Good and bad of yard sales today

[Danglerb]

I decided to get out early this Saturday morning and check out a few yard sales. Searched on craigslist for garage sale listings with the word "tools" in them, printed out some maps on google, stopped at the ATM, and headed over to the closest.

Nothing, not even a screwdriver. Thats the bad. Good is that it sounds like later this week I will get chance to look over the tools without them being picked over by garage sale vultures.

Next one lots of craftsman at fair prices, but right away I found a tired EZ Drive ball and bit holder, couple old rusty Hazet tool kit wrenches in the 10 cent box, and an OLD wooden cheese box with some tools in it. On top was a Mossberg ratchet, and in the bottom looks like a small set of hex drive Sherman-Klove sockets with the L thing and ratchet. Picts later.

Next one had no tools at all, and next after that had a small plastic box with kitchen assortment of household tools inside.

No Snapon guy at the swap meet, but I found another dealer with nothing but pretty nice quality stuff, and bought a 12" new Proto, and older 16" SK Wayne adjustable wrenches. Nothing much else, a few curious wrenches that can wait for picts to explain them later.

Not a bad day for walking around in sunny SoCal. I'll post picts after dinner.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

So many garage sales and estate sales say tools in the listing and all it ends up being is a few old rakes and some gardening tools. I enjoy going to sales, but I just don't have the time to spend on the weekends chasing tools that way. I know I miss out on some finds that way, but I also don't waste a lot of time either.

 

[krehmkej]

I prefer to spend my weekend USING my tools..

 

[Rickster]

I've been the first guy at several garage sales that advertised tools and there were none or the answer was they sold already - how can that be? - or they're waiting for thier relative to bring them over and can I come back later? Yup, looks like the word is out that advertising tools will bring in the foot traffic. It's to the point now that I sort through the garage sales and only hit the ones that say things like "lots of tools" or "tons of tools" or even if they capitalize TOOLS. The estae sale companies will post pics to their sales ahead of time so you can view what's going to be available.

 

[Danglerb]

Sometimes I am too lazy to work on the cars, but usually not too lazy to buy tools.

Pictures of what I picked up on Saturday morning, some of the old stuff to get its own thread.

All the stuff.
SK and Proto adjustables as purchased.
SK after a spray of oil and a rag.
EasyDrive
Hazet
Kowa.

 

[mkdive]

I prefer to spend my weekend USING my tools..

But every now and again, the "hunt" on a weekend can be fun!

 

[Toolhorder]

I do the exact thing the OP does but I go further and email people on Friday night as I scan the sales on CL. Once I got a really good deal by emailing the guy who placed the ad and he replied to me asking what I was looking for and I replied "mechanic tools" and he replied he had SO, MAC, C-man stuff. I bought $80 worth of stuff from the guy. $40 OTC Genisys scanner (no box, cables, accessories) Sold that on feebay for over $300. Set of hard handle orange SO screwdrivers for $30 and $10 worth of C-man big sockets like 32MM, 1 1/8, etc..
It pays to email and chase them a little. I get discouraged too trying to find stuff. Sometimes it just drys up and you have to wait it out. Just make sure you got money for the next big deal that comes around.
I like the Honda wrench you got there. "HM" = Honda Motors
I got a Hazet wrench myself today for $1 a DIN 895 17/19 combo.

 

[Need4racin]

I never buy used tools. Too much work. Usually I can pay a couple dollars more and buy them new off the internet.

 

[Danglerb]

I like the Honda wrench you got there. "HM" = Honda Motors

The two kind of grey looking ones are both HM on one side and Kowa on the other, one end is the same size on both, other end is different.

 

[Toolhorder]

The two kind of grey looking ones are both HM on one side and Kowa on the other, one end is the same size on both, other end is different.

Ya Kowa makes them not Honda but they came usually in Honda tool kits or bags on Motorcycles. I found some in an old N600 once. I have a set of Yamaha ones that look almost the same. Bet Kowa makes them too. I always see them at flea markets but I don't buy them.

 

[Rickster]

I never buy used tools. Too much work. Usually I can pay a couple dollars more and buy them new off the internet.

I used to say that too. People out there have no clue what they're selling for way cheap. They don't do their homework and it's sad because all the info and prices are just a search away on the internet. That's OK though, their slackerness is the knowledgeable mans gain!

 

[superautobacs]

Ya Kowa makes them not Honda but they came usually in Honda tool kits or bags on Motorcycles. I found some in an old N600 once. I have a set of Yamaha ones that look almost the same. Bet Kowa makes them too. I always see them at flea markets but I don't buy them.

I see those Kowa wrenches quite frequently at the flee markets here, too.

KOWA specializes in producing specialty motorcycle tools for Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki, and I'm assuming they manufacturer the wrenches as well.

I'm a Honda fan so I want to purchase a set of these cool KOWA wrenches:
12pt on one end; 6pt on the other