Upcoming Auctions in California

[S1nned]

My first post, I think, so I hope its a good one!

Posting for these Workstation Pro Cabinets....

www.workstationpro.net website is very minimal, and gives no info.

They look like NICE cabinets and workbenches.
No idea on what they might go for.

I just bought 2 HF 44" boxes, wanting to do a Steevo type bench, but.....

I MIGHT be able to go look at these before, but its at least an hour from me....

Sacramento Auction June 4:

6 of these:

4 of these:

Other interesting items, such as:



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Los Angeles Auction upcoming June 8:



6 of these:

2 of these:

Other stuff:
http://www.rbauction.com/33-cabinet?invId=3753833&id=ci

http://www.rbauction.com/floor?invId=3743699&id=ci

http://www.rbauction.com/wells-1270-band-saw?invId=3748647&id=ci

http://www.rbauction.com/wilton-10-in?invId=3747931&id=ci

http://www.rbauction.com/qty-of-308-plastic-totes?invId=3753567&id=ci
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Sylmar Auction June 7:

SANDUSKY Qty of (2) Cabinets Misc Shop
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Tipton Auction June 13:

The Tipton search shows as Los Angeles in the url, so be aware. I don't know where Tipton is.....




5 of these, I think they are probably the same as the others, no pics yet

1 of these:

4 of these:

Some more of the 10 foot workbenches, but with pictures, so maybe 5 more, unless double posting...

Good Luck, if you choose to buy. I'm really interested, myself.....

 

[vw_tdi]

can anybody with some experience with these or similar auctions give a noob a how-to guide / tips, etc? Any guess as to how much these should end up going for?

 

[markduncan93]

These look like some decent cabinets but I'm curious how much the auction fees will be, 10% or 20% and higher. I searched on the auctioneer's site and didn't find a clear answer. Maybe I looked in the wrong places.

 

[ilovevocs]

I will take one of each please.

 

[S1nned]

I signed up on Ritchie Brothers last year, was looking for a compact tractor. They had a John Deere 110 with 4n1 bucket, a Backhoe and a Scraper box. It went for 20k, more than what I wanted to spend, but a great value.
If you sign up, you can look at auction results.
So I did, and found this in LA lat March:
http://www.rbauction.com/unused-2012-work-station-pro-heavy-duty-tool-cabinet?invId=7918628&id=ar

Same cabinet, sold for 1500.00.

I "assume" that fees were paid by seller, but I've never purchased from them, so I don't actually know.
http://www.rbauction.com/selling/faq-selling

 

[litljay]

I just went through the past auction results and looks like the 10 foot workbenches (20 drawer) went from $1700 - $4500. The higher prices were at an Auction at Grand Prairie AB, CAN.

I've registered to bid online with them. From their e-mail to me:

You must submit a refundable deposit before we can finalize your registration. The deposit must equal 25% of your desired bidding limit.

I'm going to watch it, but if they go for over $1k, I'm out.


*Edit - Are these metal? They sure look like it from the back and the tag.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Oh how I want some, There is that monkey on my back again....Rich

 

[DaWoodster]

I have attended the Los Angeles auction many times, but it's been a while. As I recall, they do charge a fee, 10% under $2500 and a smaller % for more $. You should also keep sales tax in mind.

One thing I looked for back in the day, was a pressure washer. I saw the "Easy-Kleen" units at RB, and after doing a bit of research online, discovered that brand seemed to be primarily sold at these types of auctions. They were almost always "new" yet I found little to no retail sale examples.

This seems to be the same with these boxes. I'm not saying this is bad, just an observation. The pressure washers seemed like decent units in person. But, getting any info on these boxes other than from folks that have seen/purchased at auctions will probably be very slim. The "manufacturer's" website given above is an example.. for all I & P, useless.

Another observation on the washers and these boxes; other than the crazy Canadian examples, they will be pretty consistent in sales price, most likely $1800 - $2300 with the 10 drawer benches being on the higher end. Also, at the LA auction, there's a different looking tall cabinet, all red and is more clearly metal. This will go for more.

So, it appears these are part of a number of items that are imported (I assume, and am NOT judging) with the means of distribution being these types of auctions. Again, not saying good or bad, they may be very nice units and worth the money, just don't think they are part of some factory liquidation via an auction.

If I go out to preview anything at the LA venue, I'll try to post back with more info and pics.

 

[All]

Great post, DaWooster. Good sleuthing beyond the "emotions" of auctions that by their very nature and history imply a "once in a blue moon" opportunity for a "good deal", when in fact the auction has metamorphasized into another retail channel.

I too, was almost suckered in to an EasyKleen hot water pressure washer. After some extensive research, I learned that EasyKleen is a Canadian managed brand of Chinese import pressure washers. The technique of auctioning them was/is a way to flood, dilute, and disrupt the current commercial hot water pressure washer market, which is still steeped in the hierarichal supply chain of manufacture to manufacturer's rep to distributer to boutique retailer, with a profit margin added to the final price at every rung of the ladder.

To avoid the hoopla and hysteria of the auction bidding environment, I discovered that EasyKleen pressure washers could be ordered directly from EasyKleen in Canada, and delivered truck freight to my US address for less than what the average auction price ended up being from my research. Buying directly from EasyKleen had some warranty advantages and phone services advantage as well, even if wrangled by guilt tripping the company over the phone.

In the end, I opted to get a used American brand pressure washer, where all components were manufactured in the US, including the Briggs and Stratton engine. Sadly, as of 2012, B&S layed off the 250 workers in Alabama that built my engine, and moved production to China.

It is very difficult as a consumer to support American jobs these days, when companies make the decisions about where things get made. It is no secret that Honda overhead valve small gas engines are generally deemed to the most reliable, but I still made the effort and looked for a Briggs and Stratton, which in my lifetime experience from lawnmowers to shredders to go carts has been less reliable than equivalent offerings from Honda and Kohler.

The engine in the EasyKleen is a knock off Honda. Looks JUST like a GX630. Come to find out, Honda already moved their manufacturing from Japan to China a long time ago, so at the end of the day, what difference does it make? Whether the engine is a Harbor Freight Predator, a Honda GX series, a Briggs & Stratton, or a whatever it is that EasyKleen puts in their auction marketed pressure washers, it all comes from the same COO.

For most people, just like the companies, it boils down to what can they get for a dollar.

When it comes to these beautiful looking toolboxes, the question isn't where they are made anymore. The question is, can you get these directly from the importer without going through the risks and hassles of the auction game. You can with EasyKleen... I wonder if you can with these toolboxes?

 

[4xdog]

Interesting... the same cabinets seem to be at *many* of the upcoming Ritchie Bros auctions across the US and Canada, and even in Australia.

Someone musta got a good deal on clearing out a lot of these. Whaddya think? Some Chinese factory looking to move stuff?

 

[litljay]

One of the auctions showed a tag that had the website as workstationpro.net.

Unfortunately, it's just one page.

VSKY
Sales Service:
[email protected]

Calgary
Mr. Don Kerr
Phone:1 403 371 8195

Edmonton

 

[S1nned]

Thanks DaWooster and All. I'm not as interested in these now, They look great, but my price point would be closer to 1000. It does look like its a quick, easy way to sell these for an importer. Unload them off the boat haul them to an auction, and let their staff sell them. Since you are buying these at auction, there's no warranty, either.
I thought I found a good one. I'd stick to the traditional "used" stuff at these Auctions.

Dennis