Found a way to save money at auctions. Drove 40 plus miles to an auction that had a lot of IHC memorabilia last Wednesday. When I got there no one else was. Went home rechecked auctionzip and found auction was Friday not Wednesday. Decided to go Fri then checked what they were selling and decided I wasn;t that interested. Stayed home grilled a steak and baked a chocolate cake. Lot cheaper than going to a auction. Don't you dare mention senility.

Nothing like getting there early.

Jimwrench, I believe you have hit on the one and only way to save money at an auction: don't go. I like personal sales where I am the only one working with the seller
At an auction, I find too many people with too much money.  And then there is me--with too many desires and too little money.

I don't go to auctions anymore. The last one i went to was a farm auction and people were going nuts trying to out bid each other for stuff that was junk. My friend bought a couple of pallets of stuff and we caught a guy taking stuff off my friends pallets when the auction was over and putting on his pallets. You don't steal from a guy who has been pumping scrap metal for 30 years.

Bystander.

Went to one auction and grieving family members out bid everyone else.

Guess it all depends on location and what something's value is to you compared to what it's value is to someone else. Auctions always have been and always will be the best place to find something at a decent price if you you know what you are doing. Can't even begin to think of the rarer wrenches I've bought for $5-10 that I've been able to flip and make 10X that on. Garbage sales (yes, the b is in there on purpose) in my area are a complete joke. They are all wanta be flea market vendors that are to cheap to pony up for a spot at an actual flea market. And the ones that aren't have sold anything good via the internet and are trying to pass off the junk to any poor sap that wanders in to the sale.
I search for poorly listed auctions probably on average 12 hours each week. I'll normally pass over a well advertised, well listed auction because everybody sees those and will have bids in on stuff or will be there. It takes some effort to find the right ones, and even then I come home empty handed sometimes. But when you hit it right it can pay off big time, both for your own collection and for stuff to sell to make money.

Quote from: Northwoods on November 28, 2015, 11:49:12 AM
Jimwrench, I believe you have hit on the one and only way to save money at an auction: don't go. I like personal sales where I am the only one working with the seller
At an auction, I find too many people with too much money.  And then there is me--with too many desires and too little money.

Must be a really easy group to get into, as there seems to be alot of members. lol

Have been to countless auctions, and only left two of them without buying something.  Longest I ever waited was for a large anvil.  Was only 30 miles from home, which is nothing out here in Nebraska.  Finally spotted the anvil, and had a chance to look it over, then followed the bidding crowd around the yard.   Saw two gas station oil tanks, the old kind, square, about 40 gallons, with a hand pump on top.  Nobody was bidding, and got the pair for $10.00.   Saw a nice winch and about 9 guys jumped in on that one.  Already had a box of small tools.  And kind of wanted the big vise in the shop, or the old drill press in the back shop, but went back and sat on the anvil.  Stayed in the bidding on it, as I had special cash set aside, til it was just me and another guy.   I just kept nodding, and its mine.   Over 300, so it wasn't a giveaway.  But also stood around there from 11 til 4:30, about as long as I care to attend anything.  Once in awhile I get to do something that makes me feel good.  Was at a decent auction, bought a pile of iron with a vise and stuff in it.  You know, an armful of stuff carried out of the dark corners of the barn that the auction workers really don't know what to do with.  Got the whole pile for a buck, some nice things in there too.  I was loading when a young guy came up to me and indicated he was interested in a hay knife.  These are about 3 foot long, and originally had two wooden handles.  This had been in a fire but looked ok.  The guy looked pretty hopeful, and not too flush with cash.  I turned it over, and said they usually bring ten in this condition, but since I paid only a buck for all this, give me a dollar, shoulda seen his smile.  I know, could of just handed it to him, but found out long ago free stuff sometimes has no value.  If you pay even minimum for something, it is worth something.  Happy Auctioning.

Quote from: john k on November 30, 2015, 08:35:53 PM
Have been to countless auctions, and only left two of them without buying something.  Longest I ever waited was for a large anvil.  Was only 30 miles from home, which is nothing out here in Nebraska.  Finally spotted the anvil, and had a chance to look it over, then followed the bidding crowd around the yard.   Saw two gas station oil tanks, the old kind, square, about 40 gallons, with a hand pump on top.  Nobody was bidding, and got the pair for $10.00.   Saw a nice winch and about 9 guys jumped in on that one.  Already had a box of small tools.  And kind of wanted the big vise in the shop, or the old drill press in the back shop, but went back and sat on the anvil.  Stayed in the bidding on it, as I had special cash set aside, til it was just me and another guy.   I just kept nodding, and its mine.   Over 300, so it wasn't a giveaway.  But also stood around there from 11 til 4:30, about as long as I care to attend anything.  Once in awhile I get to do something that makes me feel good.  Was at a decent auction, bought a pile of iron with a vise and stuff in it.  You know, an armful of stuff carried out of the dark corners of the barn that the auction workers really don't know what to do with.  Got the whole pile for a buck, some nice things in there too.  I was loading when a young guy came up to me and indicated he was interested in a hay knife.  These are about 3 foot long, and originally had two wooden handles.  This had been in a fire but looked ok.  The guy looked pretty hopeful, and not too flush with cash.  I turned it over, and said they usually bring ten in this condition, but since I paid only a buck for all this, give me a dollar, shoulda seen his smile.  I know, could of just handed it to him, but found out long ago free stuff sometimes has no value.  If you pay even minimum for something, it is worth something.  Happy Auctioning.

Nice story, great ending!

I had a similar experience at an auction years ago.  Farm auction.  As we worked our way down the line, I spotted a pile of old hay hooks, six or seven.  Five of them were hand forged.  Not machine welded; hand forged.  Shanks made from old dump rake teeth, and handles from old hickory tools, probably a shovel.
I had a couple of ones like them when I was a kid, made for me by the local blacksmith, and piled up my personal fortune at $1 an hour bucking hay for local farmers.
I got the hooks for $15 and considered myself pretty fortunate.  A young fellow and his son--aged seven or eight--showed some disappointment and let me know that they would like to buy one for the young fellow.  I gave the boy his pick but told him he would have to pay for it:  a quarter.  Got a nice smile from his dad.
Of course, the boy picked the nice new looking one with the red rubber handle and I got my quarter.  All three of us were happy with the exchange. 
I gave three of the better hooks to my two brothers and my brother-in-law that Christmas, told them that they would have something to fall back on if they lost their jobs.  The other two hooks have been on my mantle ever since, reminding me of good times, loading hay behind a baler or stacking it in some horse barn, clear to the roof.

Quote from: Northwoods on December 01, 2015, 07:32:45 AM
I had a similar experience at an auction years ago. .....
A young fellow and his son--aged seven or eight--showed some disappointment and let me know that they would like to buy one for the young fellow.  I gave the boy his pick but told him he would have to pay for it:  a quarter.  Got a nice smile from his dad.
Of course, the boy picked the nice new looking one with the red rubber handle and I got my quarter.  All three of us were happy with the exchange. 
I gave three of the better hooks to my two brothers and my brother-in-law that Christmas, told them that they would have something to fall back on if they lost their jobs.  The other two hooks have been on my mantle ever since, reminding me of good times, loading hay behind a baler or stacking it in some horse barn, clear to the roof.

Well Played.

Quote from: Northwoods on December 01, 2015, 07:32:45 AM
I had a similar experience at an auction years ago.  Farm auction.  As we worked our way down the line, I spotted a pile of old hay hooks, six or seven.  Five of them were hand forged.  Not machine welded; hand forged.  Shanks made from old dump rake teeth, and handles from old hickory tools, probably a shovel.
I had a couple of ones like them when I was a kid, made for me by the local blacksmith, and piled up my personal fortune at $1 an hour bucking hay for local farmers.
I got the hooks for $15 and considered myself pretty fortunate.  A young fellow and his son--aged seven or eight--showed some disappointment and let me know that they would like to buy one for the young fellow.  I gave the boy his pick but told him he would have to pay for it:  a quarter.  Got a nice smile from his dad.
Of course, the boy picked the nice new looking one with the red rubber handle and I got my quarter.  All three of us were happy with the exchange. 
I gave three of the better hooks to my two brothers and my brother-in-law that Christmas, told them that they would have something to fall back on if they lost their jobs.  The other two hooks have been on my mantle ever since, reminding me of good times, loading hay behind a baler or stacking it in some horse barn, clear to the roof.

Another great story!

Northwoods - what can he do with one hay hook?  Isn't that like one hand clapping?

Not widely experienced with hay hooks, but, when I have used them, I needed one in each hand.

Me too.  I liked one about four inches longer than the other.

 I always used one hay hook but that was 60 years ago.