Lindas workshop clearance, help required.

[Lindas]

Hi there,

I joined ukworkshop this morning and asked members a few questions about my dads workshop clearance my sister and I are currently undertaking.

Some suggested my questions were better directed to a moderator.

My reason for joining is to find a place where I can make contact with people who know about old tools. Some date back to prewar as my grandads tools are there.

My sister and I have set up gumtree accounts and they have been okay for power tools and easier to price items. When it comes to the vintage and more specialist tools I thought we might need to find folks who understand them. There are brands such as Woden, marples, record, Parkinson, Rabone Chesterman, Moore and wright, Myford, Drummond, Oliver.

Our aim would be to share with like minded people and to find new homes for Dads many and wide ranging things by selling them where we can. At the moment we don’t feel selling to a dealer is right for us.

Is this a reasonable thing to do on your website? Having joined I have seen I need to do 20 posts and understand this is not a website for general seller.

I have added a photo of a little jewellery chest dad made to one of the threads and can share more of his things. He built the house we are clearing from hand digging the foundations with his father to tiling the roof.

Your thoughts would be most appreciated as I see I am note quite a run of the mill member who might be sharing pieces of work and learning about using tools.

Kind regards

Linda

 

[Noel]

Hi Linda, I think this probably isn't the right place to achieve the best value for your father's tools. As BM101 kindly explained, the for sale section is really just a small bonus for forum members rather than a major part of the site. The suggestion by Myfordman of a nearby member helping you would, I imagine, be of great help in identifying items and possibly giving you some idea of value.

 

[Lindas]

Many thanks Noel, it’s difficult to know what is the best thing as we are not commercial sellers and in need of help with identification, valuing and placement of antique items. What to do with a very old slate ripper and likely turn of last century smelting ladles for example? I have had an offer from a member to come over and help which is very kind and he might be a good link with the site. I would like to continue with members helping to identify things and although I don’t do wood turning or cabinet making Dad’s interests in diy have rubbed off and I have made simple joinery items, shelves, mini book cases and done restoration. Given my upbringing around all these tools I am very interested in hand tools too. If it is okay to continue with putting things up for identification from time to time and to keep a link with the site I would like to do that?

 

[MikeG.]

......If it is okay to continue with putting things up for identification from time to time and to keep a link with the site I would like to do that?

You don't need permission to do that, Linda. That's every day stuff for this forum, and you are a member.

 

[CHJ]

......If it is okay to continue with putting things up for identification from time to time and to keep a link with the site I would like to do that?

You don't need permission to do that, Linda. That's every day stuff for this forum, and you are a member.

Providing help identifying items is one of the areas that UKW members are good at.
If that is the sole purpose of the thread or post and is worded as such then fine.

Attempts to use the forum to act as a marketing or advertising forum to circumvent the For Sale rules by members not generally contributing to the forum, or even long standing members is not appreciated.

 

[Lindas]

I am very sorry to appear to want to use the forum or members in any way. My sole aim in joining was to find out about the forum, to someone new the scope is not readily known before becoming a member. I am not at all interested in making a profit from anyone, rather trying to identify and rehome very old items without resorting to taking them to the tip. I have appreciated the kind replies and offers of help. This is a really difficult time and task for my sister and I. We are dismantling our fathers much loved workshops and finding so much of his history and his fathers history. Some things go back even further to our great grandfather. To me it is a sad thing to put lead smelting ladles, shoe making tools, slate rippers, brass ironmongery and so many as yet to be identified old items into landfill for want of a bit of an effort in trying to find homes for them.

Quite upsetting to read this reply. My reaction is not to bother with this forum again but I have had such kind and lovely replies I won’t be put off as yet. I even uploaded a picture of a very sentimental jewellery chest made by my father for my mother on their engagement to try to show I was genuine. My inexperience with these items, may mean I am clumsy and make mistakes in trying to sort things out. Of course I don’t want to give away Dads things when I don’t know their value but I had hoped this would be a 2 way benefit in that other members might acquire things they could appreciate. As you can see I feel very upset at being thought of as trying to take advantage of members.

 

[marcros]

Attempts to use the forum to act as a marketing or advertising forum to circumvent the For Sale rules by members not generally contributing to the forum, or even long standing members is not appreciated.

I think that was uncalled for here. The OP was asking for permission, and you have made it sound like she was attempting to post items for sale regardless.

 

[Noel]

Attempts to use the forum to act as a marketing or advertising forum to circumvent the For Sale rules by members not generally contributing to the forum, or even long standing members is not appreciated.

I think that was uncalled for here. The OP was asking for permission, and you have made it sound like she was attempting to post items for sale regardless.

It's not in the least uncalled for Marcos.
I've read the OP's response but you have to understand that we get similar requests on a regular basis and most if not all are declined.
Now I appreciate the situation described but members have offered to help with personal visits etc and that is obviously of great help.

Ultimately the market will decide the value and worth of any item and Chas has not said that some limited online assistance would not be allowed, taking into account a measure of contributory input, but we cannot permit what will, from past experience, essentially turn into a long classified advertisment.

 

[Lindas]

I totally agree with this. I am afraid I was not able to know the scope of the forum until I became a member. People have kindly explained that to me. I know now the scope is not to sell items and I will not be doing this. I have learnt what the forum is about now but it was unclear before joining and explaining our situation. Some members have been so very very kind and helpful and spent some time looking over photos. I can’t express how much that has helped. I was simply trying to make contacts.

 

[AndyT]

Your problem is a common one.
The Tools and Trades History Society publish a note which attempts to offer some advice to people in your situation.

http://taths.org.uk/tools-trades/notes- ... ollections

It's possible that they may be able to find a member local to you who could look at what you have and give advice, just for the interest, with no commercial consideration. I've done this for people myself, but I am not in the right part of the country to help on this occasion.

 

[RobinBHM]

Please dont take the moderators comments as a slight against you joining and wanting advice.

Its a thankless task moderating a site and unfortunately too many people online are looking for a free place to flog goods.

Members on here love seeing pics of tools -and old, rare tools are a real treasure so please post some pics and turn this into a valued thread

 

[Lindas]

Thank you Andy and Robin, I would like to post identification photos, I will have to learn how to get the photos down to small size. We do have some very interesting things. I won’t try to sell anything here though. Thank you for your help

 

[Lindas]

That’s a very good link Andy, thank you

 

[Bm101]

Every reasonable person on here has sympathy Linda, including the Mods (especially the Mods tbh). You are among similar minds regarding your Dad's tools. Singing with the choir.
You have plenty of posts now so PM me so I remember tomorrow (it will ping my email) and when I get half hour free I will talk you through posting images. It's not half as hard as it seems. In fact I'll pm you now. Job done. Then you just have to reply tomorrow.
Regards
Chris

 

[MikeG.]

Chris, I've done it already.......

 

[Bm101]

ok

 

[Lons]

Hi Linda

Don't be put off by the mods replies, they are not unsympathetic just trying to apply rules that are there for a very good reason. What you'll find is that the vast majority of forum members are genuine enthusiasts who will offer help if they are able. Like others I would be very happy to look at the tools but too far away from my home in Northumberland.

My family will be in a very similar situation if I pop my clogs and no one should underestimate the practical difficulty along with emotional turmoil a situation like yours generates.

5 years ago a long term friend of mine died leaving his workshop in a mess. It took me a week to sort and list and I guestimated the value at at least £10k, unfortunately I was away on holiday for a couple of weeks and a neighbour persuaded her to sell the contents to a couple of " professionals " for £1600. I was disgusted and furious but too late.

Whatever happens, take your time, get as much advice as possible and don't be conned by locals pretending to do you a favour.

The advice you get from those on here will be honest opinion and many of us would be delighted to see photos of old tools once treasured by your relatives whether or not they have much monetary value.

regards
Bob

 

[Vann]

Hi. If your intention is to maximise the value of your father's tools, then this isn't the right place. If your intention is to find good homes for your father's beloved tools, or if you're just trying to identify what you've got, then this probably is the right place. Probably you would like all three, hence the difficulty.

Most of us like looking at old tools. Post pictures of hand tools in the hand tool section and people will tell you what they are, and what accessories are missing so you know what to look out for. Maybe what you have is all common-or-garden stuff. Maybe there are some real gems in there we'd really enjoy seeing.

Can I also suggest you write a short history (from a woodworking perspective) about your father/grandfather that you can hand out with each tool you part with. Some of use cherish the history of a tool.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Lindas]

Thank you Chris and everyone. I really do appreciate the kind comments. Perhaps I was a bit over sensitive as Dad was in hospital this week. Perhaps my contact here might prove of mutual benefit in the end. I’ll keep trying