2020 Garage Sale Thread

[LesserSon]

Welcome to March! Must be a warming trend, because the sales have been heating up. Hard to believe it, but we’ve come 60° around the annual protractor. February produced 596 posts, including 25 ***** of appreciation. Leap year, maybe?
Of those, a whopping 5 went to freudian floyd, who saw double with a Stihl steel “super” steal, then crushed it with a $30 Wilton C1.
2 each for Old Radar, Davefr, and d42jeep.
The remaining “*****” were divided among 14 of our threadsters, and certainly, all were well-earned, as exemplified by the one bestowed upon cbacres by jeffmoss26 on the occasion of S\O.
One thing that stood out upon review was the high incidence of boxes last month. From robust rusty rollers to cupiditous cardboard cartons, it seemed the THING o’ the MONTH. But what goes on or in or out of those boxes is maybe even more amazing.
RagTopTA recently stuck in his thumb and pulled out some PLVMB, the population of GRINDERS is becoming a matter of concern for public safety, and rare ratchets are becoming less rare. Early on, r_olson_06 snapped up a beavertail rat with a 1/4dr Kraeuter rat! Maybe they’re breeding? You know, for every one you see, there’s a dozen more...I’m waiting for someone to post some Boomtown Rats. Tomorrow being Monday, and all.
Well, anyway, March on! March on!

 

[glenmore]

Thank you Outlaw & Lugnutz!

I didn't know anything about this find other than that it seemed to be old, extremely well made and in very good condition. After I got it home, I cocked it and the POW! it makes is kinda scary. It is powerful!

A short rant on how both annoying and rewarding it is to come across stuff at estate sales. This sale was the second of the morning and the line was already 20 deep when I got there. There were no pictures online, only a brief description but I went because it was 1 of 3 sales in the neighborhood. I got in with the second wave, moseyed around the kitchen, no garage to rummage thru. Dining room, living room, bedrooms then back around to the kitchen past the laundry room. And there was the Luftpistole box sitting on top the washing machine. Most likely someone had already picked it up but had second thoughts about the $20 and dumped it there. Just dumb luck being in the right place at the right time!

Same thing happened with that doghead hammer I posted a few months ago. I went to a sale and straight into the kitchen looking for a discontinued color Le Creuset pot for a friend. $175! No deal there! Check out the garage and work bench, nothing. Go back to the kitchen to ponder the pot. Still there of course. Decide to skip it and go thru the rest of the house. Make a final pass thru the garage and there's this hammer on the bench. Never ever seen a hammer like this. Toss it in my bucket, and since there was a lady right there in the hallway, she checks me out. $1 for the hammer and the rest of the stuff in the bucket for $10 total.

Now the guy that runs the estate sale is a pretty knowledgeable fellow. Most likely what happened was some guy first in, grabs the hammer, goes to check out with him and finds the price too high and it goes back. I happen to come along and lucky me but what makes it work is I happen to check out with the unknowing lady.

 

[RTM]

My scores, spread out over all three days of this weekend, included the following

Autosoler machine stand, similar to what Maui found middle of last year, seen in the 2019 thread (scroll down to 3207, 3220, and 3234 for info here ). I didn't get as good a deal as he did, but was quite happy. The seller wanted to test the motor, I didn't really care. After I moved the truck to pick it up, some guy was standing there admiring (one of you guys?) saying the stand was worth more than the motor, and I didn't disagree. The machine it supported was patented in 1938 , the base looks quite similar, and then they changed the base on the newer machines. Unfortunately, two of the big mounting holes have bolts broken off inside. Exterior has some paint on the low end. Once its cleaned up, need to decide if its a grinder mount, vise mount, or indoor plant mount, (originally listed at $595 or so.)

A local estate sale with very short hours that I could not attend Friday yielded the next two pictures, the highlight being an airbrush compressor. I am guessing Badger, but does anyone know better? It needs a few bits, like a cover for the oil port. It leaked from being carried unevenly.

Got the last pile for free, along with a bunch of art supplies (paper, pastels, charcoals, pens), for pointing out to the host a huge chest of silver under the desk in the office.

Then the GF went back later, and cleared out their closets, and donated it to the local women's charity, saving the host a bunch of work.

 

[Shiftless]

Starrett Automatic center punches. 18-A and 18-B

Somebody must have tossed these out because they didn’t work. Found them at the re use area at the recycling center. FREE and STARRETT aren’t often used in the same sentence.

They both spring down but they don’t “click” to fire the point into whatever surface you’re trying to dimple. What’s the fix? Soak in ATF or ???, try to disassemble to get the little slug out, clean, polish, and reassemble?

 

[RTM]

Check out the patent, will give clues.

 

[Old Radar]

Starrett Automatic center punches. 18-A and 18-B

Somebody must have tossed these out because they didn’t work. Found them at the re use area at the recycling center. FREE and STARRETT aren’t often used in the same sentence.

They both spring down but they don’t “click” to fire the point into whatever surface you’re trying to dimple. What’s the fix? Soak in ATF or ???, try to disassemble to get the little slug out, clean, polish, and reassemble?

Interestingly, the Taiwan center punch I picked up the other day was working fine until I took it apart to clean. After I put it back together (and I know I didn't f.u. the reassembly!) it wouldn't fire. Come to find out the threaded part at the back of the handle (covering the big spring) is supposed to be a "tension adjustment". I had just screwed everything down tight after cleaning. After I played around with the adjustment, I found that if I unscrew it about a 1/4 turn, it works like a champ!

Let me know if doing that helps yours.

 

[Shiftless]

Thanks O.R.:

I unscrewed that part a quarter turn at a time on the little one and now it fires!
On the bigger one, I unscrewed a quarter turn at a time until I got to 3 complete rotations and it still won’t snap.

I’m gonna take it apart, soak in ATF or Marvel Mystery Oil. Clean and reassemble now that I know about the adjustability.

THANKS!

 

[Old Radar]

You're quite welcome!

A couple of other things to note. You may also have to tinker with the front threaded part around the pin--mine works best when it is not honked down all the way.

I just mentioned this to my neighbor and he brought out his punch and opened it up. He has a General and it has a ball bearing that lives between the top of the pin and the bottom of the "hammer?" There is no bb in mine and his didn't work in mine, but I can see a smaller ball driving the hammer slightly off center in the barrel so the hammer engages the wall of the barrel more firmly until adequate pressure builds up to force the narrow end into the hole at the back of the barrel--which I believe triggers the strike.

This is just guesswork, but I don't know how else this thing would work...

 

[BFBOB]

I just have to crow a bit. I described a couple of estate sales in Post 966 which included an unremarkable Craftsman box containing about 50 sockets and flat wrenches, mostly Craftsman. Marked $30, got it for $15 on half price Sunday. I can use the tools to complete some sets, but I don't need another tool box sitting around, so I listed it on fleaBay. I started it at $5 and would have been content with that, but it finished at $33! Ok, I thought must be local to pay that much, but no, it's going halfway across the country for another $22. Even after deducting the ePay vigorish, I'm up $26. Yee Hah!

 

[freudianfloyd]

Welcome to March! Must be a warming trend, because the sales have been heating up. Hard to believe it, but we’ve come 60° around the annual protractor. February produced 596 posts, including 25 ***** of appreciation. Leap year, maybe?
Of those, a whopping 5 went to freudian floyd, who saw double with a Stihl steel “super” steal, then crushed it with a $30 Wilton C1.
2 each for Old Radar, Davefr, and d42jeep.
The remaining “*****” were divided among 14 of our threadsters, and certainly, all were well-earned, as exemplified by the one bestowed upon cbacres by jeffmoss26 on the occasion of S\O.
One thing that stood out upon review was the high incidence of boxes last month. From robust rusty rollers to cupiditous cardboard cartons, it seemed the THING o’ the MONTH. But what goes on or in or out of those boxes is maybe even more amazing.
RagTopTA recently stuck in his thumb and pulled out some PLVMB, the population of GRINDERS is becoming a matter of concern for public safety, and rare ratchets are becoming less rare. Early on, r_olson_06 snapped up a beavertail rat with a 1/4dr Kraeuter rat! Maybe they’re breeding? You know, for every one you see, there’s a dozen more...I’m waiting for someone to post some Boomtown Rats. Tomorrow being Monday, and all.
Well, anyway, March on! March on!

Wow, didnt realize I had so many *****, and yardsale season hasnt even really taken off yet. Cant wait for the spring.

 

[Motorman55]

My $5.00 finds last week: A like new lamp and a How-To book on trim work. That's it.

 

[tym]

Starrett Automatic center punches. 18-A and 18-B

Somebody must have tossed these out because they didn’t work. Found them at the re use area at the recycling center. FREE and STARRETT aren’t often used in the same sentence.

They both spring down but they don’t “click” to fire the point into whatever surface you’re trying to dimple. What’s the fix? Soak in ATF or ???, try to disassemble to get the little slug out, clean, polish, and reassemble?

Starrett has technical drawings and spare parts on their website. Betcha a dollar you can get both working again.

 

[GalaxyRat]

Back again with some flea market finds, $15 for all.

A Blue Point oil can (very ecstatic about) for $5

Bonney No. 056 1/2" drive torque wrench

New Britain FG-3 Feeler Gauge

Heritage Era Craftsman 50' tape measure

Geometric Letter Craftsman BE 3/8" U-joint

Dill 7211 tire pressure gauge

Duro 1/2" drive ratchet female gear with male insert


Sent from my SM-G973U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Davefr]

I couldn't resist this old retirement style machine lamp at a flea market on Sunday for $5.

It was dirty/rusty and the shade's original chrome was in bad shape. I cleaned it up and best I could and used VHT Wrinkle paint on the shade, polished the brass bulb socket, cleaned up the ball & socket flex arm and rewired it.

 

[BFBOB]

I couldn't resist this old retirement style machine lamp at a flea market on Sunday for $5.

It was dirty/rusty and the shade's original chrome was in bad shape. I cleaned it up and best I could and used VHT Wrinkle paint on the shade, polished the brass bulb socket, cleaned up the ball & socket flex arm and rewired it.

Very nice job on that lampshade. Hard to get wrinkle paint to come out that well! Hint: put an LED bulb in it. Unlike CFL's, they're not enough heavier than tungsten to cause problems, and you won't burn your nose on it.

 

[mrtoolfool]

Bought these Petersen Dewitt Vise Grip at the pawn shop for a dollar. They are missing the spring. No model number on them. Anyone recognize them and what their use is. Vise Grips are 7" long and first of this style that I have seen.

I have a set I got 20 plus years ago from the Vise-Grip rep when I was the buyer at an Automotive parts warehouse.

Those are locking hose pinch off pliers.

They work well.

Part number RR

https://www.amazon.com/Vise-Grip-RR-7-Inch-Locking-Pinch-Off/dp/B00004SBCE

 

[Jack84]

Some 3/8 sockets. Front row SK metric. Second SK Sae. Third row some craftsman, Wright and gear wrench. In the back Armstrong. Most seems barely used.

Paid 25,- for the lot.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[OMMP]

Some 3/8 sockets. Front row SK metric. Second SK Sae. Third row some craftsman, Wright and gear wrench. In the back Armstrong. Most seems barely used.

Paid 25,- for the lot.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

Though I think this thread is reserved for New World guys, 'cause we Old Worlders don't have such an institution of open, small, homey auctions, I may, and must type phrase I've read and learnt here:
U ****!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I looked up the wrench and found they made wrenches for Harley and after some steel wool uncovered the stamp. Wound up paying 50 cents for it.

I replied in the Wakefield thread, but I'm going to reply again here so you get cred from LS. These Wakefield 'Indian Motocycles' adjustables sell for $100+! That's a "Major Suckage" find.

...we Old Worlders don't have such an institution of open, small, homey auctions,

I guess it depends on where you are in the Old World. So-called "Boot sales" (stuff sold out of the back of car trunks) are popular in England. And we've had guys in Germany report finds at seasonal village fairs.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My flea market finds (Lugz 2020_15) from this morning.

- The 1/2-inch drive speeder and ratchet (Zenel) are Bonney.
- The vest pocket flask is a Made in England Brooks Brothers. (At least I am pretty sure it's a flask. It was in a wood box with a bunch of old oilers.)
- Socket is 1929 Snap-on.
- The hinge handle is a Plomb WF-20.
- The other ratchet is either for taps or brace bits. It has a tapered opening. The directional switch is at the back end of the handle. Branded LITTLE GIANT. Could be GTD but I suspect Pre-GTD Wells Brothers based on age. It's olden.
- The round-shank DBE is a P&C N-92.
- L-handle is 1922 patent New Britain.
- That file and tool holder is branded Craftsman, but I have had General Tool Co versions and I am 99.9% sure that's who made them (the patentee, R.L. Yoke, 1949, 2,479,661 lived in Portland).

**** The tool between the P&C DBE and the L-handle is my favorite find in this lot. I will leave it unidentified for now so the quizzlings in the group can have some fun testing and then crowing about their tool knowledge prowess! *****

 

[OMMP]

I replied in the Wakefield thread, but I'm going to reply again here so you get cred from LS. These Wakefield 'Indian Motocycles' adjustables sell for $100+! That's a "Major Suckage" find.


I guess it depends on where you are in the Old World. So-called "Boot sales" (stuff sold out of the back of car trunks) are popular in England. And we've had guys in Germany report finds at seasonal village fairs.

Right... Add flea markets to it... But as the thread is named - no such thing as garage/home sales. In more developed countries - read richer - there is sort of emphatic sense of solidarity, grown out of welfare state - no more desired things as clothes, toys, tools (Yes! Tools!) are to be brought out in clean, usable and overall decent condition. Out of houses. For free.

 

[OMMP]

One more thing, Private: don't you think that Jack made a killing with those sockets? This is one of my few favorite threads, and more than mere pics or infos, I read because of knowledge hunger. Wits. Humour. You being one of leaders in all these categories - so I'm expecting objective mark on those SK, Wright and Armstrong sockets that Jack scored.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Right... Add flea markets to it... But as the thread is named - no such thing as garage/home sales. In more developed countries - read richer - there is sort of emphatic sense of solidarity, grown out of welfare state - no more desired things as clothes, toys, tools (Yes! Tools!) are to be brought out in clean, usable and overall decent condition. Out of houses. For free.

This thread has always been more inclusive than sales held in residential garages and yards. Everything but brick and mortar retail is welcome and reported here. But thanks for your perspective on EU attitudes on the custom. Very interesting.

One more thing, Private: don't you think that Jack made a killing with those sockets?

I really don't know enough about more modern tools to comment, unfortunately, but it certainly seems like he got a great deal. I noticed that he's in the Netherlands.

 

[LesserSon]

no more desired things as clothes, toys, tools are to be brought out in clean, usable and overall decent condition. Out of houses. For free.

I am struggling a bit to parse this. Is it “nothing more-desirable than clothes, toys, tools may be offered to others, and those items must always be donated freely at no cost”? Thus fine art, quality furniture, etc is sold privately?

My experience here in eastern USA is that there is a very broad diversity of intention among sellers, ranging from a distastefully greedy desire to profit (even by deception) to those who really are “giving away” or charging only a nominal fee. The latter often do so only to discourage the observable phenomenon of recipients of free goods dumping, without compunction, and littering the ground with still-useable, but for them, regrettably burdensome items. The USA is largely a disposable commodity culture, and the low-cost resale element is a reactionary subculture (if which I am proud to be a part).

 

[OMMP]

Look, I typed in context on tools. Of course there are sellers - but not as shown in this thread, or not so common, as to be acknowledged as a subculture - as a garage sales. Or home sales, auctions, you name it. I'm in Europe - in not so attractive part. Yet, there is strong tradesmen and craftsmen movings towards high developed countries. So, they return, with... Tools. Some of them know their trades, some not. Latter ones 'manage'. 'Managing' is sort of lowlife expression as to do anything, or almost anything to 'survive'. One way is taking earlier typed stuff. This is THE fact, that I've heard from guys that went to Austria and Germany: they put clothes, that have to be clean, whole and nicely folded in typed containers... Same goes for tools. In Germany, you either call acredited workers to drive your over stuff, or you put them in those containers. I've heard story of a guy that went back and said that containers are being emptied four times a year; in the meantime, they are disposable to anyone and anybody.
Well, I just can assume similar principle of free givings for France, Netherlands and Sweden. Well, I can ask some more and return with more info.

 

[woody 73]

I think this might be my first post in this section; as most of you know by now, any tool I show in the vintage tool section is a tool that I have found at a garage sale...

Anyhow I picked up 4 American made pliers at 50 cents each for a total of $2.00 dollars and a Weller soldering gun for $4.00 dollars.

 

[Jack84]

This thread has always been more inclusive than sales held in residential garages and yards. Everything but brick and mortar retail is welcome and reported here. But thanks for your perspective on EU attitudes on the custom. Very interesting.





I really don't know enough about more modern tools to comment, unfortunately, but it certainly seems like he got a great deal. I noticed that he's in the Netherlands.

Flea markets or car boot sales are common here, Netherlands. DIY culture not so much, I go to fleas and sometimes I only find toys, clothing, pot and pans and home accessories. No tools, maybe some cheapo tools. In my experience tools are scrapped rather than sold.
Couple weeks ago I was at my local recycling center and I spotted at least 4 toolboxes in the scrap container. Loose tools thrown in too. You’re not allowed to take anything with you, sometimes I just grab a box and throw it in my car. Got some cool stuff from there.

US brands are hard to find here, second hand anyway. Snap On is common but stuff like SK, craftsman, Proto and others not so much.
Got lucky with the SK stuff, seller listed it as “brand unknown, made in USA“.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Good for you, Jack! And thanks for the elaboration. For what it's worth, flea markets are also hit and miss here in the States, generally speaking. I am sure you've noticed that many of the Garage Thread guys who are devoted to estate sales or garage/yard sales live in areas with those same kind of 'household goods/junk' type flea markets. I am blessed here in NJ, an older, heavily populated, industrial ("TRENTON MAKES, THE WORLD TAKES" is a famous sign on a bridge on the Delaware river between NJ and PA here), and rather small state, with nonpareil flea markets where there is always antique or vintage tools and machinery being sold by grandchildren or house liquidators.

 

[d42jeep]

The Netherlands socket find definitely warranted a You ****.
Woody, it’s nice to see you on the thread.
We found one sale listed in the area in Martinez, CA so we checked it out. There was only one picture of tools so I wasn’t optimistic but there was a separate workshop with quite a few tools, some wartime and some more modern. The first picture is everything. There was a Grey Marine box with several wartime sockets in it. Plenty of newer US made Craftsman too and friendly pricing. Hopefully you guys can ID some of the mystery tools. The last picture is the early stuff
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

GAME TIME

If you were paying attention, this item was in my haul this morning.

One of the coolest things I have found this year, in my own opinion. Because I like old odd uncommon things. I purposefully did not identify it by name in my post above. It is marked, but I am hiding that. Who knows what it is?

The winner gets a lifetime supply of my undying respect and admiration.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

There was a Grey Marine box...

I found a very unusual Gray Marine Motor Company DBE "S" wrench made by Bonney earlier this year, Don. Used for wartime era diesel engines, in boats and big trucks. One photo in the DBE thread here, and several more and info and period ads in the Bonney thread (it's Bonney made) here.

 

[BlueBomber]

GAME TIME



If you were paying attention, this item was in my haul this morning.

One of the coolest things I have found this year, in my own opinion. Because I like old odd uncommon things. I purposefully did not identify it by name in my post above. It is marked, but I am hiding that. Who knows what it is?



The winner gets a lifetime supply of my undying respect and admiration. [emoji38]

- Chinese finger trap
- Wartime garden hose nozzle for washing mud off of Patton's tanks
- Connector for splicing together short pieces of flight line (or in the Army, firing line)

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Private Lugnutz]

- Chinese finger trap
- Wartime garden hose nozzle for washing mud off of Patton's tanks
- Connector for splicing together short pieces of flight line (or in the Army, firing line)

Funny and wrong, funnier and wrong, and good guess and wrong. But you have my undying respect and admiration, as always, for wit, style, sense of humor, and playfulness.

 

[wrenchguy]

GAME TIME

If you were paying attention, this item was in my haul this morning.

One of the coolest things I have found this year, in my own opinion. Because I like old odd uncommon things. I purposefully did not identify it by name in my post above. It is marked, but I am hiding that. Who knows what it is?

The winner gets a lifetime supply of my undying respect and admiration.

Tire pressure gauge?

 

[sixfootfive]

GAME TIME

If you were paying attention, this item was in my haul this morning.

One of the coolest things I have found this year, in my own opinion. Because I like old odd uncommon things. I purposefully did not identify it by name in my post above. It is marked, but I am hiding that. Who knows what it is?

The winner gets a lifetime supply of my undying respect and admiration.

That's a 1st gen flux capacitor. Doc Brown was using this version when he hit his head and came up with the y-shaped one we all know and love.

If that's not it, then I got nothin'.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Tire pressure gauge?

Nope, but good guess.

That's a 1st gen flux capacitor.

HAHA! First gen. Snerk.

Thanks for playing guys. I prolly shoulda included a different angle, too...

 

[wrenchguy]

Spring greaser?

 

[d42jeep]

Some sort of pneumatic hammering device?
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Some sort of pneumatic hammering device?

That's what I thought it was, Don, or some kind of knockout, or possible bushing related, before I picked and played with it.

Spring greaser?

Mike gets a DING DING DING on the greaser part. Don't know if it's for springs, per se. Duro called it a "Grease Ram". I have seen them called grease punches. Smallest push-type grease gun I have ever seen. I plan to post more photos in the Duro thread.

 

[Davefr]

That's what I thought it was, Don, or some kind of knockout, or possible bushing related, before I picked and played with it.


Mike gets a DING DING DING on the greaser part. Don't know if it's for springs, per se. Duro called it a "Grease Ram". I have seen them called grease punches. Smallest push-type grease gun I have ever seen. I plan to post more photos in the Duro thread.

I wonder if it was for greasing chainsaw bar sprockets. It bares some similarity with this one but doesn't have the tip: