@Smokeshow69
Your perspicacity, patience, and persistence paid a Plomb-y premium!
Great story with a happy, happy ending!
Your perspicacity, patience, and persistence paid a Plomb-y premium!
Great story with a happy, happy ending!
2025 Garage Sale Thread (14th Annual)
- Thread starter mikeinri
- Start date
- Status
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Love the book BMW! .22's have always fascinated me for their versatility.
That drafting pad brings back memories! is it the power type, or the crumbly rubber type? the latter it's probably dead and dried out, Powder might still be good.
Good job on the Tool boards Smoke!
That drafting pad brings back memories! is it the power type, or the crumbly rubber type? the latter it's probably dead and dried out, Powder might still be good.
Good job on the Tool boards Smoke!
bmwrd0
Well-known member
It is the rubber type, but doesn't feel dried out. I haven't done any serious drafting since HS, and even then everything was moving, just barely, to CAD, so not sure what I would do with this. My brother started as a draftsman, but is an architect now, came up the haws pipe.
Outside of air rifles in the basement, .22 is almost all of my shooting these days, as I cannot walk well enough to hunt anymore.
Outside of air rifles in the basement, .22 is almost all of my shooting these days, as I cannot walk well enough to hunt anymore.
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
Thanks. It pays off to be persistent. Persistence can be one of my biggest strengths (and weaknesses) so I’m smiling ear to ear! Needless to say I’m “plomb” out of excitement and will be riding high in this one for a while.
Last edited:
Thought I was skunked today at the Quakertown flea, having declined an offer to negotiate price for a small but early Bonney table vise.Then MrsLS says, “do you want me to stop at this yard sale?” Quick glance - “Hell, yes!”
MrsLS & I were both attracted to a heavy solid oak fireplace mantle marked $55, but agreed it would not fit as is anywhere in our home, and even repurposed and modified wouldn’t really find adequate service as a shelf, so that was also a left-behind.
For $2 I bought a US-marked pick head. I was looking skeptically at the very rusty No5 Bailey and the guy says, “take it.” “What’s with the stuff at the end of the driveway?” “Free - take what you want.” So I took two ‘60s-ish saws (Disston & Craftsman, probably just for the nuts) and an ADIDAS torso mannequin (which I think is exactly my size, LOL).
EDIT - The No5 turned out to be a type20(1962-1967), but overnight soaking in rust remover revealed a vertical crack through one side of the body. I have to remind myself that initially, the rust looked much worse, and I was thinking it would only be for parts, anyway.
Last edited:
Provincial
Well-known member
***** to NYBODYMAN, 3bay, Outlaw, and Smokeshow.
Nice picks!
Nice picks!
Outlawmws
Well-known member
A USUCK to SL, as free is always suckworthy.
Last year at the PIR swap meet here in Portland , which is the largest swap this side of the Mississippi, I found a vendor selling 2 Proto MFD tool panels at very reasonable price. I quickly pulled out my cash to pay the seller. He was an old timer and had a bunch of early Ford parts and the tool boards. Somehow we got on the subject of the tool panels and I asked him if he had any more tool panels at home. I always ask vendors if they have more of whatever they are selling but most of the time they say no...but this time it paid off, and in a big way.
Vendor said he happened to be contemplating selling some of his Plomb tool panels but he wasn't sure when. He said to take his info and call him in a few months. I tried him every few months but every time I called him, he didn't answer and his voicemail wasn't set up. He's about 80 years old and isn't very tech savvy. On a hunch this past Thursday, I decided to give him another ring. Much to my excitement he actually answered and he also remembered me. I am so glad he answered because I was worried he would bring the Plomb panels to the swap meet and sell them and I would have missed an opportunity to get some uncommon Plomb pieces that I had been chasing for a year. The swap meet is coming up next weekend so I definitely was feeling the pressure.
The seller said he had the panels and was actually ready to sell them now as he had purchased a blast cabinet that was going to cover the panels and he wanted to see them go to a good home. Much to my excitement he said he lives in the town next to where I work and we made arrangements for me to come over on Friday (yesterday) to look at the panels. I went to his house and he showed me the panels and I made a deal on the 3 panels and the proto la sign as well. I'm really excited to get these panels. The 2 plumbs are ww2 era and are 1/2 drive tools board including sockets, ratchets and extensions. The other panel is for lady foot pry bars, dbe wrenches and a few other misc items. The proto la panel is for dbe's. The proto sign is a sign that was displayed by shops selling proto tools. It's made of masonite and is almost 2' wide.
Needless to say I'm way stoked on these! It's pretty uncommon to find one of these Plomb tool panels, let alone 2 in the same place, not to mention the sign. The old timer said he purchased these panels in 1992 at the same swap I met him at in 2024. I still need to get them cleaned up and on my walls. I'm still smiling from ear to ear. My persistence paid off finally and the old timer also told me he has more Plomb /Proto to clear out and I get first shot
YOU ****!!!
I don't know how to value (price) something like that, but hopefully you got a "going to a loving home" bundle discount!
Did he have any of the tools for them?
Mike
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Nice find! I'm assuming the 6 is for 6 lbs?
6lb, yes, I think so. Seems from the catalog to be a No30 railroad/clay pick. I have a 9lb one, too. Probably get some use in a month, as our cabin gravity-fed water line needs replaced. Hoping to harness my son and nephews, rather than my own back.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
If the run is a straight shot with no elbows or right angle turns, any more they connect a plastic line to the old one and drag them through the run, no big digging required. A low geared 4WD or a winch might do it?
How long is the run, and how deep do you need to bury it (to get below the frost line)?
At my first house, my neighbor rented a backhoe to dig a trench (for a plumber to connect to the city water line). It was probably 50-60 feet long, and had to be down 6 (or 8?) feet. Only took him part of one day to dig it.
Mike
At my first house, my neighbor rented a backhoe to dig a trench (for a plumber to connect to the city water line). It was probably 50-60 feet long, and had to be down 6 (or 8?) feet. Only took him part of one day to dig it.
Mike
Provincial
Well-known member
40 years ago when I had connections to a company that installed underground telephone lines, I had to replace our 3/4" water line from the main to the house. This was about 400 feet, and was a big project. I mentioned it to one of the cable plowing crew members, who offered to come out on a weekend with the rubber-tire cable plow and pull a pvc pipe in. We had to dig holes on each end and two spaced in the middle so we could start, get under a concrete curb, change from steep downhill to a flatter slope, and stop by the house. We glued 20' lengths together the day before so the joints would be full strength. They unloaded the plow and installed all the pipe in less than a hour. It took longer to drink the beer than do the job!
Jim_No_Garage
Well-known member
We hit 2 Sales today and Mrs No_Garage got some crafty stuff at both stops. At the second stop I found a Fisher Space that needs some attention. Based on some internet snooping it appears to be a "Fisher Space Pen Metal Cap-o-Matic Chrome" model. The insert still writes but the click mechanism in the "Back end" has slipped in the cap. Your not supposed to see the black band between the 2 chrome sections.
Cheers
Jim
Cheers
Jim
Model A Fan
Well-known member
I'm assuming you know WPA is Works Progress Administration...
Works Progress Administration - Wikipedia
Old Radar
Well-known member
I would be flabbergasted to find that he didn't.
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
Yes he had the tools… but he seemed like he didn’t want to let me into his shop so I didn’t press it. I’ll fill em up with my tools and then revisit him later when he’s ready to sell the tools as well
SC Fly Guy
Well-known member
Patience and persistence will pay off on the tools as well. He knows you’re a buyer and when he gets ready to part with them, you’ll be the first call!!Yes he had the tools… but he seemed like he didn’t want to let me into his shop so I didn’t press it. I’ll fill em up with my tools and then revisit him later when he’s ready to sell the tools as well
alinc100
Well-known member
With the weather getting slightly better(it's been warm but wet for two days) I've had a little shop time. Some may remember the Beach/Huot combo I got at an estate auction . The loose tools were hastily thrown into milk crates, buckets ,boxes so that I could load the toolboxes in my truck. I've been able to clean the boxes a bit, reline the drawers and have began sorting content. I'll do a detailed inventory or specific pieces if anything catches someone's eye.
Attachments
alinc100
Well-known member
Patrickm82
Well-known member
I’ve been really slacking on posting my finds this season. I have about a months worth to get on. Hopefully I can get them up this week. But I figured I post this vise I got today with some birthday $. I got my second Wilton vise, a C1 in fantastic shame. Hopefully this holds you guys over
. I got it for $250 which isn't all that bad for my area. He started out at $425!
. I got it for $250 which isn't all that bad for my area. He started out at $425!brockmub
Well-known member
Found an orange Niehoff recently as well, hit it with Simple Green and then again with iron remover detailing spray. Should clean up pretty well. Iron remover for wheels has been my recent addition to cleaning up signs, cans and toolboxes that have heavy staining.Scored this today at a last day estate sale where everything was half off. Great shape, filthy, but zero rust.
It will display quite well with this in the antique booth.
@Patrickm82 nice find!
scottybk
Well-known member
I tend to avoid anything advertised as "estate sale" operated by an estate sale company or franchise. They tend to use ebay for pricing help and price things at what ***** ebay sellers have listed for buy it now which is usually 10 X what the item is worth. I have literally laughed hysterically at some of these sales as I perused the insane prices on total ****. For newer items they price things higher than what you could buy a new item on amazon.
I'm an attorney and can tell you that most estate executors end up very unhappy with most estate sale companies. They take a very large cut. I once interviewed a couple of these clowns for some estates I was handling and was comically unimpressed. If there are high end items I use a very reputable auction house that can get top dollar for high end antiques. if it's mostly ordinary **** I advise people to just have their own garage sale or donate the stuff to Habitat or Goodwill rather than get involved with a bozo estate sale company. Another thing executors should bear in mind is that ordinary homeowner's insurance often doesn't cover injuries if some geezer at the estate sale trips and gets hurt. You need to speak with an agent and buy a special policy to cover the sale weekend.
Most estates that use these companies end up using the "profits" to then pay for 1800GotJunk or another cleanout service to cart away granny's pee stained couch that no one wanted to pay $600 for. LOL.
Private yard sales are where the best deals are, along with church/charity rummage sales. Some flea markets are OK.
6 & 7/8
Well-known member
Hit a estate sale a week ago last last Sunday and everything was 1/2 off. I couldn’t believe that the toolbox with a key was still there and a wrench. I went out to the buildings out back and dug around and found the black container that had dirty rags in it. The lady didn’t want to touch the black container with the dirty rags. She told me to get them out of here quick so I did. I went to pay for the three items. The total was $20. She told thanks for getting those dirty rags out of here. A few days later I I washed the dirty rags from the dirty rag container and wow.
Attachments
Debcrow
Well-known member
So you Picked up a Plane Sawed off Mannequin
Then MrsLS says, “do you want me to stop at this yard sale?” Quick glance - “Hell, yes!”
MrsLS & I were both attracted to a heavy solid oak fireplace mantle marked $55, but agreed it would not fit as is anywhere in our home, and even repurposed and modified wouldn’t really find adequate service as a shelf, so that was also a left-behind.
For $2 I bought a US-marked pick head. I was looking skeptically at the very rusty No5 Bailey and the guy says, “take it.” “What’s with the stuff at the end of the driveway?” “Free - take what you want.” So I took two ‘60s-ish saws (Disston & Craftsman, probably just for the nuts) and an ADIDAS torso mannequin (which I think is exactly my size, LOL).
Free is my favorite price. Good haul!
seber
Well-known member
6 & 7/8 ***** for those UP switch locks.
There are no universal truths.
My wife makes her full time living and I make a pretty substantial amount side hustling in resale. Estate sales, thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, antique stores, and FB Marketplace are our hunting grounds.
Some estate sales ****, some are amazing. Sometimes it depends on the client, other times it’s the estate sale company. They do charge a lot, but the good ones do a lot of work and get a good return.
Locally, estate sale companies charge less than auction companies and yield more profit. I know this is not the case across the nation.
We go into it knowing that treasures can be found anywhere, even overpriced estate sales. Sometimes, those sales are even better. The prices are so high the first days, by the time the last day rolls around, there is still good stuff available and they are ready to bargain.
I like to get to estate sales after the first day, after the pickers and hoarders have peeled the first layer back, gotten the easy stuff. That’s where the good stuff hides.
seber
Well-known member
I love estate sales. There are ALWAYS things the estate sale people miss or have no clue about. I get there at opening and pick up the bargains ahead of others doing the same thing. While I'm there, I wander around and study what will be a bargain on day two at half price. If that looks promising, I'll be back at opening on day two. That doesn't always work for every sale as women tend to outlive their husbands and not every sale has things worth buying. Which is what happened to me this weekend. What looked like a Stihl MS440 in the pics turned out to be a 311. All I got were some chemicals, spray paint, and a five gallon Sure can for $15. That was a true bargain, but not worth the trip.
d42jeep
Well-known member
There are quite a few reputable estate sale companies near where I live that sell at fair prices that make reasonable money for their clients. There are other estate sale companies whose sales I never bother with going by past experiences. It may be a regional issue.
-Don
-Don
bmwrd0
Well-known member
Cost of business is the cost of business. As a lawyer, would you like to handle the estate, the sorting of junk from gold, pricing each object, personally? Does the family want to deal with it, personally. Or do they live in the big city, while the property is way off in BFE and there isn't another company who will handle this quickly to get the property on the market? If that is the case, than this is the cost, eBay pricing or no. Also, a lawyer should know contracts, and help get an estate company that, as part of the contract, removes everything if that is what the family wants. Some do this, others do not, and it really comes down to what someone wants to pay. Otherwise, yes, you will have to call a removal company. Or, the family will have to deal with it.
Personally, I like pro run estates better, as there is no uncle Cletus coming around at the last minute saying "that isn't for sale", or cousin Lurlene's boyfriend making off with all the valuables the night before. Also, they are more likely to take credit cards, and often have people around to help move objects if something large is sold.
This is a business, and no one likes paying money that they figure they can save. But, like hiring movers or any other contractors, sometimes you just have too.
seber
Well-known member
I'm a bit behind on this. I had some luck with a recent auction of reloading pieces. Including the auction company's add on I paid $300 for three RCBS Rockchucker presses and a Dillon four station press with extra primer tubes.
I can't seem to figure out how people get separation between inserts and text so all my text is first.
At the same auction I picked up a Stihl MS440 that looks pretty used but turns out to run like a top.
Then this weekend at and estate sale I pulled a five gallon Sure can with two gallons of gas for $15.
I can't seem to figure out how people get separation between inserts and text so all my text is first.
At the same auction I picked up a Stihl MS440 that looks pretty used but turns out to run like a top.
Then this weekend at and estate sale I pulled a five gallon Sure can with two gallons of gas for $15.
Attachments
Regional?? I don't know, i'm in the midwest, and my experiences are similar to yours. Like anything else in the world there's good ones and bad ones. We tend to do our shopping with the good ones.
My fiance and I are regulars, she's a reseller and I just pick up stuff for my shop.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Wowwww
bmwrd0
Well-known member
This is my experience. There are companies that, for a variety of reasons, I don't bother with their sales, or only go on the second day, whatever. And the first thing I notice about the sales where I think they overprice things? Half of it sold that first day. So, no, they weren't overpriced, they just charged more than I wanted to pay.
I try to be in the first 10 or so. The Snap-on, if there is any, goes with the first few people in the door.
If you want Craftsman, you can get there hours after.
I do not resell, so my rule for myself is to be very picky. I avoid chrome loss and engraved tools.
My area is flush with tools. If you are not picky here, you are doing yourself a disservice.
If you want Craftsman, you can get there hours after.
I do not resell, so my rule for myself is to be very picky. I avoid chrome loss and engraved tools.
My area is flush with tools. If you are not picky here, you are doing yourself a disservice.
Last edited:
Provincial
Well-known member
I go to sales that list what I am interested in. Family or professional, it matters little. I only pick up Snap-On if it is priced low, and even the high-price professionals miss sometimes. Family may price things too high as many times as they price too low. It is what it is, and I don't have to buy anything.
I often buy things that are inexpensive that will be of interest to my collecting friends. I then pass them along and they pass things along to me. Sometimes I buy stuff that I know will otherwise be scrapped or sent to the landfill, just to keep it from being lost forever. There seems to always be someone who wants it at a reasonable price, which sometimes is free.
I kind of dislike it when boxes of mixed items are lumped together, and I have to buy the lot to get what I want. I think some people have discovered it as a way to make the customers reduce the clean-up cost!
I often buy things that are inexpensive that will be of interest to my collecting friends. I then pass them along and they pass things along to me. Sometimes I buy stuff that I know will otherwise be scrapped or sent to the landfill, just to keep it from being lost forever. There seems to always be someone who wants it at a reasonable price, which sometimes is free.
I kind of dislike it when boxes of mixed items are lumped together, and I have to buy the lot to get what I want. I think some people have discovered it as a way to make the customers reduce the clean-up cost!
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
- Status