old machines
#11
If you place a value on your time: No.
Let's say you start with a $20 thrift store machine that looks like it's decent but average. You get it home, spend 2 hours cleaning it and checking it out, then spend another $10 on a belt and bobbin tire. At this point you have $30 invested not including gas or cleaning materials. You might be lucky to get $50 for the machine afterward. Yes, you made $20 at that point but how much effort did you put into it?
You can make some money sometimes if you luck into a machine that has a higher resale value than average but mostly people who flip machines do it because they love playing with them. It gives them a chance to mess with more machines than otherwise and maybe even cover some of the costs of their hobby.
As far as making money, you're better of working at McDonald's.
Rodney
Let's say you start with a $20 thrift store machine that looks like it's decent but average. You get it home, spend 2 hours cleaning it and checking it out, then spend another $10 on a belt and bobbin tire. At this point you have $30 invested not including gas or cleaning materials. You might be lucky to get $50 for the machine afterward. Yes, you made $20 at that point but how much effort did you put into it?
You can make some money sometimes if you luck into a machine that has a higher resale value than average but mostly people who flip machines do it because they love playing with them. It gives them a chance to mess with more machines than otherwise and maybe even cover some of the costs of their hobby.
As far as making money, you're better of working at McDonald's.
Rodney
#13
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
I see old machines up for sale all the time. Who buys these machines? Is it worth my time and efford to clean them up and resale them?
You better be doing it for the love of it...
You better be doing it for the love of it...
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Posts: 1,040
If you place a value on your time: No.
Let's say you start with a $20 thrift store machine that looks like it's decent but average. You get it home, spend 2 hours cleaning it and checking it out, then spend another $10 on a belt and bobbin tire. At this point you have $30 invested not including gas or cleaning materials. You might be lucky to get $50 for the machine afterward. Yes, you made $20 at that point but how much effort did you put into it?
You can make some money sometimes if you luck into a machine that has a higher resale value than average but mostly people who flip machines do it because they love playing with them. It gives them a chance to mess with more machines than otherwise and maybe even cover some of the costs of their hobby.
As far as making money, you're better of working at McDonald's.
Rodney
Let's say you start with a $20 thrift store machine that looks like it's decent but average. You get it home, spend 2 hours cleaning it and checking it out, then spend another $10 on a belt and bobbin tire. At this point you have $30 invested not including gas or cleaning materials. You might be lucky to get $50 for the machine afterward. Yes, you made $20 at that point but how much effort did you put into it?
You can make some money sometimes if you luck into a machine that has a higher resale value than average but mostly people who flip machines do it because they love playing with them. It gives them a chance to mess with more machines than otherwise and maybe even cover some of the costs of their hobby.
As far as making money, you're better of working at McDonald's.
Rodney
#16
#18
On the average, I don't even find that flipping the odd machine even pays for itself or frees up any cash. Typically something else comes up around the same time that I want and uses up all of what I "made" on the machine I flipped which means I just paid for the parts on the machine I flipped out of my pocket.
The other thing I noticed no one has mentioned is that rarely is a flip sale a fast one. You either have to show them how to use the machine - an hour with questions - or a couple of hours while they decide on a machine then want you to teach them to sew.
The only way I've made anything is selling parts and quilting accessories and servicing other people's machines.
OH! And speaking and teaching.
The other thing I noticed no one has mentioned is that rarely is a flip sale a fast one. You either have to show them how to use the machine - an hour with questions - or a couple of hours while they decide on a machine then want you to teach them to sew.
The only way I've made anything is selling parts and quilting accessories and servicing other people's machines.
OH! And speaking and teaching.
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