2021 Garage Sale Thread

[gearhead1960]

Does anyone else have a collecting nemesis?

My wife used to.... We like hitting an occasional Estate Sale, but back in the day we were out every weekend. My wife loves shiny stuff. You know, "Jewelry". We would run into this one other buyer we called "Bead Glamour". If she got there 1st, she would make an offer for all of the jewelry, leaving nothing for anyone. Pissed my wife off to no end. To the point, SWMBO would do the same thing back to "Bead Glamour".

 

[Old Radar]

Mine is "Bob"--and I really did change his name. He is always at least 3-5 people in front of me for entry. Most annoyingly, he is one of those people that care not a wit for the people who have organized the sale (and the sale goods) or the buyers that may come after him. He will go through a bin of organized wrenches bracketed between a bin of segregated screwdrivers and a bin of sockets and when he moves on, all three bins contain wrenches, screwdrivers and sockets in addition to some of each scattered on the table and floor. Makes my ****-retentive self want to bite something.

 

[gearhead1960]

Makes my ****-retentive self want to bite something.

Or clock him over the head with one of the wrenches he left behind....

 

[bmwrd0]

Kermit. But he doesn't really buy anything I want, he just won't. shut. up. Sounds like a higher-pitched, more nasal Kermit the Frog. And when I am in a certain area, he will be at every sale I am interested in, picking up and talking about everything in sight. One object at a time. "Look at that saw. Isn't that neat, I had one just like that 30 years ago. Look at that wrench, I had one just like that 30 years ago." And on and on. At the top of his voice.

 

[Outlawmws]

For me its the reseller crowd; C-19 thinned them out and I'm just beginning to see a couple of them again, but before C-19, there were maybe a half dozen of them scarfing tools like crazy, and inevitably taking 10 min to try to get the prices down. I've been known to stand behind them and shake my head "no" while this went on...

I've also been known to double the prices at my own sales when they show up.

I once nearly hit one of them with a wrench as he picked up and tossed in to the box I was looking in, anything he didn't want, several times hitting my hands. I let him know if he did it again there would be trouble...

All in all, they are ultra mercenary in their approach. (I saw one of them get tossed from an estate sale). There is the normal dickering that everyone does adn then these guys will offer half or less no matter how good a deal they are offered.

I've also let the sellers know they are resellers and will try to stick them.

"Despise" doesn't begin to describe the feeling I have for them...

 

[WNYflyer]

Does anyone else have a collecting nemesis?

My sometime nemesis I will call "Roy", 3bay and I had a discussion on here about the guy awhile back and 3bay knew exactly who I was talking about from his time living in my area. One time I am the first to go through a former mechanics Snap-On tool box and while I am stationed in front he is trying to open drawers above and below what I had opened, I finally had to basically box him out. Guy was so up on me that his bad breath was knocking me out and I swear it sounded like he was going to hyperventilate he was getting so frustrated.

Another time I hit a sale only a few blocks from my house, sale was advertised on CL as having Snap-on tools and such. Sale doesn't open when it said it would so I see "Roy" getting so anxious and torqued up that he is jumping up and down trying to see in the closed garage door windows. Well jumping up and down the best he could for I would say a 5'-6" late 60's guy. I was laughing so hard and come to find out the sale ended up being a fake ad.

Another sale of a former aircraft mechanic with all kinds of Snap-On and Mac tools happened probably two winters ago on a Friday and it had been and was snowing pretty good. Roads are pretty bad and I start pulling up to the house and notice not too many folks there yet due to the weather I suppose but then I notice a car in the ditch in front of the house. Get out of the car and notice "Roy" standing in the driveway rather than in line and looking all torqued up already. Then I realize the car is "Roy's" and he is waiting on the tow that is pulling up. "Roy" must have gotten in such a hurry to get out of the car and get to the house that he put his car in the ditch. Folks in line were shaking their heads and most seemed to know him already, needless to say he was at the end of the line that day. I get the distinct impression that you could send him on a wild goose chase if he overheard you talking about some non-existent sale full of tool truck brands.

 

[bmwrd0]

I hit a sale yesterday, mostly to get out of the house, and also swung by the Restore and my favorite used book shop:

At the sale, I found the Markswell number punch set, target holder, barrel bedding kit, and a pair of Case scissors (still in my truck) for $5, and at the restore, I picked up a Millers Falls line level, Cresent chisel, Snap-on and (2) Duro sockets, and a P&C wrench for a buck.

The Used bookstore yielded this:

An interesting book on Barns and Bridges, covering the tools used to build them back in the day, the wood used, particulate design details of each, and so on. Also, and I am a sucker for this, its hand-illustrated:


As far as the antics of resellers, that generally doesn't bother me as I see it as someone just trying to make a living. Dickering down a price, something I have done at times is no different than getting an exceptional, way under the market price on something that I know damn well is worth more. And there have been plenty of examples of that in this thread over the years.

There are two things that do bug me, whether or not it's a reseller or anyone else who is doing it. One, making a pile in the middle of a space of things that you are going to purchase (if you can get the price you want) and then leaving the space! Either it's a new tripping hazard in what are often tight quarters or other people have no idea that this is someone's stuff, they start to go through it looking for treasures, and the purchaser comes back and gets all indignant. Drives me nuts.

The other thing I am not a fan of is when someone parks themselves in front of a toolbox or bench and starts talking into their phone trying to check prices. They act like they already own the entire contents of the box or shelf or whatever. Do you want to buy the whole box? Make an offer, but you don't own it now, might not buy what's in it, and probably have no idea what you are asking Siri about.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very meager findings on today's (Lugz 2021_31) flea trip (see Pic 1). The angle/obstruction wrenches are Billings and Herbrand. The 3/4-inch drive hinge handle is Plomb. Not sure what the Grant-Lee sign would've come off of (see Pic 2), but it's huge.

I've got a huge baseball tournament this weekend (3 games Saturday, 3 games Sunday) but good luck to all the tool hunters. May all your forays be free of Bead Glamours, Bobs, Kermits, Roys, rude Resellers, and the "That's-my-pile!" and Idle-Box-Hoarding types.

 

[pfaustus]

HAHA!

In the LEFT-BEHIND category....

The background looks like a certain flea just south of the joint base entrance. Since I moved last year, it is a third of the distance that Collingswood is now. What is it like Thursday mornings? Are they filling the back section? I've only been on Sunday.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Lugz Did that sign come home with you?

 

[gearhead1960]

Not sure what the Grant-Lee sign would've come off of (see Pic 2), but it's huge.

Maybe an old hotel or restaurant?

 

[SilverDeck]

The Used bookstore yielded this:

An interesting book on Barns and Bridges, covering the tools used to build them back in the day, the wood used, particulate design details of each, and so on. Also, and I am a sucker for this, its hand-illustrated:

I'm a big fan of Eric Sloan's books. He has a great wal of explaining and illustrating things, and documenting the tools, equipment, and processes that used to be a part of everyday life in America. Great find!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The background looks like a certain flea just south of the joint base entrance. Since I moved last year, it is a third of the distance that Collingswood is now. What is it like Thursday mornings? Are they filling the back section? I've only been on Sunday.

Hey, p. At the risky of Henrying myself again (HAHA!), Thursdays are pretty good. It is still only about nearly half full in the back section though. I've never been there on a Sunday.

Lugz Did that sign come home with you?

No. I should've been clearer about that, sorry. I don't have that much space, or that much capacity for peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation! (Kidding.)

Maybe an old hotel or restaurant?

That's a good guess, and probably somewhere along the Mason-Dixon line in Maryland or Pennsyltucky I figger.

EDIT: I just noticed the location in your avatar. It's very likely I've told this story before. And it may have even been you I told it to, and if so, I apologize! I used to work at Vint Hill Farms Station, a now defunct NSA/ASA field station in Warrenton. You may have heard of it. I lived near Occoquan. This was the late 80's. Anyway, we took a family day trip to the battlefield. My son was like 7 or 8 at the time and playing with a big stick like a spear that had fallen from a tree near the tour assembly area, which, at that time, was the gigantic statue of Stonewall Jackson on his horse. As the tour guide walked up, the group gathered around and quieted down, and he launched into his spiel, my son launched the stick at the statue. It struck it hard and clattered to the ground. Without missing a beat, the guide, with a smile, perfect timing, a heavy accent, and reassuring aplomb, quipped, "Must be a northener!"

It was one of those moments we never forget.

 

[gearhead1960]

EDIT: I just noticed the location in your avatar. It's very likely I've told this story before. And it may have even been you I told it to, and if so, I apologize! I used to work at Vint Hill Farms Station, a now defunct NSA/ASA field station in Warrenton. You may have heard of it. I lived near Occoquan. This was the late 80's. Anyway, we took a family day trip to the battlefield. My son was like 7 or 8 at the time and playing with a big stick like a spear that had fallen from a tree near the tour assembly area, which, at that time, was the gigantic statue of Stonewall Jackson on his horse. As the tour guide walked up, the group gathered around and quieted down, and he launched into his spiel, my son launched the stick at the statue. It struck it hard and clattered to the ground. Without missing a beat, the guide, with a smile, perfect timing, a heavy accent, and reassuring aplomb, quipped, "Must be a northener!"

It was one of those moments we never forget.

Lugz,

I was not the one you relayed this story too, but I certainly appreciate it....gave me a good chuckle. I'm one of the few native Northern Virginian.... Grew up in Falls Church (Could tell quite a few stories about growing up here that would get me arrested quickly now) and have lived in Annandale, Springfield and now Manassas. Seen a lot of changes around here. If you moved away from here in 1980 and then showed up today, you would not realize you were in the same area. That is how much it has changed.

Yes, Vint Hill is now decommissioned and is under development. Has a really nice brewery that has absorbed a few of my dollars....

 

[txlonghorn1989]

How much space could it take flat against a wall? Or is there no wall space in the Lugzonian? Reminds me I have to complete that tour!

 

[Old Radar]

I used to work at Vint Hill Farms Station, a now defunct NSA/ASA field station in Warrenton.

Yes, Vint Hill is now decommissioned and is under development. Has a really nice brewery that has absorbed a few of my dollars....

About 10 years ago I lived between Ft. Belvoir and Mt. Vernon. One of my buddies took a couple of us to the Vint Hill Craft Winery (next door to the brewery) where they were helping him "perfect" a cask of his wine. I'd never heard of Vint Hill or its history until that day. I still have a decent etched wine glass from there that I use as my daily driver.

 

[d42jeep]

There was only one sale on Craigslist this morning that mentioned tools so we were off to El Sobrante, CA. There was a huge selection and prices were reasonable so we came home with a decent haul. The last picture shows the first Powr-Kraft clutch head driver I’ve seen.
-Don

 

[seber]

Bmwrd, you get a **** for that bedding tool. Just finding it is huge, never mind the price.

 

[Provincial]

Seeing bmw's book on covered bridges reminds me that I salvaged some 12x12 hand-hewn timbers from a covered bridge. It was built on our property around 1900 to provide access for a water system that brought the water to our nearby town by gravity. It also provided support for the pipe where it crossed the creek. The main beams were made from trees cut near the construction site. The crew then laid out string lines and used cross-cut saws to cut guide points to which the sides were squared with and adze or broadaxe. The smaller lumber came from a sawmill that operated on our property about 100 yards from my present home. The bridge was about a mile upstream from my house.

The City neglected the bridge, letting the cover structure deteriorate, and eventually the weather, rot, and insects caused it collapse one winter in the mid-1980's. The following summer I dragged these pieces from where they had hung up in the creek bed. They broke at the juncture of the truss joints, so each piece is about eight feet long.

I keep them stored under cover and blocked up off the ground, with spacers between them. I don't have a plan for them, but they are a piece of local history that I couldn't stand to see be lost.

 

[Provincial]

Not much going on today for sales. I started out at a local estate sale that had some interesting items, among them a small Craftsman metal lathe, complete with change gears, 3- and 4-jaw chucks, and some tooling. They were asking $200.00 for it, which was reasonable considering the extras. I already have better lathes, so I left it behind.

The items I bought there are at the top of photo #1:

New, sealed tube of Geocel caulk
V-block and clamps
2 cable gun locks
Pistol cleaning rod
$4.00 total.

The second sale was in the larger city about 15 miles away. I had some errands to run there, so it wasn't a special trip. Again, not much of interest, but I did leave a (non-curved) Keystone adjustable behind for someone who would appreciate it. $9.00 total.

Eklind 8-piece T-handle hex key set (New)
Barcalo "deco" DOE 5/8 x 3/4 ("forged USA")

I was only a few blocks form the Restore, so I checked them out. For $2.70 I got the following:

Wizard HR2060 DOE 13/16 x 25/32
Barcalo Buffalo DOE 5/8 x 3/4
Vlcheck short DBE 1/2 x 9/16
Plomb 1/2 dr. 12-pt. deep socket 11/16
P&C 501 stubby screwdriver (I couldn't see the logo, but recognized the handle shape. Later I found the logo.)
XceLite P-7, P-10, and P-12 mini nutdrivers. 7/32, 5/16, and 3/8.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yes, Vint Hill is now decommissioned and is under development.

About 10 years ago I lived between Ft. Belvoir and Mt. Vernon. One of my buddies took a couple of us to the Vint Hill Craft Winery (next door to the brewery) where they were helping him "perfect" a cask of his wine. I'd never heard of Vint Hill or its history until that day.

It's so strange to think about what we did there and now it's a winery. I suppose they finally took down the FLR-9 antenna. I also worked at INSCOM HQ at Arlington Hall, and then at Ft Belvoir. Even after they BRAC'd Vint Hill and I was moved to Ft Monmouth, itself now BRAC'd, I would swing over to Rt 1 to get a haircut at a shop outside the gate at Ft Belvoir. Korean women. In-chair massage. I always walked out of there feeling like a new man!

How much space could it take flat against a wall? Or is there no wall space in the Lugzonian?

No. But the problem isn't really space so much as height! Did you see how long (tall) that thing is?!

There was only one sale on Craigslist this morning that mentioned tools so we were off to El Sobrante, CA. There was a huge selection and prices were reasonable so we came home with a decent haul.

Nice oilcloth ignition wrench pouch snag.

 

[bmwrd0]

Raining off and on today, so instead of working on paint prep around the house, I went wandering around for tools and other interesting things. And there were enough interesting sales to make it worthwhile.

Over about six or seven stops, I found the following: A barely used Fleet socket, Stanley No. 4 series 10, a pair of small screwdrivers, spoke wrenches, a (Disston) Keystone 20" saw, a bunch of bicycle spokes.

I picked up the saw mainly due to the etch:


I also picked up some books and reading material:





The paper was much cheaper than the tools.

 

[dkroth]

Raining off and on today, so instead of working on paint prep around the house, I went wandering around for tools and other interesting things. And there were enough interesting sales to make it worthwhile.

I recommend The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt.








.

 

[Provincial]

bmw, good pick on the Stoeger's! I keep a number of them for research purposes.

It may surprise some people, but Stoeger listed and sold Atlas machine tools.

 

[ForrestT]

Part of my haul from last Sunday morning. $20 total. Craftsman USA combos to fill out another metric set I just completed. 2 Klein drivers, a Napa spinner, Lenox plumbing snips, Klein strippers and a brand new dewalt bit set that was only missing only 2 bits that I knew I had spare dewalt bits of at home.




Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[LostBoy(IRL)]

Found a few items today that I'm quite happy with.
Couple of ball pein hammers, one a Gilpin 1 1/2 pound, other I hoped to find a make on, but nothing discernable. But not noticed another head that you can cross pin it to the handle before. Center finder looks Starett, patent number that I will Google later. Is Starett marked on theirs? Didn't have one, and now I do.
No idea on the pliers, any one any thoughts? It's large, with quite server serations. No markings of any kind sadly.
Last but by no means least a pad saw handle. Could not find makers name till I cleaned it. It's a W.Marples & Sons. Hibernia, not sure on the wood? Ebony m a aybe? From a little looking I think this could be from the 30s, but not sure.

 

[BlueBomber]

I forgot to grab pics on the truck, but our good friends up the road gifted us with three rotted 48" wagon wheels with metal rims and a fourth 54" rim for SWMBO's wheel fence yard art project. We're getting close to enough material to start the fence, maybe this summer!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Catfishdan]

Today I went to a swap meet at the Estrella War birds museum. The swap meet sucked, but the museum is awesome. Tons of old military aircraft and vehicles as well as a pretty nice car collection. Several hangars full of vintage race cars. I spent 6 bucks on tools and a 10 dollar donation to tour the museum.

Here’s a few pictures for Don and Lugs among others...

 

[Catfishdan]

And a couple of my personal favorites. A period correct Indy car garage and a Crosley mini truck. I couldn’t get into the garage to check out the tools. Sorry.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Today I went to a swap meet at the Estrella War birds museum. The swap meet sucked, but the museum is awesome.

Hey, thanks, Dan. Nice museum. The Navy jeep is a Ford GPW. I can't tell on the Army jeep.

...and a Crosley mini truck.

That would be so much fun to run errands with on a sunny Saturday morning.

 

[Ryan_340]

Here's my garage sale finds from this morning. Total investment of $5 bucks. The 2 saws were from a free pile, the hacksaw is a Millers Falls No.10

 

[wrenchguy]

I forgot to grab pics on the truck, but our good friends up the road gifted us with three rotted 48" wagon wheels with metal rims and a fourth 54" rim for SWMBO's wheel fence yard art project. We're getting close to enough material to start the fence, maybe this summer!
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

FYI, if you end up having extra iron tires they're are sought after by blacksmiths. They're wrought iron, kinda tuff to find now days.

 

[Outlawmws]

A fair day - only one of the planned yard sales scored (2 houses at one stop), and a little at the local Flea.


The local Flea:

Top rows: Mustang, SO, Duro Chrome, and SK metric (11mm) sockets, and a bent ford wrench.

I drove WAY out of my usual haunts, to the good YS:

The "Spinner" is NOT a driver, its a drill bit Home brew, but I believe the spinner handle was factory made. for a Buck it was mine. very unique!

the rest was a sale at a house I was at a few years ago - the woman was older than ever and her daughter, (older than I, I think) was "helping or at least keeping her mom company - they were selling the Husband/Father's tools adn he as a collector/dealer. Some prices were OK many were collector pricing.

The rest above were good deals: Plvmb/Proto Transition pebble wrench, Plvmb 1/4 driver, a Proto LS wood screwdriver, Bonney, 1/4" drive 7/16 Flair Crowfoot, (My smallest), a square head for the smaller 6" rules (I need more of these 6" rules!), small wood handle driver for the collection, and an SK Stubby.


And the not so good a deal, but had to have them - an 18" Masterench with pipe jaws, (LUGZ, Less than a month after you!) and a 14" smooth jaw Masterech -I think this one is the first this size to surface - More on these here:

The 14 is also plated, and had this marking on it - USN is pretty obvious, I'm thinking "SD" may be South Dakota? the WWII battleship?)

 

[Davefr]

Some weird stuff today. A Proto Torque Multiplier kit. It looks like it allows you to apply up to 1200 ft lbs via reduction gearing. $15

A old boy scout first aid kit. $.50

 

[jvlyons99205]

No local sales worth going to today, but did get a free Snap On top box from a friend at work with some tools. Most of the tools are from Japan or Taiwan, but it did have P&C, Ford and Plomb wrenches. Also a Kamp King pocket knife, 3 Plomb sockets and a lone Snap On socket.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[unkqty]

Very meager findings on today's (Lugz 2021_31) flea trip (see Pic 1). The angle/obstruction wrenches are Billings and Herbrand. The 3/4-inch drive hinge handle is Plomb. Not sure what the Grant-Lee sign would've come off of (see Pic 2), but it's huge.

I've got a huge baseball tournament this weekend (3 games Saturday, 3 games Sunday) but good luck to all the tool hunters. May all your forays be free of Bead Glamours, Bobs, Kermits, Roys, rude Resellers, and the "That's-my-pile!" and Idle-Box-Hoarding types.

+++++++++++++

lugz's sign is logo from "mason-dixon lines" trucking company.

+++++++++++++

picked up a fully-functional walker roll-a-car model 882 - a very nice survivor - at a sale about a mile from the house.
only time it's been outside was a couple days before the sale - and we had a little rain.
has a slight leak in ram main seal but otherwise fully functional and much nicer than the one i let go a few years ago.
well worth $60.

 

[3baygarage]

Some weird stuff today. A Proto Torque Multiplier kit. It looks like it allows you to apply up to 1200 ft lbs via reduction gearing. $15

A old boy scout first aid kit. $.50

Dave You ****! What a deal on the multiplier!

+++++++++++++

lugz's sign is logo from "mason-dixon lines" trucking company.

+++++++++++++

Without knowing potential value, I’m hoping it wasn’t dirt cheap.

This weekend I picked up this Mossberg socket set #14 at a local auction. Most of the pieces are there. Almost all the sockets are there only missing one of the spark plug sockets. I found a catalog page from a 1930 catalog that seems to be the set, does anyone know if there is a time frame that theses were sold?
The auction pic was kinda vague, and probably why it only cost me $11.00
Thanks

You ****! Stellar grab for $11!

 

[3baygarage]

My sometime nemesis I will call "Roy", 3bay and I had a discussion on here about the guy awhile back and 3bay knew exactly who I was talking about from his time living in my area. One time I am the first to go through a former mechanics Snap-On tool box and while I am stationed in front he is trying to open drawers above and below what I had opened, I finally had to basically box him out. Guy was so up on me that his bad breath was knocking me out and I swear it sounded like he was going to hyperventilate he was getting so frustrated.

Another time I hit a sale only a few blocks from my house, sale was advertised on CL as having Snap-on tools and such. Sale doesn't open when it said it would so I see "Roy" getting so anxious and torqued up that he is jumping up and down trying to see in the closed garage door windows. Well jumping up and down the best he could for I would say a 5'-6" late 60's guy. I was laughing so hard and come to find out the sale ended up being a fake ad.

Another sale of a former aircraft mechanic with all kinds of Snap-On and Mac tools happened probably two winters ago on a Friday and it had been and was snowing pretty good. Roads are pretty bad and I start pulling up to the house and notice not too many folks there yet due to the weather I suppose but then I notice a car in the ditch in front of the house. Get out of the car and notice "Roy" standing in the driveway rather than in line and looking all torqued up already. Then I realize the car is "Roy's" and he is waiting on the tow that is pulling up. "Roy" must have gotten in such a hurry to get out of the car and get to the house that he put his car in the ditch. Folks in line were shaking their heads and most seemed to know him already, needless to say he was at the end of the line that day. I get the distinct impression that you could send him on a wild goose chase if he overheard you talking about some non-existent sale full of tool truck brands.

Thank you I totally needed the laugh right now!

He was always one of the top collectors of good tools and known to travel far and wide to attend sales. Early on I really pissed him off at Super Flea by trying to haggle him down. He was rude to me for a while and then came around. Like I mentioned before, we became friends in the later years. He likes to gab about tools. I also got some really sweet deals at his own yard sales a couple times.

We’ve battled shoulder to shoulder, drawer for drawer, sifting though mechanics boxes. He laughed in my face the most evil laugh when he pulled a blue handle Snap On 3/8 breaker bar from under the top lip of a box one time. Yeah I totally missed it.

He’s run into some killer deals, a whole driveway full of Snap On for a buck or two, and a whole garage full that he just beat me to by minutes once. He showed me the prices on the tools that time and I couldn’t believe it.

Lugz-regarding nemesis, mine have always highly been the seller. I’ve beat the other buyers at times, but in the end, some of the estate people and a few flea market vendors have always been my ones to watch out for. Many, many battles over the years. Lots of memories both good and not so good.

Edit: Almost always over pricing

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Raining off and on today, so instead of working on paint prep around the house, I went wandering around for tools and other interesting things. And there were enough interesting sales to make it worthwhile.

Over about six or seven stops, I found the following: A barely used Fleet socket, Stanley No. 4 series 10, a pair of small screwdrivers, spoke wrenches, a (Disston) Keystone 20" saw, a bunch of bicycle spokes.

...

Nice finds bmw. As usual. Especially like the Stanley No 4 and that little beehive screwdriver. How many of those do you have? Any idea about an era for those?

 

[duddly]

I got out to an estate sale and did find two Mossberg pressed steel wrenches. I tend to always pick these up because they tend to be missing from the sets.

I also picked up a lovely (1929?) Whirldry washer for Mrs Duddly, that ungrateful bit... of sunshine! It was just too odd so for $15 I am going to have some fun cleaning it up.