Ebay Droppings Thread.

[ian]

Shoot me.

OLD Large Timber Work Bench Kitchen Island Dining Table Trestle Legs Farmhouse | eBay

it does have a Dawn No.1 vice and what looks like a Record planing stop

[clear out]

it does have a Dawn No.1 vice and what looks like a Record planing stop

Its all genuine Oz.
Thats a Silex bench stop.
H.

[IanW]

The 'table' you pointed to was bad enough, but there's an even more beaten-up old bench for sale in the pics below, for the bargain price of $1000. Sheeesh!

Obviously, we're just Philistines, with no appreciation of these lovely old pieces. My DIL has a table something like that. It's been made made from old wood, with multiple peeling paint layers, and at least one large area of punky wood that is collapsing in the centre. She thinks it's beautiful.

From my point of view, the joinery is about the standard my kids would make when they were 5 or 6 - there is not one level join in the top, and gaps in the trestle joints that could house a battalion of large spiders. It remains together only by dint of some heavy wrought-iron braces and a boatload of epoxy or some similar adhesive, plus several kilos of wall-board screws. One of the accompanying chairs broke a while back, and I was asked to repair it. Out of family loyalty, I did so, through gritted teeth, all the while fighting the urge to put it through the bandsaw and add it to the kindling-wood pile. Trouble is, I'm not sure if it would be safe to burn - I did ask her if she knew if the paint had ever been checked for lead content, but all I got was a bleak look. I was serious....

Cheers,

Cheers,

[ch!ppy]

hehe, those benches crack me up. if you think that one is bad Ian and pmcgee.

take a look at these, $675 for the brown one and $850 for the green one. obviously i must just be cheap not to see the value in these. normally i would think its the other way around but perhaps they are worth more without vices . i could maybe make one of these if i dragged it behind my car for a week along the strazlecy track

lol, green envy

cheers
chippy

[pmcgee]

Maybe because we don't have hundreds of years of history in this country?

The real-deal benches that were sold from the Midland Railway Workshops went for big $$$'s ($500-$800 was low) at auction over here a year or so ago - which I posted about. Many of them were probably destined to a similar decorative fate ... but a) they had a clear and meaningful history, b) they were practical and well (or well-enough) made, and c) some of them were definitely going to continue life as real workbenches.

Paul

[ch!ppy]

Maybe because we don't have hundreds of years of history in this country?

The real-deal benches that were sold from the Midland Railway Workshops went for big $$$'s ($500-$800 was low) at auction over here a year or so ago - which I posted about. Many of them were probably destined to a similar decorative fate ... but a) they had a clear and meaningful history, b) they were practical and well (or well-enough) made, and c) some of them were definitely going to continue life as real workbenches.

Paul

probably more to do with population numbers than hundreds of years, supply and demand of course, there just arn't as many in Oz than in other countries. adelaide was around since 1836, the eastern cities earlier and good joiners benches from that time onward are about as good as it gets. from time to time localy i often see original vintage european benches with face and tail vices (adelaide had many european settlers, so thats a common type bench around here-not sure how the other states fair with history), wooden screws, tusk tenons etc, they range in price from $5-600 for a small jarrah one i saw to $1200-$3000 for a good usable full size example in beech etc. that green one i previous posted, from my POV may as well go down and get some free pallets, a bit of pine for the legs or old hardwood fence posts and rails and put together, throw some old paint on it. just not worth $850 no matter how much someones grandfather used it. i do agree that some unique pieces from railways or some other interesting places providing it looks the part has some added value for its history though.

[IanW]

Maybe because we don't have hundreds of years of history in this country? .......

Paul, I think there is certainly a need to buy 'history' when you acquire something like this. People want 'antiques' for a variety of reasons, and I wouldn't want to get into a long discussion about all those reasons, but it seems to me, that this sort of garbage fits in the 'inverse snob value' category, and is purchased for that reason alone. A more discriminating inverse snob might look for a genuine old workbench which has both a real history and sound construction going for it, not something (badly) cobbled up from stuff that wasn't considered fit for the wood heater. But it's everyone's world....

[ch!ppy]

Paul, I think there is certainly a need to buy 'history' when you acquire something like this. People want 'antiques' for a variety of reasons, and I wouldn't want to get into a long discussion about all those reasons, but it seems to me, that this sort of garbage fits in the 'inverse snob value' category, and is purchased for that reason alone. A more discriminating inverse snob might look for a genuine old workbench which has both a real history and sound construction going for it, not something (badly) cobbled up from stuff that wasn't considered fit for the wood heater. But it's everyone's world....

i'd agree and already have that people like to buy history, but history on its own is taking his whole sentence of out context, at least the way i read it. he said because [sic] perhaps because as a nation we don't have 'hundreds' of years of history. but i would propose that many homes around Oz are mid and late 1800's, many people like to furnish their home with period furniture, hopefully as good a quality as it gets, or as they can afford, depending on their budget. doesn't make them inverse snobs, kinda cruel pigeon holing people i think.

some people no matter the age of their home have different tastes, contemporary etc, shabby chic as they call it or an industrial look is quite popular nowadays. doesn't make them inverse snobs at all just different tastes for different folks. my point is with some of these ratty so called benches, particularly at the prices they are asking is just ridiculous , to me it doesn't fit into a workable value for money workbench, nor an industrial looking piece (or shabby chic or whatever you want to call it) worthy of the money they are asking to put in your home. new distressed stuff is better value compared to those.

i sometimes buy old furniture doors etc, a bench or cheap tools because i see the value in the timber, timber that is just very hard to get hold of now and sometimes a damaged or going cheap piece gets me that timber at a very good price, maybe the vice or other parts on a bench or tool i can see its value too. but some of these bench examples are just trash or at least incredibly over valued, compared to what the average person (whom doesn't make furniture just buys to decorate their home) might find in an antique shop anywhere around Oz. just because they like a certain style and even if they are a discriminating client doesn't make them a 'discriminating inverse snob', thats just a label, probably a bit unkind imho as many many folk in Oz and around the world are going for the shabby or industrial look nowadays.

its of no consequence whether its to your or my taste or not. however, i guess some peoples selling expectations are more pie in the sky when they price something to sell, or perhaps don't recognise (or cross fingers and hope for the best) the actually differences (details) between what they have and what other sellers or antique shops examples are. labelling people as discriminating inverse snobs is almost like saying, ''the a guy with a black hat robbed the bank, so all men wearing black hats are bank robbers.''


cheers
chippy

[lightwood]

'' ......'discriminating inverse snob', thats just a label, probably a bit unkind imho as many many folk in Oz and around the world are going for the shabby or industrial look nowadays.....
the a guy with a black hat robbed the bank, so all men wearing black hats are bank robbers.''

chippy

Chippy,
you may have missed the whole point of this thread, the OP was perhaps expecting exactly the kind of thing you are not wanting.

"I love the stupidly overpriced, the filed down 101's, the Stanley tote screwed to a piece of gal pipe.
They lift my spirits and make the next nappy change seem slightly less gruesome

How about sharing the links when you find yourself choking on your coffee over some obscene ebay wonder.

Mine for the night is just about the ugliest block plane I have ever seen, makes my hand hurt just looking at it."

This is the place we use to poke fun at them! And in my experience, the folk who would be silly enough to buy them.

And to bring it full circle after 1853 posts.......a block plane.

Here is my recent find from the across the water.
shabby chic..??? I've hated that expression and all it represents since I first heard it...almost as much as the term "man-cave" ... but this takes shabby chic just one step deeper into the pit of horrid, smelly, filth.

I'm more than happy to judge/label both the seller and buyer (if one exists) of that obscenity.

Cheers,
Peter

[ch!ppy]

you may be right lightwood, i do often look at things a bit too logical and miss the humour sometimes. sorry if any offence was inferred by me. i'll try and adjust little better along the vein you mention

cheers
chippy

[ian]

And to bring it full circle after 1853 posts.......a block plane.

Here is my recent find from the across the water.
shabby chic..??? I've hated that expression and all it represents since I first heard it...almost as much as the term "man-cave" ... but this takes shabby chic just one step deeper into the pit of horrid, smelly, filth.

Hi Peter

did you note the date on the seller's photo -- March 2012

[goodvibes]

The 'table' you pointed to was bad enough, but there's an even more beaten-up old bench for sale in the pics below, for the bargain price of $1000. Sheeesh!

Like it or loathe it, the market sets the value. And I have no doubt at all that if it were in my possession I could get $1500 to $2000 for that bench. Not in a flash shop in a trendy suburb. In an auction house well outside a capital city. I'd also be confident of $750 to 1200 for the other beaten up benches in other posts on this page.

At least in some ways this makes sense. The things are right in fashion now, true. But at least they are limited availability, and there will never be another one made with that huge volume of heavy hardwood. And even it there were, they will not come on the market next week with 100 years of age on them.

Far more obscene is the shabby s--t, as I prefer to call it. Every day I see spectacular pieces of beautifully made Victorian and Edwardian antique furniture unable to reach a reserve of a few hundred dollars. Or even get a bid at all. While absolute crap mass produced flimsy pine rubbish held together with staples, with a wash coat of white paint and then hit with a rock a few times has people emptying their wallets.

Which is why I have just purchased a very large shed and 1000 metres of heavy duty plastic shrink wrap. One day, the insanity will end. And I intend to be the boy with the good stuff when it does.

[Doggie]

Like it or loathe it, the market sets the value. And I have no doubt at all that if it were in my possession I could get $1500 to $2000 for that bench. .

What concerns me is where people are going to use these old benches. If its in the house as a sideboard or dining table or God forbid kitchen how do they know what its been used for in the past? On the farm in times past I used some my old benches for all sorts of evil jobs like cutting up rat and fox blocks, rabbit bait, herbacide and drench mixing and many other disgusting jobs. Forgetting all the other nasties that have been on there, these are the tasks that come to mind from my own use. What about what Dad used them for or his Dad, in a time when sheep dips and insecticides contained unbelievable bad crap. How does anyone know where these old benches have been or what has been spilled on them. Creepy.

[goodvibes]

What concerns me is where people are going to use these old benches. If its in the house as a sideboard or dining table or God forbid kitchen how do they know what its been used for in the past? On the farm in times past I used some my old benches for all sorts of evil jobs like cutting up rat and fox blocks, rabbit bait, herbacide and drench mixing and many other disgusting jobs. Forgetting all the other nasties that have been on there, these are the tasks that come to mind from my own use. What about what Dad used them for or his Dad, in a time when sheep dips and insecticides contained unbelievable bad crap. How does anyone know where these old benches have been or what has been spilled on them. Creepy.

They tend to be coated in a THICK layer of resin. How thick, depends on the level of cratering.

Probably creeps you out in a different way.

Back to the "value" though. Open ended word that one.

Even if you just wanted a work bench. How much is 20cm deep x 30 cm wide x 2 metres long of new hardwood going to cost you? And you need five of those just to make the bench top.

[pmcgee]

There's a bit of light in the dark, I reckon ... (on fb ... "ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE TOOLS SOCIETY" group)

"Stuart Wright
Vintage carpenters workbench with dawn vice
Melbourne, Australia ·
$200
Vintage oregon carpenters workbench that belonged to a furniture maker back in the 1950's. Measuring 182cm x 71cm deep x 95.5cm high. It's built very well using old school methods and is very sturdy. Rear tool well and number 8 dawn vice. It would look fantastic with a light sand leaving most patina and paint. Pick up Eltham or can deliver locally for free. Priced to sell."

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