Cast iron table, did I just get screwed?

An odd occurrence by all accounts:

I won this table, with cast iron base and wood top, two anvils, and some misc gas welding crap on top of the table for $75 at a bankruptcy auction.

I bid online, sight unseen and all I have seen is this picture:

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I was thinking about picking it up tomorrow, but I got a phone call from someone. He called from the auction site and he offered me $150 for the table alone. He says he wants it for his workshop. He would leave me all the anvils, vise and tools and would take the cast iron based table only. He will leave $150 in an envelope with the auction guy (who I know from prior auctions and who confirmed everything).

Not being a greedy guy, and anticipating marital difficulties arising from me bringing home that table, even temporarily, plus the hassle of loading/unloading, I agreed to his offer.

Now I am wondering is perhaps I was screwed by this deal. Could it be this table was used by Stradivarius to build violins, or otherwise has some extremely high value? Any idea?

i
Reply to
Ignoramus8716
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It's a nice looking table, but it sounds like you got paid $75 to take a couple anvils and whatnot.

Reply to
Pete C.

and to not deal with that table!

i
Reply to
Ignoramus8716

It is certainly a fine looking table, but I doubt you got screwed. As Pete said, you are getting paid 75 bucks to haul away the other good stuff.

Y'know, it would be cool if you got a college kid with a video camera to make a documentary about your exploits. You are an inspiration to us all (or at least to me), but not necessarily a good influence - just ask my wife about the junk pile.

Reply to
rangerssuck

Please do not ask MY wife!

Anyway, it is like a casino, but I am actually getting paid for participating and get to play with a lot of fun toys. I have never been to a casino.

I am actually trying pretty hard to stop even participating (because of many good reasons why I should stop), but it is very difficult.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus8716

You violated a rule. Never sell anything without knowing what it is worth. I think this may be a cheap lesson unless there's more about this that someone writes in with later who knows these things, and the table is worth more. I would have made him take the total package and held out for $200. Unless you just wanted the anvils, and they can be valuable, too. You had someone who really wanted that piece for some reason. Any time you have a really anxious buyer, try to find out why they are even if you have to ask them point blank. Lots of people know rare and valuable stuff, yet still try to lowball it or just get it for nearly free. Your wife would like to hear you got $200 rather than $150, too, wouldn't she?

Steve

visit my blog at

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watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Reply to
Steve B

Steve, these concerns is exactly why I was asking. I like low balling too. I often ask at garage sales something like "this looks interesting, do you know what is this piece of iron?".

The downside for me is having to screw around with some heavy old cast iron table, only to find out that it is not worth much more than I got for it.

I would, frankly, prefer an envelope with cash, to having to lug that table around, ship it and getting $400 minus ebay fees+other deductions.

But maybe it is worth a grand, in which case I would consider myself getting screwed voluntarily.

As for my wife, she totally hates to hear anything about cast iron tables and especially she hates to see them. :)

i

Reply to
Ignoramus8716

I've acquired and given away steel plate + angle versions of that made up as welding tables. I prefer wooden tables because they adapt better to temporary vises, bench shears, notchers, benders etc that need the solid base, but aren't used very often. You could use a separate top plate for welding, oversized so you can clamp to the edges.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

If you look closely at the picture you might see that the front legs are angled but the back legs are vertical? am i right? Also the cross bar side to side under the top has a hole to take a rod or bolt of some sort. I dont think that the top is part of the original piece of equipment. Id date it to around 1900, and the wooden top about 1920. so its the base off some piece of early Victorian machine. If it was me Id pick it up as the larger anvil the London pattern is worth collecting anyway. This anvil could be marked with the weight and maker. It could be pre Bessemer steel process ie 1866 or thereabouts that would mean it would be from wrought iron with a crucible steel top face fire welded on it. this would make it really valuable.

If you wanted to find or make a base like that to put a flypress on it would cost you a lot more than 150. If your going to collect the anvil why not ask the other guy to meet you when your there. You might face to face push him to 250. You dont say how far its from where you live. Id have it if it was me as its then a trade item with another megtalworker for something you might really need for your shop. Ive some 10 leg vices put buy for just that reason. Ted Dorset in UK.

Reply to
Ted Frater

I would too

Well, the buyer bought only the table. I kept anvils, vise etc.

I will pick up that stuff tomorrow.

You bet

Well, the table is gone. I will probably always wonder if I got screwed. I will ask the auction guy tomorrow if the buyer looked smart or stupid. I am glad not to have to deal with that table, however.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus8716

always remember, any horizontal flat surface in your shop will instantly fill up tools and scraps and crap of all sorts. it will then be unusable and a total pain in the ass.....right guys? have fun, mark

Reply to
Mark Finn

Looks like a converted machine base to me. My 7" shaper base is built similarly down to the wood top, just not as wide or long. It's kind of on the small side for a work bench, at least around in these parts. If you didn't want it for the top, it's just be that much scrap iron. So maybe the guy has whatever's supposed to go on top. Chances are it uses slices of dead cow to make it go round and probably he needs it worse than you do.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

Old adage about the stock market applies:

"Bulls make money, bears make money, piggies go to slaughter." It sounds like your greed gene kicking in.

Reply to
Buerste

This is about the only explanation that makes sense.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus8716

Very possibly true.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus8716

That's what happens to me, usually within 2 days

Reply to
Ignoramus11945

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