So, what kind of bait works best when fishing for bargain tools?

I find that pocket money works always works best and that garage, yard and tag sales are the best places to try your luck. Just like fishing, you may not always
land a good one - and, you can even get skunked!

Regardless, finding a good used tool at a bargain price is the goal and dream of every frugal woodworker I have ever met and with a little persistence, luck, and a
proven plan to help you dicker when establishing a mutually agreeable price is involved, one can outfit a reasonable set of tools at very little cost.

A list of the many items I have purchased at these sales includes, several excellent 1/4” and 3/8” corded power hand drills, a powered hand-held plane, a hand-held belt sander, a table for my circular saw; and a jig saw or two; none of which cost more than $5 each. Also, many drill bits of various designs, several
braces used for drilling holes or driving screws away from electrical power sources and an endless number of other specialty items for a dollar or two each.

Through the years, I have collected a good number of clamps of various designs that make the task of gluing several items at a time possible. I’ve found that
every shop will easily find need for a much greater number of clamps than one ever imagines when the initial plan is drawn. There is no less expensive way to
collect them than at such sales.

These sales are also excellent places to find bargain priced hardware items for just pennies on the dollar. Things like casters or special fasteners. Often you
can find sizable quantities of never used screws or nails at prices anyone can afford.

Then, there are frequently odd lots of stains, varnishes, paints of various color and other finishing materials like wood grain vinyl sheet stock that can cover any kind of base wood you may choose to use.

Always make sure that the tool actually works properly before you make an offer to buy it. This is particularly true for electrical tools, which must work well when plugged in for a trial run and certainly should also smell OK while running.

Check for lubrication leaks and badly worn electrical cords. Make sure all adjustments are operative and you know how to change them. Obtain the operating instructions if at all possible.

Hand tool quality is a bit easier to evaluate and frequently amounts to making sure that the edges are sharp and the tool is clean. The look of the quality of the steel should be obvious and defective operating parts will be self-evident.

You may recall that I earlier mentioned using pocket ‘change’ and a proven plan to help you dicker when you are seeking the lowest possible price for an item.

Keep in mind that all prices at these sales are negotiable and that most folks expect some price resistance and have probably marked many items higher than they really expect to get for them.

Always make sure that you have several loose single dollars in your pocket that you can fetch out without looking at them. Then, you can easily reach into the
pocket and pull out the exact number of them that you are willing to offer for the item. If it is a very small item and not worth a whole buck, pull out one or more quarter dollars and make your offer. You can then ask if they are willing to accept your offer, based on what ‘this’ is worth to you, or that this amount is what
you have left of your daily tool budget allowance.

You will find that many sellers will accept a lower bid when they are faced with the opportunity of making a sure sale vs. electing to wait for someone else to
drop in and perhaps buy it later.

Above all, remember that you will win some and you will lose some by trying to adjust the selling price this way. Whatever happens, accept it in good humor and
profit from the experience as you develop a nose for determining the proper price for the items you wish to buy.

An added extra that many of us married types have enjoyed is making “the search” a family affair. The wife, and even the kids, will enjoy the adventure of
seeking and perhaps finding items that appeal to them. Also, with the wife along, you can always ‘up’ the offer a bit by asking her for a buck or two when needed,
and you can do the same for her.

We call that teamwork in our household!