Jump to content
ATX Community

Trying to Come to Grips With Disposing of Good but Obsolete Equipment


samingeorgia

Recommended Posts

I'm having to "re-arrange" my house and find it necessary to get rid of two IBM Selectric II typewriters. No, I haven't used them in 15 to 20 years. Yes, they are heavy and in the way. But it so goes against the grain to get rid of perfectly good machines. It's the way I was raised!

So, rather than spend a bunch of money with a therapist, I've decided to come on here and what you all think. Suggestions? Sympathy?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, samingeorgia said:

I'm having to "re-arrange" my house and find it necessary to get rid of two IBM Selectric II typewriters. No, I haven't used them in 15 to 20 years. Yes, they are heavy and in the way. But it so goes against the grain to get rid of perfectly good machines. It's the way I was raised!

So, rather than spend a bunch of money with a therapist, I've decided to come on here and what you all think. Suggestions? Sympathy?  

I feel the same - please accept my sympathy.  

Selectrics were indeed fine pieces of machinery.  My one-time employer had ours fixed at a nearby repair shop.  I took our last conked-out model there; computers were just being introduced and some manufacturers were trying to combine typewriters and computers with a short memory together.  I asked them to fix our Selectric--they said they no longer repaired them and and tried to sell me a new typewriter with an automobile-sized handbook.  I declined, spotted a used Selectric like ours, said "I'll take that one." It wasn't for sale and the salesman sheepishly admitted they used it themselves for billing (no one there could or would figure out the new combined typewriter-computers).

Suggestions?  Well, this place seems to get the most money (although I've never sold anything on Ebay and don't know how much trouble you want to go to).

https://www.ebay.com/bhp/ibm-selectric-i-typewriter

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ebay, those are the asking prices. You have no idea if anyone will actually pay that amount.  Facebook marketplace does have a huge audience; we recently moved our office and sold a bunch of items there very quickly (they were priced low). Then again, you have to respond to a million questions so it is time consuming. Craigslist could work, but you'd want to meet the potential buyer at a safe place--police stations around here offer their parking lots for this purpose.  Check to see if you have a local business that will sell items on ebay for you.  They handle the listing, sale, and shipping and of course charge a fee, but it seems easy.  I'm with you. If it still works and someone might want it, I could never just toss it. I am amazed by shows like American Pickers. They find and buy the oddest things because they know they can make a decent profit. Where do they find someone who wants to buy a can of motor oil from the 1940s for $100?  Beats me.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: selling on ebay - you can search for a product and then see the prices of the ones that actually sold. This is done by scrolling down the filters at left and look for a heading that says "Show Only" and by choosing the filters in that section for "completed items" and "sold items." 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you give detailed information for a Facebook Marketplace item, you'll cut down on the questions.

We recently purchased and sold a bunch of stuff and you still get questions where the answers are in the description but so many people don't really give much of a description. Selling a rug and not giving the material or dimensions just sort of makes it seem like you enjoy questions.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This has me motivated to get some old equipment out of my office, so my prior 24" monitor is going on FB marketplace but never know what to do with the computer. Is it enough to pull out the hard drive, and what do others here do with your old machines?  After reading that some of you are still looking for Win 7 or 8 machines, I wish it would be possible for someone else to still use this.  What can I safely do with it?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jklcpa said:

This has me motivated to get some old equipment out of my office, so my prior 24" monitor is going on FB marketplace but never know what to do with the computer. Is it enough to pull out the hard drive, and what do others here do with your old machines?  After reading that some of you are still looking for Win 7 or 8 machines, I wish it would be possible for someone else to still use this.  What can I safely do with it?

Is your WIN 7 computer still working?  Do you have any specs on it?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, it was still working but the HD was getting slow, either probably bogged down and either needing to be replaced or at least a clean reinstall of the OS.  Two minor things not working was one slot of the SD card reader not making contact and the scroll wheel on the mouse worked but seemed like it had a worn spot. I haven't turned it on in a while but could do so to check it while I still have the monitor, if you'd like.

I have all the specs, if you think it's worth more than for target practice at the range:

  • Dell 8300 XPS, was running Win 7 64-bit
  • i7-2600 3.4 GHz processor, 8 MB cache
  • 12GB dual channel memory DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 4 dimms,
  • AMD Radeon HD 6770 video card,
  • 1.5TB SATA-II, 7200 rpm 32 MB cache HDD
  • 2 additional USB 3.0 ports
  • 16X CD/DVD burner
  • Dell 1520 WLAN PCIe care w/ 11n mini-card
  • separate audio card, Soundblaster S-Fi Xtreme Audio
  • Wireless keyboard & mouse
  • Monitor is Dell 24" UltraSharp U2412M
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, jklcpa said:

Yes, it was still working but the HD was getting slow, either probably bogged down and either needing to be replaced or at least a clean reinstall of the OS.  Two minor things not working was one slot of the SD card reader not making contact and the scroll wheel on the mouse worked but seemed like it had a worn spot. I haven't turned it on in a while but could do so to check it while I still have the monitor, if you'd like.

I have all the specs, if you think it's worth more than for target practice at the range:

  • Dell 8300 XPS, was running Win 7 64-bit
  • i7-2600 3.4 GHz processor, 8 MB cache
  • 12GB dual channel memory DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 4 dimms,
  • AMD Radeon HD 6770 video card,
  • 1.5TB SATA-II, 7200 rpm 32 MB cache HDD
  • 2 additional USB 3.0 ports
  • 16X CD/DVD burner
  • Dell 1520 WLAN PCIe care w/ 11n mini-card
  • separate audio card, Soundblaster S-Fi Xtreme Audio
  • Wireless keyboard & mouse
  • Monitor is Dell 24" UltraSharp U2412M

Judy,

This machine could be turned into a good file server to use for backup in your office or maybe someone else can make use of it. It looks like it could effectively run Win 10 as well. Let me know if you can't sell it. I may be very interested in it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Kremlin's security agency has been buying typewriters to write communications to avoid having their electronic orders and communications intercepted.  I'm sure they would love your old Selectrics so be careful if buyer is from St Petersburg.

I wonder where they are finding the ribbons for the old machines.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...