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Huge Machine Shop Auction - Lewiston, CA
- Thread starter MrWhoopee
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2016
- Messages
- 3,007
Several decent looking drill presses and at least one surface grinder.
I've watched several local auctions from this company and found most don't end up as bargains, particularly after you add in the fees. Maybe some good deals on the higher end stuff, but of the items I've watched that you would expect to go in the under $2000 range I frequently see much better deals turn up on CL. Last year I saw a dusty, rusty HF mini-lathe selling for almost as much as buying new.
With that many CNC machines in one auction though it could turn out some bargains in that area if somebody had the room and the interest. I don't have the first and only a little of the second.
As far as the business it is kind of surprising that not one news story shows up on the closing of the business. Lewiston is a town of less than 2000 people, and the local paper has numerous articles recognizing donations from the company to the community, as well as an obituary for the companies founder (same as posted by Mr Whoopee). You would think its closing or moving would have rated at least one story in the local news.
As that is an area that once had a much busier extraction industry (mining, timber) I initially thought maybe it was a company that was slowing down as those industries declined, explaining the seemingly high employee to machine ratio. The CNC machinery looks much newer than the 1980s vintage that would be expected if that was the case, so yeah maybe just a case of nobody wanting to run the place once the founder died or combining with another company and this is the stuff that didn't make the move. Surprisingly for such a small town there are several other machine shops listed in the general area.
I've watched several local auctions from this company and found most don't end up as bargains, particularly after you add in the fees. Maybe some good deals on the higher end stuff, but of the items I've watched that you would expect to go in the under $2000 range I frequently see much better deals turn up on CL. Last year I saw a dusty, rusty HF mini-lathe selling for almost as much as buying new.
With that many CNC machines in one auction though it could turn out some bargains in that area if somebody had the room and the interest. I don't have the first and only a little of the second.
As far as the business it is kind of surprising that not one news story shows up on the closing of the business. Lewiston is a town of less than 2000 people, and the local paper has numerous articles recognizing donations from the company to the community, as well as an obituary for the companies founder (same as posted by Mr Whoopee). You would think its closing or moving would have rated at least one story in the local news.
As that is an area that once had a much busier extraction industry (mining, timber) I initially thought maybe it was a company that was slowing down as those industries declined, explaining the seemingly high employee to machine ratio. The CNC machinery looks much newer than the 1980s vintage that would be expected if that was the case, so yeah maybe just a case of nobody wanting to run the place once the founder died or combining with another company and this is the stuff that didn't make the move. Surprisingly for such a small town there are several other machine shops listed in the general area.
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2016
- Messages
- 2,645
I got my Wilton drill presses from a West auction. That auction was in Fresno. The people were decent to deal with. Most of their auctions are too far away from me. They do auction off some interesting stuff at times.
I bought an 8" 4 jaw chuck from a Precision Warehouse auction in Paso Robles awhile back. That auction had a bunch of lathes and milling machines. In talking with the people they said that all of the lathes and milling machines were bought by a company that was exporting them to Mexico. Wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens with this auction.
I bought an 8" 4 jaw chuck from a Precision Warehouse auction in Paso Robles awhile back. That auction had a bunch of lathes and milling machines. In talking with the people they said that all of the lathes and milling machines were bought by a company that was exporting them to Mexico. Wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens with this auction.