Selling Model Engines and things

[Jack]

Hello All
I am looking for some advice, after building steam engines, Hit & Miss gas engines and all sorts of models for the last 10 to 12 years my living room is cluttered with all kinds of models. Well its time to start thinking about slowing down and since my children have no interest in what I have built over the years, How in the world am I going to get rid of all of this? Has anyone ever sold any of their models, I know people show interest at the shows that I attend until I mention a price then they just don't want to spend any money. Has anyone ever sold anything on EBAY I know that we all think our models are Priceless or worth Thousands but i would be happy to just see them disappear but I don't want to throw them away or give them away unless I could a young person that showed some interest in something Old Time Mechanical, but that probably won't happen either. What do you all think I should do?


My collection includes just about everything that PM Research sells, just about everything that Gary Martin sells, and almost all of the Jerry Howell models both gas, sterling and misc. projects and many of the Ray Hasbrouck steam engines.


I also have all the necessary machine tools, Lathe, Bridgeport milling Machine, CNC Mill, Harig Surface Grinder, and a Atlas Shaper, and a lot of tooling that is going to have to be disposed of.


Getting Old Stinks


Thanks


Jack, in the midwest just West of the Biggest river in between Missouri and ILlinois

[simplyloco]

Ebay is a good sales platform for anything unusual or classy! In 2004 I made this Stuart 10 powered Swiss Lake Launch from a photograph and I put it on at a reserve of £600 and it went for over a thousand pounds. Dozens of bids and emails from people who wanted it but couldn't afford it!
It worked for me...
John

2004_0103_134314AA by inkaboat, on Flickr

[maury]

Jack, getting a decent price for your work can sometimes be difficult. Interest goes in spells too. Why not get your feet wet by putting a couple of your engines on The Smokstak  page for models. This page gets a fair amount of visibility, and usually from those who are actually are interested. This will also give you a feel for what your engines are worth in the buyers eyes.

You might also think about donating some of them to a place like Coolspring Power Museum.

Good luck
Maury

[stevehuckss396]

This is a tough one. You will never get what you think they are worth. Think more along the lines of trying to get them into the right hands. Here are a few places that come to mind.

Cabin fever auction
Ebay
Craftsmanship museum (Donation)

If I think of anything else I will edit this post. Best of luck.

[Zephyrin]

I sold about a dozen of steam engines and live steam tiny Gauge 0 locos at a price always disappointing...

I remember a nice little twin cylinder marine engine sold on Ebay-France 360 €, and resold by the buyer for about € 650 on Ebay-UK some months later!

But he did a good job for that, he made a very good video, and presented this engine on gorgious pictures on forums and he was also very active in club meetings before reselling it !
I realized that to sell is a job...
You must be prepared to do that for not to be too much disapointed.

[Ian S C]

About twenty years ago I had one of my hot air motors at a toy fair that we held in our town, I was out side the building ,runnuing thje motor when the owner of a large toy museum down south  came up to me and started offering money for the motor, starting at $NZ200, and eventually giving up at $NZ800.  Now days, after buildinganother twenty motors I would think differently,  and sell, but back then, "it was my motor". To sell, you do have to present the item at it's best, to someone who wants it.
Ian S C

[Stuart]

Re selling stuff you have built

IMHO it depends on what it is I have in the past sold my loco,s as I am unable to move them ( personal mobility reasons )

The last two 5g one was a finished br class 2 the other was a half built br class 4 tank , now both have fully certificated comersialy built boilers , I contacted a dealer who came 50 miles the same day we struck a deal he took my loco,s and gave me a carrier bag full of £20 notes still in the bundles you get from the bank , I will not say how much but just under £10k

It’s as always if there is a demand for you model they sell well , what we think our stuff is worth due to the time involved is not reflected in the selling price . In the case of the loco’s above I just got back the cost of the boilers and the castings, not the 9 years of work I had in them , but I did have the pleasure of building them

It boils down to finding someone who wants them

Stuart

[Bobsmodels]

Hi

Stuart hit it right on you need to find someone that wants them.  I sold all of my live steam stuff about 12 years ago ranging from 1 1/2 to 3/4. Five running locos as well as lots of casting sets.   It took about 3 years but I got what I felt was a fair price based on the market.

I am going to help sell an estate with about 50 models of various types - stationary steam, hit - miss, hot air, electic motors, just all kinds.  In addition there are about 15 or so casting sets.   I have explained to the family, it takes time and running models get better prices.  It will be awhile before everything gets sorted out and the family decides what course of action to take.  Then there is the shop.   

When things actally become available i will post a list on sites that allow it and put up links on others.

Bob

[bwal]

HI,

From my experience on selling things on Ebay in Australia (and not model engines but other stuff), I start with a low auction starting price and the full 7 days run time. 

Sometimes you get unexpected prices and sometimes it's a miss.

Best of Luck.

[kvom]

In addition there are about 15 or so casting sets.

Jo alert.   

[Jo]

In addition there are about 15 or so casting sets.

Jo alert.   

I had already taken note   

Jo

[wirralcnc]

I will be keeping a close look out for these 15 casting sets 

[Jo]

Get ready to pay import duty and be ripped off on the postage then 

Jo

[wirralcnc]

Been there before, but have got some quality obsolete casting sets.

[Jo]

obsolete casting sets.

There are no such things as obsolete casting sets 

There are huge numbers of casting sets that are no longer/currently available due to lack of demand or unviability of selling them as an economic model  but give it time and the desirable ones come around again. Don't they Graham 

Jo

[wirralcnc]

Maybe your right jo, but I would rather have them Sat in boxes waiting to be next in line. Then struggle to find castings I wish to machine

[Vixen]

Nesbits Auctioneers, of Clarendon Road, Southsea, Hampshire, PO5 2ED in the UK (www. nesbits.co uk) are holding an auction of model engineering items on Wednesday 15 November 2017 at 10:30. The lots include several clocks, a large collection of O gauge locos and over thirty models from the estate of the late John Dilly from Eastliegh Hampshire. These models include a large beam engine and a stationary (traction) engine.

Contact Nesbits for an on line Catalog and for live online internet bidding. and for details of the viewing days.

Mike

[DD805]

Jack,
Where you sell is EXTREMELY important. Very recently (November) a model I made as a gift for someone was sold on Craigs List for $300 USD. The purchaser turned around and quickly sold it on EBAY for $3,000 USD. That is a ten times gain. Many sites like Craigs List reach a local or regional audience where EBAY reaches much of the world. Hope this helps.

Karl