WALKERTON, Ind. — It took an entire two-page spread just to advertise Kraft Auction Services’ Walkerton Farm & Equipment Consignment Auction. It was extensive enough to require four days to conduct. In full, over 5,500 lots were offered, ranging from firearms and hunting gear to vehicles and heavy equipment.

The massive sale was held July 10-13 using a mix of online-only bidding via HiBid and live auctioning with online bidding available. Previews were offered from July 5-8 and before auction days on July 10-12.

On the first day, 1,428 lots were offered solely online. The first 51 lots were firearms and hunting rifles. Among them was a Weatherby Vanguard 0.300 WSM Rifle that sold for $500. A Browning 12-gauge shotgun reached $475 while a Winchester 1300 12-gauge shotgun with camouflage stock hit $225.

After the firearms came 75 lots of ammunition. Typical of the offerings in that category was a lot of four Winchester AA 410 Bore, 2 ½ inch length, 1,200 fps 9 shot size skeet cartridges. High bid for the was $90. Also offered were firearms accessories. Of note was a 59”x30” Frontier Safe Company gun safe, won for $650.

Also offered on the first day were hand and shop tools. Among the lots were a 60-inch Craftsman mobile workbench that reached $275 and a John Deere Strongbox mobile battery charger that grabbed $110.

On day two, 2,070 lots were auctioned — also online only — dominated by building materials and additional hand and shop tools. As well, approximately three-dozen professional-grade and industrial shop tools came on the block. Among those was a 6-foot hydraulic welding positioner machine which bid to $3,100. A 75-inch Beecher Metal Products electric hydraulic press with a 150-ton H-frame press garnered $2,400. 

Selling more modestly was an Induction Hardened Bedway lathe machine which grabbed $325. A Generac GP5500 Portable Generator in its box sold for $450, and seven Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2727-20 16-inch chainsaws, also in their boxes, went for $250 each.

Day three featured both live and online bidding on 611 lots, the majority of which were vehicles and heavy equipment, spanning everything from vintage tractors to shipping containers. The high bid for the day went to a 2008 Case 580 Super M backhoe loader which picked up $53,000. The operating Series 2 model, with 910 hours, had a 4-speed synchromesh hydraulically actuated clutched transmission, 4-cylinder, 2239 Family IV turbocharged diesel engine, and came with an 81-inch loader bucket and a 35-inch backhoe bucket.

Coming on its heels at $52,500 was a 2014 John Deere 304K loader in running condition with 1034 hours. It featured a cab with heat and A/C, a 4-cylinder Yanmar motor, hydrostatic transmission, power quick attach, and auxiliary hydraulics.

A little easier on the budget was a non-running Mustang 960 hydraulic skid steer loader with a 1,700-pound capacity that pulled a modest $2,300. Then, a running-condition 1995 International 4700 T444E salt truck with a snowplow blade sold for $2,100. 

The final day returned to online-only selling, with 1,416 lots including additional vehicles and heavy equipment. Some of the agricultural equipment offered on day four included: a Vermeer Model 206 stump grinder with hitch, won for $1,200; a New Idea 13 by 9 foot two-row corn picker picked up for $800; and, a Swisher 7-horsepower log splitter with a hitch that rolled away at $675.

An interesting offering on days 3 and 4 was a dozen lots of landscaping boulders in various quantities and sizes. On day 3, a huge 67-inch boulder landed $450. On day 4, a 54-inch also scored $450. A pallet-full of smaller 5 to 15-inch sized rocks snagged $140.

For information on Kraft’s upcoming auctions, visit:  kraftauctions.com