Home Depot Tool Auction brought me back to reality :) today...

After the school shop closure auction, I was in tool heavin. So since I love tools, and dream shop a lot allowing me to almost memorize retail prices, I decided to seek out tool type auctions, more for resale and partly for our shop.

So excitement built up as I went to this Home Depot tool auction. Most of what I bought is for resale.

For our shop I bought a “new condition” 7 1/4” ridgid circular saw for 30.00 which I think sells for around 100.00. This was a great buy because for as many tools as we have, we do not own a circular saw. We had two circular saws but both have been lost in the past 6 months.

Also for the shop I bought a brand new in packaging Diablo 12” (high tooth count, cannot remember???) blade for our 12” Dewalt sliding miter saw. I paid 15.00 and it sells for 55.00 at Home Depot.

Tools I bought for resale:

I bought a so called “technician” lot of ridgid tools for 35.00. I hope to sell these items on ebay (with full disclosure and no reserve) unless any of you are interested. It came with:

corded recipricating saw. motor works fine, but the blade holder does not move. Something simple probably broken.

Corded Fuego angle grinder, motor runs, but seems to run rough. I think maybe needs new brushes.

5” ridgid ROS. Does not turn on at all. Maybe issue with the switch. Power cord does illuminate.

2 – X4 18v drills, one of them runs fine, motor works good but has a broken chuck. The other is identical, has a good chuck but the motor is broken.

4 – 18v lithium ion batterys and 2 chargers. It does not appear any of these work but I am not sure. One charger does light up though.

Not part of the “technician” lot, but I managed to buy a Rotozip RZ1500 brand new not used for 25.00. I hope to sell it also on ebay for whatever I can get, no reserve.

Then I bought a few other non tool items for resale, nothing to get excited about though.

So my thing is, it seemed everyone was bidding well above 50% retail value for many of the tools. And here I thought all auctions sold tools pennies on the dollar like the school shop auction I attended.

Well as far as need goes, I was able to fill our currently greatest need with the circular saw at a 1/3 of the retail cost so it was a good day and my resale items should net a modest profit for my fun day. I am happy :)

-- Jerry Nettrour, San Antonio, www.topqualitycabinets.net