Car boots

[Anonymous]

From time to time car boot sales and markets is recommended as a way to get tools cheaper than new. They might need some work, but planes f.ex. will be good with new iron, sole flattened, etc.

Does anyone have any experience with this, and can you recommend a car boot sale or market.

I have been to a couple of car boots and what was on offer was mainly a lot of junk. The nearest I came was some chisels at a market - at a price higher than new ones. Probably because they were "antique".

thanks a lot,

Geir

 

[Alf]

Welcome to the forum, Geir.

From time to time car boot sales and markets is recommended as a way to get tools cheaper than new. They might need some work, but planes f.ex. will be good with new iron, sole flattened, etc.

The whole idea of car boot sales loaded with dirt cheap tools appears to be several years out of date from my experience. View them with caution as a primary source for furnishing your tool kit.

Does anyone have any experience with this, and can you recommend a car boot sale or market.

I do have a smidgeon of experience of car boots, yes. Don't really know what there is in your area in that line, although recently I discovered apparently Gloucester Green market in Oxford has secondhand tool stalls, fwiw. Try Car Boots UK and Carboot Junction.

I have been to a couple of car boots and what was on offer was mainly a lot of junk.

For every sucessful car boot visit I must have had a dozen or more no score draws; it's par for the course I'm afraid. You really do have to enjoy the chase for its own sake. You have to go to dozens of them, get to know who, and where, the tool selling types are. Make it known you're looking, and even what you're looking for. If just acquiring tools is the goal then you're probably better off going to a dealer to be honest. Or searching the classified ads of the local papers etc. Up until recently that was easily my best source, but even that's dried up now. I fear Ebay is taking a heavy toll on local tool availability. And sometimes members here will sell off surplus tools too - occasionally you have to take a passing mention and run with it to a PM (private message) on the off-chance. That's how someone else who shall remain nameless ended up with my scraper plane, f'rinstance.

The nearest I came was some chisels at a market - at a price higher than new ones. Probably because they were "antique".

Ah alas, all too often that can be the case. Of course sometimes they're actually worth more than the new ones too.

Cheers, Alf

 

[J.A.S]

Geir,

welcome! (That's the first time that I've had the gumption, as a relative newcomer, to welcome someone).

I have personal experience of the Gloucester Green market. It's held on a Thursday, and has usually petered out by early afternoon. There's usually at least one toolman present, and, the last time I looked, he had a decent selection.

However, at the same market, there are a number of bric-a-brac stalls, which, now and again, throw up some interesting items. I suspect that at such stalls all over the country, bargains are likely to be had: the vendors are less likely than toolmen to know what they're selling 8) .

Hope this helps.
Jeremy

 

[Adam]

I find the numer of visits - to number of tools found and bought is probably at best 20:1. Sometime a lot higher if you are looking for something specific. Took me 3 years to find a No. 7 Jointer. Then just the following week a No. 6 came up. Odd.

If I added my time and petrol I couldn't justify it compared to say an ebay purchase.

However, I *like* trawling round car boots - its fun - and you never know what you'll turn up.

Welcome to the forums by the way.

Adam