[vcf-midatlantic] OT: large # of Vintage items for sale

[Evan Koblentz]

>> That is well beyond what I'd pay.

Agreed. That's nuts.

On Thu, Nov 7, 2019, 9:39 PM madodel via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

> On 11/7/19 21:23, Alexander Pierson via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> > The pricepoint this kid has in mind doesn't seem to be based heavily on
> previous transactions.  While I currently don't have my ear to the ground
> for Hero robot ebay sales, I used to for quite awhile.  tl;dr: take my
> assessment here with a grain of salt.
> >
> > Complete Hero-1 robots usually fetch a few hundred bucks, anywhere from
> 200 for ones in need of serious repair, all the way up to about 500 for a
> complete working unit.  Sometimes you see them go higher, especially if
> they've got all the bells in whistles, in good shape, complete
> documentation with the addendums issued by Heathkit.  Those schematics
> changed with time, and so they sent you little pieces of paper to cut out
> and tape over the old sections of schematics.
> >
> > I've only ever seen one complete, sealed, mint Hero 2000 for sale
> before, and that went for 3 grand.  Now, keep in mind that the Hero 2000 is
> by far the most elusive model, with the fewest total manufactured units,
> but also the most power.  A base Hero 2000 has somewhere like 6
> processors/coprocessors on board and can be maxed out at about a dozen,
> depending on installed options.  I've never seen seen  a Hero 2000 in
> meatspace before.  I know this seller has one for just over 5 grand, but
> it's in rough shape from what the pictures show.  I spot plenty of rust.
> At a tenth of that, it might be worth the gamble, but even that's pushing
> it in my book.
> >
> > Back to the NIB Hero-1.  Seeing as it was the popular model used by
> schools and hobbyists alike, they're far more common than the 2000 or the
> Jr.  To put one of those at about 14 grand for a sealed kit?  That's quite
> absurd.  Unbuilt Hero-1's are something I've only ever seen once before,
> and it was a long time ago, so whatever it fetched has long since left my
> mental cache.  Plus, it only looked like one box -- there's no way that
> includes a lot of the features that make a Hero-1 desirable.  Thus, it's
> likely a very barebones unit from what I understand.  You would have to
> confer with Robert Doerr, who is the defacto expert on all things Heathkit
> Hero, in order to reach a better assessment.
> > Lastly, that same seller has another Hero-1, with no visible arm, and
> not all of the panels visible.  I see manuals, but I do not see
> schematics.  It's also dirty in ways that make me sad.  There's also more
> circuitry than I've ever seen near the head battery cage, stacked on top of
> the sonar receiver.  Maybe that's a later revision?  Again, Mr. Doerr is
> your best resource there.  Anyway, you could cut his price in half and I
> still wouldn't touch it based on this condition.
> > Hopefully my rambling mess is helpful.
> >
> > -Alexander 'Z' Pierson
>
>
> Thanks. That is helpful. I know nothing about this and the seller told me
> to make an offer.  I'd be just buying it to donate to the museum. He gave
> me no price. So if I offer $2000 would that be fair? I just want a fair
> price to him that doesn't Did he ask $14,000 for it? That is well beyond
> what I'd pay.
>
>
> Mark
>
>