Last Sunday was a local swap meet. Last year picked up a nearly new OS 52 Surpass for $80, and it is a damn good runner. This year, picked up a TopFlight Gold Corsair with the cockpit kit, $130, not a bad deal. Also a YS 110 FS, looks to be in good shape, has good compression, included a new gasket set. $90. I also found a pari of mechanical retracts that are perfect for the CGChipmunk, perfect size, includes wheels that are the correct size, and 4" dubros wheels with axle, $8 for the 4*120. new axles, 5/32 and 3/16 $1 each, and a tail wheel set for the 4* with a bunch of swivel links for $10. I also got a new wood 28x10 prop for my CARF Extra 330L. Nice haul this time. Sad part, not much in the way of servos. There were a few real kits this time, but I have enough for now.

Thrilled over the retracts though, didnt think I would find any, and there they were, and only $5.

Looks like a score to me!!!

You saved enough on the rest of the stuff to pay regular price on the servos! I'm jealous!

yeah, sometimes I get good deals. Went to harbor freight tonight, they had floor mats on sale for $6 each. Got 4 of them and saved $36, should be enough to cover the rest of my shop floor.

I wish our swap meets were like that. Very slim pickin's - few kits, few good engines, etc. You shoulda bought more kits! They're getting rarer every day, can always sell them down the road.

Only had $300 on me or I would have also picked up a DB T-34. The meets are starting to get slim for sure, too many cheap arfs not enough kits left and those that are there are usually 1/2A or some goofy thing I would never build or fly.

Theres a swap meet next weekend in our neck of the woods. I love swap meets. One of these days I need to sell instead of buy.
Edwin

Lets not knock the 1/2A kits. I was just given the ACE Ultimate Bipe kit and it's an outstanding little plane. I will be starting it this week. I have a perfect electric motor and ESC for it. Need to buy some more micro servos and covering for it. 4 ailerons on a single servo so I will have to buy a good one. Elevator and rudder can be just the little HS 81s. It's a very high quality kit. I have converted several of the 1/2As to electric and love them. None of the small ARFs can put up with how I like to fly. The kit has all the good stuff too.
Last year I scored a new YS 1.10 that someone had crashed first flight, $100.00. Had a repaired cylinder done by Clarence Lee. $100.00 and I just installed a new diaphragm and it fired right up. It then took several flights to get the engine broken in. Haven't had a dead stick with it yet!! $90.00 was a great deal. With the cockpit kit the Corsair was a good deal too.
Over the summer I scored a stack of 1/4 inch Balsa for $17.00. If I would have had more money I would have bought every piece of wood the guy had. There are still some good deals to be had, sometimes! My own clubs swap meet I have gotten some small stuff but no major score. Too many DA users and they want what they are worth.

I wish I came across those deals in so.cal!

I was at a float fly this summer and I bought a brand new just finished Sig 1/4 Scale Cub With an OS120 4 stroke in it and all the servos for $200.00 The owner builder had passed away and a club member was selling it for his wife....The plane is beautiful and flys like a dream....I am still pinching myself...The thing I found hard to believe is that it had been for sale all day and nobody had taken it but as soon as I bought it everybody was saying " You lucky bugger " It has a finished cockpit too....

A lot of times whether it be a swap meet or a normal sale you just have to be ready for the deal if you want it. I was at a swap meet last Spring and I had set up two tables and I sold almost everything I had, but then I price my stuff to sell. I only brought one box back home with me, except for one purchased item.

To me I sell the same as I would expect to buy and it works for me. Even on normal sales, I price the planes super decent and always tell the purchaser if for any reason that there is disatisfaction I will refund and take the plane back. This has always been my rule and I know I would not make a good businessman because I cannot gouge anyone. My conscience doesn't do well with that practice.

I kept eyeing a Goldwing plane at a swap meet last year that I liked and had been looking at on the web at the plane for some time so I knew I wanted it. A guy had one in the box and had a decent price on it. It had sit all day with many looking but none buying. As we were packing up I made him an offer that I felt like would have basically gotten plane for a good price and he would be satisfied as well.

Sure enough, he agreed and we were both happy. I talked to his wife a bit to make sure it was a reasonable deal for him. I did not try to cut him down to where it would be an insult to him. I put the plane together and she is one of my favorites!