-
Welcome back Guest! Did you know you can mentor other members here at H-M? If not, please check out our Relaunch of Hobby Machinist Mentoring Program!
Rusty Mill
- Thread starter azshadeguy
- Start date
- Joined
- May 10, 2012
- Messages
- 995
Yea, hard to say. Arizona is a bit of a machine tool desert as well as a literal desert, so it may go for a good bit of change. If I lived close and actually needed a mill, I might be willing to go relatively high for that, but it would cost me more than 400 to go get it (and I'm a lot closer than you). Right now, I would have no place to put it. Technically, I could just put it in the yard till I got ready to do something with it, since it wouldn't get any worse here than it would there, but I don't think I can afford the divorce.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
I'm single so I've got the divorce problem covered. 
I also have my own trailer for hauling it home, so there would be no charge to transport it. And I have a building where I can put it, so I'm all set there too.
But you're right, if machines are hard to come by in AZ it could go for a pretty penny just due to that one factor. I can't see it going for any less than $400 to be honest. If I went to the auction I really wouldn't expect to win it for $400.
We'll see what happens with this one.
I also have my own trailer for hauling it home, so there would be no charge to transport it. And I have a building where I can put it, so I'm all set there too.
But you're right, if machines are hard to come by in AZ it could go for a pretty penny just due to that one factor. I can't see it going for any less than $400 to be honest. If I went to the auction I really wouldn't expect to win it for $400.
We'll see what happens with this one.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2013
- Messages
- 4,406
Ya ... except for the gas, food and lodging between PA and here, then the trip back
Of course, you could think of it as a sightseeing trip, with an "added reward" at the far end of the loop.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
Ya ... except for the gas, food and lodging between PA and here, then the trip back
You're right. I'm talking hypothetically.
It could be that no one local to the auction will be willing to bid $400 for the mill. Then you might get it for $300. I hope you do, if you're going to bid on it. I wish you the best.
The OP asked what it's worth. It's actually worth whatever someone close enough to the auction is willing to bid.
So I'm just saying that if I lived close to this auction it would be worth at least $400.
When the actual auction ends we'll find out what it's actually worth at that auction.
This also doesn't mean that no one would pay more for it. All that it would mean is that no one who was aware of the auction would pay more for it. There will always be people who hear later than it went for X amount of dollars and they will say, "Darn I wish I had known about that auction I would have paid more than that for it."
Then of course there will always be the people who will say, "I wouldn't haul it away for free. I don't care how much it sold for." But we don't care about those people because they won't be bidding on it.
You don't need to care about me either because I can't bid on it.
So I'm just playing around on an Internet thread saying what I would do if I could.
I'm the "Little Hobbyist who would if I could"
- Joined
- May 10, 2012
- Messages
- 995
I could haul it on my truck, but it gets about 10 mpg, diesel, so the fuel plus a hotel room would be more than 400 for the trip. I ran across this today, which was an interesting set of videos (if a bit long) that is relevant to this conversation. I cleaned up and repaired a 16" G&E shaper that was in at least as bad of shape as the mill above from a rust standpoint, and it had to have several repairs, as well. Came out pretty well.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
I watched that Rockwell lathe rebuild a while back. In fact, I've watched quite a few machine rebuilds that were in similar condition. And I'm actually looking for something to restore myself. I'm not really looking for a rusty machine, but hey, if the price is right I won't hesitate to start with a rusty machine.
In fact, in some cases you can actually get a better machine buying the rusty machine than the one that looks real pretty. The pretty one might have more serious issues concerning wear than the rusty ones. So I'm not going to run from rust. It could be that it's actually a fairly good machine that just needs cleaned up. I'm betting that's the case with this mill from the water company. They probably only used this for one-off repairs. If they bought it new it may not have any real wear on it at all. If that's the case, then that rust isn't going to be all that bad after all.,
But it does scare a lot of other people away, allowing the price to come down to a pretty good deal. This one even has the power table feed. That's nice. I'll bet that can be refurbished to work. Dang, I wish this auction was near me. Although like I say, I'm willing to bet that it goes for over $400 anyway. And that's the point where I'd start thinking twice. Start taking much more than that and you can pick up a better mill if you're willing to wait for the deal to come along.
In fact, in some cases you can actually get a better machine buying the rusty machine than the one that looks real pretty. The pretty one might have more serious issues concerning wear than the rusty ones. So I'm not going to run from rust. It could be that it's actually a fairly good machine that just needs cleaned up. I'm betting that's the case with this mill from the water company. They probably only used this for one-off repairs. If they bought it new it may not have any real wear on it at all. If that's the case, then that rust isn't going to be all that bad after all.,
But it does scare a lot of other people away, allowing the price to come down to a pretty good deal. This one even has the power table feed. That's nice. I'll bet that can be refurbished to work. Dang, I wish this auction was near me. Although like I say, I'm willing to bet that it goes for over $400 anyway. And that's the point where I'd start thinking twice. Start taking much more than that and you can pick up a better mill if you're willing to wait for the deal to come along.
- Joined
- May 2, 2011
- Messages
- 813
Well I didnt think it was relevant because I am in UK, but I would go to £450 on itYou didn't answer the question of the OP. What would it be worth?
What would be your max bid? (assume no major problems other than the rust). You've looked it over well many times. And found nothing major save for the rust issue. At what point in the auction would you walk away?
I offered $400. You you bid over that? Or would you have already walked away earlier when the bidding was still lower?
Just curious whether I would have won this mill at $400 if you and I were the only two bidders.
If you were willing to go $405 I'd be the one going home without the mill.
Any auction you want to factor in their additional fees..........so we have 12% buyers premium,5% proxbid premium (if you use it).,another premium for credit card use (5%).........and it also says there are local sales taxes........8.5% approx...........next are various hidden fees ,which are often special to an individual auction,and if a forklift isnt provided ,then there will likely be a "hanger on" with a fork charging anything to $100 for a single lift......So you bid $400,then add something like 1/3 (if the sales tax isnt waived for non residents),then maybe another $50 for a lift onto your truck.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
That's $594 US dollars. You're the high bidder thus far. I LOSE!
Let's see if the mill goes for more than $600 us dollars.
Anyone give $605 for it?
Currently the actual mill is holding steady a $160 in the real auction awaiting a bid of $170. But it has 5 more days to go.
I lost to hermetic. Although, I'm not sure if that really counts. Machines might go for quite a bit more in the UK than they do in the US? I don't know if that's true or not.