Craigslist Anchorage

[MetalMunger]

Those not living in Alaska can laugh or cry at the following listings, up north we have much to be thankful for but plentiful low priced used equipment is not on the list:

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/tls/3757009541.html

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/tls/3705243514.html

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/tls/3743317141.html

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/tls/3752605816.html

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/tls/3688931489.html

[oxford]

While it is no smoking deal, the prices on that stuff is not a lot more than what I have seen stuff on my local CL. The last one is way over priced though.

[sasquatch]

Agreed, those prices would be normal in my area. Maybe a wee bit high, but have seen worse.

[CCWKen]

That's about what they are in the deep south too. I don't see anything way out of line. A worn out J-Model BP can bring an easy $4000 and up down here. So much of the used equipment gets taken south of the boarder it's hard to find good used equipment on a home shop budget. Most will just buy new imports. They hold their value down here too.

[MetalMunger]

Thanks for making my day the sky is grey it is spiting snow and here I thought I would get some pity. I feel much better now and will feel for you guys when the salmon start running

[Dr Stan]

I thought I would get some pity.

Pity from a bunch a metal munchers/gear heads. Now that's funny.

[wagnerite]

those machines look to be in pretty good shape, and the sellers have good reason to list them at that price. The last ad was deleted, so i didn't see what it was. Those prices aren't firm anyway, there's always some haggle room. You can get a feel of how negotiable the price is when you talk to the seller.

Here in So Cal, I've seen lathes and mills with barely any paint, covered in grease, left OUTSIDE and the seller still want 2000 to 3000 more than the ones you posted. Apparently, just because it says Bridgeport on it means it's worth $5000. Never mind that it's been sitting at the side of the house for 15 years uncovered, the ways RUSTED, table RUSTED and lots of holes. But hey, hobby machinists just looooves Bridgeports.

There are some good deals to be had. There are those who just want to find their machines a good home, where someone will put them to good use, there are those who are in need of cash, there are those who are selling their recently deceased older relatives' machines/tools... and my favorite: There are those who bit off more than they can chew. Hobbyists who, for one reason or another, tooled up to the hilt on some whim, then, two months later, they found out welding/machining is too hard and they're too lazy to learn, so they want to recover the money and move on to another hobby.

I would think with your long winters up in Anchorage, where you might have to wait a long time for replacement parts, having the tools to fabricate your own would be a luxury. Therefore, those machines must carry a premium. I might not know what i'm talking about though, I live in southern california where i refuse to go into the shop when it's below 55F

[Doc Nickel]

Like the others said Munger, those really aren't all that far out of line. While we occasionally hear of the $50 "tool gloat" and the like, a lot of that tends to happen on the East Coast, where heavy iron prices are still fairly low.

Personally, it took me well over ten years to collect even what modest tooling I have. Both my lathes were word-of-mouth deals that never saw Craigslist (the first one happened before CL even existed) and the only mill I could find, for literally years, was an old Jet mill-drill that I paid $1,500 for- no tooling at all- and thought I got a decent deal. I eventually had to buy a new import Bridgeport clone because I couldn't find anything else.

Some things I got were deals (about $400 for the surface grinder, at an auction) some weren't as much of a screaming deal but I felt the price was still worth it ($3K for a well-tooled Sheldon lathe in very good condition.)

I almost went to look at that Sebastian but I couldn't cram it into the schedule. You forgot to list the "10 HP Baldor Polishing Lathe", though...

Doc.

[DATo]

Those prices do not seem that far out of line with what I'd expect to pay for similar equipment in the same condition anywhere else. You also have to consider shipping costs though, which I wouldn't think would be cheap from Alaska. But that works both ways. If I lived in Alaska I would dread the cost of bringing a machine IN as well.