Thread: Best way to sell a SB?

What would be the best way to sell a SB? I got the green light to buy another lathe from the wife, so I'm thinking about selling my current SB.
I expect if I post here I'll just reach a bunch of folks that already have a lathe. I've never sold anything on eBay or Craig's list, so I don't know what I would be getting into. I doubt that there is much market in South Dakota. I'm leaning toward craigs list but it seems like people get a lot of scammers.
Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by Leigh B

What would be the best way to sell a SB?

For cash! At least I like cash best.

The best way is to price it fairly, and not hope to rape the buyer. Both ebay and craigslist are full of machines that are not priced fairly, one needs to sort through it all.

If you have to ask where to sell a machine, that's not a good sign, IMO. Good luck with your sell.

You have to weed out the junk on Craigslist, but I've had a lot of luck selling items there, you just deal with junk emails.

Yeah! Although trading on another lathe would fit me well too, but I doubt machinery dealers would want to mess around with a trade in.

Given your situation CL might be the way to go. I wouldn't list the SB there until you sell something small to get your feet wet. You need to get the hang of it before you have people coming into your shop. With selling something small you can do the deal at your doorstep. Sometimes 3 or 4 guys will show up to look at your lathe so they can get inside. One guy will act interested while the others are checking out what else you have and the best way to get in. You will end telling them when you will be home so they can look at again later. Their next visit when you are gone they clean you out. E-bay is not the place to sell something like a lathe as your first listing. Because you will have no record of sales it won't bring in many bidders if any at all. Also their fee's are out of site. Everything is geared towards the buyer. Sellers there need to learn the system before jumping in with a large item. Since you are new at the game you would be better off selling for hundreds less to a local trusted buyer than getting an education the hardway.Postponing the sale while testing the waters is what I would advise. Try not to take too little because you are in a hurry. Others wlllchime in and tell you something else. Yes it can work out great with throwing caution to the wind. Hope you have good luck in whatever you chose.

List it right here. Post a few (a lot) of pictures and include what additional items you will sell with it. Almost everything I posted for sale on PM sold. The people here know what they want and how much it is worth. I have had no problems with personal checks from people on this site. Here in the northeast SB's are a dime a dozen. Only the exceptional beauties get the highest cash. And the best of all it is free to list it here. It's worth a shot.

+1 with tommy1010

47nomad nailed it- i learned my lesson putting a machine on CL, luckily i didn`t get cleaned out.
i agree that the first place to try is here- although it is probably the worst place to sell a SB( everyone has one here!) it is the safest route.
no luck, then take nomad`s advice. get the machine you are selling out of your shop if you can , stick it in the shed next to the lawn mower and keep your shop out of it!
unless your lawn mower is in your shop...

You didn't say what size SB you would sell or what kind of lathe you want to buy.
I wouldn't sell the one I have until I had my new one.
Don't get in a position where you settle for something you don't really want.
Some of the tooling for your current lathe might work on your new one. Kenny

Didn't mean to disregard this forum as an excellant place to sell. Just discussing the other 2 options you listed. The guys here are great. And should't be any worries. Probably many not local to you would travel to your location to pick it up. But then again could make for a great vacation. So one never knows until you try it. By all means try it here first.

Craigslist works.... but like 47nomad said, Craigslist buyers in your shop is a bad idea. I have a small rolling scaffold I put stuff on . When they set up a time to see whatever I roll it into the drive way and close the garage door.

For example.


Craigslist is a great resource if you are prepared. Here in Phoenix AZ a small decently tooled lathe priced between $500 and $1000 goes quick. The 1 in the pic was well tooled for what it is and sold for $600 in under 2 hours.

Do the Boy scout thing and be prepared. Know what tooling you are willing to include. Decide on a price. You can always come down but it is hard to get more $$$ after starting with a low price.

Craigslist negotiations are NOTHING like the reality TV shows.

Sure you will meet some flaky folks with a Craigslist ad. But I have met some really good folks too.
Sell something small. Get your feet wet. Then go for it.

just tell me what it is and if you can ship. Ill take it. what size is it

Craigslist works for me, but I have learned a few (counter-intuitive) lessons:

Don't accept texts, they are are from folks who go through all that trouble so you can't hear their voice, their lack of English skills, etc. If you accept texts, you will end up repeating yourself, CAUSE THEY DIDN'T OR WOULDN'T READ THE COMPLETE AD. And perhaps they are just trying to harvest a list of textable phone numbers.

I gave up on emails, so I go strictly with voice phone calls. Emails typically start with "Do you still have...?" or "Does that fit....?" and then when you answer, the next email is likely "Would you accept xx dollars?"

When I am obligated to contact a seller by email, my subject line is "I can come by tomorrow to buy your..." or a similiar opening statement. If the potential buyer doesn't have an idea of when they can come by, they aren't prepared.

In summary:
Declare you don't accept texts. Don't respond to any texts.

Disable the craigslist email address, and don't put your email address in the ad, either.

Make sure you have your phone number in the ad.

Go through the effort of clear, well-lighted, close-up photos, unless you are selling a cryptozoological specimen.


On edit: On small portable items, don't be afraid to suggest meeting someone at a truck-stop, shopping center, etc. as a way to protect your location and to provide an easy to locate landmark/destination. It's done all the time. I've met people on bicycles at a half-way point, and then sold them $100 of extension cords (I brought zip ties and anchored the cords to the carrier). That was their suggestion, so I accepted it.

If you have a vacant parking lot across from your residence/business, meet them there. Don't declare "across the street from my house", just tell them that's an easy place to meet.

Good Luck,
Steve

Thanks for all the advice. I'll have to spend some time to get my pictures and add together. Selling stuff is a real PITA. I'll post here first, cause I agree, knowlegabe people and least risk. But not many members close to me so it will probable be a Craig's list deal. I figure most folks are going to want to see it run, so it will have to stay in my shop, no parking lot or ally deals.
If anyone one wants a early look see, it is post #2 in the sticky, SB Picture Gallery.

That's a nice machine, I don't think you'll have trouble finding a home for it. I think you'll find that, being in an "iron poor" part of the world, the lathe will move quickly. And you don't know how many people within a day's drive are out there just "reading the mail", never having posted here. I suspect there are quite a few.

And you don't know how many people within a day's drive

Craigslist has a statewide search option for each of the Dakotas...