My first full week of selling. (Long Read)

[Leehound]

In the past I was never really sure how the process of closing a business and the liquidation process would go. But this week I got the full experience of it. Selling equipment, is turning out to be a lot of work. Cleaning, organizing, advertising and then selling.  Craigslist and Facebook Market place have received about 10 listings each. So far I have been happy with my first week of selling. The smaller items have moved very well and I sold some bigger equipment as well. Still a lot to sell, but I am optimistic. I think my timing is good.

The story really starts when I tell you about the people I met this week.  My week has been busy and selling is a full time job. A local business bought my lathe and some other smaller items, it was a good sale. But the other sales were very interesting, because I got to meet people and hear some of their stories and I shared mine with them.

I met a guy who wants to build race car parts in his garage. He bought a Kurt vice, a couple granite plates and some other small items. He was just starting out, not having any machining experience, but he wants to learn.

I met three guys one day (two guys and a son). They are part of a upstart business. They were starting a business making equipment that extracts worm feces that gets converted into a ProBiotic Fertilizer . They really wanted my lathe, but had to get approval from the guy financing their new business. They finally got the approval, but it was too late . I had already sold it to the local business. They did buy some small items, but I really enjoyed their story.

This next guy (I'm really thinking about Gcode as I write this). True story, this guy  lived in California and retired to TN. He is 60 and retired from some type of government job (I was too busy selling to remember details). Him and his wife are now retired, he built a house on 3 acres in the Chattanooga area. He bought my Drill Press, gonna make some birdhouses and enjoy his retirement.

On Monday two guys are coming for my Surface Grinder and other items.

I will learn their story then.

[Leehound]

This week represents a total and complete liquidation of my business. The last machine (bandsaw) was loaded and left my property. Everything I owned relating to the business, with the exception of my Gerstner tool box filled with hand tools is gone. Its been a bittersweet experience. I absolutely "do not" miss building Investment Casting Molds. Having that stress out of my life is really nice. But on the other hand not having a CNC at my disposal to make whatever my mind comes up with is something I am going to miss.

The sale of my equipment went well. Of course I started out overly optimistic on the prices I was hoping for, but in the end I was content with the result.

My last sale went to a 23 year old kid. He bought my two CNC's, a 24" Bandsaw and a lot of hand tools and other items. He's "all in" setting up his new shop, borrowed money from family members to make it happen. He definitely has a vision on making a go at it. It was gratifyingly selling the last of what I had to somebody like him. He is going to have to work hard to make money on his investment and he knows it.

The "surprise" of the process of liquidating my business, was the people I got to meet. Everyone had a story of how they would use whatever I sold them. I probably met 25, 30 people. Very nice experience!

My shop is really empty, but I do have a table saw sitting in the area my CNC's once stood. What's next for me?

Birdhouses...........

Oh, and whoever said they quite alcohol. Dammit! Alcohol wrote this.

[TylerBeer]

That's awesome - I buy and sell a lot of guitar gear and it's not the same at all, but there's a couple similar experiences (usually when selling high dollar items). I rarely make much profit, mostly looking just to get back what I bought it for and pass on a deal to a younger player in a good band, while I try the next whatever thing. Often I'm buying from older folks and I hear a lot of great stories - have made a couple friends out of it too.