What would you do?

[dobbo]

An old bloke from down the road the other day asked me if I was into woodworking, I answered no but I have a mate who is, he offered to sell me an old wood plane for $10, my mate is into them so I accepted.

I told him I'd sell it to my mate for whatever he'd give for it and give the old bloke 50% of any profits. He wasn't interested, just wanted his $10 for a beer and a bet.


Turns out this thing is old and in the condition it's in can get anywhere from $400 - $1000

He's a pensioner, but he sold it to me and did refuse the offer of splitting any profits with him.

[Sleepy]

Buy him something he can use:
eg:

New Vacuum Cleaner
Car Service
Yearly Bus Pass
Pay for a Gardner to do the once over on his place.
Footy Membership
Hand Made Coffe Table - made by your mate
Plumber to replace all his washers.


Makes it easier if you know what he's into.

[51jay]

He obviously had no idea of its true value, neither did you I guess.

This is one where YOU do what YOU think is the right thing to do.

Personally, I like to think I would go halves on the proffit :)

[Sprint]

got a photo of it? what make/model is it?

[dobbo]

got a photo of it? what make/model is it?


Camera not available till tommorow when wife and D2 return.

It's a Stanley No:112

[Ferret]

What it is worth and what you actually get are 2 different things but you did offer to the split profits with him. How does it change things when you find out you may get much more than either of you thought?

If you get something substantial give him a cut, your both still in front.

The fact that your asking the question in public means that is what is in your mind anyway.

[FenianEel]

Buy him a nice meal - a can of Pal, pensioners love it apparently:wasntme:

[sschmez]

If I was you....

get whatever you can for it ... give it all to him, and walk away happy with yourself that you've done the right thing.

might've cost you $10 but, you didn't need it as much as him anyway.


(maybe take the $10 if things are really tight, they're still not as tight for you as they are for him)

[rovercare]

He sold it for a price he was happy with.........now you do the same;)

[dobbo]

What it is worth and what you actually get are 2 different things but you did offer to the split profits with him. How does it change things when you find out you may get much more than either of you thought?

If you get something substantial give him a cut, your both still in front.

The fact that your asking the question in public means that is what is in your mind anyway.

Your right I did offer to split the profits, he refused. Yes it's on my mind, not the fact I can split the wealth, we don't live in a communist society. If he won on the nag he bet on would I see a cent of profit? I think not, don't get me wrong I feel partially guilty, but in reality this is not your average run of the mill old grandad, it's a cabinet makers tool and although he was sort of in the furniture game allegedly in the removal/very long term storage side of things.


Buy him a nice meal - a can of Pal, pensioners love it apparently:wasntme:

May of learnt this trick when he was in the other government housing scheme


He sold it for a price he was happy with.........now you do the same;)

So to quote my favourite DJ: I'm sorry my friend but business is business.

[tony]

Matt do whats right,

he's an old guy...your not.

hes on a pension your not,

split whatever you get for it with him....


just my thoughts ....

T

[McDisco]

Yeah I think you should sell it and split the difference. If you think he wont accept the cash just drop it in his letter box anomalously. It will help him out and make you feel good.

Angus

[V8Landy]

Do the right thing then you won't have any guilt. You said it was already on your mind.;)

[hiline]

sorry dobbo i'm with the other guys

go halves in what you get for it.............

just imagine the old blokes face when you come knocking with maybe $500
to give to him

in my books Thats Priceless :BigThumb:

[Jedimastermat]

Theres enough crap in the world over money, especially right about now. :(

Heres a chance to balance the ledger a little on the side of good and show we care on a whole lot of levels, no ripping off a fellow man, a little bit of respect for the older generation and basically turning a bit of good fortune into a selfless act

Sell it for what you can get
offer him half
if he still refuses buy him something like whats been suggested that hell get some medium long term use out of or even give it to him as a bday pressie or christmas or something.
just dont make a fuss about it he seems like hes the non assuming type

you seem like the kind of bloke that this should be a no brainer for.

remember good will always triumph over bad cause bad is dumb :D

[pop058]

Wait and find out what your actually get for it. Make the offer of half the profit again. If he still refuses, you should no longer feel guilty, but as someone has already suggested, give his lawn a makeover or even find out where he has a bet and credit his account (if that's possable) to half the profit value. My 0.02c

paul

[Xavie]

Buy him a nice meal - a can of Pal, pensioners love it apparently:wasntme:

ROFL. That was funny when it was on the news.

[Bigmark]

Yeah i agree, go down and credit his betting account with half the profits, then when he wins big he will come over and give you half of his winnings. Then you feel guilty and credit his betting account with half of the half winnings made from the half profit from the sale of the wood plane (i thinks that what it was). Then you are left with a quarter of two half profits plus the $10 which comes to a grand total of $1000,010- you then both buy a new house and ferrari and get 22 year old blonde girlfriends and start a woodworking tool museum and buy shares in a horse just to take up some of your time.
Or stuff him and keep it in the bank incase you lose your job.

[Sleepy]

I'm thinking if he was into gambling he would have flogged it off himself ;)- but not a bad suggestion though.

[Rangier Rover]

Sell it to me for $30 and give him another $10:D

[Ferret]

but in reality this is not your average run of the mill old grandad, it's a cabinet makers tool and although he was sort of in the furniture game allegedly in the removal/very long term storage side of things.

Do you mean you reckon he might have nicked it? - hmmm not sure what i'd do either in that case.

[DiscoStew]

What I would do would depend on my opinion of the old fella.

If I thought he was a bit senile then I would definitely give him half as I would not want to feel like I took advantage.

But if he is compus-mentis then there may be a reason he doesn't want to share the profits and by doing so you might embarass him. Now I don't know you or your circumstances but perhaps he is well aware of what it is worth and is trying to help out someone who he thinks needs it. We did that to a single mum friend whom we sold our perfectly good tent to for $50 so that she could take her kids on holidays.

Bottom line I would very likely put his half in an envelope, try to give it to him and if he knocked it back again I would keep it guilt free.

[dobbo]

Do you mean you reckon he might have nicked it? - hmmm not sure what i'd do either in that case.

I never said that but,



Anyway I sold it last night to another old bloke (who will use and appreciate it) for $10, it's gone and I have got out of it. Trying not to think of the lost profit.

[George130]

I never said that but,



Anyway I sold it last night to another old bloke (who will use and appreciate it) for $10, it's gone and I have got out of it. Trying not to think of the lost profit.

I would have given you $5:twisted:
That way you have no guilt as you made a loss:D:D

[big guy]

Do what feels right and makes you feel good at night.

Karma gets you everytime.

Or, put yourself in the other guys shoes and think what you would have liked.

[DiscoStew]

Or, put yourself in the other guys shoes and think what you would have liked.

He probably would like his shoes back. :D

[Grover-98]

i would let him know how much it is worth and talk over the options.

[bussy1963]

It a moral issue however the old codger did sell it for $10. Myself i would would give 25% of what you get. Then you have cleared your moral obligation

[gone bush]

Sell it and if he doesn't want the money then donate it to a local charity that works for the elderly and remember we are all getting older and what goes around comes around. cheers JP

[Sprint]

had a yarn with the old boy about 112's, reckons maybe $200-$250 in absoloutely mint condition.....

dads a boatbuilder by trade, tool collector and has used everything in his 3-4 tonne collection.....

as for what to do with it, give him half if you sell it

[lokka]

bastard i offered ya $15 for it the other day i should have just knocked it off out of ya truck while ya wasent looking :p:p:p

[Panya]

Dobbo I don't see any obligation - you bought it on a willing buyer willing seller basis for what he wanted to get for it. If you can sell it for more then do so and if you want keep the lot. You may feel that you want to share the good fortune with him or anyone else who may be more disadvantaged than you but you have no obligation to do so... my 2c

[slug_burner]

ethical question!

I had a look at my Stanley Tools pocket guide, it is 2003 copy. A #112 Cabinet Scraper Plane US$100-US$300 depending on condition, a #112 Type 1US$150-US$450.

Plane sold at no profit, ethical problem over.

[disco_mitch]

personnaly if it was me i would have sold it for what it was worth and bought him a few cartons of liquid gold sounds like he would have loved it

[V8Ian]

So Dobbo, what are you going to do next time he offers to sell you that plane? ;)

[dobbo]

So Dobbo, what are you going to do next time he offers to sell you that plane? ;)


Simple, I would not accept it. If it were "that" plane, I know the new owner loves it, and is building me a thank you gift, therefore I would know it was nicked and I would not accept it.

I don't like what you are insinuating by your post? I hope it's the way I read it.:wasntme:

[sclarke]

Mmmmmm its a moral issue..

I have no morals, so spend it on your 4wd and then take him bush...

Seriously....
find him at the TAB and give the lass behind the betting bar to put half of it on his TAB account..

Old blokes are stubbon and he wont accept the $$$ but his booky will..

[V8Ian]

Simple, I would not accept it. If it were "that" plane, I know the new owner loves it, and is building me a thank you gift, therefore I would know it was nicked and I would not accept it.

I don't like what you are insinuating by your post? I hope it's the way I read it.:wasntme:

Maybe the way you read it. Maybe the way I wrote it. No insinuation intended :p

[V8Ian]

Simple, I would not accept it. If it were "that" plane, I know the new owner loves it, and is building me a thank you gift, therefore I would know it was nicked and I would not accept it.

I don't like what you are insinuating by your post? I hope it's the way I read it.:wasntme:

Please note the wink at the end, indicating humour (to me anyway).
If I believed you had "ripped off" anyone I would not have followed the post. I intended no offence or insinuation and offer an unreserved apology.:BigThumb::twobeers:

[Hucksta]

I reckon that if i bought an item from someone that I do not know and would never see again then I would probably think that I would keep any and all profits, all power to me.

However, if 'an old bloke down the road' (as in neighbour or local fella) offered it to me and he had no idea how much it was worth then I would give him all and any profits. Especially if he is a battler and the profits were only a few hundred bucks.

Money just aint that important to me, not saying that we are rich but we have enough to eat, live and have some fun. Anyway, I would feel a little dirty about it, like I'd ripped him of or something.

I want to just point out, If I sourced it and purchased it and then lucky me I made money on it then great, but in this circumstance I'd part with the cash ......

That's my 10 cents worth .....

Hucksta