Wasted $300 on a used spindle that was DOA

Picked up a supposedly 'low hours' spindle from a guy on Craigslist in the next town over and it wouldn't even spin up when I wired it in. Has anyone else had luck getting their money back on used machine parts or am I just out the cash?

2 comments

2 Comments

fisher.mary19d ago

I bought a 4hp router spindle off Facebook Marketplace last year for $250 and it was dead too. The guy promised it ran when he pulled it, but I had no way to prove otherwise. I learned my lesson the hard way. Now I always ask for a video of it running connected to a power source before I hand over any cash. If they can't provide that, I walk away. You're probably out the money unless the seller is willing to take it back, but in my experience most used parts deals are final.

oscarb7118d ago

A video is the bare minimum, but even that can be faked if they spin it up with no load and it sounds fine. Had a buddy buy a spindle that ran smooth in a video but the bearings went south within an hour of actual cutting. Ask if you can hear it under load, or at least ask for a close-up of the shaft for runout. Also check the seller's other listings, if they flip tools constantly, that's a red flag. Most of the time you're stuck with it, but you could try reporting the listing if they advertised it as working.