Spinner Racks

[Beardown]

Anyone have any experience with buying or selling "classic" or guessing 80's comic spinner racks?

 

The one I found has a 4 sided topper that features head shots of 4 different comic characters. Only one's I can remember for sure are spider-man and Archie but I think Superman was another.

 

Condition looks good with what I would consider normal wear and use.

 

It's actually still in use at a store that my son and I went to today.

 

I knew immediately I wanted it but the owner wasn't selling it yet. Key word being "yet" as he said come back in August and he will sell it.

 

No idea what he wants for it and I didn't ask as I didn't want to act overly excited but I did assure him i'd be back in August.

 

Thanks in advance for any insight.

[catrick339]

That's the Superman/Archie/Spiderman/Richie Rich topper.

 

The last one I had I sold for $150, several years ago, to a friend.

[Lucky Baru]

There is one on eBay just like that. Maybe you should see if that's the one in question and watch what it sells for to give you an idea of price.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/60s-Vintage-Comic-Books-Store-Display-Rack-Superman-Spider-Man-Richie-Rich-/122000591181?hash=item1c67cd494d:g:NbIAAOSwY0lXSzW6

[Doktor]

They generally go for anywhere between $150 and $350, if the welds are all intact & it's not bent up. I've seen them go as high as $500, but that's really outside the norm. But $250 seems to be about normal.

 

However, I picked the same one up for $50 on pure luck on one of those mobile "sell your stuff" apps. So they're out in the wild still at reasonable prices. But anyone that knows what they have generally ends up asking about $200/250.

[comix4fun]

There is one on eBay just like that. Maybe you should see if that's the one in question and watch what it sells for to give you an idea of price.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/60s-Vintage-Comic-Books-Store-Display-Rack-Superman-Spider-Man-Richie-Rich-/122000591181?hash=item1c67cd494d:g:NbIAAOSwY0lXSzW6

 

 

Man, that's the 4th or 5th eBay auction I've seen with people calling that model a vintage 60's rack. That model and style with that topper was in production up until the late 80's-early 90's at least.

[comix4fun]

They generally go for anywhere between $150 and $350, if the welds are all intact & it's not bent up. I've seen them go as high as $500, but that's really outside the norm. But $250 seems to be about normal.

 

However, I picked the same one up for $50 on pure luck on one of those mobile "sell your stuff" apps. So they're out in the wild still at reasonable prices. But anyone that knows what they have generally ends up asking about $200/250.

 

 

 

I got mine for $50 off of craigslist in a small estate sale. The topper was perfect but it was bent up and had a bunch of broken welds but my family has an auto shop with welders and a buddy who does powder coating. It looks like new now.

[MetalPSI]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

[Doktor]

They generally go for anywhere between $150 and $350, if the welds are all intact & it's not bent up. I've seen them go as high as $500, but that's really outside the norm. But $250 seems to be about normal.

 

However, I picked the same one up for $50 on pure luck on one of those mobile "sell your stuff" apps. So they're out in the wild still at reasonable prices. But anyone that knows what they have generally ends up asking about $200/250.

 

 

 

I got mine for $50 off of craigslist in a small estate sale. The topper was perfect but it was bent up and had a bunch of broken welds but my family has an auto shop with welders and a buddy who does powder coating. It looks like new now.

 

Mine was a little dirty, with some oxidation on the base, but all the welds were intact & it was straight & true. So a little soap/water, sandpaper, primer & spray paint & about 12 hours later, it was like new again. Hell, I even took the spinner ring off, tossed the ring of ball bearings in a little cup full of WD-40 & let that do the job. Works spectacularly. .

[Doktor]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

 

Like full-on fabrication from the ground up? Probably not. Between time/energy, component supplies, and it not being "original", I'd think you'd probably break even at best. You can buy a "new" one (without the classic toppers, it's just a blank topper) on Amazon for $80. So unless you can source the toppers, you'd have to beat that price to really compete.

[MetalPSI]

They generally go for anywhere between $150 and $350, if the welds are all intact & it's not bent up. I've seen them go as high as $500, but that's really outside the norm. But $250 seems to be about normal.

 

However, I picked the same one up for $50 on pure luck on one of those mobile "sell your stuff" apps. So they're out in the wild still at reasonable prices. But anyone that knows what they have generally ends up asking about $200/250.

 

 

 

I got mine for $50 off of craigslist in a small estate sale. The topper was perfect but it was bent up and had a bunch of broken welds but my family has an auto shop with welders and a buddy who does powder coating. It looks like new now.

 

Mine was a little dirty, with some oxidation on the base, but all the welds were intact & it was straight & true. So a little soap/water, sandpaper, primer & spray paint & about 12 hours later, it was like new again. Hell, I even took the spinner ring off, tossed the ring of ball bearings in a little cup full of WD-40 & let that do the job. Works spectacularly. .

 

Sorry, I know it's only a spinner rack, but the inner mechanic in me cringed when I read this

 

Do yourself a favor and if you can get some vaseline in that bearing, do it ASAP, not a lot, just a bit. If not, a can of some sort of spray lube, doesn't matter what. Trust me, you'll thank me

[Beardown]

Thanks for all the feedback and I guess my first thought was $50-$100 but after reading this I might need to re-think pricing a bit.

 

As long as he's reasonable it will be mine in August.

 

 

 

[comix4fun]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

 

 

Not really. Shipping can become cost prohibitive. Also they are heavy, yet fragile at the welds for the individual racks. Unless you've got local demand where people can inspect and pick up you've got nightmare damage and return issues as people will be expecting a brand new rack.

 

 

The toppers are worth good money though.

[Lucky Baru]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

 

 

Not really. Shipping can become cost prohibitive. Also they are heavy, yet fragile at the welds for the individual racks. Unless you've got local demand where people can inspect and pick up you've got nightmare damage and return issues as people will be expecting a brand new rack.

 

 

The toppers are worth good money though.

 

Interesting. As one of my hobbies I restore old gas pumps. Wonder why somebody hasn't started producing after market toppers? Just sheet metal, power coated with a design. Once you got the specs down it would be easy to run off 25 or 50 of them at a local machine shop

[MetalPSI]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

 

 

Not really. Shipping can become cost prohibitive. Also they are heavy, yet fragile at the welds for the individual racks. Unless you've got local demand where people can inspect and pick up you've got nightmare damage and return issues as people will be expecting a brand new rack.

 

 

The toppers are worth good money though.

 

Thanks. I was thinking I could probably do up a few of these with scrap from my uncles yard. Amazing the things you can do with a welder and some scrap metal.

 

Maybe I will do a couple and try out the local market

[MetalPSI]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

 

Like full-on fabrication from the ground up? Probably not. Between time/energy, component supplies, and it not being "original", I'd think you'd probably break even at best. You can buy a "new" one (without the classic toppers, it's just a blank topper) on Amazon for $80. So unless you can source the toppers, you'd have to beat that price to really compete.

 

Can I get an example of a classic topper?

[comix4fun]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

 

 

Not really. Shipping can become cost prohibitive. Also they are heavy, yet fragile at the welds for the individual racks. Unless you've got local demand where people can inspect and pick up you've got nightmare damage and return issues as people will be expecting a brand new rack.

 

 

The toppers are worth good money though.

 

Thanks. I was thinking I could probably do up a few of these with scrap from my uncles yard. Amazing the things you can do with a welder and some scrap metal.

 

Maybe I will do a couple and try out the local market

 

 

I'd wager a customized comic spinner rack, something people haven't seen before, would be nice seller a local convention.

[jools&jim]

 

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

Like full-on fabrication from the ground up? Probably not. Between time/energy, component supplies, and it not being "original", I'd think you'd probably break even at best. You can buy a "new" one (without the classic toppers, it's just a blank topper) on Amazon for $80. So unless you can source the toppers, you'd have to beat that price to really compete.

Can I get an example of a classic topper?

 

 

[comix4fun]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

 

 

Not really. Shipping can become cost prohibitive. Also they are heavy, yet fragile at the welds for the individual racks. Unless you've got local demand where people can inspect and pick up you've got nightmare damage and return issues as people will be expecting a brand new rack.

 

 

The toppers are worth good money though.

 

Interesting. As one of my hobbies I restore old gas pumps. Wonder why somebody hasn't started producing after market toppers? Just sheet metal, power coated with a design. Once you got the specs down it would be easy to run off 25 or 50 of them at a local machine shop

 

 

It probably hasn't happened yet because, up until the last 5 years, the spinner rack models like the one from that auction was pretty common and easy to find in the $50 range. Lately though the prices have jumped on all eras of spinner racks.

 

Some of the less common toppers now can go for $200+

 

You'll probably see someone start making them soon. A nice combo would be the currently available spinners with a custom topper that looks like a 30's-50's style rack.

[MetalPSI]

Thanks comix and jools.

[dupont2005]

Is there money in actually making these things to sell?

 

Like full-on fabrication from the ground up? Probably not. Between time/energy, component supplies, and it not being "original", I'd think you'd probably break even at best. You can buy a "new" one (without the classic toppers, it's just a blank topper) on Amazon for $80. So unless you can source the toppers, you'd have to beat that price to really compete.

i always thought it would be cool to make a modern one, like out of clear acrylic, maybe a tinted acrylic with lighting and stuff, el light topper, built to fit slabs or mags or manga or whatever. Make a couple different sizes