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Picked a local supplier over a big box store for our drafting tables
I had to choose between a $400 table from a big box store or a $650 one from a local shop 30 miles away. Went with the local guy because he let me test the tilt mechanism right there. The big box table had a plastic gear that felt flimsy after 5 minutes of messing with it. My local table is solid oak and the angle lock hasn't slipped once in 8 months. Have any of you had luck finding used drafting furniture at estate sales instead of buying new?
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noah_walker165mo ago
A buddy of mine snagged a full oak drafting table at an estate sale for like 60 bucks. It was from some retired architect's house, had the angle lock, the whole setup. He had to drive an hour to get it and the thing weighed a ton, but he said the guy's family just wanted it gone. The surface had a few pencil marks but nothing a sander couldn't fix. He's been using it for two years now with zero issues. Estate sales are hit or miss but that was a solid score.
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jason3285mo ago
That "scored for like 60 bucks" part is wild. I heard a guy on a woodworking podcast say he found a vintage drafting table at a garage sale for 40 bucks and it had a full parallel bar still attached. Those things alone can go for over 200 if you buy them separate. The trick with estate sales is you gotta be there early and ready to haul heavy stuff. I almost grabbed one from a retired engineer's house last year but I was too slow. The pencil marks and scuffs don't bother me either, gives it character and you can always sand it down or throw a new layer of poly on top.
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