Is Machinery Values in NJ worth a visit?

Machinery Values in Harrison, have heard that for used machines, etc., it's the equivalent of a holy man's visit to Mecca. Anyone been there recently? What's their stock like, any accessory items (rotary tables, indexers, tool holders, etc)? Decent prices? Is it appointment only or just walk in and browse?

Same question for Cook's in Sicklerville, NJ?

Cooks is great, lots of everything, browse to your heart's content. Don't go when it's very cold, there's no heat. And take one of those headlights you wear on your forehead, the lighting isn't great.

Never been there but have bought a few pieces from Machinery Values.
No complaints here.
When visiting these places leave your checkbook and cash in the car or better yet at home so you can think a bit.
Easy to get carried away as you may see lots of things you would love to have.
Bob

Not so much at Cook's. They price things to sell and if you snooze the item will be gone - they turn things over quickly. Sort of like HGR without the junky crap and they will run machines for you to hear.

A tip - the more you buy the cheaper it gets. I start piling things I want near the door. When I'm done I ask how much. If the price is say, $600, I'll ask how much for just half the pile and it will be $500. Usually my dilemma is what I can't take with me - I've filled a 12' box truck more than once. There are lots of shelves and drawers to look through, figure on spending most of a day there.

I like the guys at Cook's...I bought a lathe from them about a year ago. Instead of bickering over the price I asked if they could make additional stuff as part of the deal, a chuck some 5C collets, etc. The one brother agreed to that, then when it came to write a check the other brother handled the deal and he then told me a cheaper price...I told him I thought the number was "X", he said are you going to argue over a cheaper price?!

Yes its cold there, but they do have a GIANT woodstove they built, but iy only warms the immediate area.

I have never been to MV...I have wondered though....do tye have a lot more than what is listed on ebay and their site? And can you just walk thru the place looking?

Are people that visit the store in a blizzard get preferential treatment? [emoji16]
Seriously, is it possible to buy from one of these large used machinery dealers and flip for profit in the machine starved parts of the country?

challenger said:

Seriously, is it possible to buy from one of these large used machinery dealers and flip for profit in the machine starved parts of the country?

Click to expand...

Yes- assuming one has free transport and a ready market. Fuel and storage costs will destroy your profit otherwise.

allan

There are other dealers that make trips to Cook's to buy for their own inventory. And I've seen trucks and containers being loaded there for export in the past.

Wondered about Cook's, had heard that most of his business was from shipping containers of old machines to S. America and the like. Since it's down near Fazios, I'll make the side trip next time.

It's been awhile but I was at machinery values, got my Bridgeport there. Lots more there than on the website. Got a great machine for a good deal and they they threw in a vise and a bunch of collets after we settled on the price.

Holy moley.....
I don't understand.....Is there an overhead crane??
If I wanted that green air compressor at 9:00 how the heck would they get it out of there,
other than spend several hours moving 'stuff'....


Also: Never been there, but my experience with them is a bit different.
I was at an auction, and one of their people bought a well used, dirty automatic cold saw for a great price, and I missed
the bidding.
I approached the person shortly afterward, and asked to buy it. Not interested. I said I was of course willing to pay
a profit over and above what they just bought it for, nope....not interested in selling it in so many words, unfriendly sort.
Seemed odd because they could have made their profit on it and avoided rigging and trucking all the way back to their
facility.

Mud said:

Cooks is great, lots of everything, browse to your heart's content. Don't go when it's very cold, there's no heat. And take one of those headlights you wear on your forehead, the lighting isn't great.

Click to expand...

dkmc said:

Also: Never been there, but my experience with them is a bit different.
I was at an auction, and one of their people bought a well used, dirty automatic cold saw for a great price, and I missed
the bidding.
I approached the person shortly afterward, and asked to buy it. Not interested. I said I was of course willing to pay
a profit over and above what they just bought it for, nope....not interested in selling it in so many words, unfriendly sort.
Seemed odd because they could have made their profit on it and avoided rigging and trucking all the way back to their
facility.

Click to expand...

From their website site, looks like they sell on Fleabay, Craigslist and export containers of "stuff" to india. Maybe the cold saw already had a potential buyer and/or they already had a truck coming for the other stuff. Rigging and transporting one more item, more or less didn't matter.

The Search Function is Your Friend!

The search function will reveal many prior threads regarding Machinery Values.

On Edit: After a bit more searching, I found the Machinery Values post I was looking for:

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general-archive/holy-pilgramige-kind-90928/

John Ruth

SouthBendModel34 said:

The search function will reveal many prior threads regarding Machinery Values.

On Edit: After a bit more searching, I found the Machinery Values post I was looking for:

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general-archive/holy-pilgramige-kind-90928/

John Ruth

Click to expand...

Thanks! But I can use the search function too and I was aware of the particular thread you posted the link to. However that visit was in 2004 and guess what? It's 2015, things change, company management changes and so do policies. So I was soliciting current information and needless to say first hand reconnaissance, just as the OP was in the Gold's Machinery thread.

dkmc said:

Holy moley.....
I don't understand.....Is there an overhead crane??
If I wanted that green air compressor at 9:00 how the heck would they get it out of there,
other than spend several hours moving 'stuff'....

Click to expand...

From where that picture was takeing it's a bit misleading as to how packed the place is. There is a couple of isles that run fron one side of the building to the other. So to get your green air-compresser they would only have to move 2 or 3 machines.

dkmc said:

Holy moley.....
I don't understand.....Is there an overhead crane??
If I wanted that green air compressor at 9:00 how the heck would they get it out of there,
other than spend several hours moving 'stuff'....


Also: Never been there, but my experience with them is a bit different.
I was at an auction, and one of their people bought a well used, dirty automatic cold saw for a great price, and I missed
the bidding.
I approached the person shortly afterward, and asked to buy it. Not interested. I said I was of course willing to pay
a profit over and above what they just bought it for, nope....not interested in selling it in so many words, unfriendly sort.
Seemed odd because they could have made their profit on it and avoided rigging and trucking all the way back to their
facility.

Click to expand...

reggie_obe said:

From their website site, looks like they sell on Fleabay, Craigslist and export containers of "stuff" to india. Maybe the cold saw already had a potential buyer and/or they already had a truck coming for the other stuff. Rigging and transporting one more item, more or less didn't matter.

Click to expand...

That would be my guess, that they already had it sold.
They sure aren't 'friendly' like a salesman is, all smiles and handshakes and such. More accurate to call them matter of fact, they just tell you how it is with no embellishment. James Gandolfini reminded me of Tom Cook, a man of few words unless needed, and his brother Jim is about the same. On the other hand I found them to be generous and willing to do whatever needed. The first visit there I bought some big fixture plates, one was a Challenge 4X6 on a stand. While loading it, Steve opened a drawer in the stand and found a 600 amp TIG torch. He asked if I could use it and wanted it. I said yes, I'd like to have it, how much? He said "You can have it. We usually clean things out before we sell them, but you can have it if you can use it. If you can't, we'd like to sell it so someone that can use it." The torch was probably worth what I paid for the plate. Another time I was agonizing over whether to buy a #4 square head W&S because I didn't have a turret lathe yet and this one was exceptionally clean and unworn. Tom's view was "Yes it's a nice machine. If you don't buy that one there will be other nice machines." And that was all he had to say about it.

If you wanted that compressor, they'd likely have it out and loaded on your truck in a half hour. I've seen them in action, every able bodied man on a forklift and every forklift moving a machine. I watched them unload 2 semi's that arrived from a large company cleaning out a shop. There were 5 forklifts running and a spotter in the building and the drivers helping on the trucks. It looked like NYC at rush hour, Bridgeports and lathes and such flying everywhere, the trucks were empty and back on the road in what seemed like an hour. There have been times I was interested in something in the middle of a room like that, but I was hesitant to ask for it because of what I thought would be too much trouble to get it. When I did ask I got 'no problem, we'll get it out." Looking back with raised eyebrows and a 'really?' got me a nod and a shrug, and 'do you want it?' Stand back, zoom zoom, it's out. And I've never seen a machine that looked like it was damaged there.

Here's some more photos, these are all from 10 years ago. They definitely make the most of the room they have.

I took these photos at the same time. Anyone recognize this lathe?

Reminds me of a surplus and general dealer I used to go to over 35 years ago.

I always addressed him as Mr, sort through what I wanted - it was all priced and out it in a heap, then he'd come up 'Now then, whatcha got Sami boy?' - '25 quid Mr X' at which he'd step back, tilt his head and narrow his eyes at the pile then grin 'Gimme 15 n piss off, oh n bring that X back if it don't work.' 'Yes Mr X thanks Mr X.' said Sami handing over the cash and loading his truck.

If anyone tried to haggle him down he'd put the price up

Strange way of doing business? may be, but he retired a very wealthy man!

Dealt with Rob Ferreira when I bought this - it was on Ebay, so I got them on the phone and made an offer, which was accepted on the spot. Joe (99Panhard) was passing thru the area and checked it out under power (thanks again Joe) beforehand

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...12-vertical-shaper-243485/?highlight=vertical

Cook Machinery as it appears on their website: http://www.cooktoolandmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/WarehousePano-Crp.jpg Not quite as jam packed as the other photo makes it appear.