The auction also had two 16 ft gates in very good condition. I don't really need more gates as I think I have enough of them. I think I have at least ten gates that I need to hang before buying more. But since the auction was close to where I live I went back in the afternoon to see what the gates sold for. Especially since the auction was mainly tools with few ranch stuff to attract ranchers. Maybe I could get a good deal.
The auction was held in a large warehouse so we were out of the elements on a cold day. Being inside meant we were unfortunately out of the sun, but fortunately out of the light breeze that was adding a chill to a cold day. Inside the building was not warm. They only had a half dozen portable propane heaters going to take the chill off.
The auction was not close to selling the gates when I returned but I decided to wait. And wait. And wait.
While I waited I bought a couple items: a post hole digger and a rake. $2.50 each. I should have bought three hand saws that sold for $2.50 total but two of them were each in a wrapper with writing and a color picture on it. That threw me off as I didn't know if they were real saws or decorative saws. I hesitated to bid then they were sold. The buyer was near me and when I saw the saws later I kicked myself for not bidding on them. $2.50 is cheaper than paying to have a saw sharpened.
I bid on a couple other items: steel fence post pounder and an extendable pole saw for cutting tree branches. Each time I stopped bidding a little before I should have as in hindsight it would have been ok to have paid more. (The story of my auction life.)
I also noticed an unusual post hole digger. This tool was brand new. Instead of spreading the handles outward to have the bucket close and grab the dirt, one pushed the handles together and the bucket closed. A perfect item for narrow spaces as the handles never extended wider than the bucket. Perfect to try on my corral well.
The auctioneer was still on tables filed with tools and stuff so I went outside to use the porta-potty. I was gone only a couple minutes but when I returned they just sold the unusual post hole digger. What?! Apparently one of the helpers decided to mix it up and grabbed items not on tables.
By the time the auctioneer got to the gates I noticed Kenny, the guy who transported my cattle last Spring, and Don, my bottom-feeder nemesis. They looked to be my only competition. Kenny didn't bid on the gates. Don started the bidding at $25. With no one else bidding I bid $35. Don - $50. Me - $60. Don - $70. Me - $80. Don - $90. I stopped bidding. Since I didn't need the gates I decided to only buy them if they were less than $100. The auctioneer, Bo, who had given me a hard time earlier this year when I split the bid when I was bidding against Don on another gate, this time told me that, "You know, he'll take both gates.". It didn't matter I was done bidding. Don, who always looks sour, looked even more sour afterwards. It looked like this was the only thing he bought and in doing so got a decent deal but not a great deal due to me. I don't think I am on his "nice" list.
They sold a pile of used steel T fence posts. They looked used but were straight. There were 368 of the posts. The winning bidder took all of them at a price of $3.25 each. I remember when better looking used steel posts sold for $2 each.
After the gates the auctioneer sold rough and finished lumber. Lumber usually goes for much higher than I expect. It started off that way but I should have bid on a stack of eight 20 ft long 1" by 6" boards. They went for only $5 each, much cheaper than I expected or any of the other lumber sold for. Maybe it was due to the length and the hassle in transporting something that long. I could have used them at that price - or the next bid of $7.50 - for my corral fence rebuild. Oh well... the story of my auction life.
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