Selling my workbench - how much should I ask for it?

[tibi]

Hello,

I am dealing with workshop space issues, and I cannot keep two workbenches if I want to buy some machines too.

My great grandfather's workbench has more sentimental value and it is a heritage, so I reluctantly decided to sell my own workbench, which I built for myself last year.

It is laminated beech with front boards made from cherry. 190x60 cm, approximately 95 cm tall. It has a left-handed vice, but can be switched to the right side, if needed. It is very sturdy with absolutely no racking. Estimated weight (computer calculated) is 170 kg.

The build quality is not 100%, there are small gaps on the underside here and there, but nothing apparent. It has one quick release face vice that is working very well (after being replaced in warranty, because previous one was faulty). The look is purely functional, no sunrise dovetails or any carved mouse on the underside.

There are 19 mm dogholes, 2 holdfast and Veritas bench pussycat, or whatever. There is a middle lowered slot that can be removed for workholding purposes. So it is quasi split Roubo bench.

I know that market in UK and Slovakia is very different, but I would like to ask, how much should I ask for my bench? I would like to ask a price where both parties will be satisfied and no one would feel cheated.

For comparison, this brand new workbench is 1084 € (just under 950 GBP) sold in Slovakia - it is 2m long, 91 kg only.

Thank you for your input.

 

[ajs]

This will probably make you cry, believe me I take no pleasure in it, but here in the UK I'd be glad if you got £200 for it.

These things are variable of course, ultimately it depends what someone is willing to pay for it. As is it's a larger than average bench for a home user with a Transit or similar to collect it, who has the space for it and doesn't already have one.

My advice would be to look into any way you can have this delivered to the buyer, that will open up the market considerably. May fetch two or three times the price even with £100 equivalent on top for shipping.

 

[tibi]

This will probably make you cry, believe me I take no pleasure in it, but here in the UK I'd be glad if you got £200 for it.

These things are variable of course, ultimately it depends what someone is willing to pay for it. As is it's a larger than average bench for a home user with a Transit or similar to collect it, who has the space for it and doesn't already have one.

My advice would be to look into any way you can have this delivered to the buyer, that will open up the market considerably. May fetch two or three times the price even with £100 equivalent on top for shipping.

Just Materials and hardware cost me 500 Eur, without any work involved. Hopefully it will not be that bad.

 

[johnnyb]

I would tend to price it cost of wood plus hardware. then you can sum up your work depending on how generous ungenerous your feeling.it looka grand job though

 

[johnnyb]

woodwork is an odd game. stuff I like tends not to be brought. if someone asked me to make them a bench I would be in the thousands. but your market is woodworkers who would all want to make one! I also think you create a market by doing many. so if you became "the workbench man" people would start buying from you Chris schwarz writes some great reviews...Next thing your workbenches are thousands.

 

[BucksDad]

Are you close to the border with Austria? Can you sell it there?

 

[tibi]

Are you close to the border with Austria? Can you sell it there?

No , i am 100 km from Ukrainian border. And 60 km from Polish border and 60 km from Hungary.

 

[tibi]

woodwork is an odd game. stuff I like tends not to be brought. if someone asked me to make them a bench I would be in the thousands. but your market is woodworkers who would all want to make one! I also think you create a market by doing many. so if you became "the workbench man" people would start buying from you Chris schwarz writes some great reviews...Next thing your workbenches are thousands.

I would need to be Frank Strazza or similar to be in the thousands

 

[Ttrees]

I see a wall where it could go, and a bench with ample storage provisions.

 

[danst96]

Put it in storage, one day when you eventually upgrade your workshop, you will be glad. Or wood prices will continue to increase so much that it will be worth a small fortune in a few years.

 

[Jameshow]

Americans are your best bet!!

 

[johnnyb]

thousands in the uk is not such a lot honestly. make a door for a listed building probably cost £1000 just in wood the process although different isn't any harder. the difference being the want in the Buyer. my million pound house needs a door. bingo. people(hobbiests) will idolise certain woodworkers and pay a lot for there work.(holtley plane anyone?) and folk buy into stories and romance( mouseman) value is an odd thing tbh. why support a large organisation(as Thompsons surely is) rather than the young chap selling work at a loss down the road? even robert himself would laugh at the irony. mouseman is like the jaws 3 of furniture. a safe bet.

 

[Blister]

Do you have ebay in your country ?

 

[tibi]

Do you have ebay in your country ?

The nearest ebay is in Germany and Austria. And a small van transport from Germany to Slovakia costs 700 €. But we have similar sites for class fields or autction sites.

 

[BucksDad]

Well if you’re worried you can’t get good value selling it in Slovakia have you considered keeping it and cutting it up to build other things with it?

I assume you’re getting a PT and bandsaw to build some stuff!

 

[tibi]

Well if you’re worried you can’t get good value selling it in Slovakia have you considered keeping it and cutting it up to build other things with it?

I assume you’re getting a PT and bandsaw to build some stuff!

I would like to sell it due to space restrictions and also to get some more money for bandsaw, PT and dust extraction.

I have asked some Slovak woodworking friends about the value I should ask and then I will put it on the auction sites. My minimum price would be 950 €. Material + hardware + a month of evening work. Maybe I will go higher if it would be possible.

 

[COWS]

A workbench is a fundamental part of a workshop. I would say most serious woodworkers wouldn't cheap out on a bench after spending many 1000's on tools. A lot make their own but some buy. If I were looking to buy one, a good quality 2nd hand would be what I'd be looking for. Find something similar new on the market and list yours for 60-70%. It's nice bench. Don't give it away.

 

[Ginlow]

Way out there. You could ask a local school or university OR sell as shabby chic for home decor maybe approach some fancy stores for shop fronts, display stands. For selling to woodworkers, I'd forget your time spent on it. It's probably paid for that in use already and take it as a learning experience. If I could get Hardwear and lumber costs back I'd be happy

 

[MikeJhn]

In a UK market you would be lucky to get £500.00 for a second hand bench, if you got any interest at all, think you need to lower your sights a bit, if you look at the new bench you listed in post 1 at €1000.00 vice's both ends, your estimated sell price of €950.00 is way off the mark, sorry but that's the reality, could be a different mark up in Slovakia, but I doubt it.

 

[thetyreman]

you should not undervalue or undersell yourself, £200 is nowhere near enough, you don't want to sell it for a LOSS, I'd work out how much it cost for materials, the vice and all hardware, get it all on paper, then go from there, personally I'd add in the time and labour cost as well and if somebody doesn't like it then they are simply cheap and the wrong type of buyer, I think asking for close to £1000 is not unreasonable.