machinemaker
02-21-2008, 09:33 AM
I see threads about buying at a discount, dumpster diving and in general scrounging, but do any of you go to auctions? I know that I am in to more industrial scronging, but a lot of you may be looking for tools. yesterday I bid and bought a few things we needed for around the house and our home based business and we got some great deals. here is some of what I thought were good deals that sold at this auction:
shop style wood stove with heat exchager $10.00
4000 watt motor generator $220.00 (never used)
massive horizontal mill $211.00
4'x8' work bench with vice $30.00
2 desks $5.00
shop cabinets with bench top and over head cabinets $5.00
refrigerator / freezer $5.00
I see people who want to start a homestead business and if you wanted to do repairs, you could have put together a full machine shop for less than $3500.00 with the exception that there wasn't any welding equipment. vertical and horizontal mills, a good lathe, surface grinder, hydraulic press and tools, 7.5 hp air compressor, work benches, band saw, chop saw and tooling for less that buying a used truck.
The same auctioner was auction off a failed equipment rental yard today. I imagine the same thing, lots of equipment to start a on the side business or full time business for cheap. I went to this auction because one of the customers of this shop that was auctioned depends on some parts that this shop used to produced. we bought the punch press used to make this part for $235.00, the customer has gareenteed us that for at least the next 4-5 years they will buy enough parts from me, (I bought the tooling) that we will make 10-20k in labor each year from this $235.00 investment.
there are opportunities out there with a little digging and courage. Go for it!
There are some real advantages to having your own business to support your dream of a homestead. For example my shop is the same size as our home on the same property and mortgage, so now that its tax time we can write off half of our morgage as a business expense. My truck, a business expence. the tools I use to build things, oh ya a business expence. I would encourage you to look at what you're good at or want to learn, go to the library and read up. save a little cash, buy some tools and start a business on the side. as it grows, expand it until you have that tough choice of quitting the day job and being self sufficient, self employed.
kent
shop style wood stove with heat exchager $10.00
4000 watt motor generator $220.00 (never used)
massive horizontal mill $211.00
4'x8' work bench with vice $30.00
2 desks $5.00
shop cabinets with bench top and over head cabinets $5.00
refrigerator / freezer $5.00
I see people who want to start a homestead business and if you wanted to do repairs, you could have put together a full machine shop for less than $3500.00 with the exception that there wasn't any welding equipment. vertical and horizontal mills, a good lathe, surface grinder, hydraulic press and tools, 7.5 hp air compressor, work benches, band saw, chop saw and tooling for less that buying a used truck.
The same auctioner was auction off a failed equipment rental yard today. I imagine the same thing, lots of equipment to start a on the side business or full time business for cheap. I went to this auction because one of the customers of this shop that was auctioned depends on some parts that this shop used to produced. we bought the punch press used to make this part for $235.00, the customer has gareenteed us that for at least the next 4-5 years they will buy enough parts from me, (I bought the tooling) that we will make 10-20k in labor each year from this $235.00 investment.
there are opportunities out there with a little digging and courage. Go for it!
There are some real advantages to having your own business to support your dream of a homestead. For example my shop is the same size as our home on the same property and mortgage, so now that its tax time we can write off half of our morgage as a business expense. My truck, a business expence. the tools I use to build things, oh ya a business expence. I would encourage you to look at what you're good at or want to learn, go to the library and read up. save a little cash, buy some tools and start a business on the side. as it grows, expand it until you have that tough choice of quitting the day job and being self sufficient, self employed.
kent