2026 Garage Sale Thread (15th Annual)

[Jbullfrog]

We hit the flea market at the Iowa State Fair grounds the 1st Saturday of January. The wrench has "Made in Germany" stamped on the jaw. The small screw grease cup. I'm not sure what the Case Farm Tools gauge is for.

I also got a 2" Williams Super Wrench spy wrench for $8.

 

[zanyad]

Tonights pick-up….

Killer haul. You ****!

Seller questioned why I wanted these, my reply was preservation. I explained someone made a living with these tools, raised a family & put food on the table. That man was his father. Mr. Glime, your tools will live on…Sold them to me for $20. Here they are as found… BTW, this guy was about 80…and had them listed for 3 months…. Crickets.

Good on you!

 

[INSP380]

Killer haul. You ****!

Good on you!

Thank you! I try to keep preservation as my justification to collecting. Seems most of my efforts have had a personal connection. It’s had quite the positive effect on the familys selling the items. I always go back and share the post restoration photos. I recently did the same with an old Craftsman machinist box. The deceased’s daughter sent me a very heart filled thank you knowing her Dads box / passion lives on.

Steve

 

[four.cycle]

I'm not sure what the Case Farm Tools gauge is for.

"angle gauge"

If I had to guess, I would think "chisel and plane iron" for most of those, and "twist drill" on the 121° angle, but I could be completely off the mark.

 

[mikeinri]

Tonights pick-up…. Found an obscure listing for tools and dug a bit to learn more. Everything was in one pic and no description. Craigslist said “Tools” $25… stopped afterwork tonight. What was found, 0-1 436 Starretts, 1-2 436 Starretts, 2-3 Vintage 226 Starretts, 277 Lufkin Radius gauges, a set of (3) Lufkin Telescoping Gauges, a mint Vintage 230 Starrett in the leather case, Vintage Starrett decimal chart, “Quality” chrome Mic ( smooth as butter ) , (3) 5/16 Cleveland Mo-Max, small transfer punch set, and two larger transfer punches. Seller questioned why I wanted these, my reply was preservation. I explained someone made a living with these tools, raised a family & put food on the table. That man was his father. Mr. Glime, your tools will live on…Sold them to me for $20. Here they are as found… BTW, this guy was about 80…and had them listed for 3 months…. Crickets.

Steve

You ****!

Is everything engraved, or just a few?

Mike

 

[SC Fly Guy]

Thank you! I try to keep preservation as my justification to collecting. Seems most of my efforts have had a personal connection. It’s had quite the positive effect on the familys selling the items. I always go back and share the post restoration photos. I recently did the same with an old Craftsman machinist box. The deceased’s daughter sent me a very heart filled thank you knowing her Dads box / passion lives on.

Steve

Great find and I appreciate the preservation philosophy. I know a lot of folks don’t agree with me, but I don’t mind engravings on the old treasures I find. I think it’s part of the tool’s story!!

 

[rcsuder]

Been watching this thread for quite awhile now, decided that I would play this year. Not a whole lot of estate/garage sales tho time of year but managed to find a couple in the last 2 weeks. First at an estate sale, Wilton power arm Jr and a Boley watchmakers vise. These were seperate pieces I just put together this week. 2nd estate sale, Starrett digital depth gauge and Mitutoyo digital micrometer. Last sale was a machine shop closing sale, picket up a Wilton 1665 and a Wilton mill vise. The 1665 was missing jaws so I made a set soft jaws from aluminum. Not bad for the first couple weeks in, with a total of $130.00(Can) spent.

 

[RTM]

"angle gauge"

If I had to guess, I would think "chisel and plane iron" for most of those, and "twist drill" on the 121° angle, but I could be completely off the mark.

A few of the higher angles seem out of the range

Googled, found this on eBay. In addition to the uses from Four.Cycle: Some are for Row crop side knife, sickle knives, Flail Harvester knives, Fly Wheel Harvester knife, Mower section knife, Baler Slicing knife, and Baler Slicing Knife (Vee Shaped) More text that is too small to retype right now on how to use it to get sharp edges in 6 steps. (I just noticed the "nail on wall here" marks) Mfg by The Highsmith Co, Fort Atkinson Wis

 

[Beerhippie]

Been watching this thread for quite awhile now, decided that I would play this year. Not a whole lot of estate/garage sales tho time of year but managed to find a couple in the last 2 weeks. First at an estate sale, Wilton power arm Jr and a Boley watchmakers vise. These were seperate pieces I just put together this week. 2nd estate sale, Starrett digital depth gauge and Mitutoyo digital micrometer. Last sale was a machine shop closing sale, picket up a Wilton 1665 and a Wilton mill vise. The 1665 was missing jaws so I made a set soft jaws from aluminum. Not bad for the first couple weeks in, with a total of $130.00(Can) spent.

Well, that's a big YOU **** on your first GS post!

 

[four.cycle]

Googled, found this on eBay. In addition to the uses from Four.Cycle: Some are for Row crop side knife, sickle knives, Flail Harvester knives, Fly Wheel Harvester knife, Mower section knife, Baler Slicing knife, and Baler Slicing Knife (Vee Shaped) More text that is too small to retype right now on how to use it to get sharp edges in 6 steps. (I just noticed the "nail on wall here" marks) Mfg by The Highsmith Co, Fort Atkinson Wis

Excellent.

 

[INSP380]

You ****!

Is everything engraved, or just a few?

Mike

Just the 226 & the 436’s…. It’s actually very light & in the paint only. The seller actually commented on that. I don’t mind. It’s funny if you actually work in a shop you see this a lot. Guy’s tend to comment oh yeah, that was the “Old Timer” here way before me. We have an old crowbar in the shop and whoever holds it is now “Sparky” ….. obvious reasons.

 

[WisJim]

I found a Disston Keystone back saw at a thrift store on half-price day, and an Artisan (Ruger type) bit brace at an antiques store for a good price. Didn't make it to the Saturday flea market down the street because we went to the big stock show in Denver and went to the rodeo with our son and grandson, but we stopped at the antique store where I got the brace on the way back to Pueblo late in the day.

 

[zanyad]

Not bad for the first couple weeks in, with a total of $130.00(Can) spent.

I think that's a little better than "not bad." You ****!

Well, that's a big YOU **** on your first GS post!

^^^what he said^^^

 

[Patrickm82]

Huge YOU **** @rcsuder!! Very nice first post

 

[rcsuder]

Huge YOU **** @rcsuder!! Very nice first post

Thanks! I’m hoping 2026 will be as good as 2025 , Found many incredible deals last year.

 

[rcsuder]

Huge YOU **** @rcsuder!! Very nice first post

Thanks!

 

[rcsuder]

Huge YOU **** @rcsuder!! Very nice first post

Thanks!

 

[misterbill]

Not a purchase, but a garage find just the same. Going through the garage at my parent's house as part of settling their estate and found this tote made from a box for DuPont dynamite. There was so much dirt that you couldn't see the lettering until I washed/scraped it off. I remember seeing the tote in my grandfather's barn as a child.




Bill

 

[Outlawmws]

I remember seeing the tote in my grandfather's barn as a child.

That's a cool family piece!

 

[Beerhippie]

That's a cool family piece!

And no stains from "weeping" dynamite!

I once helped clean out an old outbuilding in central Oregon. It was half-full of old straw. Once we had the straw out, we found a small stack of waxed cardboard boxes labeled DuPont 60/40. The boxes had visible weeping and the floor was badly stained. We called the local rural fire department. They arrived, took one look and evacuated the property. The next day, they burned the outbuilding, boxes and all. No explosion, but boy howdy did that old building burn!

 

[jeffmoss26]

Yesterday’s restore finds

 

[Outlawmws]

Jeff What is the markings on the Pliers? I cant decipher it.

 

[mikeinri]

And no stains from "weeping" dynamite!

I once helped clean out an old outbuilding in central Oregon. It was half-full of old straw. Once we had the straw out, we found a small stack of waxed cardboard boxes labeled DuPont 60/40. The boxes had visible weeping and the floor was badly stained. We called the local rural fire department. They arrived, took one look and evacuated the property. The next day, they burned the outbuilding, boxes and all. No explosion, but boy howdy did that old building burn!

Probably the safest way to handle that. From a distance, by professionals, of course!

Mike

 

[Beerhippie]

Probably the safest way to handle that. From a distance, by professionals, of course!

Mike

I did write "rural fire department", didn't I? Them ol' boys know what they're doing.

"Y'all, hold my beer...."

 

[jeffmoss26]

Jeff What is the markings on the Pliers? I cant decipher it.

They are the ones I posted on the Pliers and Winchester threads

 

[mikeinri]

I did write "rural fire department", didn't I? Them ol' boys know what they're doing.

"Y'all, hold my beer...."

Hey, as long as they're wearing gear and brought a truck with a pump and hoses (and presumably access to water), they're more professional than I am!

Mike

 

[Beerhippie]

Hey, as long as they're wearing gear and brought a truck with a pump and hoses (and presumably access to water), they're more professional than I am!

Mike

Gear? You mean Stetsons (or Resistols), Levis (or Wranglers), snap-front shirts and cowboy boots? Yep, they had it.

They did bring a pump truck, which spent most of the time running back and forth to the water hole.

This was the 1970s in Crook county, OR.

 

[alinc100]

1 estate sale today netted the following:
Craftsman Vise for my buddy Joe
Craftsman square plug ratchet, needs soaking/lube
Craftsman push drill with bits
Craftsman 3/4" drive sliding tee -v- series with a Circle K 1-7/16" socket
Small drawer organizer missing 1 drawer & handle , too cheap to leave behind
measuring spoons ( I never can find them in the kitchen)

 

[LesserSon]

After work today I paid $13 admission to AutoMania at the Allentown Fairgrounds. $12 more brought home some hand tools. There are three Snap-on screwdrivers and a pliers in the bottom right corner, a couple Bonney items, an S&H Co dikes, Bridgeport and XceLite nutdrivers, Stanley screwdrivers, and other curiosities that will have to wait for degreasing to be sure of.

 

[d42jeep]

We decided to go to the second day of an estate sale in Martinez, CA. The garage was quite disorganized but there was a lot to pick through. We came home with these tools. The hacksaw is a Craftsman crown.
Craftsman circle H tools.
Channellocks.
Unusual Plomb adjustable wrench. Utica made? I don’t think it’s the Danielson design
Lots of brushes for cleaning sockets.
Another of my favorite Estwing small sledgehammers
Thorsen
Betts Sta-kon crimpers.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

The second sale in Piedmont had very little in the way of tools. The Craftsman Crown drill worked and I only bought it because I have an empty Crown drill holding case at home.
Here is the drill in the case.
-Don

 

[Jeff Ivers]

I hope this will not be considered an inappropriate post and certainly mean no offense to anyone. I love seeing what others have acquired, but am always left with a burning question of ... why? Are you building displays of older tools? Are you completing sets for re-sale? Are you filling in gaps in your own tool sets? Are you using the items to build trophies for engineering/building competitions? Again, no offense with the question, but any insight would allow me to sleep easier. Perhaps some photos of completed sets or antique displays?

 

[Skellyii]

I hope this will not be considered an inappropriate post and certainly mean no offense to anyone. I love seeing what others have acquired, but am always left with a burning question of ... why? Are you building displays of older tools? Are you completing sets for re-sale? Are you filling in gaps in your own tool sets? Are you using the items to build trophies for engineering/building competitions? Again, no offense with the question, but any insight would allow me to sleep easier. Perhaps some photos of completed sets or antique displays?

I haven't been here as long as you have, but reading the comments by the posters, I would have to say all of the above.

 

[mikeinri]

I'm on the board with a couple more freebies from work!



Got two Dell P2417H monitors. We're cleaning out an older facility, these were made in 2016, but were the only two monitors (out of at least a dozen) that matched each other.

Will be using these in the home office.

Mike

 

[four.cycle]

I hope this will not be considered an inappropriate post and certainly mean no offense to anyone. I love seeing what others have acquired, but am always left with a burning question of ... why? Are you building displays of older tools? Are you completing sets for re-sale? Are you filling in gaps in your own tool sets? Are you using the items to build trophies for engineering/building competitions? Again, no offense with the question, but any insight would allow me to sleep easier. Perhaps some photos of completed sets or antique displays?

Any and all of the above, yes.
Some of us are just trying to find the answer to "How big can you make the pile?"

 

[SC Fly Guy]

I hope this will not be considered an inappropriate post and certainly mean no offense to anyone. I love seeing what others have acquired, but am always left with a burning question of ... why? Are you building displays of older tools? Are you completing sets for re-sale? Are you filling in gaps in your own tool sets? Are you using the items to build trophies for engineering/building competitions? Again, no offense with the question, but any insight would allow me to sleep easier. Perhaps some photos of completed sets or antique displays?

As others have said … all of the above. As for me, I grew up in the home of Crescent, Danielson, Matco, etc. I buy to preserve and prevent useful tools from going to scrap!! I don’t buy to resell or as an investment … it’s a ‘thrill of the hunt’ type of thing and I enjoy completing sets, etc.

 

[LesserSon]

I hope this will not be considered an inappropriate post and certainly mean no offense to anyone. I love seeing what others have acquired, but am always left with a burning question of ... why? Are you building displays of older tools? Are you completing sets for re-sale? Are you filling in gaps in your own tool sets? Are you using the items to build trophies for engineering/building competitions? Again, no offense with the question, but any insight would allow me to sleep easier. Perhaps some photos of completed sets or antique displays?

Why, indeed.
I have utilized all those rationalizations, but more basically, I’m interested in how hand tools extend our ability to perform tasks and which tools excel in that extension. I am not much interested in brand-loyalty shouting matches, so I find acquiring examples and comparing the differences myself, discussing specific points about them and the history of progressive designs with like-minded hobbyists enjoyable. I also think they are intrinsically beautiful, the same way I find mammals, birds and insects beautiful, so it makes perfect sense to me to prepare and mount choice specimens of tools in the same way that a taxidermist might.
I am four work-days away from retirement, so I anticipate a lot more of my time will be devoted to organizing my hoard into something displayable and photographable, like you suggest. Time will tell.

 

[mikeinri]

I hope this will not be considered an inappropriate post and certainly mean no offense to anyone. I love seeing what others have acquired, but am always left with a burning question of ... why? Are you building displays of older tools? Are you completing sets for re-sale? Are you filling in gaps in your own tool sets? Are you using the items to build trophies for engineering/building competitions? Again, no offense with the question, but any insight would allow me to sleep easier. Perhaps some photos of completed sets or antique displays?

I was following you, right up until this...

"...any insight would allow me to sleep easier."

Say what now?????

Mike

 

[Patrickm82]

I had a pretty good morning picking today. First was an indoor flea that I got a nice Prentiss Monarch 216 vise for $45! it’s missing a jaw which ***** and the lock down is missing but both easy fixes. And a nice Morse twist drill tap box for $7. Next was an estate sale that was already pick over by the time I got there. Grabbed a couple of things though a Husky 3/8 drive 22203 bent flex head ratchet, Millers Falls 12oz ball peen and a bernzomatic torch head for $10.

 

[WisJim]

Perhaps some photos of completed sets or antique displays?

I've posted pictures of displays of parts of my collections acouple of times over the years and others have threads about their shop/garage/museum/displays, in the vintage tools forum.