2023 Garage Sale Thread

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

@S-K Tool Fanatic!

Is there a MFR name on the blue box?

I'm pretty sure I have one of those jigsaws (was my Dad's). B&D?

Mike

Here’s a pic of the sticker on the box.

Yup the saw is a B&D, it’s spoken for.

 

[tombell572]

Visited a sale today containing incredibly vast collections of tools, early radios, test equipment, vacuum tubes, flashlights, lanterns, blow torches, early signs and an unknown number of other accumulations. Two tag sale companies had teamed up to run this 4-day sale that was advertised as Part 2 although I must have missed adds for Part 1 last week. I felt the prices were mostly fair--not giving away anything but not crazy money either. I would call the condition of most everything with some nice standouts from fair to good. I limited myself to four items: a Stanley 112 block plane, common but in very nice condition, a Sargent low angle block plane with lever cap, my favorite find--a Stanley 113 circular plane and an unusual Millers Falls breast drill that allows adjustment of the frame angle. The patent date is 1890 and I'm still trying to identify the model number. Pictures are as I found them with no cleaning yet. An item I struggled not to by only because I have one was a beautiful Walker Turner 14" band saw priced at $150. It looked clean and complete. These saws typically go for several times more--it will be a great find for someone. My total cost for the lot was $60.

Tom B.

 

[RTM]

Visited a sale today containing incredibly vast collections of tools, early radios, test equipment, vacuum tubes, flashlights, lanterns, blow torches, early signs and an unknown number of other accumulations. Two tag sale companies had teamed up to run this 4-day sale that was advertised as Part 2 although I must have missed adds for Part 1 last week. I felt the prices were mostly fair--not giving away anything but not crazy money either.

I suspect I was there as well. Saw the post from Davefr about a certain Wilton vise, so I figured I’d try to swing by on my vacation. By the way, one of those running the sale said the Wilton was first thing out the gate, guy was struggling under the weight bringing it up front, but got it for $125


Got there at 145, stayed there for about 45 minutes. Tried to limit myself to a bunch of smalls, as I have to drag all this back to SF in a few days, so I avoided the big goodies. Agreed on the pricing, tho I thought the planes were more than I wanted to spend for stuff I already had copies of.

Here are the goodies I grabbed, lots of name brands, and a few items that looked well made without names. First off, a set of six Mechanics Tool & Forge (predecessor to MAC?), in a roll holder, a Yankee 35 IOB, with three bits, a Carborundum stone, a finishing stone, and a Huot small drill case.



Next, a bunch of pliers shaped stuff, some Krauter, Diamond on the left, an SK vise grip on top, three sets of ignition pliers, by SK, MW, and made in USA, Channellocks, unmarked and Snap-on.



Next up, screwdriver shaped stuff, including XCelite drivers, Starrett auto punch in Aluminum?, Goodell Pratt multi driver, couple of oddballs, ratcheting drivers by Yankee, Millers Falls, abd Craftsmman ( needs work), Proto shorty, Edelman multi nesting screwdriver , multiple unmarked screwdrivers, maybe a Bell Systems too, PH type screwdriver, and a bunch of drill bits in a wooden tube.





Next up is a couple of decent suitcase handles, Bell Systems screwdriver, 4 brass hinges from a huge box, wooden vise or press screw.



Final items from this sale include. Armstrong pin hook wrench, SK extensions, two Japanese planes, Pomy, B&C and Kant a twist small clamps, metal Travelers a friend tube, novelty wrench, Craftsman tap holder, craftsman pocket scribe, two framing square stops, a nut splitter, 6” Diamond adjustable, and a flat pin wrench.



Then, I ran off to an antique store I thought I’d seen something of interest at in April, only to realized I had missed the 1 in front of what I thought was a good price. Instead, I rummaged thru some stuff in the back, and got a good price on a Yankee #100 tool set, complete. Only apologies are a chip missing from the blade holder, and the exterior is a bit grungy.

Years ago a gave the box for one as part of a Secret Santa exchange, and scored 90% of a complete #106 set, so the radar has been on high to fill them out.





All in all a fun day, scored some trade bait, filled some gaps, and created more things to work on.. Didn’t think to holler “any GJ people here?” Or asking for those who knew what “our statement of a good score was”, ( didn’t want pandering charges to deal with. )

Will start detailing these in the individual tool threads.

 

[WisJim]

an unusual Millers Falls breast drill that allows adjustment of the frame angle. The patent date is 1890 and I'm still trying to identify the model number. Pictures are as I found them with no cleaning yet. My total cost for the lot was $60.

Tom B.

That drill is a McClellan patent, not a Millers Falls. McClellan used M-F chucks on some of his tools, hence the confusion. They typically sell for $150 and up, so you **** on this deal! https://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?id=6026&set=4

 

[mikeinri]

I suspect I was there as well. Saw the post from Davefr about a certain Wilton vise, so I figured I’d try to swing by on my vacation. By the way, one of those running the sale said the Wilton was first thing out the gate, guy was struggling under the weight bringing it up front, but got it for $125


Got there at 145, stayed there for about 45 minutes. Tried to limit myself to a bunch of smalls, as I have to drag all this back to SF in a few days, so I avoided the big goodies. Agreed on the pricing, tho I thought the planes were more than I wanted to spend for stuff I already had copies of.

Here are the goodies I grabbed, lots of name brands, and a few items that looked well made without names. First off, a set of six Mechanics Tool & Forge (predecessor to MAC?), in a roll holder, a Yankee 35 IOB, with three bits, a Carborundum stone, a finishing stone, and a Huot small drill case.



Next, a bunch of pliers shaped stuff, some Krauter, Diamond on the left, an SK vise grip on top, three sets of ignition pliers, by SK, MW, and made in USA, Channellocks, unmarked and Snap-on.



Next up, screwdriver shaped stuff, including XCelite drivers, Starrett auto punch in Aluminum?, Goodell Pratt multi driver, couple of oddballs, ratcheting drivers by Yankee, Millers Falls, abd Craftsmman ( needs work), Proto shorty, Edelman multi nesting screwdriver , multiple unmarked screwdrivers, maybe a Bell Systems too, PH type screwdriver, and a bunch of drill bits in a wooden tube.





Next up is a couple of decent suitcase handles, Bell Systems screwdriver, 4 brass hinges from a huge box, wooden vise or press screw.



Final items from this sale include. Armstrong pin hook wrench, SK extensions, two Japanese planes, Pomy, B&C and Kant a twist small clamps, metal Travelers a friend tube, novelty wrench, Craftsman tap holder, craftsman pocket scribe, two framing square stops, a nut splitter, 6” Diamond adjustable, and a flat pin wrench.



Then, I ran off to an antique store I thought I’d seen something of interest at in April, only to realized I had missed the 1 in front of what I thought was a good price. Instead, I rummaged thru some stuff in the back, and got a good price on a Yankee #100 tool set, complete. Only apologies are a chip missing from the blade holder, and the exterior is a bit grungy.

Years ago a gave the box for one as part of a Secret Santa exchange, and scored 90% of a complete #106 set, so the radar has been on high to fill them out.





All in all a fun day, scored some trade bait, filled some gaps, and created more things to work on.. Didn’t think to holler “any GJ people here?” Or asking for those who knew what “our statement of a good score was”, ( didn’t want pandering charges to deal with. )

Will start detailing these in the individual tool threads.

Wow, that estate sale looked incredible!

Nice find on the complete Yankee set. How rare are those?

Mike

 

[RTM]

Nice find on the complete Yankee set. How rare are those?

First I’ve seen complete in the wild. Got the box for the SS gift in 2007, and have only seen them on tool seller’s sites since. Not even seen at dedicated tool sale / swaps. I’d put them at Fairly Rare.

 

[WisJim]

RTM, you **** too, for that Yankee 100 and many of those other tools.

 

[saukit]

does the snappy stuff have any value? Seems kind of useless to me being 9/32 drive and all. It also came with a cool little 1/4 hex drive ratchet, and a 9/32 adapter drive plug thing.

The WWII era 9/32 snap on stuff sells well on ebay. A full set with box will usually go upward of $100. There's also a lot of single sockets posted in the $10-15 range but I have no idea whether they actually sell. I wouldn't pay that much for one unless I really wanted to complete a set and I only needed one or two...

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

I’m not attached to the snappy stuff, open to trades.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

ext up is a couple of decent suitcase handles

Always an automatic grab for me and others collecting 40's or earlier toolboxes with mangled deteriorating handles they are looking to replace.

...a set of six Mechanics Tool & Forge

Terrific find!

(predecessor to MAC?)

TL;DR: Same company.

More: When "MAC" was formally registered as a trademark (#439,367) on July 22, 1948, their trademark application, which can be read on the USPTO site by clicking on this link here, stated that the "MAC" name had been "continuously used and applied to said goods in applicant's business in interstate commerce since January of 1939." Twertsy and I have postulated that it comes from the "Mc" in Ralph McPherson, the founder. You will see others, including AA, erroneously say it came later, in 1951, from an amalgamation of the "M" in Mechanics Tool & Forge, the "A" in MAC Allied Tools, and the "C" in Clinton Tools, three inter-related companies all owned and started by McPherson for different but associated reasons, because of that appearing graphically in bold letters on the cover of the 1951 catalog. Regardless of how neatly this acronym may seem to work out, it was without any doubt a post facto marketing ploy. A handy and coincidental bit of wordplay to bind the companies together on paper. The facts do not support it. The Mechanics Tool & Forge Company was established in 1938. Clinton Tools and MAC Allied Tools were not formed until the mid 1940's. The name "MAC" cannot have been invented as an acronym from their names (and used "since January of 1939") before they were started.

See MAC thread for more.

a Yankee #100 tool set, complete.

AYFKM?! In the same haul as an early MAC wrench roll? Dude, I've been tracking your hauls for a few years. I could be wrong. But this one might take the cake so far.

 

[mikeinri]

Nice find on the complete Yankee set. How rare are those?

Mike

First I’ve seen complete in the wild. Got the box for the SS gift in 2007, and have only seen them on tool seller’s sites since. Not even seen at dedicated tool sale / swaps. I’d put them at Fairly Rare.

I love the modesty, LOL. You ****!

Mike

 

[Old Radar]

and some 9/32 drive snap-on stuff, does the snappy stuff have any value? Seems kind of useless to me being 9/32 drive and all. It also came with a cool little 1/4 hex drive ratchet, and a 9/32 adapter drive plug thing.

The WWII era 9/32 snap on stuff sells well on ebay. A full set with box will usually go upward of $100. There's also a lot of single sockets posted in the $10-15 range but I have no idea whether they actually sell. I wouldn't pay that much for one unless I really wanted to complete a set and I only needed one or two...

Pffft! Don't listen to saukit! Nobody wants that ****. Send them to me so I can use them as sinkers when I go fishing.

 

[3jakes]

Today started out with a disappointment.
On marketplace was a yard sale with photos of a large pile of orange 14 or 12 gauge extension cords 50 or 100'.
Since it was an hour away, I messaged asking the price for the cords.
The ladies response was $3.00.
I made the drive this morning got there 15 minutes early only to have her say that last night a man came & bought all the cords.
(as I had hoped to do...) rats!
There was plenty of other stuff for sale however at good prices.
But she said no picking, If it was priced as a lot, must take all.
First this pile of bar clamps, for $40.00
Pair of Jorjensen, 2 pair HF aluminum, a pair of HF pipe clamps.
12" Swanson & Starrett squares, Pair of Craftsman quick corner clamps. & a lot of whatnot.

There was a Craftsman cheapo bottom cab with a price sticker of $100.00
I took that as well.
It was filled with mostly HF Stuff that will become fodder to flip at the Fleamarket.

And for $2.00 this nice shape Coleman big hat 228J

At another stop found a mixed lot of SK sockets & Ford caps that I got for $15.00

Kind of a nasty day to drive around in the rain & drizzle, but here in near drought Pennsyltucky I am grateful for the wet!

 

[bmwrd0]

TomBell and RTM I saw the ads for that sale, and decided to pass on it. It looked a little too... polished for my tastes. But, like all things, I probably should have made it. But, today and tomorrow at Powerland is the big Branch 15 swap, and I will be there bright and early.

By the way, RTM, you helped me fill my Yankee set box, that I picked up at a B15 swap a few years ago!

 

[alinc100]

One estate sale today on my way home from work netted the PowrKraft linesmans,a Wizard 1/2" combo,a Ford DOE,and Willams? DOE.

 

[alinc100]

Also awaiting a 5:30 appointment to help a co-worker pick this box up. I had mentioned I contacted the seller and was waiting to hear and showed my co-worker the ad. He blurted out he'd really like to buy that so i'm just the intermediate...I'll let him have some joy.

 

[mikeinri]

@3jakes You **** for the lantern and S-K sockets!

Mike

 

[tombell572]

RTM---that was indeed the same sale. I saw the Wilton vise when I got there yesterday. It was in the back yard mounted to what could have been a piece of water main with a steel plate on each end, possibly 6 inch jaws, seemed in nice shape. That Yankee screw driver set you have is a sweet item.

WisJim--thank you for the identity info on the drill. I had got through all the breast drill material on the Millers Falls page on oldtoolsheaven.com and didn't see anything close. It appears that it would originally have had a chain attached.

Tom B.

 

[WisJim]

Tom, the chain for the McClellan drill wasn't actually attached, but was loose. I've never seen one that still had the original chain, so I'm not sure exactly what it would have been like. A lot of similar tools (chain drills) used what I always called "sash chain" or something similar, sort of a flat link chain. And some used various other types of chain. Chain drills, whether as a drill accessory or a complete drill, are a favorite of mine, and I might have 15 or 20 different examples.

 

[tombell572]

Thanks Jim, while it would have been nice to fine a proper chain laying in a corner it's nice to know it wasn't an integral attached part of the drill. This was in a pile of about a dozen breast drills that included Millers Falls, Goodell-Pratt, Yankee and probably others. I recall your posting some pictures of your collection--impressive to say the least

Tom B.

 

[WAS Jr]

Provincial beat me to it. You’ll go thru a bunch of drill bits installing aircraft driven rivets. Is everybody in your end of the country required to work for Boeing for a few years after high school?
Bill S

A #30 drill bit is the right size for a 1/8" rivet. Especially aluminum aircraft rivets.

 

[Provincial]

I see "_ _ _ _ ISH DRAIN WRENCH"

What makes the most sense there?

I was looking at Alloy Artifacts to research another item, and ran across the Herbrand 290 Clutch Drain Plug Wrench, which was used on:

"The 1935 Herbrand catalog 48-M lists this tool for Hudson and Essex service in the 1932 and 1933 model years, and also recommends it for Plymouth transmission plugs. The nominal sizes of the plugs are specified as 5/16 square and 7/16 hex, although the square plug on this example measured a little oversize at 0.33 inches."

 

[Outlawmws]

I could be wrong. But this one might take the cake so far.

I agree, rtm's haul *****!

And for $2.00 this nice shape Coleman big hat 228J

Lots of suckag here too but; really? I'm a fan of older big hats, but not 2 mantle lanterns generally, but that would have come home...

 

[3baygarage]

Nice work Provincial! I knew that looked familiar but couldn’t place it.

 

[d42jeep]

With nothing pressing but more yard cleanup, we decided to head over Luther Pass to Gardnerville NV where I spotted a decent looking estate sale and a couple more garage sales. We found some tools at the estate sale. Some Powr-Kraft screwdrivers and a wrench, a Starrett angle and Stanley bevel, a big Plomb Phillips and a couple Proto LA tools, some Xcelite nutdrivers and some =v= Craftsman wrenches
A garage sale out in the boonies produced some interesting tools. A file and wood chisel handle, a 14” Vlchek auto wrench, a decent 12” carbon steel Crescent wrench, oddball Visegrips and a Danielson Stillson wrench.


I cleaned up a few tools and took more pictures

-Don

 

[jeffmoss26]

Today’s restore haul.
Klein and Channellock hammers; Vaco, Xcelite, and Craftsman screwdrivers; a neat DBE and a Snap-on ratcheting screwdriver for 14 bucks and change

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

Today’s restore haul.
Klein and Channellock hammers; Vaco, Xcelite, and Craftsman screwdrivers; a neat DBE and a Snap-on ratcheting screwdriver for 14 bucks and change

wow good finds all around and especially like the channellock hammer but I have to say you **** for finding a snap on ratcheting screwdriver that cheap!

 

[Smokeshow69]

TomBell and RTM I saw the ads for that sale, and decided to pass on it. It looked a little too... polished for my tastes. But, like all things, I probably should have made it. But, today and tomorrow at Powerland is the big Branch 15 swap, and I will be there bright and early.

By the way, RTM, you helped me fill my Yankee set box, that I picked up at a B15 swap a few years ago!

Oh Man I hope you find some good stuff! As for me, I'm being a responsible adult and having a sale of my own. I really wanted to go to that swap meet but I wanted to recover from my dogs $1700 vet bill even more My wife is sitting out here with me and is shocked at the amount of product I keep selling given the low investment cost. Needless to say she has become a fan of my tool acquisition habit

 

[Levaughn]

These are some items I picked up today at a yard Sale for $4.

- Santo #2364 1LB Hammer (Never heard of the brand. Couldn't find any information)
- Crow Bar
- Ball Peen Hammer (No Name)
- Sears & Roebuck # 4631 Quart Galvanize Measure

 

[LesserSon]

Smoke! That is exactly the look of a garage sale I would stop at!
So many baby clothes sales in my usual area, is why I typically prefer flea markets.

 

[misterbill]

Small $2 haul after braving a poorly run local estate sale. I only recognized the Snap-on GCP10 pliers from their shape as they were so rusty. Cleaned up nicely, though.




Bill

 

[Private Lugnutz]

oddball Visegrips

Botnick Motor Corporation, Don. A very wild interesting story in tools history. Short version is, owner of a Chevy dealership in Binghamton, NY was frustrated that no vise-grips, including Petersen, had parallel jaws or pre-sets for standard size openings. So he designed his own. And he didn't stop there. Also designed very simple but effective ratcheting hex bit wrenches and screwdrivers. And then got into pedal cars that became part of the BMX empire. We have a very good thread with more to the story and many more examples. See sticky index.

 

[Bockscar]

Just got it today for 25....amazing condition....the felt is in great condition and original key

 

[3jakes]

Small $2 haul after braving a poorly run local estate sale. I only recognized the Snap-on GCP10 pliers from their shape as they were so rusty. Cleaned up nicely, though.




Bill

A **** for the grease/dust cup pliers at a buck.
Looks like they may have been using it as a tent stake next to the ocean.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

Rainy Saturday in NY yielded a rain or shine estate sale boasting tools. Nothing earth shattering but you had to pick through a lot of junk. I grabbed two Dodge wheel covers (Dart?), one single Vise Grip, a CMAN ball pein, NOS block of Bell System wiring solder, Blue Point 3/4" S-9594-B Chevy head bolt wrench, Walden Spintites holder with 3/16" (X's 2), 5/16", 11/32" (X's 2), and a 7/16". Not sure which ones would be missing as the /32" threw me off, and an old NYPD left handed holster. Has a patent # of 3168972. Need to do some research. All had for $20.Spintites before clean up.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I will start the unconventional story of my non-standard haul (Lugz 2023_21) post with this.

Me (rained out): grumble grumble grumble

Dear Daughter #2 / Kid #4 of 5 (24YO): "Dad, wanna go with me to a huge used book sale in Freehold?"

Me (suddenly interested): "How huge?"

Her: "It says 30,000 books."


I don't know how she found out about it. I don't know how I've managed to live here for 35 years and not know about it. But it was amazing. Son # 3 / Kid #5 of 5 (20YO) went with us. My still-in-college "babies".

Hosted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), it's a fundraiser for scholarships that has been held in the hall of the same church on Main Street since 1973! Pictures attached as thumbnails below tell the story.

I won't expound too much. I know many of us like our books, and they're not always tool/garage related material, but we usually show them with tools and other relevant stuff, so I'll keep it short before @Smokeshow69 has the awkward and dishonorable displeasure of having to admonish a Hostus emeritus about the rules!


It was the operation, the organization, the size and the set-up that made me think it was worthy of sharing here, at least the basics. And this is a national organization, so maybe some of you guys have already picked one before somewhere else.

Day 1, Thursday, there were no books for sale. You paid $10 to go through and look around. How cool is that! I'm not a big Estate Sale guy, but I've been to enough to know that this was akin to perusing photos online to get an idea of what stuff is there and where it's located.

Day 2, Friday, hardbacks were $2, paperbacks $1. No limit.

Day 3, today, you paid $5 for a paper bag, grocery store size, donated by Trader Joe's, and you could fill that up as much as it would hold.

I can't even imagine how much work it took to receive the donated books in cardboard boxes, and sort them by fiction and non-fiction, and by author and topic as much as possible within that. Fiction was upstairs in a huge room under the roof. Non-Fiction was in several rooms downstairs.

This was the handy layout...



It was so overwhelming I went from trying to go through in the more or less orderly fashion my kids were rolling their eyes about me strategizing with them on the ride there (listening to RHCP, one of the handful of bands we all have some common aesthetics for...), to just total frenzy free for all, bopping around, revisiting rooms, etc.

As I said, I'm not going to take up too much space, but I was very pleased.



On the left are some novels I have either never read but wanted to or have read but don't own, including a few 1st Editions (Hunt for Red October, Heretics of Dune, and Pearl Buck's The Good Earth), and some gifts for Dear Daughter #1 / Kid #2 of 5, who is a big Jennifer Egan and Downton Abbey fan.

On the right a modern illustrated printing of Candide, some classic collectible pulp fiction Pocket Books, and some interesting history books, including the one on the left here that has some relevance to GS thread and picking...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

NOS block of Bell System wiring solder,

Shhhweeeeeet!! So jealous. That would make a cool paperweight or accent piece to any good Bell collection. Bravo!

 

[Outlawmws]

Smoke! That is exactly the look of a garage sale I would stop at!

Ditto! My kind of sale!

Not sure which ones would be missing

I'm guessing the 3/8. Nice finds! Afgree with Lugz on the BS Solder!

Lug'z cool story and something to remember for next year! Nice finds on the Books!

 

[unkqty]

Kobalt 3000 series 41"x41"x18" 11-drawer rollaround tool chest
Needed another box like a hole in the head, but - in a moment of weakness (smh) - for $30... just couldn't help myself...
I need help...

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Smoke! That is exactly the look of a garage sale I would stop at!
So many baby clothes sales in my usual area, is why I typically prefer flea markets.

Ditto