2026 Garage Sale Thread (15th Annual)

[WNYflyer]

I played with my father’s childhood toolish toys, and am just old enough to have had new toys made of steel with points and sharp edges. Among my younger family members, I witnessed the progression from wood&steel to hard plastic to soft plastic to foam.

I had a PowerMite Worksop tool set by Ideal Toys, no idea why my parents trusted me with them . Good thing my sister was 4 years older than me and stronger and faster at the time …just kidding….
Google them…….boy times have changed as you noted.

 

[Beerhippie]

Shoot--we had chemistry sets with enough oxidizers and reactants to reduce the average home to rubble!

If that wasn't enough, the local museum (OMSI) Science Store would sell said chemicals to anyone who walked in with a pocketful of money. Any idea what you can do with Potassium chlorate? Powdered metals? Oh, the fun we had....

Grade school libraries had books like The Boy's Book Of Rocketry!

I have ten fingers... amazing.

 

[gearhead1960]

Went to two sales today. The first sale isn't worth mentioning. The second sale advertised a shed with numerous tool boxes and tools. I headed straight out to the he-shed. Tools were the usual Craftsman/Stanley hand tools in mediocre shape or overpriced. I did spot this Craftsman Vise for $20 and figured it should come home with me...

After rummaging through the tool boxes and coming up empty, I started digging and looking under the benches and into the storage boxes and came up with an assortment of treasures....

After spotting gun cleaning gear, not that I needed any, I did find an assortment of tools I did not recognize, specifically what their purpose was, but knew enough to grab them. The lot was $12, so didn't think it was over priced....

Researching the unknown tools led to enlightenment:

This is a U.S. Model 1879 Springfield combination tool designed for .45-70 caliber trapdoor rifles. It serves as a wrench for maintaining and cleaning the musket.

This is a pair of original U.S. Military Model 1855 mainspring vise tool used for servicing firearms. It was designed for fitment on Model 1855 muskets and later trapdoor rifles.

This is a Hawken made percussion capper, used for black powder or muzzle-loading firearms. It is designed to hold and quickly seat percussion caps onto the ****** of a muzzle-loading rifle.

This is a U.S. military-issue combination tool for the Browning M1919 machine gun.

A vintage brass CVA Black Powder Flask, made in Italy. Completely full of black powder.

Haul also included a 7/8 full can of Brownell's Neatsfoot oil, and an Irwin #900 screw starter.

..and a J P Danielson 8" Monkey Wrench...

...the vintage gun tools will find their way onto the bay, eventually......unless someone speaks up.....all in all, some nice finds.

 

[Itinerant]

If that wasn't enough, the local museum (OMSI) Science Store would sell said chemicals to anyone who walked in with a pocketful of money. Any idea what you can do with Potassium chlorate? Powdered metals? Oh, the fun we had....

OMSI is one of my grandsons favorite places, love spending time with him there.

 

[3baygarage]

Made it to my favorite Habitat store today. An odd mix of tools this trip.

- some type of brace bit. Hoping RTM or others can weigh in. Looks a bit blacksmith-like. Some sort of tapered “scoop” with one saroer edge that would appear to do the work.
-Thorsen combo wrench
- Mac Sabina doe and Phillips screwdriver
-red plastic 3/8 spinner wheel
-tiny screwdriver with the handle I like
-Snap-On Pozidriv screwdriver. I snapped it in half testing it. The old style handle has “the disease”.
-Diamond M16 bent nose pliers
-Sargent Sportmate pliers. Can’t make out the rest.
-Sockets are oddball 1/4 dr WardMastr, 3/8 Wrigh hex bit minus the bit, Mastercraft 1/4” bit holder.
-Craftsman Long C chisel
-Superslim British Made 7/8 x 3/4 in excellent shape
-Last bit not least, a chopped up 7/16 hex drive Graham (Coudersport,PA) socket handle with three original sockets, and a socket cap, probably home made, that was with it. I really only grabbed the lot because the handle tells what the sockets are. I’d bet there were 5 sockets originally with the L handle. Graham had a handful of related patents. This one marked JAN 20 ‘20.

 

[Beerhippie]

Made it to my favorite Habitat store today. An odd mix of tools this trip.

- some type of brace bit. Hoping RTM or others can weigh in. Looks a bit blacksmith-like. Some sort of tapered “scoop” with one saroer edge that would appear to do the work.
-Thorsen combo wrench
- Mac Sabina doe and Phillips screwdriver
-red plastic 3/8 spinner wheel
-tiny screwdriver with the handle I like
-Snap-On Pozidriv screwdriver. I snapped it in half testing it. The old style handle has “the disease”.
-Diamond M16 bent nose pliers
-Sargent Sportmate pliers. Can’t make out the rest.
-Sockets are oddball 1/4 dr WardMastr, 3/8 Wrigh hex bit minus the bit, Mastercraft 1/4” bit holder.
-Craftsman Long C chisel
-Superslim British Made 7/8 x 3/4 in excellent shape
-Last bit not least, a chopped up 7/16 hex drive Graham (Coudersport,PA) socket handle with three original sockets, and a socket cap, probably home made, that was with it. I really only grabbed the lot because the handle tells what the sockets are. I’d bet there were 5 sockets originally with the L handle. Graham had a handful of related patents. This one marked JAN 20 ‘20.

The brace bit is a spoon bit. Commonly used by chair makers for the angled holes of the legs and back slats in the the seat.

OMSI is one of my grandsons favorite places, love spending time with him there.

Different OMSI, really. This was the old place up on the hill by the zoo. I spent much of my teens there, including participating in the summer programs.

 

[WisJim]

If that wasn't enough, the local museum (OMSI) Science Store would sell said chemicals to anyone who walked in with a pocketful of money. Any idea what you can do with Potassium chlorate? Powdered metals? Oh, the fun we had....

If I remember right, we used potassium chlorate and sugar, and powdered zinc and sulfur as rocket fuels, and the rockets were steel pipe with welded sheet metal fins and nozzles welded on. I'm surprised no one was killed or even injured.
And there was no apparent age requirement to buy ammunition or blasting powder and dynamite fuse at the corner hardware store.

 

[Beerhippie]

If I remember right, we used potassium chlorate and sugar, and powdered zinc and sulfur as rocket fuels, and the rockets were steel pipe with welded sheet metal fins and nozzles welded on. I'm surprised no one was killed or even injured.

We learned quick, and one of the most important lessons was to never put explosives or propellants in ANYTHING capable of producing Shrapnel. Cardboard or plastic film cans were our preferred casings. If we needed extra tamping for bigger BOOMS, we wrapped them in duct tape or fiberglass strapping tape. Works very well for Tannerite, too.

KClO4 and sugar rockets... that takes me back.

 

[Outlawmws]

The lot was $12, so didn't think it was over priced....

Yeah that's a USUCK deal!

 

[four.cycle]

.the vintage gun tools will find their way onto the bay, eventually......unless someone speaks up..

^ you sure that stuff doesn't belong in a museum somewhere?

wow.
what a find.

love the Danielson pipe wrench

 

[four.cycle]

-Last bit not least, a chopped up 7/16 hex drive Graham (Coudersport,PA) socket handle with three original sockets,

Graham / Graham Roller Bearing Corp., Coudersport, PA / "K.I.T" (pliers) "Curko" socket wrench / patent 1328428 Jan 20 1920 & D59417 Oct 18 1921 David F. Graham /

"Curko" - quite the find.

I don't think you're going to find a dedicated thread here for Curko or Graham, so here you go:

 

[3baygarage]

Thanks. I was reading about Curko at AA. I don't know if it's from that line. Sure looks like that No. 2 set! Now I'll be on the lookout for a good handle at least.

 

[3baygarage]

The brace bit is a spoon bit. Commonly used by chair makers for the angled holes of the legs and back slats in the the seat.

Ahh, thank you Beerhippie.

 

[gearhead1960]

^ you sure that stuff doesn't belong in a museum somewhere?

wow.
what a find.

love the Danielson pipe wrench

Most of the items are already being sold on the Bay. I don’t have a use for them and will likely put them up for auction at a reasonable starting price and let the market determine their value. The Hawken and the Browning 1919 tools seem to be rare. I’m not a collector, again will see if the market is interested in establishing a value. I’m sure the museum groups keep tabs on the market and bid when deemed important….

 

[four.cycle]

^ to be fair: I would have no clue as to their rarity - I don't know much about firearms other than how to use them.

 

[four.cycle]

I woke up pretty early this morning. Checked Craigslist and found five garage sales with 3 miles of my zip code. First one was right around the corner - I should have just walked over there.
Second one was an estate sale. I walked through the house, out the back door, and into the garage where they had all manner of hand tools laid out on big tables, all wrapped with blue masking tape and marked with laughingly ridiculous prices. I may have been there all of 90 seconds before I went back out the door.
The third and fourth were okay.
The fifth was actually the annual Holy Cross Church annual fund-raiser, where I picked up the Craftsman top box for $30 bucks.
It has a wonky bottom drawer, but my new fancy-schmantzy Fujiya pliers will make short work of fixing that issue.
I spent too much money, but I had fun.

Interesting old beat-up metal box full of odds and ends for five bucks, containing an assortment of stuff - mostly oddball fasteners - but it did include a cheapie pair of groove-joint pliers, a try-square, and a model 328 "Quaker City" hacksaw, apparently manufactured by Disston. I only really wanted the saw, but the lady said $5 bucks for the whole box, so I didn't argue.
Also picked up an unopened package of one-inch sponge brushes and a package of clothespins, which will come in handy at the cabin, because they always keep disappearing up there.
A Plomb dbe that will most likely find its way south at some point.
Goldblatt and Rose masonry tools
Oxwall 1/4" drive 6 piece socket set that I grabbed as a novelty

That old jack I picked up off the sidewalk when I went down to the Russian deli yesterday - not sure if it's any good or not.

1992 Murray 21-inch walk-behind with a little B&S Quattro on it - I'll cannibalize the power plant for another deck, strip the wheels off and peddle them on CL, and the scrappers can haul off the rest. The original owner was happy to push it up the driveway and help me load it into the truck.

Craftsman top box from the Holy Cross Church sale.
Brass hose nozzle with no markings
Unmarked fractional drill index. Not sure why. I own two or three already. Wonder if my buddy can use it?
Tiny Stanley screwdriver
Silicone-tipped tongs for my mom's house since she doesn't own a decent pair of cooking tongs
Stanley 199 knife
Japanese fan (from the Land of the Rising Sun, no less.)
Tiny little metal pencil box

Probably spent more money today than I should have - almost $50 bucks - but I'll flip the box, sell a mower, and triple that easily.

To save you the trouble of hunting, the Fujiya pliers are available from Harry Epstein.

 

[RTM]

some type of brace bit. Hoping RTM or others can weigh in. Looks a bit blacksmith-like. Some sort of tapered “scoop” with one saroer edge that would appear to do the work.

The brace bit is a spoon bit. Commonly used by chair makers for the angled holes of the legs and back slats in the the seat.

Actually, I hate to disagree with @Beerhippie, but I think it's a tapered reamer.


The spoon bit I know of has a fixed diameter once you get past the nose. Those are used for the weird hole angles that are then tapered with the reamer.

Dunbar's class does used a tapered reamer, but a more modern looking solid body, it seems.

 

[Beerhippie]

The spoon bit I know of has a fixed diameter once you get past the nose. Those are used for the weird hole angles that are then tapered with the reamer.

Right. I started feeling like I was off as soon as I posted--but the mysterious limit on edits....

 

[milkovich]

Slow day at the flea market. Was doing good till I found the moulding planes at $15 a pop, but they are minty. About $50 for the whole pile so not quite a “you ****” but a lot better than eBay for little stuff like brace bits and good saw files.

 

[Tarantula]

Happy Saturday, everybody.
Started off with a yard sale, it was a dud.
Arrived on time for a planned estate sale and found the tool selection pretty limited. There was a socket box that gave me hope, but it had been emptied out and filled with drill bits.
Beneath it was yet another socket case, which ain't too pretty but it still gets the job done. Story of my life.

A real lack of SK in this SK box, the deep sockets are unbranded Taiwanese pieces (with bonus Craftsman 13/16!) Two Great Neck shallows, the actual batch of SK, and 3 USA Husky. Extensions, ⅜ breaker, and speeder are all in good shape but I don't think I'm too attached to anything in here. I may try and rehome these pieces.

Also on the table were the Vise-Grips, looking pointy as ever, funky Chapman ratchet with oil slick coloration, pliers and a wrench from jolly old England, and a 13mm open end from Makita of all things.

Grabbed breakfast and headed home early, bumping into a yard sale a street away from my place. Cleanout of junk from the lady's late husband.
Opinel No. 8, I've always wanted one of these knives but never could pull the trigger at full price. Very hard to argue with one for a buck. Not even beat up, just a little stiff with some gunk on the blade.
A cute brass critter for my growing club of weird little guys. It was sliced off a larger fixture the details of which were lost to time.

Not a bad day. Tomorrow brings a big flea market at the local college, hoping to see the folks who sold me some wonderful stuff on the cheap last time.

Happy hunting!

 

[alinc100]

Here's the Hory RC-101 after a quick bath at the car wash.

 

[Beerhippie]

Opinel No. 8, I've always wanted one of these knives but never could pull the trigger at full price.

Average price is $22.

 

[Outlawmws]

Chapman ratchet with oil slick coloration

That finish may be older. I know the sets made in WWII had that finish.

One good estate sale today - pics later after I take them.

 

[RTM]

Was doing good till I found the moulding planes at $15 a pop, but they are minty.eous wou

That is my line for moulding planes. Anything complete below that line, in a shape a want, is probably coming home with me. Above that I look a lot harder, gotta be gorgeous, a need, or really special.

 

[alinc100]

The day afterThe Bucket Find I was contacted by a guy looking to dissolve his loose Craftsman inventory, to make room in his garage for other pursuits. Since the Bucket saga took a long time to sort out ,I'm just now getting to this. I will not be doing a full inventory , just pics and I will merge my loose Craftsman into what is boxed /labelled and begin building sets/filling in. If anyone happens to know specifically what these containers are, I may want more. I suspect they may be the containers that come with pre-packed deli meats from the grocery store. And if anyone wants great deals on spark plug sockets....well...I'm your guy.

 

[Beerhippie]

If anyone happens to know specifically what these containers are

Glad brand disposable kitchen tubs.

 

[CoogarXR]

Got this Werner 21ft 300lb-rated multi-ladder at a yard sale for $100. I normally don't drop $100 at a yard sale, but I just happened to need one of these ladders and they are like $300+ in stores.

 

[Tarantula]

That finish may be older. I know the sets made in WWII had that finish.

One good estate sale today - pics later after I take them.

Pulled out the model I scooped up a few months ago to compare, I think this new-to-me Kensington marked one gets to claim seniority.
If only the case were present. I'm looking at old threads and some of these have had real snazzy packaging over the years.

Average price is $22.

I'm still breaking in my last $20 knife so I have to be a cheapass about knives for a while.

 

[Outlawmws]

I think this new-to-me Kensington marked one gets to claim seniority.

Case hardened type finish. and yep. the SS are much later.

One good estate sale today - 2 YS with smalls, but I passed on a supper deal for a rolling Kennedy Plant maintenance box - with a 26" machinists intermediate for dirt Cheap. No space for another big roller (two actually, one to the back one to the side...) and not sure I could load/unload it anyway, cause my back is in spasm bad today.

Similar to this one:


Oh Well.

I did very well at the Estate sale however for $20:

Vises and stand: the black one holds larger printed circuit cards for work the "rail" style Panavise also can do smaller cards or other assemblies. The stand is useful for the articulation, and I can attach what I want:




Panavise Arbor press. I need to research its capacity. the thing behind it is a Variac (adjustable AC voltage supply) but has a problem so it was free. I can use the parts if not easily fixed.




Measuring tools: Brown and sharp Calipers, Mitutoyo mic, and a Starrett Square head.




Chapman Allen set (has 4 screwdriver bits - the rest are Allen)



I have the same box with a Gunsmiths set.



Vise grip tongs, a no-name, (but good quality) parrots beak Vise Grip, and the cable cutters and needle nose are Klein




Small sizes for ball Allen drivers ( I have te larger sizes already) and one stanly mini driver I got by mistake grabbing the yellow handles.




And Misc - Jorgansen 6" bar clamp, SO 1/4" ratchet 1/4 drive 1/2 Crow foot, Craftsman 9/16 Saltus, Millers falls awl, Jewelers hammers; Peer Swiss pattern & Brass, Armstrong ignition wrench.



That load made my day!


And the 2 YS:

First one - an insulator for guy lines, (I have smaller ones - this is huge) and at #2 across the street, a Machinery's Handbook 19th ed. and a Thread file. for $2 - this was the place that had the roller box.

x

 

[Outlawmws]

Pulled out the model I scooped up a few months ago to compare, I think this new-to-me Kensington marked one gets to claim seniority.
If only the case were present. I'm looking at old threads and some of these have had real snazzy packaging over the years.



I'm still breaking in my last $20 knife so I have to be a cheapass about knives for a while.

For that ratchet, I'd be looking for old eyeglass cases: (Lugz found the first one posted here IIR)

 

[alinc100]

Round two ,another box, another set of stacks.

 

[bmwrd0]

I had plans to hit half a dozen or so sales today, but was rained out of most of them and was only able to hit two.


From the first sale, Craftsman metric socket set, Stanley nut driver, Starrett divider, unmarked metric thread gauge, Xcele (Xcelite) adjustable wrench, Old Forge offset screw driver, unmarked marking gauge, '35 Snap-on extension, Stanley nail set, little buddy pocket tape, unmarked saw. $13


Second sale, Porter-Ferguson impact driver w/ all USA bits, Proto nut driver, Xcelite drivers, Starrett pocket scale, Artisan combo (going in the Don box), and Proto snap ring pliers. $1 (I swear, they must have searched long and hard to find the kid running the shop part of the sale. It isn't easy to find someone who knows so little about tools)

Both these sales were estate sale left over sales, run buy the original company in at least sale #2's case, which just proves that you really need to dig sometimes)

 

[Beerhippie]

For that ratchet, I'd be looking for old eyeglass cases: (Lugz found the first one posted here IIR)

You have no idea how many glasses cases I've opened looking for one of those....

 

[RTM]

. If anyone happens to know specifically what these containers are, I may want more. I suspect they may be the containers that come with pre-packed deli meats from the grocery store.

Those look more like knock off Gladware containers from the grocery store, in 2 different brands, then prepackaged deli meat. At least around here, the pre pack stuff is much thinner (shorter) than what you are showing,

 

[Outlawmws]

Panavise Arbor press. I need to research its capacity.

Done - Model 502, and 500 lb. capacity

 

[Outlawmws]

You have no idea how many glasses cases I've opened looking for one of those....

Me too. All mine came from Eprey. None from the wild.

I have found exact matches for the case, but not with the holders.

 

[milkovich]

That is my line for moulding planes. Anything complete below that line, in a shape a want, is probably coming home with me. Above that I look a lot harder, gotta be gorgeous, a need, or really special.

Hah that’s my line too, I had to talk him down from the $20 retail antique store price.

The day wasn’t quite done, I hit up a garage sale and found a ton of starret dividers, calipers, Italian rifflers, an old Stanley v logo 5c, and an ECE toothing plane. The cool thing is these tools belonged to the master sculptor who designed the original “Patti Play Pal” doll among others for the Ideal Toy Conpany.

I’m down another $50 but there were some other cool finds in the hoard like the old blue akro mills organizers and a gerbing adjustable motor mount which I’m sure I’ll use.

 

[alinc100]

Glad brand disposable kitchen tubs.

Those look more like knock off Gladware containers from the grocery store, in 2 different brands, then prepackaged deli meat. At least around here, the pre pack stuff is much thinner (shorter) than what you are showing,

I believe based upon an internet photograph I may have found a match or similar at Dollar Tree 3 bins for $1.50. I may know for sure after dinner. I still have to roll everything back in the garage ,overnight pending rain.

 

[bmwrd0]

Me too. All mine came from Eprey. None from the wild.

I have found exact matches for the case, but not with the holders.

I found mine at a swap meet, one of the more professional dealers. So, in between eBay and a garage sale.

 

[Marsim]

Another last day of an estate sale. The house sold and everything had to go today. He wanted $120 for these, but I got all of them for $20. They are decent sized and in great shape. 9 military issue pup tents, each tent has both halves.