curb side finds show us your treasures

[toplessHO]

one mans trash another mans treasures.
not sure if this is the right section for starting this thread
as Im new here so mods feel free to relocate as needed.
My son found this gem in our rural collection area.
Complete with hose,wand,even the various nozzles it comes with.
It was a victim of crapahol and poor storage.
He looked up the price and its over $600 new.
A couple of hours of carb cleaning and tinkering and it starts first pull.
I have a very large electric hotsy thats used when close to the garage but this thing is nice and light and very portable.

 

[Openboater]

This is a good thread. I find lots of stuff...nothing like Top has, but buckets, cloth bags, sometimes tools. I walk what's called a summer road here in E. WA and found a small, crusty splitting wedge. I cleaned it up and carry it on my sailboat for splitting wood when I stay at remote campsites (I use a hammer I found on the road to drive the wedge...). Found stuff is good karma-wise. t

 

[Doug B]

Yesterday I picked up an aluminum truck cap that fits my SIL's Ranger. It was filthy from sitting for several years,but when we cleaned it up,it looked like it had seen very little use.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The most common failure on pressure washer is a crack in the housing from water left inside that freezes.

 

[whyNick?]

A house down the road from me was occupied by hoarders. They died and their relatives are slowly cleaning the house out so I pay attention to what shows up at the curb each week. Most of it is worthless but a few weeks ago I found a 1950s Coleman camp stove and matching catalytic heater on top of the heap. Took them home, dusted them off, and fired them right up on the fuel that was already in the tanks. The stove took a bit of fiddling to make it burn reliably but I've already used it on a couple of camping trips. I've also rescued a decent front-tine rototiller (just needed a spark plug and some carb cleaner) and some nice ratcheting come-alongs.

 

[toplessHO]

whynick have you thought about offering to help the relatives "clean up"?

 

[boomer12831]

I was driving to a Antique truck show one time and I passed a house that had a couple of air conditioners on the curb. They had a sign that said free. when I came back they were still there. I stopped and asked if the hand truck was also free. The guy said I guess so. So I loaded the hand truck in the truck and I use it all the time. Its an industrial aluminum one that was probably worth 2-3 hundred dollars, Ed.

 

[mrvm]

Picked up a White riding mower and CM self-propelled mower this summer. Rider needed a accessory belt and the mower needed some gas

 

[lilredex]

Just some of my finds over the past few years..







Bullet Proof vest, old wooden toolbox (shown already painted) York 2001 home gym, complete less the cables.







Coal scuttle, Craftsman saw box, and free sheet metal just waiting to be picked up.








Furnace fans with working motors, light fixtures from an arena, parts cabinet.







Pile of salvaged bikes that came from our parks and ahead of the garbage man. Had them ready for my friendly scrap man to pick up as I needed my shed for other purposes. I often find free beer over in our park, stashed away, but not often cooled and ready to go. In the summer, I found a 1.75 L bottle of Crown Royal (unopened) under a bench. Pipe vise.....almost looks like a ShopSmith accessory.







Postal boxes from a P.O. refurb. Raw materials......hockey nets, gazebos, etc. and various anvil/dolly materials that mainly came from the road side. I obtained those hydrant caps legally (50 cents ea.) when Canada Post used to "Garage Sale" their undeliverable goods. They stopped this exercise as they found that it cost them $10 to make $5.

 

[Thumper68]

Last fall I saw a wheel barrow on the side of the road that had a free sign on it, stopped and put it in the truck. When we got home my wife mentioned that there was a wheel barrow full of plants listed on CL free, the plants were free the ad asked that you leave the wheel barrow. My bad!


Yes I brought it back and told them to add that to their sign next time

 

[whyNick?]

whynick have you thought about offering to help the relatives "clean up"?

I'm working on it. If nothing else I'm hoping for an estate sale someday...

 

[toplessHO]

Last fall I saw a wheel barrow on the side of the road that had a free sign on it, stopped and put it in the truck. When we got home my wife mentioned that there was a wheel barrow full of plants listed on CL free, the plants were free the ad asked that you leave the wheel barrow. My bad!


Yes I brought it back and told them to add that to their sign next time

I travel the back roads alot and saw a bunch of windows in a small trailer,probably a 4x8. A plywood sign said "FREE". I went by later and the trailer and windows was gone. The next day I went by and a new sign said"Please Bring My Trailer Back". Dont know the outcome but maybe people need to secure what they want to keep. A chain and lock would help in establishing whats free and what isnt.

 

[chrismenke]

I find a lot of good stuff...recently I looked out my home window and saw one of these:

Smelled awful inside but once all the original suitcase liner material was removed it cleaned up beautifully.

 

[Wildfire]

Found a 5250w generator in a nice neighborhood we were visiting. Knocked on the door and the guy says, "It's taking up too much room in the garage and we never use it." We live in Louisiana... Not smart...

Fresh gas and two pulls and I have a free $600 gennie.

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

Log chain, jumper cables in the interstate median.

Charcoal smoker, curb

Furnace fan with motor, needed a cord

Weight bench with weights

Several washing machines I salvaged for straight sheet metal

Railroad tie (that sonuvabitch was heavy to load onto the trailer by myself!)

 

[Lippyp]

I find a lot of good stuff...recently I looked out my home window and saw one of these:

Smelled awful inside but once all the original suitcase liner material was removed it cleaned up beautifully.

I guess someone else had already taken the dead body that WAS inside it then!

 

[toplessHO]

I was gonna say was it full of moldy money?

 

[chrismenke]

I guess someone else had already taken the dead body that WAS inside it then!

Yeah...we affectionately refer to it as the dead ****** suitcase.

 

[G_P]

How does one lose a kevlar vest? Thats a hell of a good find!

 

[lilredex]

How does one lose a kevlar vest? Thats a hell of a good find!

Good question, one I never got an answer to.

I saw it in the middle of the street and thought at first it was a winter jacket. But, when I picked it up it felt like one of those lead blankets the dentist throws over you, getting you ready for X-rays. I thought it fell off the back of a cop's bike.

Now, what to do with it.......don't really want to try and sell it on KIJIJI, so I called the cops and they came by and picked it up. He said he did not recognize it and it was not police department property.

End of story.....no follow-up, no reward, just a thank-you.

 

[G_P]

I would have kept that vest.

 

[lilredex]

I would have kept that vest.

Not the kind of thing I wanted to be linked to.....you never know who may come around looking for it. Besides, none of my business affairs needs that type of protection and, I am not a parking bylaw enforcement officer.

 

[58Yeoman]

A few years ago, I was driving in the winter on an interstate highway, when I spotted a new semi truck tire/wheel lying in the median. I muscled it into my minivan, and put it on ebay. I sold it for $100, and they buyer said he would pick it up. A year later, it's still sitting in my yard. I'd contacted the buyer a couple times, but he never showed up. I sold it again on ebay for another $100. The second buyer picked it up i a couple weeks.

 

[sirweldalot]

Was not on the curbside,But I was told to'' Come and get it if I wanted it''. Buckeye Boiler Co. compressor. I hope to have it up and running next year.

 

[bwringer]

Very close to brand new 13hp riding mower.

My neighbors were moving, and they rolled a shiny red rider out to the curb. Fortunately, I saw this and (after asking) rolled it right up my driveway a few seconds later. Apparently, there was no room, they were moving the Kentucky, and they already had a better mower at the new place...

They said the mower stopped working the first time through the yard three or four years before. They pushed it to the back of the garage, used the old mower to finish the yard, and somehow never got around to returning the new one.

Out of decency, I waited until they left. Less than 10 minutes after waving goodbye, I had it running with fresh gas, a quickie carb bowl cleanout, and a motorcycle battery.

Turns out the solenoid had failed. (The battery and gas went bad after three years of sitting.) A quick trip to Lowes for a $15 solenoid and a $40 battery, and it was good as new. Literally -- the paint wasn't even worn off the blades.

We also got a push mower in good shape from their curb, but the real score was that new rider.

 

[Gasgt1]

Hitch hauler

Also various tools and chains.

 

[Outlander]

So much suckage in one thread.

 

[J Persons]

I use the curb as a free haul away service. Old TV's that don't work anymore, broken down recliners, etc. Set them at the curb, put a free sign on it, and within 30 minutes it's gone. Saves me a trip to the dump.

 

[dfiler2]

Not a find but I thought this was kinda funny. A friend told me one time he had brought home 4 tires after getting new ones on his truck because he didn't want to pay the disposal fee and the tires had some tread left and he felt they might be useful to someone. He put them by the alley with a "Free" sign on them and they sat there for a couple of weeks. He then put a sign on them that said "$150", someone took them that night.

 

[mcmlvif100]

I use the curb as a free haul away service. Set them at the curb, put a free sign on it, and within 30 minutes it's gone./QUOTE]

Was able to do this ^^^ at our last house. Actually had a plywood sign with FREE painted on it in big block letters and a hook on the back so I could hang it on the street sign pole in front of our house. Some people took everything; some were very selective but eventually it all went. Can't do this at our current house as there isn't enough traffic.

That said, do see nicer stuff on the curb in this neighbourhood. Picked up a contractors table saw a few months ago. Didn't need it as I have nice vintage Craftsman 10 inch and didn't have room for it so I took it to the local Habitat ReStore. Doing that more and more as my needs and space are getting more and more limited.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

A friend told me one time he had brought home 4 tires after getting new ones on his truck because he didn't want to pay the disposal fee...

Many times the "disposal fee" is a scam. Most places charge you to "dispose" of your old tires when they actually sell them to companies that specialize in recycling used tires to be remanufactured into things like playground "mulch", floor mats, loading dock bumpers, etc.

Tommy

 

[JAckal]

A place where I lived 20 years ago was a rought neighborhood. My neighbor put a 22" television that was bad, out in the alley for the trash collection. They wouldn't pick it up. He called the city and was told it was considered an appliance, and they couldn't take it. I helped him carry around to his front porch where it was stolen that same night.

 

[Xicaque]

I would have kept that vest.

that vest could be linked to a drive by???

 

[Xicaque]

A few years ago, I was driving in the winter on an interstate highway, when I spotted a new semi truck tire/wheel lying in the median. I muscled it into my minivan, and put it on ebay. I sold it for $100, and they buyer said he would pick it up. A year later, it's still sitting in my yard. I'd contacted the buyer a couple times, but he never showed up. I sold it again on ebay for another $100. The second buyer picked it up i a couple weeks.

did you keep the money from the first buyer?

 

[G_P]

that vest could be linked to a drive by???

Its just a vest. Anyone can buy them. They also have expiration dates so it could have gone beyond its date and been taken out of offical use somewhere and thrown in a dumpster or just given away.

 

[Herb]

Not a find but I thought this was kinda funny. A friend told me one time he had brought home 4 tires after getting new ones on his truck because he didn't want to pay the disposal fee and the tires had some tread left and he felt they might be useful to someone. He put them by the alley with a "Free" sign on them and they sat there for a couple of weeks. He then put a sign on them that said "$150", someone took them that night.

It works every time!

 

[toplessHO]

Have used the pressure washer 2x this weekend. It starts first pull every time. ;^))

 

[58Yeoman]

did you keep the money from the first buyer?

Yes. I had contacted him a number of times. Sorry...over a year and it's still sitting there.

 

[Cypherian]

Its just a vest. Anyone can buy them. They also have expiration dates so it could have gone beyond its date and been taken out of offical use somewhere and thrown in a dumpster or just given away.

He would have to check some states have enacted laws making it illegal for anyone other then LEO to have a BP vest. Usually they are turned in one for one when they expire.

Cypher

http://www.kevlarbulletproofvest.com/bulletproof-vest-laws/
http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.co...e/when-its-illegal-to-own-a-bullet-proof-vest

 

[Jeep_Canada]

He would have to check some states have enacted laws making it illegal for anyone other then LEO to have a BP vest. Usually they are turned in one for one when they expire.

Cypher

http://www.kevlarbulletproofvest.com/bulletproof-vest-laws/
http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.co...e/when-its-illegal-to-own-a-bullet-proof-vest

Except for the fact that he lives in Toronto. Nothing illegal about them in Canada. More specifically nothing illegal in Ontario...