Timber Framing Tools, what to do with my demo kit.

[toolfest.co.uk]

Good Morning

I've got a kit of Protool tools for timber framing:

CMP 150 28 x 40 x 150mm Chain Mortiser

PLP 350 E 350mm Beam Planer

SBP 285mm Portable Bandsaw

CCP 380, 380mm Carpenters Chainsaw

NRP 90 Hand Held Notcher & Rafter Seat Cutter

Plus various rails and accessories.

I just can't decide what to do with them.

There are options, just stick them on eBay and let them go, maybe start a micro tool hire business for customers who would like access to these machines on a short term basis, or find a partner who is interested in timber frame and would like the tools as my shareholding in a joint venture? Who knows, I'm just kicking ideas around and thought the FOG members who I know I can trust for genuine informed opinions could help me.

Many thanks

Warren

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi Warren,

Since I'm not from the UK, forgive me for asking, are you a Brick & Mortar Store?

If so, I could see how renting out these tools could make some of your customers pretty happy who might need some of them for a single project/ single time use only. How happy you will be with it, that I don't know.

Do you have a in-house repair department to repair and maintain these tools? Renting fees would need to mirror/reflect all of this side costs...

But it still could be great marketing idea if it's hard to rent these types of tools in your area, every renter is also a potential buyer (maybe for other stuff/machinery, but still a potential buyer...)

So maybe if you see it as some sort of marketing campaign overall revenue will be worth it?

(I can only talk for our area here in Germany, but for renting tools there are two mother companies who run this as a franchise system in almost all local hardware stores. And they rent everything from a single drilling dust nozzle to serious tools to professionals only stuff (big excavators, signaling units...) Competing with them would be nearly impossible on a stand alone base.)

Selling isn't a bad idea either, if you kinda "wrote them off" anyway, see it as some money to do something nice.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[toolfest.co.uk]

Thanks for your input Oliver.

We are bricks and mortar and have a healthy trade counter business for fixing sales and Festool retail. Repairs can be outsourced without too much bother too. Whether we have enough customers locally for hire of these machines though I doubt.

When I was travelling the country demonstrating these machines I would often be asked about hire, as the mainstream hire companies did not offer them. From a quick search this still seems to be the case that there is little timber frame tool hire available. As I was selling them, hire was never really considered but now I'm thinking it may be a way to go.

I'm keen to explore all options.

Of course, I could just sell them and buy another Lambretta.

Best regards

Warren