Twin Cities Auction (Minnesota)
02-03-2014, 11:19 AM
#310
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Does anyone know if they will be using a #'s system for the items being sold this year? I made it up last year,It's a great auction with many nice items but seemed to be a little tough to judge when a item came up to auction off that i was interested in without going in order of the # that was on the item...
02-03-2014, 11:29 AM
#311
yup, they are still using the same system as last year... each seller gets a seller ID number and each seller's item gets a letter...
seller ID 123, item 'B' is the 2nd item on seller # 123's selling list.
do you mean it's hard to figure out if the airplane you saw on a table in the back room is the same one now in the auctioneer's hands?
seller ID 123, item 'B' is the 2nd item on seller # 123's selling list.
do you mean it's hard to figure out if the airplane you saw on a table in the back room is the same one now in the auctioneer's hands?
02-03-2014, 12:57 PM
#312
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Exactly my question is will they be selling things in a numerical order? For example it seems like last year's auction was started with item #63 then would jump to #87 followed by #11... It just seemed a little hard to gauge when a item was coming up for auction... for example if i was interested in item #175 i could start to prepare myself to bid around item #172 or #173... I think it would have also helped me budget the $ i brought to spend...
02-03-2014, 01:09 PM
#313
OOOO now I get it..
as far as I know they're NOT going to go in numerical order...
I'm not a member of TCRC though, so I can't say WHY they do it the way they do.
I know the seller's numbers are assigned 'first come, first served', but it WOULD make bidding easier if they auctioned items in numerical order.
(or at least nearly
)
as far as I know they're NOT going to go in numerical order...
I'm not a member of TCRC though, so I can't say WHY they do it the way they do.
I know the seller's numbers are assigned 'first come, first served', but it WOULD make bidding easier if they auctioned items in numerical order.
(or at least nearly
)
02-03-2014, 03:49 PM
#314
If the auction went by the numbers, and I guess it could be done that way, if seller #113 brought 20 .40 motors to sell and nothing else, we would all be sitting thru 20 .40 size auctions in a row. If seller #114 had 10 small foamy planes to sell, we would sit thru 10 foamy auctions in a row. The thought is to bring up a few motors, a few planes of small size, a few radios, a few big planes, etc. etc. etc. I know its hard to tell when the item you want to bid on is getting ready for auction, but that is what the "ready table" is for. Items that are coming up for auction soon are set on the table, or behind it and move to the head of the line from there. So you should have a few minutes to look over the next items. At least thats the way I think it has been done in the past. But it does move fast.
02-03-2014, 06:37 PM
#315
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You are correct, Jeff. That is the way it is done and for the very reason you mention. We try to keep a variety of items coming up so that, as you say, we don't have a long run of just one type of item. Variety is the spice of life and the life of auctions. We pull items randomly and work very hard to insure that the items come up in the order in which they are brought out of impound. We set them on the ready table and have a camera trained on that table that is viewable on an overhead projector to help people see the items as they come up on the ready table. And you are also right that it moves fast. Last year we had over 540 items sold throughout the day so that means it averaged about one a minute. Every year we try to improve the auction and the feedback we get on this site helps us do that. I look forward to seeing you (and everyone else who has posted here) at the auction.
Tim
Tim
02-03-2014, 07:34 PM
#316
Sometimes it's hard to gauge when an item is brought up for bidding, but I know that the TCRC members do a great job of getting a large variety of items up in a short order. Every year, I've gone out for a smoke and missed something I wanted to bid on, but I guess I could just quit smoking... But hey, what fun would THAT be? 
02-03-2014, 10:33 PM
#317
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I think they do an amazing job on the variety and order of items. If you go and take a good look at the "ready table", you probably have a solid ten minutes to go smoke or run to the bathroom if nothing up there is of interest to you. That's how I schedule my breaks, haha.
I remember the first year I attended that they'd bring up a random item from the back and that would upset some people, but as far as last year went they didn't do any of that and we all knew what the next 10-15 items up were going to be.
I can't wait till Saturday!
I remember the first year I attended that they'd bring up a random item from the back and that would upset some people, but as far as last year went they didn't do any of that and we all knew what the next 10-15 items up were going to be.
I can't wait till Saturday!
02-06-2014, 07:40 AM
#318
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Well, got a few items to bring one item I am not to sure on.
thinking of bring my DX7 just not sure how it will go.
works great, use on a few planes but most that I fly are on my DX8.
I got a day to think on it.
looking forward to tomorrow to hit the hobby shops before the auction and shoot the BS with the Bemidji crew.
thinking of bring my DX7 just not sure how it will go.
works great, use on a few planes but most that I fly are on my DX8.
I got a day to think on it.
looking forward to tomorrow to hit the hobby shops before the auction and shoot the BS with the Bemidji crew.
02-10-2014, 08:59 AM
#320
What a terrific auction TRCR put on. Thanks, guys, I know that is a lot of work. I bought a couple sweet planes but really went there for an engine. One observation (and I really hope I don't get flamed for saying so....) I was outbid REPEATEDLY by the LHS. I never did get the engine I needed. Disappointed. I've been there for years bidding, buying, contributing to the local economy. 
There was occasional LHS bidding, but this year it was constant. I guess their money is as good as anyone else's, and there's no law against it, but on a practical level why would a local business deliberately annoy their own customers? Perhaps give the LHS a choice, show up and set up to sell, or come there privately and bid? Just a suggestion...but not both.
There was occasional LHS bidding, but this year it was constant. I guess their money is as good as anyone else's, and there's no law against it, but on a practical level why would a local business deliberately annoy their own customers? Perhaps give the LHS a choice, show up and set up to sell, or come there privately and bid? Just a suggestion...but not both.
02-10-2014, 09:29 AM
#322
ah, Scotty! I finally figured out this is you 
added you to my contacts list.
as for the LHS vendor there, I won't go into details, but I seem to recall some not so nice stuff going on when he split from his Father's LHS..
big and bad shenannigans.
what engine were you bidding on? I've recently inherited a PILE (literally) of engines... would gladly help you out if it's something I've got.
added you to my contacts list.
as for the LHS vendor there, I won't go into details, but I seem to recall some not so nice stuff going on when he split from his Father's LHS..
big and bad shenannigans.
what engine were you bidding on? I've recently inherited a PILE (literally) of engines... would gladly help you out if it's something I've got.
02-10-2014, 11:04 AM
#323
ah, Scotty! I finally figured out this is you
added you to my contacts list.
as for the LHS vendor there, I won't go into details, but I seem to recall some not so nice stuff going on when he split from his Father's LHS..
big and bad shenannigans.
what engine were you bidding on? I've recently inherited a PILE (literally) of engines... would gladly help you out if it's something I've got.
added you to my contacts list.
as for the LHS vendor there, I won't go into details, but I seem to recall some not so nice stuff going on when he split from his Father's LHS..
big and bad shenannigans.
what engine were you bidding on? I've recently inherited a PILE (literally) of engines... would gladly help you out if it's something I've got.
So, on the engines; I have a couple projects waiting in the wings. One could use a 50cc gasser. There was a Fuji I lost out on that fit. The other engine would be 30-40cc approx. for an ESM warbird. Thanks!
One interesting engine was that Brillelli. It has Minnesota roots, with some controversy behind that story.
And yes, on the LHS stuff there was some serious drama, and legal action too. I don't have all the facts, but you can probably assume something about one's past behavior by how they conduct themselves today.
02-10-2014, 12:38 PM
#324
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Here is my $.02 on the LHS bidding at the auction. There were at least 4 individuals at the auction, that I know of personally, who make it a business to buy things at auctions and swap meets only to resell them on ebay. The only difference between them and the LHS in question was that people could SEE the LHS individual bidding and didn't know who the ebay individuals were. If people had known who those ebay individuals were, would they have felt the same way towards them? Not sure. I have to admit that I felt a bit frustrated when I knew that one of the ebay sellers outbid me on a product but then I thought, "He just wanted it more than I did, I guess."
The other thing is that the ebay sellers and LHS individual know what a product is worth for THEM to make a decent profit. They won't bid higher than that. So, even if you take a bid from them, you will still pay less than you would have should you go to the LHS because they aren't going to waste the time to turn it around for $5.00. They need to make it worth their while. I might be wrong but that's how I see it.
The other thing is that the ebay sellers and LHS individual know what a product is worth for THEM to make a decent profit. They won't bid higher than that. So, even if you take a bid from them, you will still pay less than you would have should you go to the LHS because they aren't going to waste the time to turn it around for $5.00. They need to make it worth their while. I might be wrong but that's how I see it.
02-10-2014, 01:09 PM
#325
yup, I bought the bigger '54 .. (Lanier 80cc version.. 89" span) the other one went to Dave Erickson .. his had a gasser in it already, but I was just looking for an airframe
ah, unfortunately ALL the engines I spoke of are all <15CC 4 stroke glow engines.
ah, unfortunately ALL the engines I spoke of are all <15CC 4 stroke glow engines.
