Reply by MrUnix

Unless you eat, sleep, think tools every day, the average woodworker does not have the experience to recognize a good deal in a used tool.
- MrRon

I think it is entirely possible – but takes patience. If you watch CL casually for a while, even just like a quick scan over morning coffee each day, you will get a feel for the going price of various machines, what is high, what seems low, etc… But it does take some time, which is why it’s better to have an inferior machine that is usable while you keep your eye out, rather than no machine at all, which makes you want to get something – sometimes ANYTHING to fill that void. In that situation, you can find yourself wanting to jump on the first thing that even smells like a good deal, even if it isn’t all that great (or maybe not good at all!). Seen it happen hundreds of times.

Cheers,
Brad

-- Brad in FL - In Dog I trust... everything else is questionable