2022 Garage Sale Thread

[mikeinri]

That's a You **** deal on that 8-inch grinder with the pedestal!

Mike

 

[ecotec]

$8. Made in USA Pony spring clamps, made in USA file handles, and made in USA pencils.

None of it was “needs”. About half my spring clamps are foreign, so I have been wanting the foreign ones out of my box. I do not “need” the file handles, but I could not leave them behind. They have never been on files. I like everything in my file drawer (really any drawer) to be made in USA or another good country (Switzerland, Austria, Germany…). I have enough tools (mostly), but I want to purge tools from emerging markets.

Here is my file drawer. There are only a few things left to purge. I like to have a file handle on every file.

I actually used one of the file handles today, and threw away the unbranded handle that had been on the file.

 

[gearhead1960]

@cmccuist1 That's a you **** on the grinder purchase. If it included the stand, that's a double ****!

 

[cmccuist1]

@cmccuist1 That's a you **** on the grinder purchase. If it included the stand, that's a double ****!

Yea, the pedestal was included! They were asking $60 and I talked them down to $50. So yea, I'm going to suffer in the underworld for all eternity. But it's worth it for a 1 HP block!

 

[ecotec]

The pedestal is worth the $60 alone.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Hit up a yard sale yesterday and picked up this Craftsman block grinder for $50. It’s missing the light, but for the money not too bad.

Dude, you score a 1 hp block on a pedestal stand for $50 and it’s “all right “?. You did fantastic! That’s a $300 unit. Certainly is a major you ****!

 

[Provincial]

Another **** for cmccuist1!

 

[bubinga]

So, three weeks ago I picked up a Pyrene 1-Quart Hand Fire Extinguisher, posted here. It had the well-deserved tarnish of several decades, but was otherwise in great shape. Except... Except for the rough, crusty green-blue stain down one side of what I can only assume was a long-ago Carbon tetrachloride leak. It began to annoy me, so I tried very gently to wash it away. Soap and water, of course, did nothing.
I upped my game to Brasso. Nada. 600 grit sandpaper was showing a little bit of promise but even using care and a wood sanding block I was worried I would scratch it, so I stopped. Back to the Brasso with a little more forcefulness.

As usual, the combination of forcefulness and frustration led to carelessness. When I wiped the Brasso off, I saw some glaring brightness next to the stain. In the words of Ripley to Newt, "I made a clean spot here. Now I've done it. Guess I'll have to do the whole thing."

Grrrr. Went after the stain with the sandpaper then got out the red Tripoli, fired up the Block and buffed everything but the label. I've seen too many brass labels shining like the sun with no hint of ink/paint to bring out the print. I gingerly used a little Blue Magic and then nearly **** myself as all this black started coming off! Cursing, I quickly wiped it off, expecting the worst, only to realize it was just doing a number on the tarnish. Thankful but wary, I went even more gingerly, and stopped when I couldn't trust it or myself anymore. You can see the label doesn't have quite the luster of the canister--but all the black is there!!

Just thought I would share.

That Unit looks GREAT!!

 

[bubinga]

Dude, you score a 1 hp block on a pedestal stand for $50 and it’s “all right “?. You did fantastic! That’s a $300 unit. Certainly is a major you ****!

Fixed it for Y'a.
"Dude, you stoled a 1 hp block on a pedestal stand for $50 and it’s “all right “?. You did fantastic! That’s a $300 unit. Certainly, is a major you ****"!

 

[Madjik Man]

I just don't get it. Where you all live you show up to a garage sale and there's all sorts of tools there ranging from vintage to awesome new deals.

I show up to garage sales here and I find an 1980s hot air popcorn maker and grandpa's old clothes.

 

[Old Radar]

I just don't get it. Where you all live you show up to a garage sale and there's all sorts of tools there ranging from vintage to awesome new deals.

I show up to garage sales here and I find an 1980s hot air popcorn maker and grandpa's old clothes.

You don't indicate where you live, but I would guess it's not in a major metropolitan area where the odds are greater. My folks lived out in the piney woods of NC and I can vouch for the complete dearth of sales in their area--tools or not!

 

[Cruzan80]

Most of mine are Estate Sales, simply due to the quantity of pictures. I can make sure the ones I go to have something I am interested in. Hence why I was up at 7am, headed out for a 10am opening sale.

Found these Crescent "Hammer-in-Handle" screwdrivers at one today (both 4 and 5"), along with a "duplicate" of an earlier post. Same era as these, that had some research done *hint, hint*

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found these Crescent "Hammer-in-Handle" screwdrivers at one today...

Now THAT is worthy of me pulling out this...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You guys know I have found some rare and interesting antique and vintage tools in the wild over the years, but the Crescent folding screwdrivers have eluded me!

 

[ecotec]

Like Cruzan80, my plan is usually based on estate sale pictures. Today, I went to an estate sale with a TON of cool stuff. It was priced so high that I did not buy any of it. What I found today was from garage sales on the way home.

I usually plan on getting street numbers for a couple sales (a 9am and a 10am, usually). After I get street numbers, I hit garage sales until I get back to the first sale and get in line. After the first sale, time permitting, I hit garage sales on the way to the second sale. After the second sale, I hit garage sales on the way home.

I rarely go to estate sales lately. I am flush with tools, and I do not resell tools.

Honestly… what got me out today was a 2ish feet tall chalkware Elvis bust… but they wanted $150 for it.

 

[bmwrd0]

I both collect and resell tools, so I am always on the lookout. Mostly through Craigslist, and I check estatesales.net. Never had any luck with Facebook. But, I tend to stick to where I am going and don't really look for other sales. Start at the furthest away, and work my way home. And a lot of it is miss, but the hits are often quite good. So, that is all that is really to it. And I don't live in an area with a history of industry, or in a large city.

 

[Outlawmws]

As said it' s all about the planning. if you just cruse around aimlessly, you are less likely to find the good stuff. pics help, but sometimes a few key words will get a place on my route.

Can TOO's pay off? Sure, but it's just ones on my route that I'll go take a drive by. many are a waist. but its a fast, painless waste.

 

[Madjik Man]

You don't indicate where you live, but I would guess it's not in a major metropolitan area where the odds are greater. My folks lived out in the piney woods of NC and I can vouch for the complete dearth of sales in their area--tools or not!

Denver metro area.

 

[Cruzan80]

So for example, I am also Denver. Take a look at estatesales.net, check out Lovely Lakewood and Antiques, Trucks and Auto (more the first one), and see if you can figure out what brought me there.

Overall, will post the total haul later today/tomorrow.

We can talk more over PM, if you want. I have figured out quite a bit about how to leverage all the info to our advantage.

 

[bmwrd0]

I found what seemed like four good stops today. Now, Thursday is always a crapshoot, but I have been taking myself out for breakfast on that day for years now, so I have always followed it up with a search.


First stop was originally going to be my last one, but I flipped it at the last moment. And here I found tools, just not much I was interested in. The 3/4" Select combo goes to a set I am working on, as does the socket. The Bog brace I found yesterday and forgot about in my excitement. The next two stops were not productive, but they were between the first and last stop. They mentioned tools, but there was nothing of interest.
The fourth stop looked to be a bust. Lots of rocks(?) and some general household items and clothes. But then I spied a couple of tool boxes and a box of rusty junk, and here is what I found:

I cherry-picked the tool boxes and ended up buying the whole thing of rusty "junk" and while I paid a little more than I wanted, I think I did pretty good. I found some 1-2-3 blocks (rusty but will work for me) a Brown and Sharp V-block and hold down, Starrett 56A surface gauge (red box in the pic, Starrett 134 test level, generic machinist square, and a Starrett protractor. Also, this is the junk box:

So far I have found mill hold downs, a fishtail, and what look to be a bunch of shop-made tooling. The seller told me his father, whose stuff this was, worked at Lockheed Martin, so, there you go. I do need to pick up some rust remover tomorrow though.

 

[alinc100]

Have this coming via Facebook Group. Also trading the seller for his star trek 1/4" Craftsman, my SK 1/4" ratchet. The Star Trek Craftsman fills a void in a set for me. The 1/2" drive set was the real find I believe.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Have this coming via Facebook Group. Also trading the seller for his star trek 1/4" Craftsman, my SK 1/4" ratchet. The Star Trek Craftsman fills a void in a set for me. The 1/2" drive set was the real find I believe.

Nice c series grab!

 

[LesserSon]

That breaker bar… maybe distortion at the edge of the photo, or my eyes, but IS it a flexhandle? Is it 3/4dr instead of 1/2dr?

EDIT - sorry, it WAS my eyes. Looks right to me now.

 

[LesserSon]

Yea, the pedestal was included! They were asking $60 and I talked them down to $50. So yea, I'm going to suffer in the underworld for all eternity. But it's worth it for a 1 HP block!

OMG! You ****! I paid $60 asking price for an identical-condition 1/2hp on stand a couple years ago, and it doesn’t have that heavy-duty base.

 

[freudianfloyd]

You don't indicate where you live, but I would guess it's not in a major metropolitan area where the odds are greater. My folks lived out in the piney woods of NC and I can vouch for the complete dearth of sales in their area--tools or not!

I have had better luck at yard sales in rural areas than I ever have in the cities or sub-divisions. You may have to drive further, but it seems that people in the country sell the stuff I like (tools, guns, etc.) whereas the people in the metropolitan areas sell collectibles, furniture, baby toys. I figured it was due to the more rural area sellers working more with their hands and the city slickers not so much. My grandpa (a world class yard sale expert) gave me a piece of advise that actually seems to be true more often then not, "if you see golf clubs for sale, just keep driving". Now of course if you want golf clubs or similar items, this would not work for you.

 

[Davefr]

I just don't get it. Where you all live you show up to a garage sale and there's all sorts of tools there ranging from vintage to awesome new deals.

I show up to garage sales here and I find an 1980s hot air popcorn maker and grandpa's old clothes.

That's not entirely true. You read about the great finds but rarely does someone post about the duds. (and there are plenty of them). Here are some tips:

1. Do research using a few key words and create a plan. Grade the g-sale candidates and follow the plan from best to worst. If you encounter unadvertised sales swing by but quickly go back to working your plan.
2. Older blue collar/established neighborhoods are usually best along with semi-rural. Avoid newer starter home neighborhoods unless you want baby ****.
3. Estate sales where the family runs them are often great. Professional estate sales can be a huge waste of time but there are plenty of exceptions. We have our list of estate sale companies from good to bad.
4. Get to the best candidates as close to when they open as possible. If a sale is to die for, then go early and get in line. The early bird gets the worm.

Have fun. It's entertainment!! "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" .

 

[RTM]

It never hurts to look where the worker who founded the city’s industrial core live / lived. I live near SFO, and there were two neighborhoods where a lot of the airplane mechanics lived. They get extra attention.

Get there early.

Look under tables.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Location does matter. Living in an older, heavily industrialized state helps. Living near working ports helps. Living in an area of a less populated more rural state with an industry (e.g., oil) helps. Living near military bases helps. And, there are parts of the country whose dearth in vintage tools and stuff cannot be overcome with all the planning in the world. I've said this before, but all the upfront research and planning required to optimize estate sale hunting is most of the reason I gave up on estate sales a long time ago. Too much prep work, with too little payoff. For me. I understand that for others it's all part of the hobby and I can appreciate that as I read their stories. Luckily, flea markets here in NJ and eastern PA are like antique and vintage tools smorgasbords. You never know what's on the menu. You never know what you're going to find. And that's part of the appeal for me. LesserSon's, among a few others, is very close to my approach for many of the same reasons. It's the diversity that has always made the thread good.

Which brings me to some advice I have said before...
You can't look what anyone else is posting here on the GS thread and try to replicate it. Goals and aesthetics are vastly different. Some guys are all quantity. Some guys are all quality. Some guys are all modern and for use. Some guys are antique and vintage for collecting only. For some guys, it's only about the deal. For others, price is irrelevant - it's all about the rarity or unusualness of the find.

Lastly, "competing" can be unnecessarily offputting. Newbies should ignore the ***** and the ****-tallying, which is a very recent thing, believe it or not. If you're picking for *****, you're not picking for yourself. Find what you like however you can and chances are it will be appreciated and admired by someone.

 

[bmwrd0]

Also, take all of our advice with a grain of salt. What works in one area, for one person, may not hold true for other areas with other hunters. For instance, I don't go to farm sales, unless they are clearing out the entire estate. Why? Farmers are cheap and tend to hang on to what works. So, I have never found good stuff at good prices at those sales. But, that is just me. Also, I avoid family-run estate sales generally, as I have come across too much "oh, that was Johnny's, so it isn't for sale" for my tastes. But, again, that is just me.

When I lived in Sacramento, and then the Bay Area, there were a variety of weekly or daily flea markets, and estate sales were an afterthought for me. But, when I moved back to the PNW, I found flea markets to be an, at best, monthly affair and more likely specialized and yearly. But, garage sales tended to be two or three days long, and estate sales were much more common. Some areas of the country have auctions as the way estates are settled, or, if you lived near Private Lugnutz, clearout companies seem to be the case. All of which is to say that there are as many ways to find this "rusty gold" as there are people out there. But the common denominator for the steady hands at this is an enjoyment of the hunt. I have done this with Smokeshow, Provincial, Lugnutz, and others over the years, and the joy that comes from finding this stuff is the same for all of us: getting up early, getting our hands dirty, digging into old boxes, and a sense of wonder.

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

It never hurts to look where the worker who founded the city’s industrial core live / lived. I live near SFO, and there were two neighborhoods where a lot of the airplane mechanics lived. They get extra attention.

Get there early.

Look under tables.

No worries if you don’t want to say, but which neighborhoods are these? I’m on the other side of the bay so don’t go to San Francisco garage sales often but once in a while I’m there on a weekend and check some out.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Also, take all of our advice with a grain of salt. What works in one area, for one person, may not hold true for other areas with other hunters. For instance, I don't go to farm sales, unless they are clearing out the entire estate. Why? Farmers are cheap and tend to hang on to what works. So, I have never found good stuff at good prices at those sales. But, that is just me. Also, I avoid family-run estate sales generally, as I have come across too much "oh, that was Johnny's, so it isn't for sale" for my tastes. But, again, that is just me.

When I lived in Sacramento, and then the Bay Area, there were a variety of weekly or daily flea markets, and estate sales were an afterthought for me. But, when I moved back to the PNW, I found flea markets to be an, at best, monthly affair and more likely specialized and yearly. But, garage sales tended to be two or three days long, and estate sales were much more common. Some areas of the country have auctions as the way estates are settled, or, if you lived near Private Lugnutz, clearout companies seem to be the case. All of which is to say that there are as many ways to find this "rusty gold" as there are people out there. But the common denominator for the steady hands at this is an enjoyment of the hunt. I have done this with Smokeshow, Provincial, Lugnutz, and others over the years, and the joy that comes from finding this stuff is the same for all of us: getting up early, getting our hands dirty, digging into old boxes, and a sense of wonder.

Well said! Be true to yourself and do it for the thrill first and formost and don’t be afraid to dig or check in places others may not. I have found good stuff in drawers, tool boxes and under tables just because I took the time to open them and look.

 

[Outlawmws]

Also look on the wall and in corners, things get hung or tucked away, and sometimes bypassed, adn don't be afraid to ask - I got a vise today because I asked.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Today's haul (Lugz 2022_35)...



...includes a wartime Long C Craftsman (H) 3/8-inch drive ratchet and a New Britain 3/8-inch drive extension from the same era, because they're not terribly common, and someone will need them, a set of Williams Superrench dwarfie 6-point ignition DBE's, and two antique magneto wrenches (one fits REMY, one fits EISEMANN), because I can't resist tiny tools or ignition wrenches, a crude, bulky DOE wrench I only picked up because it has a very early Herbrand logo, and a No. 1 Stix-On adjustable wrench, because I found a No. 2 Stix-On a few years ago, and it's still the only one I have ever seen on GJ. They are very rare, but obscure, so not terribly valuable as a collectible. It's just the kind of thing that only me and a handful of collectors here would get a kick out of and that's enough for me. More photos of that on the 'Oddfellows' thread shortly.

 

[Outlawmws]

here is the vise (one stop so far, got another later in the AM, but I've been there before...) Simplex 33 combo by Ridge tool:



And the other stuff: Pexto Snips, Sandvik Hacksaw, Combos, Proto, Indestro, SK DBE, Diamond NN, Keen Kuttwer Dividers, Bat Pen, Feeler gauge (MIA for the pic), Wood Stubby, MAC & KAL carb adjsuters, Proto LA brake spoon.Prybar, Cyl hone, and Brake cleaner.

$40 all

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Also look on the wall and in corners, things get hung or tucked away, and sometimes bypassed, adn don't be afraid to ask - I got a vise today because I asked.

I don't know why but it shocks me every time it works lol. I never used to tell them when they ask what I'm looking for. I'm not shy now. In fact I have a line on a few vises from one sale in the works just because I asked. Great tip @Outlawmws !

 

[Old Radar]

I just don't get it. Where you all live you show up to a garage sale and there's all sorts of tools there ranging from vintage to awesome new deals.

I show up to garage sales here and I find an 1980s hot air popcorn maker and grandpa's old clothes.

So, Madjik, let me explain--no, there is too much--let me sum up. You can see by the variety of advise given in all the responses, that there is no single madjik formula that works for everyone. It is very much like nature, in that there are predators and prey that fill every niche in a given environment. Transport a particular predator out of his natural environment and his habitual methods may fail him, so he has to either adapt or die. If your garage sailing methods aren't working for you in your current environment, consider adapting to one or more of the methods outlined by the apex predators above. Good luck and good hunting!

 

[Outlawmws]

Haha, Yep, OR,s "Predator" simile is good. -Man is a hunter-gatherer. its instinctive. we just adapt and apply it in other places. I hunt and fish, but I also hunt for "stuff" that interests me. and adaptation is key!


I did get to that other sale, and I did find one thing I was willing to part $$ for. (I passed on a $50 purple insulator...)

This one isn't a steal at $20, but Its also in pristine condition and the etching is great:




Based on this I'm assuming 30's:



Medallion reads: * WARRANTED * SUPERIOR -Any of the saw collectors know the maker?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Based in this I'm assuming 30's:

I believe the wavy Craftsman logo could be late 20's. Put it this way, it's my understanding it was their first logo, for the non-mechanics tools Sears, Roebuck first offered under this brand. Before the oval with stars logo. As we have discussed on your Long C thread because we don't really have a pre-Long C thread.

Nice find!

 

[Provincial]

I'm giving Outlaw a **** for his $40 haul. Nice picking!

 

[d42jeep]

Very lean day in the Tahoe basin but we came home with a few things. We also found a couple of things for the 5 yr old granddaughter (not pictured).
-Don
I really like these DeWalt 7.2v screwdrivers. It will need some new batteries. The tarp hadn’t been out of the package. The recipro blade holder is the second one I’ve found recently.