Tool swaps – gear hobs, rare collets, etc

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

A few years ago I enquired about setting up a Swaps page on the Buy/Sell section but although there was reasonable interest, nothing came of it. I wonder what the appetite is today? Would the website designer be amenable? At that time I was interested in Tg100 collets, but this time I would like to swap small hobs and am looking for Mod 1.5 against which I have a very comprehensive array of other ones to choose from. Any thoughts?

[Adam Harris]

On 9 February 2026 at 17:18 Adam Harris Said:

A few years ago I enquired about setting up a Swaps page on the Buy/Sell section but although there was reasonable interest, nothing came of it.

What would such a page offer on this forum that is not offered by the homeworkshop site (https://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/)?

That one does not need a login and an advert thereon would likely have far more views than in this backwater.

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Thanks but I don’t see any swaps section on that website nor do I frequent it as the sellers usually seem to price way above the “fair market” that their items would trade at on fleabay. Also I don’t see any sort of community forum involvement so no possibility of developing a sense of trust, unlike on this site.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I think it a good suggestion, Adam

Reminiscent of the good old days of ‘Exchange and Mart’

Wanted Mod 1.5 Hobs in good condition: Would exchange for other sizes, or a mature Rattlesnake

… that sort of thing !

MichaelG.

.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/277473464340

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Yes thank you Michael. There is indeed scope to brighten up a dreary wet day

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Seriously … I think it a good suggestion.

MichaelG.

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

I don’t know how often members frequent the classified sections here, but I suspect not often, especially so for the “Wanted” section judging by the number of ads published. If there was a Swaps section on a trial basis I would expect quite a bit of traffic purely from curiosity. It would at least be interesting to observe to what degree such a page attracted participation from members. Since the grubby topic of price is tossed out, I think hobbyist enthusiasm for swaps would flourish. We’ve all got far too much stuff if the wives are to be believed, but sometimes not exactly the one tool we need at the right moment.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I doubt there is anything in the budget to make alterations to include a Swap section. Nothing to stop you using the existing sales section and writing SWAP in big letters at the beginning of the item description.

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Jason I might give a donation to pay for simply adding a third option of Swaps to For Sale and Wanted in the drop down menu after Profile_Classifieds_Create Ad, while keeping the same format of form. How much really would it cost a web designer to do such a job?

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Jason I think you might have proposed the same last time I enquired. The problem is that members possibly do not bother with the For Sale or Wanted sections because they may not be interested in the mental and emotional effort required in negotiating the “right” price. The fact that there are only 18 For Sale ads and 4 Wanted ads speaks for itself. A separate Swaps ad section is an entirely different proposition. Speaking for myself, I have a vast collection of stuff I may never use but which I cannot be bothered with selling (that is, pricing up for sale and filling out an ad for Ebay or elsewhere, and worrying if the price is low enough to attract interest but high enough to reflect fair value to me). I am sure we are all the same. If I want something I will put a repeat search on Ebay or if urgent I will try to buy it from a shop new. A Swap on the other hand is effortless, enjoyable and mutually beneficial to both parties.

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Change gears would be a great category for swaps. Like many here I suspect, I have change gears coming out of my ears. Complete sets, incomplete sets, duplicates, various specs, boxes of them.

[HollowpointParticipant @hollowpoint]

I think it is a good idea.

One thing that I think would be a good candidate for swaps is odd size fasteners. I bet most of us have come across a situation were we need just a couple of screws, nuts or pins etc which are hard to find, uneconomical to purchase in small quantities or simply no longer available. No one is gonna advertise for 3 random screws, either for sale or wanted. But a swap might seem far more beneficial if it helps two people out!

[Adam Harris]

On Adam Harris Said:

Thanks but I don’t see any swaps section on that website nor do I frequent it as the sellers usually seem to price way above the “fair market” that their items would trade at on fleabay. Also I don’t see any sort of community forum involvement so no possibility of developing a sense of trust, unlike on this site.

In my experience, the homeworkshop site frequenters price at a very sensible level, especially compared to eBay dreamers (see, for example, a number Schaublin 53 items currently listed).

In all the time it has been running, I can remember maybe two occurrences where trust has been misused. It has been reported via an ‘information’ post on the site.

As suggested above, your request would fit into both ‘sales’ and ‘wanted’. You want a hob; a condition of that transaction is that you will not be handing over pound notes for it, but goods. Similarly, you have some surplus junk you wish to offload; a condition of its ‘sale’ is that you would/wish to accept goods rather than money.

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I see you have started the  ‘work-around’ Adam

… this link is my little bit of moral support:

Mikron gear cutting hobs most DP’s and modules

MichaelG.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Why not just start a new thread called Tool Swaps 2026 where people can post wants and offers?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

The problem with a thread is you can’t go back and remove a post once you have made your swap so could keep getting messages for months afterwards.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

That sounds like a quality problem.  Thread is an easy way to try it out and see if a dedicated page would be useful.

[John Haine]

On John Haine Said:

That sounds like a quality problem.  Thread is an easy way to try it out and see if a dedicated page would be useful.

Even if it passed the easy test and was seen as a really useful feature on this site, surely its unlikely ever to be implemented by Kelsey Media?

Ian P

 

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I don’t suppose the advertisers would be keen…

[John Haine]

On John Haine Said:

I don’t suppose the advertisers would be keen…

Advertisers?

I can only see Amadeal and Sarik at the moment but any increase in traffic might attract others.

Ian P

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I would have thought the chance of finding someone who wants to swap a left hand thrupple nut for your sagar makers bottom knocker are remote. That’s why money was invented. Much more likely to sell your esoteric kit to Joe and buy something else from Fred.

[ChrisLHParticipant @chrislh]

Adam,

I have just tried to send you a PM but failed because neither “Adan Harris” nor “@adamharris13683” was accepted as an address. Any suggestions ?

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Chris I have just messaged you through the messaging system. Sorry but I am not sure why I didn’t receive your attempt to message me! If you left click the blue underlined Adam Harris you should get straight through….you then see 2 light grey boxes “Public message” and “Private message”, click “Private message” and away you go.

[ChrisLHParticipant @chrislh]

Thanks Adam. Got your message and have replied to same.

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