I purchased all my woodworking tools at auctions. My rule of thumb is a maximum 50% of retail. You are armed with the price of a new planer so you won't pay more than retail. Make sure all parts are their including the manual. Don't get auction fever, have a max price in mind and stick to it. Its not the only planer made. I waited over three years for a auction with a planer for sale. Sure enough that Saturday there were three auctions with planers for sale. I lost my bid on the first of these by sticking to my limit. At the second auction I won my planer and was several hundred dollars less than the first one I bid on. Make sure you have a vehicle that can remove the item to you house . I bought a 12" Parks planer without thinking "How am I going to get this in my trunk". Bring a current woodworking mag with you, the tool ads can be your price guide. Just as a follow up for anyone wondering...the planer went for $850 yesterday at the auction. After I broke my own rule to not exceed
$550 for this tool, I bid up to $825 and let it go. At $825, I was afraid I would be successful! An early 60s Dewalt Radial Arm saw went for $500, and a 1954 Parks 12" Planer went for $200. I was successfully in buying a 6" Atlas Jointer for $90 with original Owners Manual.