Re: Strategies for Buying Test Equipment off Ebay

D from BC wrote:
On Sat, 27 Oct 2007 15:04:11 -0700, Marra
<cresswellavenue@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


I would never buy second hand equipment after being screwed a couple
of times.

People just seem to want to sell worn out junk at nearly new prices !
This not only goes for ebay but other online sellers.

I never buy second hand off ebay anyway.



You have to see the little bush through the trees in the forest.
Sometimes it's not poison ivy. :)


D from BC


In general, used test gear is either trivial to repair or impossible to do so. Playing the odds can often yield profitable results.

Knowing exactly what you are getting into can help a bunch.
As can experience on specific items.

A recent $10,000 vacuum pump was not working because of a dirty $3 third party output filter.

Some "horribly cracked" power supplies needed their $2.75 front bezels replaced.

A plant maint type replaced a bridge rectifier upside down. Making all of the power supplies the wrong polarity. The fuse blowing unit was scrapped. While I am still working on the details, around $10 worth of parts should refurb a $50,000 new, $1800 street wire cutter.

On the other hand, a compact industrial X ray machine seems unsellable
because of its outrageous weight. Seems it is full of lead.

And older photometers that once were instant multi kilobuck sales in any condition at all now go begging, having been blown out of the saddle by newer tech.

Much more on my website.





--
Many thanks,

Don Lancaster voice phone: (928)428-4073
Synergetics 3860 West First Street Box 809 Thatcher, AZ 85552
rss: http://www.tinaja.com/whtnu.xml email: don@xxxxxxxxxx

Please visit my GURU's LAIR web site at http://www.tinaja.com
.

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