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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    Bundoora, Melbourne.
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    Default Help with selling deceased estate items

    Hi all,

    Recently I've been assisting a widow clear out her late husband's (John) shed full of woodworking equipment, tools, machines and wood. We've just about completed this task however John had a small amount of metal lying around (he use to make his own steam engines etc).

    I've got a large box and bucket full of brass, copper, aluminium and high speed steel. I've also got a bucket load of small diameter brass rod.

    Whilst I have a knowledge of selling woodwork items, I'm clueless as to how to sell this stuff. I have no idea of it's worth or where to sell. I'm happy to catalogue whats available however will add a couple of photos to this thread for starters. Everything I've been selling has gone straight back to John's widow. I'd like an honest opinion on this stuff as the money will be going back to her.

    Thanks in advance, Scott.

    IMG_1268.jpg IMG_1269.jpg
    -Scott

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Melbourne
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    1,628

    Default

    I do a fair bit of metal work both Blacksmithing and engineering. I buy most of my materials through scrap metal merchants. What the pay to buy scrap and what they sell are very different rates and it is based on weight.

    I think this would be a good starting point it will be more than she would get if you have to scrap it and doesn’t require complex maths to value pieces or lots.
    …..Live a Quiet Life & Work with your Hands

  3. #3
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Perth
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    Default

    Yep, I agree scrap "sell" price is fair call for most small pieces of metal.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
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    843

    Default

    Scott, if you arrive at a price you're happy with I'd be interested in throwing my hat into the ring. I'm keen on doing a small engine or three.

    Greg.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Cairns, Q
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    Default

    Scott,

    This site will give you an idea of the asking price for short lengths of new small diameter brass rod:

    https://www.ebay.com.au/i/283010326460?var=583360054166

    Frank.

  6. #6
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by franco View Post
    Scott,

    This site will give you an idea of the asking price for short lengths of new small diameter brass rod:

    https://www.ebay.com.au/i/283010326460?var=583360054166

    Frank.
    Those pieces work out to about $60/kg.

    The current buy price for brass scrap is about $2 in Australia and the sell prices I have seen are around $5-6.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Canley Heights, NSW
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    67
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    529

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by franco View Post
    Scott,

    This site will give you an idea of the asking price for short lengths of new small diameter brass rod:

    https://www.ebay.com.au/i/283010326460?var=583360054166

    Frank.
    Those prices also factor in Postage and Ebay and Paypal Fee's.
    Shane

    Got the square peg in the round hole, now can't get it out !!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Cairns, Q
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    666

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Auskart View Post
    Those prices also factor in Postage and Ebay and Paypal Fee's.
    Sure, I agree, but that is what you are likely to have to pay if you are a model maker with limited storage space and money. I was not suggesting that the brass rods (or other new stock) should be priced on the same scale as the ones in the ad, only that if they are new unmarked stock they should be worth a bit more than scrap price to anyone who needs them for a project. How do you determine this? Don't know, but Bob's quoted price for resold scrap brass of $5-6/Kg or perhaps a bit more would probably be more reasonable than the basic scrap price for the seller in the circumstances. It's still very cheap brass rod.

    Frank.

  9. #9
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by franco View Post
    Sure, I agree, but that is what you are likely to have to pay if you are a model maker with limited storage space and money. I was not suggesting that the brass rods (or other new stock) should be priced on the same scale as the ones in the ad, only that if they are new unmarked stock they should be worth a bit more than scrap price to anyone who needs them for a project. How do you determine this? Don't know, but Bob's quoted price for resold scrap brass of $5-6/Kg or perhaps a bit more would probably be more reasonable than the basic scrap price for the seller in the circumstances. It's still very cheap brass rod
    In practice I agree they should be worth more than scrap especially if the seller decides to handle/package/post small amounts or individual pieces. I was thinking of a bunch of scrap pieces in a tub or bucket.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Bundoora, Melbourne.
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    Default

    Thanks for your help everyone. I've managed to sell everything for what I think is a very good price for the buyer. I've just gone through what is there and there is more than meets the eye. Thanks once again.
    -Scott

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