. I grew up with a mill and lathe in my garage so I have the ability to use all of these tools. I however will not. Anything that I will use is staying with me. I have a nice 2 piece Kennedy tool box that is bursting at the seams with my dads old tools and my brother kept his Craftsman roller and a ton of tools.

I will try and get a complete list of what is in this bin. I would say more than half of the mill ends are in the original cases, a lot of this stuff was never even used. Mostly stuff my dad would order 2 or 3 at a time and then forget there was an extra in his box when he broke it and order 2 or 3 more.

I would keep it all, however I am out of space. In the last 5 years we have lost our grandfather, 2 uncles, and my old man and all of those losses came with a huge influx to my tool collection. This spring/summer I hope to go through all of it and figure out exactly what I have.

Adam.C · Feb 9, 2015

My advice to anyone with these sorts of questions is to check completed auctions on eBay for similar items. That will give you an IDEA of what your tools may be worth.

In the past, antique dealers needed to be experts in whatever they selling to avoid being taken advantage of. Today, I recommend simply listing items like this on eBay, individually, with no reserve, and a low starting price. Take good quality pictures, identify everything correctly, and let the market determine the value. If it is electronic and untestable, offer a DOA guarantee.

Not sure I read all the previous posts carefully as I should have. I think CNC machinists no longer use some items found in these old tool and die makers' boxes. But I have personally paid crazy thousands of dollars to buy vintage collectible Starrett and other tools. I have collections of Surface Gage's that few people still use. So just a reminder that there are nuts like me out there who pay silly money for stuff people would otherwise throw in the trash.

For example, I'm currently paying stupid money for Snap On packaging-(the plastic trays), stuff people throw away when they buy tools. So pros buy sets for 25-40% off on special on the truck, they sell the packaging for another $10-20 to nuts like me. So save the boxes from the taps, end mills etc, even if ratty.

doidge · Feb 9, 2015

Watching. Veery interested

gte718p · Feb 9, 2015

I buy a lot of tool sets. As a set there is not a lot of money there. It takes time and energy to sort out what is what, clean it, prep it for sale, sell, and ship it. Any time you try to sell everything as a lot your looking at pennies on the dollars. Very few people want or need entire sets of tools. They are either dealers or extreme enthusiasts. Machinist or mechanics who will pay top dollar don't need or want to pay for the entire set. What is pictured is maybe $100-$200 as a set. Parted out it could easily be a several hundred dollars.
I agree with LXCAM. The open and unprotect mills and bits are not worth much. It looks like there are a fair number with cases. Depending on size, type, and condition they can bring anywhere from $5 to $100 a piece.

BTMSUP · Feb 9, 2015

gte718p said:
I buy a lot of tool sets. As a set there is not a lot of money there. It takes time and energy to sort out what is what, clean it, prep it for sale, sell, and ship it. Any time you try to sell everything as a lot your looking at pennies on the dollars. Very few people want or need entire sets of tools. They are either dealers or extreme enthusiasts. Machinist or mechanics who will pay top dollar don't need or want to pay for the entire set. What is pictured is maybe $100-$200 as a set. Parted out it could easily be a several hundred dollars.
I agree with LXCAM. The open and unprotect mills and bits are not worth much. It looks like there are a fair number with cases. Depending on size, type, and condition they can bring anywhere from $5 to $100 a piece.

Thanks, This is really what I was looking for. I had tossed around the idea of putting it all up on craigslist for sale as is but didn't know what it would bring. I figured if I could get $500-1000 the way it sits that is the route I would go. If it is only worth a couple hundred bucks I would rather donate to a tech school or kid getting into the business. They money is not what matters much to me.
I want it to get used again.

404 · Feb 9, 2015

The dial caliper should be stored with the jaws slightly open.

BTMSUP · Feb 9, 2015

404 said:
The dial caliper should be stored with the jaws slightly open.

What is the benefit of this? I have been around machinist tools my whole life and never recall seeing them stored that way. Spent weekends in my old mans machine shop with all the old guys and their tools.

zkling · Feb 9, 2015

Too bad you're not closer, I'd like to dig through as there are a few things I could certainty use. Unless there is a bunch of cased tools in the bottom that you are not showing the $500-$1000 is just unrealistic for someone to take the entire lot. Maybe, just maybe if you part every single piece out. Used, semi worn cutting tools have little value and limited market. Throwing a lot of that stuff haphazardly into bags, clanging together, was the kiss of death for much of those cutting tools.

BTMSUP · Feb 9, 2015

zkling said:
Too bad you're not closer, I'd like to dig through as there are a few things I could certainty use. Unless there is a bunch of cased tools in the bottom that you are not showing the $500-$1000 is just unrealistic for someone to take the entire lot. Maybe, just maybe if you part every single piece out. Used, semi worn cutting tools have little value and limited market. Throwing a lot of that stuff haphazardly into bags, clanging together, was the kiss of death for much of those cutting tools.

There is only one bag of loose bits, and even that half of them are either in cases or are just drill bits. Most of the stuff in the bin is in cases. I will try and find time this week to get it back out of the bin and get photos and more of a list of what is all in there. The tool boxes were emptied in my garage and the bin has yet to be moved, so minimal damage could have occurred at best.

404 · Feb 10, 2015

BTMSUP said:
What is the benefit of this? I have been around machinist tools my whole life and never recall seeing them stored that way. Spent weekends in my old mans machine shop with all the old guys and their tools.

Good question and I don't really know. I was just taught that way.

When closed the jaws might trap moisture from finger prints and corrode?

Dave455 · Feb 10, 2015

I'll just add my 2 cents worth as well..

Unless you are really short of space, I'd keep the whole darn lot!

Your Dad was obviously a discerning guy, as most machinists are, and probably paid top dollar for most of that lot over the years!

If you do sell it, at least split it into sensible size lots so folks can give you decent bids. If you sell it as one lot you'll realise a fraction of its true value! Which would be a shame!

What I see doesn't look that specialised. Anybody from a DIY'er to a reloader will need a vernier. Those Swiss made Brown and Sharpes are superb, but you won't get a fraction of i'ts true value because so many chancers are knocking out shagged ones!

Never going to use a depth gauge? If you do need a depth reading you're going to be really sad using that ruler when you sold the correct tool for a couple of bucks!

Keep the lot, including the consumables! Decent drill bits are getting more and more costly, not to mention hard to find!

BTMSUP · Feb 11, 2015

I have decided that I will go through the whole bin and prib keep more of it than I planned. I started taking boxes of stuff down to my basement last night so that I can sort it out and get it organized. I should be able to start getting photos up tonight or tomorrow.