[8_10 Brass Cleaner]

Originally Posted by chris wedgwood

So I tried to buy the spares Foster drum on the wooden wheels from Ebay, I though I could take the steel ones off our machine and swap over, then "give" the other drum to some deserving person having got the wooden wheels that I want, but no, would you believe the reserve price was 2K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The bidding went up to £155 not sold

The Marshall drum I mentioned with the Foster rear wheels is hanging, makes Andrew Goddards look like a good one. However the owner wants somewhere near a grand for it. The harder I look at it, the more knackered I think it is. Its a full time job for a good joiner with some serious lumps of wood needed.

I've weighed it up and my assessment was thus:

I would tow it in the field, take the drawbar and Foster wheels off and burn it.

I would probably get a ton or so of iron out of it, minus the plates and useful ironmongery. So say £200, possibly less given I'd have to cart it to the scrapman.

I could move on the plates, wheels and drawbar, possibly the stub axles also, say another £3-400 in total.

So i valued it at £400 given I'd be doing the work. I also know I've allready parted money to buy the two wooden wheel hubs that came off it some time ago.

If anyone matched his valuation they are either an idiot or they seriously want that box. And there is not so many idiots about as there used to be.

If what Piers says is true, and I have no doubt that it is, if you can buy a half decent one for £500, why would anyone pay any more than beer money for a tired one?

But it does go to show you the economics, and gives you an idea why they get burnt.