Like many things we re-purpose, once the "market" sees us wanting these things, the price jumps up quickly. Example being the cast iron legs from small lathes & other machines. The Home & Garden shows displayed a few tables using those legs and many machines suddenly gained in value because folks wanted to take the legs off to make tables to put in their house or resale.. In my neck of the woods, the bases from drill presses can be silly money, most guys are using wheels or old tables and throw away the top.