2023 Garage Sale Thread

[rpenterics]

What a day yesterday was to show up at an estate sale after an 87 mile drive through a storm, rain, high winds with tornado warnings....

Picked up a beautiful Delta DP220 and a Delta 40-440 scroll saw with original paint in great condition...
The bad news, I'm 72 and all the machines were in a basement that had a set of stairs with 15 steps and with no assistance to move the pieces....
Grabbed my tool "Go Bag" and went at it and disassembled both the floor mounted drill press and scroll saw and hand carried all the pieces out to my vehicle in the middle of the torrential downpour....

This morning... Time to start moving everything into my garage....


Nobody wanted this Toledo draftsman chair and I wanted a stool for my new workbench project... Offered $31 and now its mine...







Also the new owner of these two lights...



Vintage Century Repulsion / Induction motor....



I was beat after the drive home last night, but all in all a pretty good haul...

That Uhl stuff is popular, check out eBay solds, could get 5-10x your investment

 

[Raineman]

Lugz, this is only the second one I’ve been to. I didn’t discover it until last year. There is a roped off area inside the American Legion hall along the longest wall. This area is for auction items. I don’t stay for that. Mostly stuff that is not in my wheelhouse. Old wooden and woodworking tools. There are vendors lined up at tables inside with just about every tool genre. I would say more than half of it is woodworking tools. If you can’t find a plane you want there then you have a problem.

I’m not sure if the vendors pay for inside setup but I would assume they do. Hard to put a number on how many vendors, almost all of them had multiple tables.

Outside across the street there is a gravel parking lot maybe 100 yards long and there were two rows of vendors lining it with open space down the middle. They are set up what they call “tailgating” but basically flea market style, selling off tables, trailers, boxes and totes on the ground or out of their vehicles. From what I understand these vendors don’t pay anything to set up. Again, all kinds of tool types represented. There weren’t as many vendors this year compared to last year in my opinion.

It’s probably not as big as a general “flea market”, but it is nothing but a concentration of tools. Nobody selling jerky, shoes, clothes, kids stuff or anything else.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks. Very helpful. I saw "tailgating" on the website and guessed they meant flea market, like the British "boot" sales, but it's good to get that confirmed. Honestly, a show like Hershey is so big it's almost too intimidating for me to want to try to figure out, so going to a couple PATINA Damascus type shows seems ideal to me.

 

[WisJim]

The PATINA tool sale sounds like the typical MWTCA (Mid-West Tool Collector's Association) that I try to get to when I can. There are a couple every year an hour and a half drive from me, and also national meetings a couple of times a year. Mostly collectible woodworking tools, but also lots of others, usually not much in the socket and ratchet type of mechanic's tools, but almost anything imaginable might show up. These are usually for members only, but worth getting a membership so you can participate.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yep. Fairly typical, Jim. PATINA is Potomac Antique Tools and Industries Association. But when they contacted me to make a presentation, they said their membership had a growing interest in early mechanics tools. Seeing the mechanics tools @Raineman brought home echoed that sentiment as well as their ads for the show, which included "signs, and even some scientific-type pieces," as well as "mint wrench and socket sets by Snap-On, S-K, Craftsman, Husky, Armstrong, Proto." So my overall impression is they are a lot less exclusive to WW stuff. Also, they emphasize non-members always welcome. There is an EAIA chapter here in NJ that is more like what you describe. I don't do WW tools so I have not mixed it up with them too much other than me flipping an antique patternmakers' vise to one guy last year.

 

[Ryan_340]

Picked these up this morning, all for $10 bucks.

 

[Outlawmws]

Three differnt eras!

 

[VolksWomble]

First time contributing to this thread, having followed it for some time and lived vicariously through everyone else's finds. I’m not a tool collector per se, just someone who appreciates quality tools and good value…

It’s too early in the UK for Boot Fairs, and most autojumbles and so FBM is this armchair hunters tool of choice. This came up locally (10 minutes down the road) and I’m quite pleased with it.

Snap On tool chest complete with an assortment of Tools. pics are with the box in the back of my truck, before any sorting or cleaning.



Socketry is a mixture of Snap On, Challenger (by Proto) and unbranded



Spanners are mostly Britool (Made in England). Metric offset rings (missing the 10 and 11mm sadly); Metric Combis, (10mm substituted for a cheap unbranded item); Imperial A/F (SAE) is a bit of a mixture.



There are a few SO branded bits and a mixture of other things to be sorted in the rest of the box.







most of the decent sockets and spanners will get put into use, and the cheaper stuff will find new homes. The box will likely become a dedicated box for my lathe.

if there’s interest I’ll post up some more details as I clean and sort it.

 

[VolksWomble]

Talking of cleaning up, rather than take this thread off topic, I’ve started a thread on cleaning finds as I’d appreciate people’s insight.

 

[gleman]

First time contributing to this thread, having followed it for some time and lived vicariously through everyone else's finds. I’m not a tool collector per se, just someone who appreciates quality tools and good value…

It’s too early in the UK for Boot Fairs, and most autojumbles and so FBM is this armchair hunters tool of choice. This came up locally (10 minutes down the road) and I’m quite pleased with it.

Snap On tool chest complete with an assortment of Tools. pics are with the box in the back of my truck, before any sorting or cleaning.



Socketry is a mixture of Snap On, Challenger (by Proto) and unbranded



Spanners are mostly Britool (Made in England). Metric offset rings (missing the 10 and 11mm sadly); Metric Combis, (10mm substituted for a cheap unbranded item); Imperial A/F (SAE) is a bit of a mixture.



There are a few SO branded bits and a mixture of other things to be sorted in the rest of the box.







most of the decent sockets and spanners will get put into use, and the cheaper stuff will find new homes. The box will likely become a dedicated box for my lathe.

if there’s interest I’ll post up some more details as I clean and sort it.

Wow! That's a nice and clean little haul. Are you willing to talk price? I'm curious what the SnapOn stuff goes for in the UK.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I’ve started a thread on cleaning finds as I’d appreciate people’s insight.

Several threads on cleaning and de-rusting down on the Vintage Board if you're interested. Look in the Index in the Sticky at the top of the board to find them.

 

[VolksWomble]

Wow! That's a nice and clean little haul. Are you willing to talk price? I'm curious what the SnapOn stuff goes for in the UK.

SO is held in high regard in the UK, as availability is fairly limited to the trade via vans. It fetches a premium on the second hand market, and has its collectors.

I paid £300 (~360USD) for it, which whilst not the bargain of the century was fair and good value. I should add that I’ve seen similar boxes alone advertised for similar money, so i tend to treat the tools as a bonus.

 

[gleman]

SO is held in high regard in the UK, as availability is fairly limited to the trade via vans. It fetches a premium on the second hand market, and has its collectors.

I paid £300 (~360USD) for it, which whilst not the bargain of the century was fair and good value.

That seems to line up with what I was guessing. I think you got a great deal as long as you're happy!

 

[unkqty]

One LEFT-BEHIND. $150!

google for "ww1 french artillery helmet"
(and then i read on and saw the other comments... hee hawwwww hee hawwww)

 

[unkqty]

My first impression, totally without knowledge to back it up, is WWI French.

 

[unkqty]

One ES and I did hit the resurrected Col FM, One item from the ES and nada from the FM but I was surprised as many sellers were there as there were. If I can get the pics off my dang phone I'l post a couple of what it looked like. pretty sparse, maybe 30 ish sellers, all pro, no weekend warriors.

Just an old wall mount art or reading light:

grandfather had one of these on his headboard. don't know if that was intended use, but that's where i've seen it before.

 

[LesserSon]

Solo trip to Qtown flea this morning. $38 netted this modest pile of rust. Highlights include WF-83 Plomb dbe, Bluepoint G(1945) dbe, some Bonney, and a somewhat drilled Palmgren.

But the real stars today are the pliers.

 

[unkqty]

very poor sales here on saturday - true suckage.
picked up a 5-gal 1.25hp shopvac, NIB victor gas welding tip and 5 vicegrip pliers for $10 at one sale but that was it.
drove many miles to hit >10 others but all were a bust so we ended early.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

We already talked about the sapper. I see a couple Bonney tappets, the Craftsman MERIT wrench is cute, and I consider any New Britain DOE to be fairly rare.

 

[LesserSon]

I think it must be a tappet adj wrench - so thin.
EDIT - yes; found it in the 1957 catalog. NDF-84 tappet…too bad there was only one!

 

[four.cycle]

^ nicely designed!

 

[ForrestT]

Solo trip to Qtown flea this morning. $38 netted this modest pile of rust. Highlights include WF-83 Plomb dbe, Bluepoint G(1945) dbe, some Bonney, and a somewhat drilled Palmgren.

But the real stars today are the pliers.

Nice 546’s!

 

[Outlawmws]

I like the Tappet wrench!

The palmgren should clean up decent, and still be very usable, despite the divots

I just don't get people that do that A guy I worked with drilled into my DP table drilling some angle. (claimed to be a former machinist... Not.. )

 

[NYBODYMAN]

Ran over to an estate sale a few streets over and grabbed a few things. It felt good to get on the board for the year. I'm getting tired of watching everyone else post on here while I sit inside for the winter. $40 got me a Sears Craftsman USA hand truck, two kneeling pads, a nice old flat coal shovel, a Bell System First Aid Kit box, a Bell System Klein tack hammer, NOS Craftsman locking pliers set, Craftsman USA torx driver set, a can of NOS tennis balls for my son to practice his baseball skills against the wall with, and a small bucket of rusty tools...Mostly Herbrand and soaking in Evaporust as we speak. Found out that the man who lived there had recently passed but worked for the phone company in NYC the same time as my dad.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Last nights marketplace $28 haul.

Overview of everything.

Some close up pics, the real score was the metric spin kit, it was a whopping $3!!!!
-Tommy

 

[Raineman]

SKTF-You seriously **** for that metric Spin Kit. I've never seen a metric one in the wild. Nice score.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Here is some of the stuff cleaned up, I made 2 good sets of nut drivers out of the ones I got and one I had before, sadly I had to throw away the nasty one because it was more brittle than Bob Barkers back and it was covered in brown paint.

-Tommy

 

[RivennHewn]

While waiting for new tires to be put on the work truck(I love company credit cards), I hit a sale.

Could have dropped big bucks, but nothing spoke to me, except a little old jar of copper tacks. Approx 2lbs worth for $2.00.

Listings on eBay are in the +/-$22, for 1/2oz!

Figuring my little jar comes to $1408 (at those prices)

Not for sale, they’re mine.

 

[Outlawmws]

Listings on eBay are in the +/-$22, for 1/2oz!

Figuring my little jar comes to $1408 (at those prices)

Another Epreyer that's on crack.

they are expensive, but not that expensive:




I'm getting $220 from a reputable source,

Still a nice deal you found.

 

[RivennHewn]

Ya, don’t buy small lots on EBay.

But don’t tell my wife, she thinks I’m smart

I did pay stupid prices for some vintage copper Rosehead nails awhile back to finish a boat restoration. The new one aren’t nearly as cool looking, and didn’t match the original.

Shipping from England was brutal

 

[jwilson645]

Won these at an estate auction last night. Can't wait to pick them up. I'm giddy about the bolt bin!

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Good score, hardware is pricey nowadays.
-Tommy

 

[d42jeep]

My Hygrade cabinet sits on my similar bolt bin. It’s extremely useful. I like the Pic a nut boxes too.
-Don

 

[alinc100]

One sale today on the work side of town. Advertised as "This is the estate of a man who worked for Sears (in the tool department) since the early 1960's and retired from Sears.Therefore the tools are mostly Craftsman. Packed with tools! The largest tool collection we have ever seen." Well there were tools lots of them. But I'd bet if the contents of my garage was dumped out on tables, I might just win. All good stuff. I made a HUGE mistake in not having my glasses with me( I walked out of the house this morning without my "street" pair,secretly I was not expecting to have time to hit this sale until Day 2 Wednesday) so I basically was in a dimly lit basement and came out with this:

Combination Wrenches

Action 1019 19mm
PowrKraft 3/4"
Herbrand 1222-N 11/16"
Snap On OEX-180 9/16"
Williams 1161 7/16"
PowrKraft 7/16"
Action 1010 10mm
Wright 1114 -7/16"
Wright 1112 -3/8"
Bonney 23724 3/4'',23722 11/16",23720 5/8",23718 9/16",23714 7/16"23712 3/8"
Bonney ZEB18 9/16",ZEB16 1/2"

DOE/Ratchet/Tappet
Bonney ZE1416 7/16" - 1/2"
BluePoint Supreme S-1416 7/16"- 1/2"
S shaped wrench 34R &^#&perCo. (maybe &*$#&^%Spencer Co. (Hartfo)rd,Conn)
P&C 2825 11/16" - 3/4"
Herbrand no.T-22 1/2" - 9/16" tappet
Saltus No.50 17mm-19mm
Indestro No.702 3/8" - 7/16" ratchet wrench
Sockets
Craftsman 3/8" drive
7/16" 12 pt long C shallow
7/16" swivel 6 pt =v=
11/16" swivel 6 pt =v=
Craftsman 1/2" drive
5/8" swivel 12 pt Long C Circle H
1/2" 12 pt shallow Circle U
9/16" 8pt shallow BE
7/8" 12 point shallow Circle U
15-16 CRAFTSMAN early BE

Unmarked 1/2" F TO 1/2" F swivel
Bonney T-26 3/8 dr 13/16 shallow 12 pt
Herbrand J-624 3/8 dr 3/4" shallow 12 pt
Herbrand S-114 7/16",S-116 1/2" ,1/2dr shallow 12 pt
Husky H3709 3/8 dr 3/4" shallow 12 pt
None Better T1222 1/2dr 11/16" shallow 12 pt
MAC xu186 3/8dr 9/16" swivel 6 pt
Wright MO-55ac 3/8 dr 5/8" swivel 12 pt
Unmarked 1/2dr 13/16" shallow 12 pt(maybe early SK?)
PLOMB 5461 1/2dr extension
Craftsman 1/4" spinner handle
Proto 9696 driver
Pony 1 inch spring clamp

I talked a co-worker into going and he grabbed two Akro Mills plastic bin/storage drawer racks ,one was full of taps and dies. He was pretty happy at $15. I spent a bit more than that. I'd hate to think of how much I would have spent if I had my glasses with me.Might go back end of day tomorrow.

 

[oak_park]

Recent sale where the guy worked for Bosch...I got there late and all the spark plug signage, posters, etc was gone. So I picked up couple of oddball items that were dumped in a bankers box in the garage from when he cleaned out his desk. A sales award from 1989 with his picture was just sitting in a small trash can, so I hung it on the pegboard in the garage on my way out. Kinda felt sorry for him in an odd way.

Desk caddy, vintage working nightlights and lufkin tape measure.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'm giddy about the bolt bin!

I have some front loading parts/bolt bins, and when I got them I was super happy for the organization. Over he years it has palled as I'm a fabricator and wood worker, so they collect debris... I'd want doors or sliders on those.

The Pic-A-Nut on the other hand, I've had mine equally as long, and perpetually restock it, some of the boxes are half wore out and I "rebuild" them. Its just too handy for the commons, and it's in constant use..

 

[unkqty]

Recent sale where the guy worked for Bosch...I got there late and all the spark plug signage, posters, etc was gone. So I picked up couple of oddball items that were dumped in a bankers box in the garage from when he cleaned out his desk. A sales award from 1989 with his picture was just sitting in a small trash can, so I hung it on the pegboard in the garage on my way out. Kinda felt sorry for him in an odd way.

Desk caddy, vintage working nightlights and lufkin tape measure.

Estate sales comprise much of that which the previous owner valued but is suddenly available for anyone to purchase. I also feel a bit uncomfortable to see once-valued items and would-be heirlooms (photo albums, awards, medals, etc.) available for pennies or worse - in the free pile or trash.
Tom Waits' "A Soldier's Things" sometimes plays in the back of my mind...

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

I once went to an estate sale where everything was free(not much good stuff but I did get a few things from the garage), and it looked like they just passed away yesterday, everything looked you left your house and didn’t come back. Very weird feeling.
-Tommy

 

[Private Lugnutz]

S shaped wrench 34R &^#&perCo. (maybe &*$#&^%Spencer Co. (Hartfo)rd,Conn)

Billings and Spencer

 

[CoogarXR]

I once went to an estate sale where everything was free(not much good stuff but I did get a few things from the garage), and it looked like they just passed away yesterday, everything looked you left your house and didn’t come back. Very weird feeling.
-Tommy

That tape tin is neat.