2026 Garage Sale Thread (15th Annual)

[Outlawmws]

A silly buy but I liked them - going to hang in the hallway with other camp deco:





The 426B at the $5 price its worth it for parts, and I'm still planning a franken box single:




The label was in the middle of the stove top - I found that odd.



Some candles:




Across the street at the advertised sale was closer to Antique store prices than a YS, so lots left behind.

the buckles were $1 the SS parts free:

 

[bmwrd0]

Yeah, I had one that I restored from a yard sale wreck. This would be easy by comparison. It was solid oak (this top is veneered), and some PO had thought it would be best to drill holes and cut notches through the top to anchor some belt-driven machine to it and then leave it in a damp garage (former buggy shed) for years, until the joinery was all warped apart and earwigs were living in every crevice. I used what was left of the top to reconstruct the middle drawer from shadows.
That restoration was an act of love. When it was finished, I discovered how uncomfortable it was to sit at (no knee room between two side drawers, nor under center drawer. I’m 72”, so possibly smaller-statured persons would not have found complaint. MrsLS is not a huge fan of A&C, and as it had to be disassembled and reassembled every time we tried it in a different room (narrow hallway), I eventually left it disassembled and repurposed the hardware, and finally the oak.

Yeah, I restored a Morris chair like that; it was beat to death and left in the rain. But the trick to using A&C furniture is to put it on casters, giving an extra 2-3 inches. We found this out with a dinning room table. And we have the same size doors and halls as you, which explained so much about my FIL's retirement home design.

 

[alinc100]

Two sales today, the Snap On screwdrivers came as a FBMP listing and the Cornwell ratchet, 5/16" Cornwell socket, Plomb 1/2",Williams 19/32" from a sale on the way to pick up KFC.

 

[NoahG]

Excellent picking at the antique fair / swap meet today.

 

[Shergar]

Had some free time today so I got cleaning. I dug these out at a bootsale last weekend from 3 filthy dirty dusty junk filled “50p“ totes (@67 cents). They all scrubbed up lovely too.

The seller said they'd came from her dad’s ”backup shed’ they were clearing (!) so now I knew he was one of our own

I had a rifle through and these came out the totes. A Robeertson Stanley sure is an unusal pick in the UK, I asked the seller if her dad worked closer to Canada, but she didn't know.



The mitre/pictureframe clamps have some serious spring in them, the mystery plastic vice attachment is for further investigation. Lastly the really flash rusty and greasy handled 2lb Roebuck hammer scrubbed up lovely!



Best bit? “My dad would have loved a chat with you, how about £2 ($2.70) the lot?” I counted £3 - £1 for luck and she laughed and happily pocketed my change

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Not a lot of sales out my way. I did come across a striking piece that overwhelmingly looked like my ex. I just had to have it. Sometimes you just can’t let go. I hope you understand…..

 

[jeffmoss26]

Today’s $15 haul from 2 sales

 

[NoahG]

Today’s $15 haul from 2 sales

Funny, I picked up a pair of Sargent pliers today too!

 

[ctuai]

Estate sale ($18): 48" Handyman high lift jack (1921); German WWII M31 RZM FA2/34 canteen cover and cap (Heinrich Ritter, Eßlingen Württemberg, 1934); Camillus 7" Sword Brand Grand Canyon #1014 knife.

Fun to find the jack. Normally, they're picked pretty quickly, but in this case the bulk of the materials was MCM kitchenware so the regular hardware pickers were absent. Don't find much German military gear in Iowa. Camillus is definitely not making it past airport security.​

 

[Beerhippie]

Took a drive down valley with a buddy as we'd heard that one of the honey holes down there was having a close-out sale. Rumors of their demise were exaggerated. But, still, 20% off ain't bad... bought nothing there. Stopped at the other honey hole on the way back and found something!





Some old toolbox that I haven't seen before and a faceted glass turn signal lens that I've been looking for to complete project I started years ago. $25 out the door.

 

[Beerhippie]

Estate sale ($18): 48" Handyman high lift jack (1921); German WWII M31 RZM FA2/34 canteen cover and cap (Heinrich Ritter, Eßlingen Württemberg, 1934); Camillus 7" Sword Brand Grand Canyon #1014 knife.

Fun to find the jack. Normally, they're picked pretty quickly, but in this case the bulk of the materials was MCM kitchenware so the regular hardware pickers were absent. Don't find much German military gear in Iowa. Camillus is definitely not making it past airport security.​

Oh, yeah, look who ***** now!

 

[Outlawmws]

48" Handyman high lift jack (1921);

I bought one of the older rectangular handle jack ages ago. I took an old double bit ax handle that the head had snapped off of, and belt sanded the end to fit. worked perfect.

Also the jack that got out of control bringing it down and the handle slipped out of my right hand and smacked my thumb of my left - yeah I lost that nail... Still own the jack and handle though!

Camillus 7" Sword Brand Grand Canyon #1014 knife.

Now that's a knife!

Oh, yeah, look who ***** now!

Yeah he does!

 

[Beerhippie]

Also the jack that got out of control bringing it down and the handle slipped out of my right hand and smacked my thumb of my left - yeah I lost that nail... Still own the jack and handle though!

At least you kept your teeth!

A buddy of mine dropped the handle of his Handyman on a 4-wheeling trip in Big Bend NP, TX. He broke his jaw and knocked out about half his teeth--hours from the pavement--which is still hours from a hospital. Amazingly, his friend stuffed the teeth in a plastic bag and put them in the beer cooler and they were all successfully reinserted--except for one or two they couldn't find.

 

[ctuai]

I bought one of the older rectangular handle jack ages ago. I took an old double bit ax handle that the head had snapped off of, and belt sanded the end to fit. worked perfect.

Also the jack that got out of control bringing it down and the handle slipped out of my right hand and smacked my thumb of my left - yeah I lost that nail... Still own the jack and handle though!




Now that's a knife!



Yeah he does!

"Now that's a knife". Well not quite that much knife, but still a lot of knife.

 

[Outlawmws]

At least you kept your teeth!

That was one of my most incredible moments of muscle self control, as I was about 4 ft off the ground, standing on the edge of my flatbed M-37, and letting the tilt cab down I was working on, and my instant reaction was to jump back... to a space full of things you don't want to fall on. and I had to stop all muscle movement to prevent that fall/step back.

 

[alinc100]

You should remember The Bucket from last week , well I got it all sorted and it broke down like this:

	pounds	ounces
DeRust pile	8	2
Snap On	2	7
Craftsman wrench	5	1.5
Craftsman 1/4" sockets	4	0
Craftsman 3/8" sockets	18	7
Craftsman 1/2" sockets	11	10
Kobalt tools	9	7
Companion sockets	1	7
Misc	3	5
Taiwan	31	14
scrap	6	7
total	102	9

1/4” DRIVE
CRAFTSMAN 6 Point
3/16”-9/16”(no 7/16”) easy read deep
5/32”-9/16” -G2- shallow
4,5-13mm(needs 14mm) -G2- deep
3/16”-1/2”-invG- shallow

CRAFTSMAN 12 point
3/16”-9/16” -G- shallow


3/8” DRIVE
CRAFTSMAN 6 point
6-22mm shallow -G2-
9-18mm deep -G2-
16,18,19,20 mm easy read shallow
9,10,12,14mm easy read deep
12,14,15,18mm deep -G-
1/4” to 7/8”easy read shallow
1/4” to 7/8” shallow -G2-
5/8”,13/16” easy read spark plug sockets
3/8”,7/16”,9/16”,5/8”,3/4” easy read deep
3/8”-3/4” deep -G2-
1/4”-7/16”,11/16”,3/4”,13/16” loose -G2-
6,2@7,2@9,2@10,11,14,2@15,16,2@17mm -G-,G2 loose

1/4”-1/2” easy read 8 point shallow
1/4”, 3/8”,7/16”,1/2” 8 point shallow-G2-



CRAFTSMAN 12 POINT
9,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,21mm easy read shallow
5/16”-7/8” shallow -G2-
9,11-19,21mm -G2- shallow
11,13,14,16,17 -G2- deep



1/2” DRIVE
12 POINT
9-19,21,22mm -G2- shallow(14mm-EE-)
9,12,13,15-19mm -invG- shallow
7/16”-1”-G- shallow

6 POINT
9-18,21mm -G- shallow
3/8”-13/16” easy read shallow
7/16”-9/16”,11/16” -G2-shallow
9-19mm easy read shallow

MISC Brands
None Better 1/2” dr 15/16”,1” 12 pt shallow
Wardsmaster 1/2”dr 11/16” 12 pt shallow

Snap On
9/32” insulated nutdriver
3/8” OX1125B 6 pt stubby wrench
5/8” OEX200 short combo
1/4” drive 4,5,5.5,6,8,11,12,13,14mm 6pt shallow
1/4” drive 4,5,5.5,7,8,10,11,13 6 pt deep
3/8” dr 9,10,12,15,16,17,18,19mm ,1/2” 6pt shallow
3/8” dr 3/8”,7/16”,11/16” 6pt deep

 

[firstyearchevelle]

Garage sale today. All tools were a buck each. I grabbed a few wrenches and these 12 ratchets.

 

[3baygarage]

Garage sale today. All tools were a buck each. I grabbed a few wrenches and these 12 ratchets.

I think that deserves a hearty YOU ****!

 

[alinc100]

Garage sale today. All tools were a buck each. I grabbed a few wrenches and these 12 ratchets.

I think that deserves a hearty YOU ****!

I think its a double YOUSUCK!!YOUSUCK!!

 

[bmwrd0]

Good score! That Kraeuter has one of the most uncomfortable handles. Slip some tubing over it if you use it.

 

[Outlawmws]

All tools were a buck each. I grabbed a few wrenches and these 12 ratchets

I think that deserves a hearty YOU ****!

Sucking by the dozen!

 

[JonahBrown]

.

 

[JonahBrown]

Good score! That Kraeuter has one of the most uncomfortable handles. Slip some tubing over it if you use it.

The handle looks like a twizler.

 

[JMP]

Curious to see what all you find in those boxes!

Here are most of the finds from the second box. A few things not pictured were just too far gone and ended up in my scrap pile. A lot this I probably won't keep. The Stanley folding handy is neat but have something similar. Out of frame is a red Stanley 10-189 self retracting utility knife I'll probably keep. The Stanley push drill despite minor surface rust is very smooth likely seeing relatively little use unlike the rest of these tools and is half filled with bits. It should clean up nicely.

 

[RTM]

Here is my haul from four stops today, three offering tools, and one near home. The three were near where I took the dogs to run, so all on the way home from the city. First stop we found parking diagonally across the street. Saw two flat storage boxes full of saws, thinking I've seen this before. Turned around, saw a table of tools of interest. First to catch my eye was a horned smoother in nice wood with a nicely shaped horn. But the mouth had been patched, and the whole thing coated in poly. Put it down, started chatting with the seller, she was at my tool club sales over the past two years, selling her deceased husband's tool collection . She admitted she and her son were over it, just wanted it gone. I had grabbed 4x adjustable wrenches, 3 Diamond Calk, and one Danielson Bet'rGrip, in rougher shape, and a Fiskar flower holding shear. Next stop was only a few blocks away, but parking sucked. Dropped MLW off, and took about 5 minutes to get back and park. Meanwhile, she sent pix of tools, but no cell service inside the house. Tool table right inside the door, two guys hovering, I looked elsewhere, then went back. One guy spent minutes looking over the newer X-acto box, then put it down. I grabbed it, saw the $5 price tag, and knew it was going home with me. Grabbed a bunch of $1 tools, was about to check out, and saw an Akro stack in the corner, one of the drawers had some precision screwdrivers. I left the cheap **** behind.

Third stop was a move out sale, odd clientele, MLW bought a plant. Final stop near home didn't look promising, but got a Flex Rake, not pictured, and a three wheeled walker for a friend, who will need it soon. Spent more on non tool stuff, again, and I'm ok with that.

The haul L-R included an Eagle Flex oiler, Danielson wrench, Bernard wire cutter, 3x Diamond Calk wrenches, Hold E Zee shorty, 2x Starrett, 1x Marshall precision screwdrivers, unmarked maybe X-acto pin vise, box of #1 screws, rasp, 2x Yankee flat blade bits, Mayhew branded WW chisel, X-acto burgundy handled, ?swivel knife?, and the set with plane, spokeshave, sanding block, strip cutter, gouges etc., details in the thread soon.

 

[RTM]

discovered how uncomfortable it was to sit at (no knee room between two side drawers, nor under center drawer. I’m 72”, so possibly smaller-statured persons would not have found complaint

At 74", I know your concern. I have turned down so many beautiful pieces of A&C furniture because it's too small for us (MLW is my height). We scored a rocker with a very tall cushion that my children hate because their feet dangle.

 

[Tarantula]

This morning's estate sale had almost no advertising but was so flooded with people that it was hard to walk through the house. I have begun to suspect there's a secret underground network of local treasure hunters I haven't been invited to.

Tool selection was quite barren, Craftsman ratchet that's unfortunately smooth as gravel, and a Diamond in the rough. Free(-ish) as companion pieces to the bin of fancy towels my estate sale buddy had just paid for a moment prior.

 

[bmwrd0]

Pull that C-man ratchet apart, and get some lube into it! And that Diamond looks primo.

 

[Tarantula]

The old grease was dry and flaky but the ratchet is still binding up after being cleaned and relubed. Only the experts at Sears Family Dentistry could fix those teeth now.

Can't say the green sleeve doesn't do its job.
They turn red if the wrench is in distress, right?

 

[Outlawmws]

They turn red if the wrench is in distress, right?

I've see them turn redish on the inside (rust), and not able to see the markings from distress on the outside dip the head inot E-rust, polish, clean/lube the jaw and gear if needed and call it a day. That's a nice one

 

[LesserSon]

MrsLS & I set up two spots in the field at Jake’s Flea this morning to sell for a friend. She did most of the selling, and netted $85. If we could have jammed all the stuff in one vehicle, we woud have netted $15 more. Ah well.
I scouted the offerings of our neighboring vendors and for a total of $8 brought home a Duro “Tools of Progress” krinkled green socket tray, a Bonney “C” S-doe, Champion electrical screwdriver, an apparently unbranded small sidecutting slipjoint pliers, a honing guide, and a 25’ self-centering tape measure, because I’m not great at dividing fractions in my head, especially when reading the numbers upside down (which sometimes happens).

 

[mikeinri]

Yeah, I had one that I restored from a yard sale wreck. This would be easy by comparison. It was solid oak (this top is veneered), and some PO had thought it would be best to drill holes and cut notches through the top to anchor some belt-driven machine to it and then leave it in a damp garage (former buggy shed) for years, until the joinery was all warped apart and earwigs were living in every crevice. I used what was left of the top to reconstruct the middle drawer from shadows.
That restoration was an act of love. When it was finished, I discovered how uncomfortable it was to sit at (no knee room between two side drawers, nor under center drawer. I’m 72”, so possibly smaller-statured persons would not have found complaint. MrsLS is not a huge fan of A&C, and as it had to be disassembled and reassembled every time we tried it in a different room (narrow hallway), I eventually left it disassembled and repurposed the hardware, and finally the oak.

Yikes. Can't imagine how you were able to save something that warped.

Mike

 

[mikeinri]

The 426B at the $5 price its worth it for parts, and I'm still planning a franken box single:




The label was in the middle of the stove top - I found that odd.



Some candles:




Across the street at the advertised sale was closer to Antique store prices than a YS, so lots left behind.

the buckles were $1 the SS parts free:

Wow, the Coleman for PARTS??? It looks pretty good from here!

Good score on those buckles, too.

Mike

 

[mikeinri]

Garage sale today. All tools were a buck each. I grabbed a few wrenches and these 12 ratchets.

You ****!

Mike

 

[JMP]

Curious to see what all you find in those boxes!

From the first box. I've decided I will keep this box and add a bunch of my electrician related tools to it.



It turns out I even have the proper tools and crimpers for the terminals from this box.

 

[Outlawmws]

Wow, the Coleman for PARTS??? It looks pretty good from here!

Good score on those buckles, too.

Mike

Some one else gave me the idea for converting a box stove to a single burner and its a good size for the folding oven.





He;s done a few of these now:





The trick I want to get sorted out is getting the burner better centered:

 

[Marsim]

This was one of the better estate sales I have been to in awhile. The cane swords look to be 1880 to 1900. The Blue Streak bb gun is in really nice shape. The pot thing is a mystery. Either brass or copper, extremely well made. Anyone have an idea What it was for or an age? The aluminum pot is a 1930s magnalite. I paid $50 for everything.

 

[Outlawmws]

The cane swords look to be 1880 to 1900

Did the sellers not realize what they were?

 

[Marsim]

The homeowner was too old to take care of himself, and moved to a specialized care facility. The guy selling the assets told me he was hired by the realtor company to clear everything out of the house prior to it being sold. Today was the last day of the sale, and he just wanted to get rid of everything. Seemed like a nice guy.

 

[Provincial]

Garage sale today. All tools were a buck each. I grabbed a few wrenches and these 12 ratchets.

This gets a ****!