[blindkid] used Perkins Braillers

[Richard Holloway]

Lynda,

Is your child not going back the same school next year? The first thing I'd do is see if you could check one out for the summer. Many schools will loan out your child's equipment all summer-- even more expensive things like BrailleNotes, because they don't have any other need for them over the summer. If your student is not returning next year though, that might be less likely of an option.

In Georgia, there is also a resource associated with the state school for the blind (same location but a separate entity) that can loan certain equipment so you might look for a similar resource as well. (You need not be a state school of the blind student here to use things from that resource.)

If you have (or just want) to buy, it is a gamble no matter what. I bought a used Perkins off CraigsList once for (I think it was) $50 that worked pretty well and I believe we got one from ebay for more like $100 or so. Ultimately, I had them both reworked (mainly cleaned) for $100 or $150 each, and then there's the time that took, so if what you get isn't working well enough for you when you buy it, you could loose a chunk of time waiting for a repair and cost is a gamble as well, but I expect min. of about $100 to clean it thoroughly. We had a pair of used ones that worked when I got those repaired. They were both just a bit sticky and slow, so we didn't mind having one gone while we had the other repaired for a week or two.

I don't know if this link will work well, but it should (hopefully) show the current ebay listings that seem to range mostly from $150 to $300 (incl shipping) but most are not "buy-it-now" so that could change.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=Perkins+Brailler&_sacat=See-All-Categories

One in particular is $190 shipped from Glendale AZ. (Aren't you in AZ as well?) and that is buy-it-now, so it would probably get to you quickly. 

I have no affiliation with the seller, just mentioning what I see that might offer a quick fix for less than, what is it, $600 or $700 for a new one?

Here is the direct link to that listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Perkins-Brailler-Typewriter-Excellent-Condition-/120727892237?pt=BI_Typewriters_Word_Processors&hash=item1c1bf1710d#ht_500wt_1156

Good luck!




On May 25, 2011, at 10:11 AM, Lynda Zwinger wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> I'm sure this has been asked before, so please forgive yet another query,
> but is there anywhere that sells used Perkins Braillers at a reasonable (ok,
> semi-reasonable at least) price?  The summer looms and our Perkins loaner
> and BrailleNote got returned to school yesterday.
> 
> thanks,
> Lynda Zwinger
> _______________________________________________
> blindkid mailing list
> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindkid:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/rholloway%40gopbc.org