Aladdin's cave of machines to dispose of - help needed

[davidUK]

My brother-in-law sadly died recently leaving his widow with an abundance of model engines, rolling stock, parts, and... machines, tooling, and tools. Lots and lots of these. I'm with her now trying to work out what these devices are. Some are obvious as they have a maker's name and model number/name. But some have ancillary fitments and drawers of related parts, e.g Myford Super 7 lathe.

I'm trying to find a way of helping his widow dispose of all the items. She has help from a good trusted friend of her late husband for the trains, but the machines and tools she's struggling with.

I'd like to post photos of some of them here so that you might help identify them, suggest the best way of selling them (here; small ads; dealer; auction house, etc), and offer a likely used value.

Could someone alert the best mod to ask so that I don't start posting and then get a slapped wrist. I will give one example...

No idea what this is or who made it:

There are another 30-40 machines, most of which I can identify, but some of those are tricky as they appear to have attachments, or extra parts.

Many thanks for helping out.

 

[awake]

David, I am sorry to hear about your brother-in-law's passing. Thank you for helping his widow as she deals with all of this - it is a hard time.

The machine you have pictured is a tool grinder, almost certainly home-built (perhaps by your brother-in-law). It may be a Quorn? Or similar design.

 

[lee webster]

Hi David, sorry about the loss of your brother in law. It would help if you could tell us what part of the country the machines are located. There might be someone reading this who could spare the time to see them.
Good luck, Lee

 

[Wheat47]

My brother-in-law sadly died recently leaving his widow with an abundance of model engines, rolling stock, parts, and... machines, tooling, and tools. Lots and lots of these. I'm with her now trying to work out what these devices are. Some are obvious as they have a maker's name and model number/name. But some have ancillary fitments and drawers of related parts, e.g Myford Super 7 lathe.

I'm trying to find a way of helping his widow dispose of all the items. She has help from a good trusted friend of her late husband for the trains, but the machines and tools she's struggling with.

I'd like to post photos of some of them here so that you might help identify them, suggest the best way of selling them (here; small ads; dealer; auction house, etc), and offer a likely used value.

Could someone alert the best mod to ask so that I don't start posting and then get a slapped wrist. I will give one example...

No idea what this is or who made it:

View attachment 145397

There are another 30-40 machines, most of which I can identify, but some of those are tricky as they appear to have attachments, or extra parts.

Many thanks for helping out.

Hi, David. I, too, am very sorry to hear of your brother's passing. I gather you are un the UK? I understand how hard it is to clean out after a loved one. My M-I-L lived our daylight basement apartment for a few years. After she passed away, no one had the heart to box up her stuff. (And she was almost a hoarder!) Finally, our D-I-L and her daughter came out and boxed up most of her stuff and packed the boxes in my 12 ft covered motorcycle trailer. Once that was done, it was much easier to take the stuff to Family Services for others to make use of.
A number of years ago, I bought a Jet mill/drill from an estate. I could tell they were having a tough time letting it go. Then I showed them a couple of miniature steam motors I had built and explained that is what I was going to use the mill for. When they saw that, they knew it was going to a good home, and not a dealer. The old fellow had been making steel guitars, so he had boxes of parts (mostly aluminum). After they saw what I was going to do, they began throwing in bits and pieces of aluminum and assorted parts because they felt the stuff was going to a good home.
Anyway, that was my experience.

 

[Richard Hed]

My brother-in-law sadly died recently leaving his widow with an abundance of model engines, rolling stock, parts, and... machines, tooling, and tools. Lots and lots of these. I'm with her now trying to work out what these devices are. Some are obvious as they have a maker's name and model number/name. But some have ancillary fitments and drawers of related parts, e.g Myford Super 7 lathe.

I'm trying to find a way of helping his widow dispose of all the items. She has help from a good trusted friend of her late husband for the trains, but the machines and tools she's struggling with.

I'd like to post photos of some of them here so that you might help identify them, suggest the best way of selling them (here; small ads; dealer; auction house, etc), and offer a likely used value.

Could someone alert the best mod to ask so that I don't start posting and then get a slapped wrist. I will give one example...

No idea what this is or who made it:

View attachment 145397

There are another 30-40 machines, most of which I can identify, but some of those are tricky as they appear to have attachments, or extra parts.

Many thanks for helping out.

Where are you located? And yes, the guys in the forum know what that is. Probably most of th other mahines too

 

[rutzen]

Hi, yes that's a quorn tool and cutter grinder, I have one that i made many years ago. I think you should advertise them on the Model Engineer website, the ads are free and will reach the right people , not dealers.

 

[davidUK]

Well, I'm in Leicestershire but my S-I-L is near Bath. I've been labelling each machine with a number, taking a few photos, then listing what it is on an A4 pad. Its size (small; med; large) and its location (Garage; Workshop; Storeroom) so that if I list them, when back home, for sale a buyer can collect from her and she can find the machine by number/location.

Yesterday I listed 23 machines in the garage. This morning I'll do the other two locations. There are hundreds and hundreds of hand tools and other small items too which I won't get to this time. Maybe these could be sold by drawer, e.g. a drawer of mallets, or tweezers; or magnifying glasses, etc.
It's truly mind boggling the quantity.

Back home later today, and then I'll start researching what each machine is and will post the tricky ones (for function and value) here as I go. It may take a while as I have to find time to do this. But then the machines aren't going anywhere. It's giving my S-I-L the reassurance she's not going to be lumbered with them forever which has hopefully given her much needed relief. And I dare say the extra cash will come in handy for her too.

 

[davidUK]

Hi, yes that's a quorn tool and cutter grinder, I have one that i made many years ago. I think you should advertise them on the Model Engineer website, the ads are free and will reach the right people , not dealers.

Thanks to everyone for your comments and help. Could you please post a link to the Model Engineer website?

NB. I'm not a model maker but am involved in woodwind design which involves precision parts. That's why I joined here a while ago, to find someone local to help with machining.

 

[rutzen]

Hi yes , here is the link, it is easy to sign up and post ads.
https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/members/login.asp

 

[trlvn]

suggest the best way of selling them (here; small ads; dealer; auction house, etc), and offer a likely used value.

So there is nobody in the family that is interested in hobby machining? Or in any of the models the man made?

Is the objective to maximize the amount of money from the sale? Or to clear everything out as quickly as possible? Or something else?

Selling each machine and tool, one by one, is likely to bring in the most money but it is a LOT of work.

Inviting a dealer to take EVERYTHING for one money will get the process over quickly but probably bring the least amount of money.

A middle-ground approach is to sell the bigger machines privately (probably with a package of related accessories and tooling) and engage an auctioneer to sell all the small machines, tools and supplies. Around here, online auctions bring HIGH prices. (Specifically hobby-size machine shop stuff.) Of course, the auctioneer takes a big cut off the top but the widow will end up with a very good net total and everything will be gone. As long as the auctioneer takes lots of good clear photos, buyers will figure out what is being offered and bid. Of course, clear detailed descriptions will make it easier for potential buyers to find the offerings.

Others may disagree but I would encourage you to be hard-nosed. The widow only gets one chance to get value out of these assets. She shouldn't be left wanting in the future.

There is a ready market for used machine tools and they hold their value well. Don't throw in a bunch of stuff for free if you are selling a machine privately. Often, the tooling and accessories for a machine are MORE valuable than the machine itself!!

Craig

 

[Charles Lamont]

Model engineering societies can often help with workshop disposals. You have the Bristol Society of Model and Experimental Engineers and East Somerset SMEE nearby, and it may well be worth contacting them.

For maximum return (and work unfortunately) most model engineering stuff generally sells on Ebay for more that it is likely to fetch at a traditional auctioneers.

 

[Charles Lamont]

Quite by coincidence, after the posting above, I came across an article about workshop disposal in Model Engineer. I only have part 2, in No 4679 - 16/12/202. The first thing to do, unless the workshop is dry and heated, is cover everything in rust prevention oil/WD40, including opening all the little tins and boxes (I should add - NOT the grinding wheels). Decide the priorities: money, time or finding a good home. A lot of other things have already been said. As far as dealers go, there were good words about Home and Workshop Machinery in Sidcup.

 

[olyn]

My brother-in-law sadly died recently leaving his widow with an abundance of model engines, rolling stock, parts, and... machines, tooling, and tools. Lots and lots of these. I'm with her now trying to work out what these devices are. Some are obvious as they have a maker's name and model number/name. But some have ancillary fitments and drawers of related parts, e.g Myford Super 7 lathe.

I'm trying to find a way of helping his widow dispose of all the items. She has help from a good trusted friend of her late husband for the trains, but the machines and tools she's struggling with.

I'd like to post photos of some of them here so that you might help identify them, suggest the best way of selling them (here; small ads; dealer; auction house, etc), and offer a likely used value.

Could someone alert the best mod to ask so that I don't start posting and then get a slapped wrist. I will give one example...

No idea what this is or who made it:

View attachment 145397

There are another 30-40 machines, most of which I can identify, but some of those are tricky as they appear to have attachments, or extra parts.

Many thanks for helping out.

That is a D bit grinder I do believe.

 

[abby]

David the best way to sell your machinery in the UK is to take advice from someone who lives in the UK and knows what the machines are likely to be worth in the UK.
The best place to sell online is homeworkshop.org.uk as the sevice is free and there is no commision as with ebay.
Currently a very good Quorn can fetch upto £1500 so you need to be careful with whom you deal.
I am not far from Leicester and will give advice if you need it.
Dan.

 

[davidUK]

Thanks Dan. It would be great to run through all the photos with someone impartial who knows everything about everything, but I guess that's impossible to achieve. We're trying to find a property to buy at present so my time is torn between house hunting and helping to sell the machines (and eating, sleeping, etc!).
I'll post more photos when time allows, but not too many at one time eh?
Maybe the Myford next as that's taking up the most space and possibly has the most value.

 

[PeterDRG]

That is a Mark II Quorn, He appears to have the spiralling attachment for it so may have some seperate bits for it.

 

[timo_gross]

My brother-in-law sadly died recently leaving his widow with an abundance of model engines, rolling stock, parts, and... machines, tooling, and tools. Lots and lots of these. I'm with her now trying to work out what these devices are. Some are obvious as they have a maker's name and model number/name. But some have ancillary fitments and drawers of related parts, e.g Myford Super 7 lathe.

I'm trying to find a way of helping his widow dispose of all the items. She has help from a good trusted friend of her late husband for the trains, but the machines and tools she's struggling with.

I'd like to post photos of some of them here so that you might help identify them, suggest the best way of selling them (here; small ads; dealer; auction house, etc), and offer a likely used value.

Could someone alert the best mod to ask so that I don't start posting and then get a slapped wrist. I will give one example...

No idea what this is or who made it:

View attachment 145397

There are another 30-40 machines, most of which I can identify, but some of those are tricky as they appear to have attachments, or extra parts.

Many thanks for helping out.

Maybe the link helps to understand what you have got here on the picture. I am sure it will also sharpen wood working tools?

https://www.hemingwaykits.com/category-68
Greetings Timo

 

[Zeb]

David the best way to sell your machinery in the UK is to take advice from someone who lives in the UK and knows what the machines are likely to be worth in the UK.
The best place to sell online is homeworkshop.org.uk as the sevice is free and there is no commision as with ebay.
Currently a very good Quorn can fetch upto £1500 so you need to be careful with whom you deal.
I am not far from Leicester and will give advice if you need it.
Dan.

Yeah, I'd pay a pretty penny for one of those, even in kit form, if it was local.

 

[Mike Ginn]

Following on from posts 10,11 and 12. I have an Essential Information folder to help those left to sort out the "stuff". The attached is made up of articles I have collected over time and should be used as guidance - some of the contacts have changed. I also did not record the origin of the articles. Please note that the article is for UK services but the concept could help those in other countries - I hope!

I hope you find this of use.

Mike

 

[Mike Ginn]

I should have added this to post 19. It introduces the idea of a photo record of all the stuff with comments.