2024 Garage Sale Thread (13th Annual)

[JMP]

Bought these tools from an estate earlier this summer. I think I paid $240 for everything.

 

[misterbill]

Bought these tools from an estate earlier this summer. I think I paid $240 for everything.

Is that a WRECKING BAR in photo #2?!

 

[JMP]

Is that a WRECKING BAR in photo #2?!

It still has the Sears/Craftsman sticker even. I believe it is labeled as a 'wrecking bar'.

 

[bmwrd0]

.

In addition to the Lowes where @misterbill lives, I am happy to report that the Lowes in Lakewood, NJ has them labeled as wrecking bars.



My local hardware store - proudly family owned and operated for 77 years, so, not an ACE, but small, like an ACE, also has them correctly labeled.

,

The Building Supply Store, which caters to contractors, also has them labeled correctly, and, I have to say, I am exceedingly impressed with the guvmentese-like nomenclature ('BAR, WRECKING, 18", GOOSENECK')!



Obviously, the suppliers are using the same term, locking in a terminology covering the entire chain from manufacturers to users.

Is Lowes "special"? Is my mom-and-pop hardware store (population, 2,750) "ingroup"-y?

In terms of communication, if you lived around here, and you wanted to call around to save yourself a wasted trip, chances are a clerk at Lowes would look "crowbar" up or ask her Siri gun and find no SKUs. Chances are she would probably have to walk down to aisle 59, and describe the bars to you, or ask someone more knowledgable, who might confirm if you meant a "wrecking bar," and describe it.

Or would you call it a wrecking bar in a technical context but not here? Why when it's clearly very common?

I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from a preferred or learned or habitual vernacular. You want to keep on calling them crowbars, because you think that's what 99% of the country uses, have at it. But the name wrecking bar is clearly not anachronistic, nostalgic, uncommon or peculiar.

None of those have the distinct handle or shape of the classic Crowbar that started this, so I am confused as to why you would show us these items:

Last day of an estate sale netted me $7 worth of fun... Top is an un-marked (but Heller-ish looking to me) ball peen hammer. Next in line is a cross peen hammer marked "HP TOOL". Following that are a deep S-K 9/16" socket, Plomb 3/4", Plomb 11/16", and Snap-on 11/16" socket - all in 3/8" drive. Last up is an un-marked crow bar.



Bill

And I specifically referred to the journal and it's tool users as the ingroup, only I was making a point of how the term in this case doesn't work across said ingroup as seen in this thread, and extrapolated to the rest of the site.

But, in the end we are all here to have a good time, even though some people refer to a sandwich as a hoagie, a grinder, a steak or a sando. Now, we have taken the heat off of the Hi-Lift, and moved it towards the Jerry can

 

[LesserSon]

Isn’t the reason manufacturers, distributors and retailers label these objects “wrecking bars” because the federal government requires them to label that way?
I wish Lugz had asked a clerk where the “crowbars” were; I’m pretty sure they’d point to the same tool as they would if you asked for a wrecking bar - that’s what Lowes.com does. Try web search for “crowbar,” then click the images tab. Count the number of wrecking bars, then the number of crowbars. There’s a ratio.
I’m not arguing what’s a crowbar and what’s a wrecking bar. I own a half dozen wrecking bars in various sizes. I do not own a crowbar, but if my neighbor asks to borrow one, I will hand him a wrecking bar without insisting he “correct “ his terminology or don a dunce cap, LOL.
I am suggesting there’s a simple, objective, easy-to-perform, statistically valid means of demonstrating the pervasive use of “crowbar” as a popular term denoting wrecking bar, and you can do it with the technology you use to read this post.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

None of those have the distinct handle or shape of the classic Crowbar that started this, so I am confused as to why you would show us these items:

I was surprised as you to discover the modernized shape, but it does have the classic features of the wrecking bar. Short, elongated "S" shape, pry on one end, stylized and, in some cases, a more angular gooseneck on the other. I kind of like it. I have several vintage versions, and while I did not "use" these in the store, I did sort of "wield" them in the air, and I suspect these may have a tendency to turn in the hand less.

I was making a point of how the term in this case doesn't work across said ingroup as seen in this thread, and extrapolated to the rest of the site.

Gotcha. Where are you getting "as seen in this thread" and "extrapolated" from, though? I see 6 or 7 guys involved in this conversation here and 6 or 7 in the former deep dive thread, some who call it a crowbar and a few, granted, not as many, who know it as a wrecking bar. I highly doubt that me, WisJim, and 4.c are the only ones on GJ who still recognize the difference, but I see no landslide. Only a survey would solve the exact numbers, but as I said, it doesn't really matter to me if it's 99/1 or 60/40. My point was that in an ingroup like GJ, with a fairly high average age, and a working class center of gravity, my expectations are higher than the general populace.

Now, we have taken the heat off of the Hi-Lift, and moved it towards the Jerry can

For sure. Until the weekend anyway!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I am suggesting there’s a simple, objective, easy-to-perform, statistically valid means of demonstrating the pervasive use of “crowbar” as a popular term denoting wrecking bar,

I'm not arguing it's not pervasive. I'm just pointing out that it's technically wrong and potentially very confusing, since it's the correct term for a completely different bar in many other working circles. Whether others like/know it or not.

 

[LesserSon]

None of those have the distinct handle or shape of the classic Crowbar that started this, so I am confused as to why you would show us these items:

And I specifically referred to the journal and it's tool users as the ingroup, only I was making a point of how the term in this case doesn't work across said ingroup as seen in this thread, and extrapolated to the rest of the site.

But, in the end we are all here to have a good time, even though some people refer to a sandwich as a hoagie, a grinder, a steak or a sando. Now, we have taken the heat off of the Hi-Lift, and moved it towards the Jerry can

My own state can’t stick together on soda, pop, or sodapop.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Bought these tools from an estate earlier this summer.

That's a big haul! Congrats. (And a fine wrecking bar! )

 

[bmwrd0]

" Where are you getting "as seen in this thread" and "extrapolated" from, though? I see 6 or 7 guys involved in this conversation here and 6 or 7 in the former deep dive thread, some who call it a crowbar and a few, granted, not as many, who know it as a wrecking bar."

I am getting it from the response of ever single person in this thread who knew instantly what was being referred to by that term. Some, such as you, may not like that term for any number of reasons, but each and every person in this thread knew what was being talked about instantly when using that term.

 

[LesserSon]

I'm not arguing it's not pervasive. I'm just pointing out that it's technically wrong and potentially very confusing, since it's the correct term for a completely different bar in many other working circles. Whether others like/know it or not.

“Technically,” but not “actually” wrong or confusing, was my point. Wikipedia (I know, I know) includes an image of a wrecking bar AND an etymology that strongly suggests the original and most popular referent is not what it describes in a disambiguation article as a “digging bar.”

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Some, such as you, may not like that term for any number of reasons, but each and every person in this thread knew what was being talked about instantly when using that term.

Me included. I think we're talking past each other. Again, I certainly recognize how common the conflation now is. Again, I was not correcting Bill much less suggesting that nobody understood his post. It was clearly a joke harkening back to a thread explicitly about terminology.

I do not own a crowbar, but if my neighbor asks to borrow one, I will hand him a wrecking bar without insisting he “correct “ his terminology or don a dunce cap, LOL.

Of course, that would be rude and unnecessary. I didn't insist much less suggest that anyone correct their terminology nor did I point out the use of the term as a sign of ridicule. I made a smiley devil joke the source of humor of which was the mini-debate on the original thread I linked. I am not sure why people felt the need to defend their use of crowbar or insist that wrenching bar was archaic (or "persnickety"), when it's clearly not either, or defend the term they are more familiar with (even though we often recognize and lionize correct terms), falling back on majority arguments when the majority is often ignorant (not meant pejoratively). Again, we have all kinds of conversations just like this about other tools. Not sure why this one rubbed people the wrong way. I guess wrecking bars are chopped liver.

Wikipedia (I know, I know) includes an image of a wrecking bar AND an etymology that strongly suggests the original and most popular referent is not what it describes in a disambiguation article as a “digging bar.”

Addressed on the other thread with dozens of better references and sources.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm going to cease and desist, guys. It's ad nauseam bordering on ad hominem now, and it's not that important.

 

[bmwrd0]

Sorry Lugz, I didn't mean to start a fight. All apologies!

 

[Outlawmws]

Just for fun, and passing no opinion on eiher:

"Crowbar" in a google search - 9 top hits:





And for real silliness - as AI is wrong so much of the time - from the Enterprise version of ChatGPT (4o):

crowbar

ChatGPT said:​

A crowbar is a hand tool used primarily for prying, lifting, and demolition tasks. It is typically made of a strong steel bar with a flattened, wedge-like end on one side and a curved hook or claw on the other. The flat end is used for prying apart objects, removing nails, or lifting heavy items, while the hooked or curved end can be used for pulling nails or providing leverage in demolition tasks.
Crowbars are commonly used in construction, carpentry, and other industrial applications. They come in various sizes and are sometimes referred to as wrecking bars or pry bars depending on their specific design and usage.
Would you like more specific information on crowbars or their usage?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Sorry Lugz, I didn't mean to start a fight. All apologies!

I didn't take it that way. Fervent debate, maybe. No apologies needed. Just like AI, apparently, or all the documents I posted in the other thread that obviously disagree with whatever corpus ChatGPT is drawing from, we are all the results of the stimuli we've been "trained" on.

 

[Old Radar]

You guys are killing me.

Not in a good way.

 

[JMLangford]

Today's haul is a Craftsman 2 drawer tool box.
This box is 20" wide x 10" tall x 9" deep and is heavy!!


It came with the tray....and two free tools (#2 Philips bit and an unknown size Allen wrench)


Drawers are in great shape....came with free dirt also!



The slides are also in great shape....


Because of the weight I thought there might be some extra "goodies" that had fallen down in the bottom under the drawers.....but, nope it must have been the tray sliding around....


The bottom left back drawer slide clip is missing....


Lightly wiped the dust from the tray and drawers and they should clean up nicely with some soap and water....


I've already cleaned up the two free tools!


Total for the box (with free tools) was $5.99 after my 25% senior discount



.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I think we need to start a new thread on the term “99%” lol

I guess I should have said “The majority” instead of “99%” I was generalizing, not listing a specific percentage.

I blame this whole discussion on people like Roger Buranen, the shop teacher, and his dunce cap..lol

 

[four.cycle]

I think we need to start a new thread on the term “99%” lol

only if we can include saw sets!

 

[mikeinri]

And to think, I used to LIKE the word "vernacular..."

Mike

 

[Old Man Roger]

I have to say, it stung a little to be called out as a newbie too.lol

It’s been almost 3 years since my first post in the garage sale threads, but I guess I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t consider it a relative term. I mean there are people who have been posting in these threads since the beginning.

I mean “99%“ of the people have been here longer than me.

2022 Garage Sale Thread

Slow day (again) 2 planned stops - one at 7 - one at 9 so I planned a walk in between in the "Antique store" section of town. (all closed that early) I counted 19 of them! Kinda surprised that many are still in business. Also hit one TOO on the way home. I spent all of $5.25 today...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Provincial]

Well, to put this controversy to bed, I checked, and Harbor Freight calls them "wrecking bar" with "gooseneck" added in many cases. This makes it official. China is the final authority.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have to say, it stung a little to be called out as a newbie too.lol

It’s been almost 3 years since my first post in the garage sale threads, but I guess I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t consider it a relative term. I mean there are people who have been posting in these threads since the beginning.

I, who have been here since the debut 2012 thread, said...

I was about to warn our relative newcomers 4.c and OMR that when a former host provides a gentle nudge like...

...in jest, explicitly and helpfully because I think of the thread's long, infamous brouhahas, lightheartedly typified by references to the Great Jerry Can Gauge Battle, and our gradual emergence from them, historically helped along by former hosts, as coming before your time. No slight intended, Rog. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Harbor Freight calls them "wrecking bar" with "gooseneck" added in many cases.

Well, kudos to Harbor Freight, and to their Chinese suppliers, for using a term commonly used by a still unknown percentage of people on GJ.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...came with free dirt also!

Snerk.

...my 25% senior discount

Where did you buy it?

 

[LesserSon]

Last Sunday at Jake’s Flea Market, I overheard an exchange between two parties. Noting interest in a smallish (maybe 1 to 1-1/2gal), wood-staved container with a broader base than top, the seller offered a price for “the bucket.” The potential customer countered by asking whether the seller had the lid. No. But then negotiations took a different turn when the potential buyer said, “You know, it’s not a bucket; it’s a firkin.” I started heading away at this point, so I’m not sure how the impasse resolved.
After reading this article, I wonder if either party would have accepted “pail” as a mot juste.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

But then negotiations took a different turn when the potential buyer said, “You know, it’s not a bucket; it’s a firkin.”

Oops! Classic collector's mistake of being too smart for his own good! (Ask me how I know! ) Over here a seller's price would certainly not come down after a buyer refers to anything by a more astute term. More typical in my experience is a line like that coming out of the mouth of a seller, to clarify a difference in asking price and offer.

I wonder if either party would have accepted “pail” as a mot juste.

If they were both informed antique bucket, pail, tankard, and firkin collectors, almost certainly not. If either party was informed and the other just a layperson, it would depend. A shrewd buyer would almost certainly play dumb. If, for example, you were talking to a 22-year-old emo vendor about a nice D-8 that he insisted on misidentifying as a hacksaw in between hits on his vaper, I suspect the use of the word "saw" by you would suffice. If you were engaged in a conversation with a peer about cutting wood with the grain or across the grain, would "saw" be just right? Or would the terms ripsaw and crosscut saw to correctly identify two different types of saws with two different purposes enter the conversation?

 

[Stubby1743]

I find it hilarious that you Americans have been arguing amongst yourselves over what is the correct word for things.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Haha. Hey, you blokes have had centuries to work all that out, you have to excuse us our paltry 248 years. In all seriousness, the need for Americans to separate themselves linguistically, concomitant with culturally, from Great Britain, is brilliantly described in several chapters and a sort of running theme by Tocqueville in the most important book any American could ever read.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I, who have been here since the debut 2012 thread, said...

...in jest, explicitly and helpfully because I think of the thread's long, infamous brouhahas, lightheartedly typified by references to the Great Jerry Can Gauge Battle, and our gradual emergence from them, historically helped along by former hosts, as coming before your time. No slight intended, Rog. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

I was kidding, no hard feelings at all.

I find it hilarious that you Americans have been arguing amongst yourselves over what is the correct word for things.

Ya, but you drive on the wrong side of the road, and you spell tire wrong too.

 

[seber]

I bought this Unisaw a few weeks ago but had to take it apart to get it into the truck. Just got it back together. It is three phase, so I added a VFD to the back side. The weather was fine when I picked it up so we just put the extension and rails in the bed behind the cabinet standing up and strapped it in. forty miles later a freak storm blew in just as I crossed the "big bridge" over lake Livingston. I got a gust of wind that slapped the truck sideways about two feet and blew the table right out of the truck bed. It is two miles across to where I could turn around and go back to pick up the pieces. The fence rail now has a scarred front corner surface, but no other serious damage. Got real lucky on that one. Paid $300 for the saw and another $80 for the VFD. I had a push button switch in my misc. stock.

 

[bmwrd0]

"...in the most important book any American could ever read."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Letter_to_a_Royal_Academy
Benjamin Franklin's "A Letter to a Royal Academy about Farting"?

Anyway, I recently took a cross country trip*, which does two things: helps earn credit cart points (ie cash) and gives lots of time away from my shop (ie eBay) and so the fruits of that have arrived. I don't normally show eBay purchases/wins here, but why not.

While I found the bottom box locally (as seen in this thread), I was able to find a Kennedy 526-11 in need of a little work for about 1/5th the cost of what they normally go for, and a little work has it exactly as I want.


This wasn't from eBay, but another online auction. A BSA Supersport air rifle in .25! Not a common air gun caliber here in the states, and I had always wanted one.

And, last but not least:


Two Billings and Spencer wrench sets, in the original roll-ups. DBE and DOE, the later looks barely, if ever used.

Pretty happy with all of that!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Back to yesterday’s sale at 20% off day. Still a bunch of stuff, but limited interest.

I did find some Snap-On collectibles ($8)


Collector’s Series wrench set (<1/2 of eBay price)


Early Gerber multitool and Crescent (post-Cooper acquisition) socket kit box ($5). The box is full of drill bits, but I’ll try to refill it with proper stuff.


There was also one of these German-made rolling cantilever boxes, but the Matco version. The price ($140) seemed a bit high and the Matco sticker was a bit worn. I’m holding out for a Lakewood made box.


I’m out of town for a couple of days, but if it’s still there on Friday’s 50% off day, I may just bite.

That snappy air tool oil can is so cool!

 

[four.cycle]

I find it hilarious that you Americans have been arguing amongst yourselves over what is the correct word for things

OMR replied: Ya, but you drive on the wrong side of the road, and you spell tire wrong too.

Not to mention insisting on misspelling all manner of simple terms like "theatre" or "colour".

After reading this article, I wonder if either party would have accepted “pail” as a mot juste.

The distinction between those particular items was established by law in England, but when the "firkin" came across the Atlantic, we saw fit to redefine the term to suit our own purposes. Certainly nothing new there - Americans have been co-opting words from other languages forever. (I've always been fond of "Hammock" - from the Carib hamaka)

It's funny this came up concurrent with an online discussion with datamp.org about using the correct item descriptions as they are shown on the original patent documents. (Is it a "blow torch", or a "blowtorch", or an "automatic blowtorch", or an "automatic blast torch"?)
I could very well have described a recent acquisition as a "spoke wrench", and avoided the inevitable puerile remarks that always come with the correct description of the item, but not only is it a completely different approach to accomplishing the same task, when described in any other manner than what appears in the original patent document, attempting to conduct research on the item (e.g., figuring out patent numbers and dates, inventors' names, original manufacturers' names) becomes more difficult. Hence the use of the propery nomenclature is arguably essential in this context.
This is not to further pursue any sort of "argument" - if you say "crowbar", I'll know what you're talking about - but in this tiny little universe of "tool collecting" and sussing out the "history" part of it, using the correct terms is a primary requisite.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Two Billings and Spencer wrench sets, in the original roll-ups.

I don't think I have anything with that particular "Billings" font, but it's fantastic.

..in the most important book any American could ever read."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Letter_to_a_Royal_Academy
Benjamin Franklin's "A Letter to a Royal Academy about Farting"?

The Fart Essay is classic. Only put into his published papers relatively recently.

Samuel Johnson, the famous English lexicographer, essayist, moralist, poet, and biographer, hated American Colonists explicitly because of how we were changing the English language and culture, which he considered barbarous. In 1756, the year after he published his famous dictionary, in one of his political rants, he coined the term “American dialect” to mean “a tract [trace] of corruption to which every language widely diffused must always be exposed."

Not a compliment. But prescient! LOL

Many experts propose that Thomas Paine, our own man of letters, and one of our most persuasive spokesmen for independence, wrote Common Sense in 1776 as a direct refutation of Johnson and the Englishness he and other patriots felt we needed to leave behind. “We see with other eyes, we hear with other ears; and think with other thoughts than those we formerly used."

 

[JMLangford]

Where did you buy it?

Miracle Hill Thrift store....My new go to spot to find treasures since I don't get out to many flea markets as much as I use to.
Every Tuesday is senior day at 25% off, but on all the other days I get a 15% military discount.
It's less than 2 miles from my house

.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm jealous!

 

[WNYflyer]

Only a few things picked up this past weekend. Sale popped up online at the last minute for a sale on the other side of town. Didn't say much or photo's about mechanics tools but did spot a big two tier Snap-On box in the background of one photo. Headed over and talked to the guy running basically a private estate sale, said his dad had been mechanic for the local bus company and the tool box itself was sold and that he had gotten all the tools he wanted out of the box and I was free to look through the box and see if any of the remaining stuff was of interest.

So pulled out 3/8 drive MAC metric hex socket set, Vulcan 3/8 drive metric socket set and a couple Snap-On Spark Plug impact swivel sockets. So not bad for a 10 minute drive from the house.

 

[akasrick]

Isn’t the reason manufacturers, distributors and retailers label these objects “wrecking bars” because the federal government requires them to label that way?
I wish Lugz had asked a clerk where the “crowbars” were; I’m pretty sure they’d point to the same tool as they would if you asked for a wrecking bar - that’s what Lowes.com does. Try web search for “crowbar,” then click the images tab. Count the number of wrecking bars, then the number of crowbars. There’s a ratio.
I’m not arguing what’s a crowbar and what’s a wrecking bar. I own a half dozen wrecking bars in various sizes. I do not own a crowbar, but if my neighbor asks to borrow one, I will hand him a wrecking bar without insisting he “correct “ his terminology or don a dunce cap, LOL.
I am suggesting there’s a simple, objective, easy-to-perform, statistically valid means of demonstrating the pervasive use of “crowbar” as a popular term denoting wrecking bar, and you can do it with the technology you use to read this post.

The rule of three at work?
Warning statistician at work.
another for crowbar

akasrick