2021 Garage Sale Thread

[bmwrd0]

Only a few days until we start to decide on whom will be Picker of the Year, and who will be next year's thread host!

As always, any suggestions are welcome, as are any wishing to put their hats in the ring for host.

 

[Fred Knox]

Just to make things a little more interesting, I thought I would share my latest pick. With a little bit of luck and a wide net, I was fortunate to land twenty-eight exposed screw vises, all American-made, for $130. As you can see, there is a lot of "swarth" left to clean off, but the owner had them in the corner of the garage for decades and he finally decided to get rid of them en masse. For some reason, he liked me - probably because I have talked vises with him for years, not even realizing his stash. Some of the manufacturers are Dunlap, Morgan, Erie, Rock Island, PV Co. (Prentiss), Reed, Atlas, Lakeside, Baker, Samson, Perfection, etc. I don't believe there are any missing/broken parts, but then again, it was dark when I picked everything up. Two of the Wilton duplicates have been snatched already by neighbors, so I have the rest for almost free. I intend to keep one model from each manufacturer, even if I already have a machinist vise from that manufacturer. Yes, they are hiding from the wife at this point!

 

[d42jeep]

Congratulations. I think that definitely rates a “You ****”!
-Don

 

[LesserSon]

its obviously in the mandolin family, but its unusual for having a round hole, and most are 2" thick, and this one is 3" It has nice tone from what I can get out of the 5 strings renaming, but I knew that before paying the $35 I beat the guy down to. I may need to hit a mandolin forum and see if they can help ID it closer. No makers marks anywhere inside or out...

Is it a lute?
A high school friend of mine had a lute. Honestly, I never looked very closely at it, and I do not know much about string instruments beyond the violin family. The lutes I see on line have a round, but multi-pierced sound hole, and quite angled tuning peg head.
But maybe?

EDIT - try “spanish lute” - much closer resemblance.
The Spanish lute or laúd seems to have a long neck and the Spanish mandolin or bandurria seems to have a short neck.

 

[Fred Knox]

Congratulations. I think that definitely rates a “You ****”!
-Don

Thanks Don. It was a good day. I humbly accept the honor!

 

[Username already in use]

48 star flag from Marketplace. Paid a buck a star.

 

[mikeinri]

Congratulations. I think that definitely rates a “You ****”!
-Don

Thanks Don. It was a good day. I humbly accept the honor!

Add one from me! Nice grab...

Mike

 

[pfaustus]

Mr. Knox has his vices, one of which is vises.

 

[bmwrd0]

You are really squeezing that joke for all its worth.

 

[misterbill]

48 star flag from Marketplace. Paid a buck a star.

UNAIU, is that a casket flag? They're usually 5' x 9' give or take. Regardless, nice find.

 

[Username already in use]

UNAIU, is that a casket flag? They're usually 5' x 9' give or take. Regardless, nice find.

I don't think so. It has these heavy galvanized rings riveted to it. Looks like it was hung or flown somewhere.

 

[toolmiser]

Just to make things a little more interesting, I thought I would share my latest pick. With a little bit of luck and a wide net, I was fortunate to land twenty-eight exposed screw vises, all American-made, for $130. As you can see, there is a lot of "swarth" left to clean off, but the owner had them in the corner of the garage for decades and he finally decided to get rid of them en masse. For some reason, he liked me - probably because I have talked vises with him for years, not even realizing his stash. Some of the manufacturers are Dunlap, Morgan, Erie, Rock Island, PV Co. (Prentiss), Reed, Atlas, Lakeside, Baker, Samson, Perfection, etc. I don't believe there are any missing/broken parts, but then again, it was dark when I picked everything up. Two of the Wilton duplicates have been snatched already by neighbors, so I have the rest for almost free. I intend to keep one model from each manufacturer, even if I already have a machinist vise from that manufacturer. Yes, they are hiding from the wife at this point!

You need to take some better pictures of those. It would be neat on a calendar or even wall art.

 

[Outlawmws]

Is it a lute?
A high school friend of mine had a lute. Honestly, I never looked very closely at it, and I do not know much about string instruments beyond the violin family. The lutes I see on line have a round, but multi-pierced sound hole, and quite angled tuning peg head.
But maybe?

EDIT - try “spanish lute” - much closer resemblance.
The Spanish lute or laúd seems to have a long neck and the Spanish mandolin or bandurria seems to have a short neck.

Not a Lute, the neck is too short

Not a bandurria either as its got 4 pairs of strings like a mandolin, not the 6 pair the modern bandurria has.

It may be a Piccolo Mandolin, I've asked on a Mando Forum.

 

[3baygarage]

Fred gets a YOU ****. That’s what I like to call an ”instant collection”.

I picked my way around the flea market Saturday morning. In the last row I came across a storage cleanout seller with a load of tools who was dropping the price of everything on his tables. A minute later he said F@#% it, football game starts soon, and slashed the prices more. It was an instant frenzy of male shoppers grabbing up everything. I happened to be right in front of the nice pair of Vise-Grips and initially grabbed just those at $2 each. After that he reduced the price two more times on whatever was left on the tables, basically giving it away.
Whether good or bad, that last stop resulted in my bringing home 3x more stuff.
It was quite the pliers day. Lots of Utica and Vise Grip. A nice group of IBM tools made up of chrome pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches, feeler gauge, and I think a bending tool. The Cornwell and Utica hog rings were found at back to back booths, so that was interesting.
A few highlights are a Craftsman 3/8” spinner wheel, Utica 4” adjustable I didn’t have in my collection, jumbo Goodell Pratt Company screwdriver, free Mac case that cleaned up well after the photo, 2-1/2” Sunex impact socket, Gray ignition pliers, a Klein folding hex set with large sizes, a heavy duty pry tool/cotter pin puller, several pentagon utility sockets, Giller duckbills, heavy panel clip tool, etc. Couldn’t leave the dog weather vane topper behind for $1.

 

[3baygarage]

Craftsman V spinner and Utica 4”. All these years I don’t think I ran into the spinner in the wild. I turned it to the good side, unfortunately there’s a gash in the Craftsman name.

 

[ChefRex]

3Bay, looks like a pressure change was occurring, nice!

 

[wrenchguy]

At a sale Saturday and less than $10 I brought it home. I never seen a set like this. Really didn't need anymore modern tools but the square drive will come in handy with the old stuff I work on.

 

[mikeinri]

I'm so confused. I see 8 points, not 10. Either way, how do they work on hex heads?

Mike

 

[PFSard]

I'm so confused. I see 8 points, not 10. Either way, how do they work on hex heads?

Mike

6 + 4 = 10?. Gimmick of that age? I may have tried them on hex heads when I was growing up without much money. Personally, I wouldn't use them now on hex heads unless I were really desperate.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Either way, how do they work on hex heads?

The same two opposing sides that would grab the flats of a square bolt grabbed the flats of a hex bolt, also grabbing two corners. It was a Wright Tool & Forge innovation. That's who made wrenchguy's set. Here's a page from a 50s Wright catalog illustrating the concept.

6 + 4 = 10?

That is precisely the slogan and equation Wright used!

 

[Provincial]

Fred, 3bay, and wrenchguy all get *****!

 

[RTM]

Here is my haul from the Thanksgiving week, 2 antique stores, 1 flea market, and an estate sale were the only successes out of maybe 10 stops. I also got a pile of wood, but won’t bore people with that. The wood was a planned stop, with 3 big chunks bought at retail, bunch of off cut stuff at $2.50/#. Turning stock, practice pieces, forget the species for most.

Got the Proto 4780 1/4” speeder to start the trip, the Keen Kutter nippers midway, and the Plomb 5460 LA flex head speeder near the end, and all the misc tools on the drive home.

The saws include a Disston D8 Thumbhole rip, and I think a D15, and an offset razor saw. I think the one on top is a kitchen saw. Couple of knives, MKE drill side handle and chuck keys, a couple of Nicholson files, some oddball files, Witherby looking chisel, Keen Kutter TB8 end nippers with replaceable blades, push drill, punches or nail sets, chain breaker, CMan deep sockets in 1/4” drive, and butane lighters for windy days, leather punch, counter sinks, and a plug cutter.

 

[wrenchguy]

A $10 buy off m-place a month ago. (forgot it in the sleeper of the truck) Early 30's, mfg'd by walker turner. Hoping to find the missing parts.

 

[bmwrd0]

The poll to vote for picker of the year has been set up, so vote! I will be taking votes and leaving the poll up until Christmas Eve, and announcing the winner on Christmas day. The winner gets the newly made Crown of Picking


And, on a sad note, no one I have contacted about the possibility of running the thread next year has either seemed interested or not rejected it outright. So, please, send me a message if you have any interest in running this thing. It's not hard, it doesn't take a lot of time, so I implore all of you, find a person excited to do this! If you have any questions about this, please contact me. Concerns? Please contact me.

BMWRD0 (Aaron)

 

[paulsomlo]

Picked this up today from a local auction online only, no preview, bidding blind: Drill bits; two sets of fractional from 1/16" to 1/2", one is screw machine length; one letter size set A to Z; one number size set 1 to 60; one metric set from 6 to 10mm in 0.1mm steps (41 drill bits in a nice Huot index). Also two sets of reamers 1/32" to 1/2", some long drill bits, an assortment of center drills and countersinks. The bits are PTD, other than the metric, which are made in Spain. Winning bid was $50, so $63.48 including tax and auction fees.

Also bought a workbench just to get the vise, a Columbian USA quick release woodworking vise. The drawers were loaded with sandpaper, including a new box of 5" hook and loop mirka, 10 sheets each of five different grits. The bench was down in the basement, long flight of stairs and I was there alone, so I dismantled the bench in place, took it out piece by piece. $9.53 out the door. And the bench? Firewood.

 

[bmwrd0]

While out and about today, I swung by the Restore, and wasn't disappointed:

They had a lot of old tools in, most of which either I already have or have no interest in, but I did pick up a Hinsdale 9/32"
spinner, a box of nice woodscrews, and this metal parts box:

It is similar in construction to the four drawer parts bins, but, well, if you squint you can probably see the difference. It even has dimples on top to mount the normal types. All that for less than a tenner.

 

[gpw_42]

UNAIU that flag is nice. No way it's for a casket, with those galvanized grommets, though that was my first assumption, as well.

WrenchGuy that Craftsman DP is cool, not my cuppa tea, but still. Good luck finding the missing pieces!

OR, you **** for that Coleman 530...fired up on the old fuel in it! Nice job on the cosmetics, and Outlaw, thanks for the fuel lesson. I have a 530, dated Jan 47, which came from close to Ft. Hood. Belonged to a dear friend of mine, whose son gave it to me 2 years ago. I'm headed there for a visit next week, and sure hope I can get the stove running before I go. This one has been the most difficult stove restoration I've attempted; currently have BBs in the gas tank and Kroil on the screws which hold the frame to the fount. Would LOVE to make a pot of coffee on this thing before I get there. OR, not much threat of me picking on your turf - will be north of Lampassas.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

And, on a sad note, no one I have contacted about the possibility of running the thread next year has either seemed interested or not rejected it outright. So, please, send me a message if you have any interest in running this thing. It's not hard, it doesn't take a lot of time, so I implore all of you, find a person excited to do this!

I'm a little confused by this, Beemer. Without stepping on your toes (just trying to help, this isn't supposed to be this hard!), I recommend just following the way we've always done it. Make a poll with the top 10 participants on it - excluding former hosts. That way the host is always new and always comes from the most active participants. And there are a few prominent current active participants who have been on Host polls in the last three years for that reason.

I never contacted anyone about hosting. I'm pretty sure no former host has ever had to contact anyone or ask for names/volunteers. We did have one person one time a few years ago say he didn't want to be the host - after the poll was created, but that was no issue. Even if he had won, which he didn't, it would've gone to the next highest vote-getter among the other 9.

In other words, we've never asked. We always just assumed the winner in a poll of the most active guys would accept.

If for some strange completely unforeseen reason 10 of our most active participants reject THE HONOR AND RESPONSIBILITY of hosting, you would have to start another poll with the next 10 names. I have a hard time believing that would happen.

Maybe this is a good time to point out that hosting duties include starting the 2022 thread on January 1, starting two polls (PotY, New Host) next December, and pretty much doing nothing in between.

I realize we no longer have the easy numbers to let us know who those Top 10 participants are, but those names seem pretty obvious to me. So I will stick my neck out and take a shot at it. Excluding me, Outlaw, 3baygarage, LesserSon, BlueBomber, jeffmoss (all former hosts) and the active participant who has said he won't host, it seems to me that you'd be pretty safe and fair and representative of the thread this year including these names in a poll for everyone to vote on...

mikeinri
Old Radar
Provincial
Txlonghorn89
duddly
RTM
3jakes
Macduf
RagTopTA
saukit

You can use the search bar to search the thread by username and it will return all their posts. You can count the pages, I suppose.

Here is another list of most active participants, from my recollection, if you think I've missed someone...

ForrestT
levaughn
dodge610
seber
gpw_42
damon18
c1504
Mavawreck
Username already in use
AK4570
jvlyons
raineman
83villagerepair
bargainuntingking

 

[Catfishdan]

While out and about today, I swung by the Restore, and wasn't disappointed:

They had a lot of old tools in, most of which either I already have or have no interest in, but I did pick up a Hinsdale 9/32"
spinner, a box of nice woodscrews, and this metal parts box:

It is similar in construction to the four drawer parts bins, but, well, if you squint you can probably see the difference. It even has dimples on top to mount the normal types. All that for less than a tenner.

That parts bin is awesome. I believe it is a wards master quality box. The paint is a perfect match to the smaller ones I use to organize extra 1/4” drive stuff.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Beemer

I had a free hour so I did some Hostus emeritus work for you.

I used the search tool and searched the thread by usernames. It's possible that I am completely blanking on a frequent poster, so if someone/anyone can think of a very active poster that I missed, just shout it out. Otherwise, there is your poll.

mikeinri - 14 pages (x 20 posts/page) = 280 posts
Old Radar - 13 pages
Provincial - 12 pages
RTM = 11 pages
Txlonghorn89 - 7 pages
saukit - 6 pages
duddly - 4 pages
3jakes - 4 pages
AK4570 - 4 pages
raineman - 4 pages

-------------------

seber - 3 pages
RagTopTA - 3 pages
ForrestT - 3 pages
Macduf - 2 pages
Levaughn - 2 pages
dodge610 - 2 pages
gpw_42 - 2 pages
c1504 - 2 pages
Username already in use - 2 pages
wrenchguy - 2 pages
Catfishdan - 2 pages

 

[txlonghorn1989]

A $10 buy off m-place a month ago. (forgot it in the sleeper of the truck) Early 30's, mfg'd by walker turner. Hoping to find the missing parts.

wrench Post a WTB ad over on the OWWM (Old WoodWorking Machines) website in the BOYD forum. Put your ad in the Old WoodWorking Machines section of BOYD. Good luck turning that old Craftsman drill press into a working machine that will last a couple more generations!

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Nice haul RTM. Have you been able to date those Disston saws?

That'll be a fun haul of vises to clean up FK! Congrats!

Old Radar You **** on that post vise and Coleman stove for $30!!!!

Don As you know I'm into those Long C chisels. That's the first handle I've seen like that! Nice finds! What are the widths on those two?

 

[bmwrd0]

Maybe I am overthinking it Lugz, but every time I asked for submissions for Picker of the year or Thread Host, I have gotten very few responses. The thread has had a split between picker of the year and thread host, as I am hosting but have never been awarded POTY. (And this isn't to toot my own horn, as hosting is a clear honor.) At the same time, I clearly remember many people not being interested in being thread host.

Am I reading too much into that?

Right now, I have a poll up for deciding POTY21, derived from the submissions that I did receive, and we can certainly go off of that for next year's host/POTY! Or, as I am a very audience-involved kinda guy, we can have another if people so desire?

Not sure here...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Beemer,

Let me try to be more direct, clearer, and emphatic.

We have always selected next year's host one and only one way.

The current host simply - without any opinion in the matter, and without any need for solicitation for volunteers or suggestions - takes the top 10 posters, mathematically, by # of total posts (as a good indicator of activity and commitment to the thread), excluding former hosts (because it was thought, very wisely, that would keep it fresh), and he puts their names in a poll for everyone to vote on. Make no mistake THAT is the way it has been done every year from 2012 to 2020. That's how you were selected last December. From a list of 10 top posters, by number of posts, excluding former hosts, that LesserSon assembled.

In 2018, when I hosted, I added Picker of the Year. That list of nominees was my discretion. My criteria. But I gave everyone a vote by starting a separate poll with 10 names on it. I was happy to see BlueBomber and LesserSon - and now you - continue the tradition, because I think it's fun.

But PotY has NOTHING to do with selecting next year's host. The 2019 Host poll in December 2018 that I started was the top 10 names, excluding former hosts, by # of posts. And that's how BlueBomber and LesserSon did it in 2019 and 2020.

While you no longer have the site software doing the math for you, I did the math for you, and unless I totally fugged up and missed a very frequent poster (and again, if someone thinks of anyone, their post count could be easily tabulated...), I'd bet my next paycheck this list of names - posting again so there's no mistake - is a pretty good top 10 by # of posts, excluding former hosts:

mikeinri - 14 pages (x 20 posts/page) = 280 posts
Old Radar - 13 pages
Provincial - 12 pages
RTM = 11 pages
Txlonghorn89 - 7 pages
saukit - 6 pages
duddly - 4 pages
3jakes - 4 pages
AK4570 - 4 pages
raineman - 4 pages

So, that would be your New Host poll list. If you follow precedent and tradition, the 2022 Garage Sale thread host should come from that list, by vote. If the winner doesn't want to do it, it goes to the next highest vote-getter. And so forth.

This is just a thread on an internet forum, and we're all just having fun here, so I'm not trying to tell you what to do.

But, just in case you think there has been no precedent or tradition, or that it was somehow up to the host's discretion, or that the host had to ask people to do it, etc etc, I am pointing out the way it has always been done.

 

[Wrencher 160]

There was only one Estate sale on Black Friday that had any tools and I only picked up these two things. Worth it, though...

Columbian Hardware Co. Leg Vise and a Coleman No. 530 A46 Pocket Stove.

The leg vise is 39lbs, 39" top to bottom, has 5" jaws and opens comfortably to 4.5". Overall in great shape. Spring is strong and jaws look very lightly used. Just needs a clean-up and lube. $20





The stove has its fuel funnel, but is missing the wrench/handle and the steel flame diffuser. I decided to take the "patina" off the stove's aluminum case/pots. Looks much better. Since the tank was full, I decided to give it a test. Not being that familiar with camp stoves--my scouting days are long gone and the adults usually took care of the gas powered implements--I didn't want to pump it up any more than it might have been, so I just put on some goggles, opened the valve as directed and lit it. It produced a medium yellow flame with sooty smoke until I opened the valve all the way. Then it got going with mostly a clear flame with a little blue down at the bottom. I attributed this to old gas but now I think it might have been because I didn't pressurize it properly. After the test, I emptied the tank and got almost two cups. The yellowish color has thrown me. It doesn't smell like gasoline--either old or fresh--but I thought white gas was clear. It certainly evaporates quickly--about a third of a cup is gone in under 24 hours.

Overall it's in great shape. The leather cup in the pump looks good and nothing seems out of alignment. The fuel tank cap is painted green, so I suspect it is a replacement from a newer Coleman product. All in all, I was happy to pay the asking price of $10.

Looking forward to Outlaw's assessment and advice!

That leg vise at $20 is a ****. At the last guild meeting cheapest one For sale was $75 and it was beat.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That leg vise at $20 is a ****.

To say the least. They start at $100 around here. And that is usually when they are broken!

 

[mikeinri]

@bmwrd0:

You **** for that mini parts cabinet!

Tradition aside (but not to completely dismiss it), I think Lugz's approach to setting up a poll for the new host has a LOT of merit, and may be the only way to move forward if no one is volunteering or sending you ideas.

There are likely a lot of reasons for this (humility, fear of the unknown, etc.). For example, I obviously need to cut back on how often I post here, because I don't even shop at flea markets, or garage or yard sales, so how would I be qualified to run a thread about the topic? I'm mostly a cheerleader for all of you guys who actually run out and find all the cool stuff, LOL...

POTY is a different animal, I don't really have a cohesive enough thought about that to post here.

Hope this helps. And THANKS for hosting this year!!!

Mike

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I think Lugz's approach to setting up a poll for the new host...

Just to re-emphasize, because it cannot apparently be emphasized enough, it's not my approach. I'm simply describing the way it has always been done.

 

[d42jeep]

Don As you know I'm into those Long C chisels. That's the first handle I've seen like that! Nice finds! What are the widths on those two?

Here you go. I sharpened them up.
-Don

 

[Old Radar]

Not going to mention how much I had to pay for the one I recently picked up! But you could have bought several more of yours!
Very nice vice

Old Radar You **** on that post vise and Coleman stove for $30!!!!

That leg vise at $20 is a ****. At the last guild meeting cheapest one For sale was $75 and it was beat.

To say the least. They start at $100 around here. And that is usually when they are broken!

Thanks Gentlemen! Although...

I started to take the leg vise apart for cleaning and referb today. I immediately discovered something that caused both disappointment and happiness. Disappointment in that the vise is not in as good a shape as I had hoped, and happiness in that I didn't offer more than $20.

When I backed the screw all the way out I found that an unknown length had been sheared off the end along with an inch of threads. I thought: Well, the thing's probably well over 100 years old and made to beat on--you can't expect it to be perfect.

When I degreased the main nut and got a good look inside is when the real disappointment/happiness hit me. All except the front inch and a half of the threads are just--gone!

I cannot imagine how that would happen. It can't be rust--there are some sharp edges that the shear forces left. I would think someone used a cheater bar on it but how would the front threads escape damage?

I can make it look pretty, but it will never work for a living again unless I can find a replacement nut. Pffft--like that's going to happen...
I'm stalled at the moment because neither the two nuts that hold the spring on nor the big pivot bolt at the bottom of the dynamic have acknowledged my existence. PB-Blaster is working on their attitude.