Thread: End of an era as Toowoomba Foundry closes..

A little off topic but can anyone describe those 'box straight edges' to me? Did anyone sight them in the flesh?

Are they a square section hollow box casting? Or are you referring to the more traditional I-beam or camel back straight edges?

I imagined they meant the I-Beam style... Maybe they were in a box...

Has anyone ever found and been able to prove shill bidding in Grays online auctions?

Had interesting experiences lately with some stuff being bid up so I can't help wonder.

If anyone got that bent out of joint about it and did a bit of amateur sleuthing - then found something, I'm sure you would of heard of a prosecution. Undoubtedly rather than satisfy intellectual curiosity, they'd want to report it to the ACCC to get their pound of flesh.

You do wonder about several bidders, at least around here, who repeatedly appear in the bidding stats though......either very poor machinery dealers about to go bust, unheard of machine tool museum curators or whack-jobs with more money than sense.

I was an early bidder on a couple of lots at the recent LTQ auctions and noticed that Gray's now displays not only the current bid but also the amount needed to outbid the current high bidder. So it now makes zero sense to make a standard bid since every hobby jerk online can safely bid it up to but not exceeding your high bid and cost you extra just for their amusement.

Greg

i know on good info that there was auction online in sydney few months back where the main lot sold for 125k, it went from under 10K about an hour before ending all the way up for hours.

the highest bidder did not come up with the $$$, the under bidder also mucked grays around for a weeks saying he was going to buy it then did the bolt,

the item was re auction online again sold for about 6k.

hate to been in grays office that day they lost some serious $$ on that one sale

Originally Posted by Chris Vesper

A little off topic but can anyone describe those 'box straight edges' to me? Did anyone sight them in the flesh?

Are they a square section hollow box casting? Or are you referring to the more traditional I-beam or camel back straight edges?

Did see them and unless I was imagining them they were indeed a hollow box casting. They were about 100-120mm square, sides were waisted slightly. Couldn't tell you what the bearing surfaces were like but they did have wood covers over them so they were cared for at one time.

Have you been offered one Chris?

Garry

Originally Posted by Greg Q

I was an early bidder on a couple of lots at the recent LTQ auctions and noticed that Gray's now displays not only the current bid but also the amount needed to outbid the current high bidder. So it now makes zero sense to make a standard bid since every hobby jerk online can safely bid it up to but not exceeding your high bid and cost you extra just for their amusement.

Greg

they bidding system is suck.
plus who on earth want to pay 15% buyer premium on something's you won at an auction? shouldn't it be all cost for the seller ?
also 10% GST . we better keep away from that stupid auction site i believe .

Peter

Originally Posted by thorens

they bidding system is suck.
plus who on earth want to pay 15% buyer premium on something's you won at an auction? shouldn't it be all cost for the seller ?
also 10% GST . we better keep away from that stupid auction site i believe .

Peter

I agree, it works out to be over 25% the bid price although some auctions are GST inc.
The bid incresements also suck, I guess they have to pay all their employees...
Cheers Andy

Originally Posted by Garry 3

Did see them and unless I was imagining them they were indeed a hollow box casting. They were about 100-120mm square, sides were waisted slightly. Couldn't tell you what the bearing surfaces were like but they did have wood covers over them so they were cared for at one time.

Have you been offered one Chris?

Garry

No I have not, but I wish I was because that sounds exactly like the sort of straight edge I want. Same as the one pictured in Wayne Moore's book Foundations of Mechanical Accuracy. Self proving in most uses and rigid enough not to flex. Needs to be used with a skyhook though because of the size and weight.
If that lot went for some thousands I would not even be close to being able to afford those!

Originally Posted by Greg Q

I was an early bidder on a couple of lots at the recent LTQ auctions and noticed that Gray's now displays not only the current bid but also the amount needed to outbid the current high bidder. So it now makes zero sense to make a standard bid since every hobby jerk online can safely bid it up to but not exceeding your high bid and cost you extra just for their amusement.

Greg

Hi Greg, Dunno if I'm missing something but I was buying a few things in the LTQ sale, and I never found out how to see the other bidders auto bid maximum as you suggest. Where does one find that?

Had some a*hole keep bidding again and again for Rockwell hardness tester after I kept out bidding them. It was a good one too but it just went for too much.

Originally Posted by Chris Vesper

Hi Greg, Dunno if I'm missing something but I was buying a few things in the LTQ sale, and I never found out how to see the other bidders auto bid maximum as you suggest. Where does one find that?

Had some a*hole keep bidding again and again for Rockwell hardness tester after I kept out bidding them. It was a good one too but it just went for too much.

Yeah, that made a bit sick as I just sold one of those for $150. Ah well. Noice unit, and I'm sure I'll miss it. I think that you might need to be an earlier bidder on an item to see the current high bidder's winning and maximum bids. Or, maybe the max bid is only visible to the current winning bidder? (A thought that just struck me...I can't recall checking other items that I was just watching and not yet bidding on)(as yet nor bidding upon? Upon which i was not as yet advancing a bid?)(Hanging back like a shag on a rock?)Grammar! Go figure!

GQ

How can knowing the Maximum bid of your winning opponent be advantageous to you if you are actually the current winning bidder...?
Clarity please!!

Rockwell tester at $150 each? I'll take two at that price please!

This thread posted by Camoz should explain some of the frustrations as the Wadkin afficionardos were profoundly disappointed.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f163/s...budget-158857/

I was told by the Grays people that a single buyer did indeed buy the vast majority of the equipment and that it was an imternational enterprise. I should have asked more questions, but I didn't. All the the machines, both metal working and woodworking were bought by YK from Rocklea. Also all steel tables etc. Only the timber benches, the timber and a few sundries went to other buyers. I was successful in some steel table frames.

Other successful buyers could be counted on the fingers of a badly damaged hand .

As to the Grays system, I have some criticisms of their processes myself and in particular the additional costs. They become particularly onerous for the non pickup sales. In their defence they do state the terms fairly clearly even with an example of what the cost will be based on a $100 purchase. In the Toowoomba Foundry case it amounted about 16%

Despite that, I am with others here and I don't like it.

I don't think they show maximum bids to other bidders. It is only available to the individual bidder as a reminder for what your commitment.

Regards
Paul