HOW TO FIND AND BUY THAT MACHINE TOOL OR ACCESSORY
MACHINE TOOL DEALERS.
I HAVE ALWAYS AND STILL LOVE THE BUZZ OF GOING AROUND DEALERS SHOWROOMS AND SEEING THE MACHINES THAT I COULD BUY IF I HAD THE SPARE CASH. AND VIVIDLY REMEMBER EACH EXCITING BUY AS IF IT WERE YESTERDAY.
WHEN I LIVED IN LONDON MANY YEARS AGO THE WAY TO FIND MACHINE TOOLS WAS TO LOOK AT THE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE WEEKLY "EXCHANGE & MART" . A TABLOID TYPE OF MAGAZINE. WHERE THOUSANDS OF MACHINES WERE ADVERTISED EVERY WEEK AND ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT DEALERS WAS "LONDON MACHINERY" THAT HAD A YARD IN PENGE SPECIALISING IN EXPORTING OLD MACHINERY TO EMERGING COUNTRIES.
NOT HAVING A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND DID NOT HINDER ME FROM VISITING THEM AND POKING AROUND. I EVEN BOUGHT A NICE 1920`S DRILLING MACHINE FROM THEM FOR THE PRINCELY SUM OF FIFTEEN POUNDS WHICH WAS RATHER EXPENSIVE THEN.
FORTY FIVE YEARS LATER I STILL HAVE THIS DRILL THAT NOW GRACES MY GARAGE WORKSHOP.
I HAVE ALWAYS AND STILL LOVE THE BUZZ OF GOING AROUND DEALERS SHOWROOMS AND SEEING THE MACHINES THAT I COULD BUY IF I HAD THE SPARE CASH. AND VIVIDLY REMEMBER EACH EXCITING BUY AS IF IT WERE YESTERDAY.
WHEN I LIVED IN LONDON MANY YEARS AGO THE WAY TO FIND MACHINE TOOLS WAS TO LOOK AT THE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE WEEKLY "EXCHANGE & MART" . A TABLOID TYPE OF MAGAZINE. WHERE THOUSANDS OF MACHINES WERE ADVERTISED EVERY WEEK AND ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT DEALERS WAS "LONDON MACHINERY" THAT HAD A YARD IN PENGE SPECIALISING IN EXPORTING OLD MACHINERY TO EMERGING COUNTRIES.
NOT HAVING A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND DID NOT HINDER ME FROM VISITING THEM AND POKING AROUND. I EVEN BOUGHT A NICE 1920`S DRILLING MACHINE FROM THEM FOR THE PRINCELY SUM OF FIFTEEN POUNDS WHICH WAS RATHER EXPENSIVE THEN.
FORTY FIVE YEARS LATER I STILL HAVE THIS DRILL THAT NOW GRACES MY GARAGE WORKSHOP.
NOW IN 2014 THE SONS OF THIS DEALER TRADE AS "HOME AND WORKSHOP MACHINERY" IN KENT.
THERE ARE MANY MACHINE TOOL DEALERS OUT THERE AND BECAUSE OF THE GROWING INDUSTRIALISATION IN INDIA THERE ARE INDIAN AND PAKISTANI DEALERS THAT NOW HOOVER UP ALL THE CHEAP MACHINES AT AUCTION IN THE UK AND EXPORT THEM TO THEIR OWN COUNTRIES. THERE ARE SEVERAL DEPOTS IN AND AROUND BIRMINGHAM IN WHICH THESE MACHINES ARE STORED AWAITING TRANSIT.
IT`S SAD TO SEE ALL THOSE WONDERFUL MACHINES JUST LEFT OUT IN THE OPEN TO GROW A THICK COATING OF RUST. THE DEALERS POINT OF VIEW IS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF CHEAP LABOUR IN ASIA THAT CAN RECONDITION THESE MACHINES AS NEW FOR LITTLE MONEY. I`VE TRIED TO BUY MACHINES FROM THESE YARDS BUT COMMUNICATION IS DIFFICULT AS THE PROPRIETORS ARE OFTEN NOT THERE.
IT`S SAD TO SEE ALL THOSE WONDERFUL MACHINES JUST LEFT OUT IN THE OPEN TO GROW A THICK COATING OF RUST. THE DEALERS POINT OF VIEW IS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF CHEAP LABOUR IN ASIA THAT CAN RECONDITION THESE MACHINES AS NEW FOR LITTLE MONEY. I`VE TRIED TO BUY MACHINES FROM THESE YARDS BUT COMMUNICATION IS DIFFICULT AS THE PROPRIETORS ARE OFTEN NOT THERE.
WHERE TO LOOK
THERE ARE NOT SO MANY SOURCES WHERE ONE CAN FIND THE SPECIALISED TYPE OF MACHINE THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
DEALERS OF NORMAL INDUSTRIAL MACHINES WILL PROBABLY HAVE NO STOCK OF OUR TYPE OF MACHINE BUT IT`S ALWAYS WORTHWHILE TO CALL INTO ANY DEALERS PREMISES THAT YOU PASS AND HAVE A LOOK AT THEIR STOCK, YOU NEVER KNOW!
THERE ARE NOT SO MANY SOURCES WHERE ONE CAN FIND THE SPECIALISED TYPE OF MACHINE THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
DEALERS OF NORMAL INDUSTRIAL MACHINES WILL PROBABLY HAVE NO STOCK OF OUR TYPE OF MACHINE BUT IT`S ALWAYS WORTHWHILE TO CALL INTO ANY DEALERS PREMISES THAT YOU PASS AND HAVE A LOOK AT THEIR STOCK, YOU NEVER KNOW!
EBAY IS PROBABLY THE FAVOURITE PLACE TO LOOK FOR MACHINES AND ACCESSORIES. UNFORTUNATELY IN NORWAY EBAY HAS NOT TAKEN OFF AS THEY WOULD LIKE AS THEY WERE PRE DATED BY FINN.NO WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE PREMIER WEBSITE TO BUY AND SELL ON AT THE MOMENT.
FINN.NO IS AN EASY SITE TO NEGOTIATE BUT FINDING THE DESIRED ITEMS IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN IN EBAY. FINN IS BASICALLY A BUY AND SELL SITE AND THERE ARE NO ON LINE AUCTIONS, YOU JUST PAY A FIXED SMALL FEE TO UPLOAD THE ADVERT AND IT STAYS THERE UNTIL THE ITEM IS SOLD AND THE ADVERT CANCELLED.
FINN.NO IS AN EASY SITE TO NEGOTIATE BUT FINDING THE DESIRED ITEMS IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN IN EBAY. FINN IS BASICALLY A BUY AND SELL SITE AND THERE ARE NO ON LINE AUCTIONS, YOU JUST PAY A FIXED SMALL FEE TO UPLOAD THE ADVERT AND IT STAYS THERE UNTIL THE ITEM IS SOLD AND THE ADVERT CANCELLED.
BUYING ONLINE IS NOT SO EXCITING AS ACTUALLY BEING ON THE DEALERS PREMISES AND PERHAPS FINDING THAT ITEM THAT ONE HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR, FOR SO LONG HIDDEN AWAY IN A DARK CORNER.
HOME AND WORKSHOP MACHINERY THIS COMPANY CAN BE FOUND IN FOOTSCRAY IN KENT AND IS WORTH A DETOUR WHEN COMING INTO THE UK VIA THE FERRY INTO HARWICH ( DON`T FORGET TO VISIT THE FISH AND CHIP SHOP IN HARWICH, THIS IS NEAR THE DOCK IN THE OLD TOWN AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED )
THEY HAVE A MASSIVE STOCK OF OUR KIND OF MACHINES AND ACCESSORIES AND IF YOU LIKE TO RUMMAGE AROUND THERE ARE ALWAYS MANY ITEMS ON DISPLAY AND IN BOXES THAT ONE IS LOOKING FOR.
THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PLACE TO BUY FROM BUT STEVE AND CHRIS, THE TWO BROTHERS THAT OWN THE SHOP, WILL DEAL AND REDUCE THE PRICES FOR BULK PURCHASES. MOST OF THEIR MACHINES IN STOCK ARE SITUATED OUT IN THE YARD UNDER TARPAULINS SO THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK THEM WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
I LOVE GOING THERE AND GET SO EXCITED THAT IT`S DANGEROUS FOR MY WALLET!
THERE IS AN OLD FASHIONED RESTAURANT NEARBY IN A PARADE OF SHOPS THAT HARKS BACK TO THE 50`S AND 60`S OWNED BY GREEK OR TURKISH FOLK THAT SERVES COMFORTING BRITISH FOOD, THERE'S NO MICHELIN STARS BUT EATING THERE IS A STEP BACK IN TIME WHEN CHOLESTEROL WAS KING.
THEY HAVE A MASSIVE STOCK OF OUR KIND OF MACHINES AND ACCESSORIES AND IF YOU LIKE TO RUMMAGE AROUND THERE ARE ALWAYS MANY ITEMS ON DISPLAY AND IN BOXES THAT ONE IS LOOKING FOR.
THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PLACE TO BUY FROM BUT STEVE AND CHRIS, THE TWO BROTHERS THAT OWN THE SHOP, WILL DEAL AND REDUCE THE PRICES FOR BULK PURCHASES. MOST OF THEIR MACHINES IN STOCK ARE SITUATED OUT IN THE YARD UNDER TARPAULINS SO THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK THEM WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
I LOVE GOING THERE AND GET SO EXCITED THAT IT`S DANGEROUS FOR MY WALLET!
THERE IS AN OLD FASHIONED RESTAURANT NEARBY IN A PARADE OF SHOPS THAT HARKS BACK TO THE 50`S AND 60`S OWNED BY GREEK OR TURKISH FOLK THAT SERVES COMFORTING BRITISH FOOD, THERE'S NO MICHELIN STARS BUT EATING THERE IS A STEP BACK IN TIME WHEN CHOLESTEROL WAS KING.
G & M TOOLS THEIR SHOWROOM IS SITUATED NEAR BRIGHTON AND AGAIN WELL WORTH A VISIT ESPECIALLY ON THE UPPER FLOOR WHICH IS WHERE THE MACHINE BRIC A BRAC IS LAID OUT ON DISPLAY AT KNOCK DOWN PRICES! TIM AND "DIGGER" ARE THE PROPRIETORS AND ARE PREPARED TO HAGGLE OVER THE PRICES.
THERE IS A LARGE STOCK OF MACHINES ON DISPLAY WITH MANY MACHINES THAT ARE COSMETICALLY THREATENED OR HAVE MISSING PARTS, WHICH CAN BE BOUGHT QUITE CHEAPLY.
THEY ALSO SELL ON EBAY AND HAVE AN EBAY SHOP, BUT NOTHING BEATS BEING ON THE PREMISES HAVING A GOOD OLD RUMMAGE AROUND THE SMALL TOOLS AND THINGS AND THEN GOING FOR A PUB LUNCH AND A PINT OF ENGLISH WALLOP.
THERE IS A LARGE STOCK OF MACHINES ON DISPLAY WITH MANY MACHINES THAT ARE COSMETICALLY THREATENED OR HAVE MISSING PARTS, WHICH CAN BE BOUGHT QUITE CHEAPLY.
THEY ALSO SELL ON EBAY AND HAVE AN EBAY SHOP, BUT NOTHING BEATS BEING ON THE PREMISES HAVING A GOOD OLD RUMMAGE AROUND THE SMALL TOOLS AND THINGS AND THEN GOING FOR A PUB LUNCH AND A PINT OF ENGLISH WALLOP.
LEKNES MASKIN MY FAVOURITE MACHINE TOOL DEALER IN NORWAY NOW SITUATED IN SKI, KÅRE AND HALVARD ARE NICE GUYS AND QUITE OFTEN HAVE SMALL MACHINES IN STOCK AND ALSO HAVE A RANGE OF NEW SMALL GERMAN MACHINES SUITABLE FOR MODELERS. THERE ARE ALWAYS SMALL SECOND HAND TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES LYING ON THE SHELVES AND THE STOCK IS ALWAYS CHANGING SO THAT FREQUENT VISITS ARE RECOMMENDED
IN PROGRESS