Lump
Well-known member
I said I would quit buying tools for a few weeks, until I got the others all sorted out, cleaned, etc. Said that to wife, but she just rolled her eyes and grinned at me, saying something like, "Yeah RIGHT!" Then she asked if I had seen the upcoming estate sale for today, listing tools. 
So early this morning I hit the road.
When I got there, I started making a pile to one side; confirming that the seller would agree to work up a package price if I bought a lot. (this helps me move faster than other buyers...I can always put items back later, after considering more carefully. But if someone else already bought an item...it's gone! This system worked well this time, as the seller kept shooing people away from my pile while I kept looking, even though we had not yet set a final price.
)
At first glance, many items seemed high. The seller told me that someone had already bought some tools, so I thought I was screwed. But then I started looking more closely at some items.
The deceased person had been the head of a physics lab at Wright Patterson AFB, and used to repair TV's and other electronic equipment on the side. He had meters and diagnostic equipment all over the place. Everyone kept commenting that this stuff was out of date, and just passed it by. So seller kept announcing to everyone that she was lowering her pricing on all the electronic diagnostic equipment. She did this several times over a few minute span. Eventually I stopped to check them out. Right away some of those "obsolete electronics" caught my eye. They were automotive!
Check out this "Regulator testor", in an old box that looks original. (Is that KR number on the box a Snap On number?) Asking price? $5.
Vacuum gauge. Price $5.
Cardboard tray of "Obsolete Electronic stuff". Price: $5 for whole box. YEP!
Close up of dwell meter.
Close up of Tach.
Other interesting junk in box up close.
Borg Warner Mityvac vacuum pump, new in box. Note price on box.
Everyone was ignoring this puller, due to the $25 price tag. I took a closer look, and found a neat little box label inside the box. I just LOVE old tools in their original boxes!
Close-up photo of box label, found inside box.
Printed address info on box...different address than on the paper label in previous pic.
I didn't see the Snap On name on the actual puller anywhere, but didn't have time to look closely, and I haven't dismantled it yet. But this appears to be a date code, which would presumably interpret as July 1, 1966.
Here are some characters stamped into the side of the box. The lousy photo makes it hard to read them, but I THINK they are the same date-code letters found on the tool itself. If so, that's pretty cool, isn't it?
Like I said, I LOVE old tools in their original boxes.
Now, what am I going to do with a wire former? I don't know...but I'll think of something, I hope. Otherwise, the $1 investment was wasted!
Got a nice old Allen timing light too. I LOVE old tools in the orig box! Oh, I just said that?
Sorry.
Close up of side of box.
End of box with label. Note the date in pencil on the piece of white paper at top.
How 'bout this Blue Point Bushing and Bearing-Race driver set? (box, again!)
Check out this old Champion tool. Is it a vise? A clamp? Or maybe it is a clamp-vise? Either way, it was pretty nice.
Other side view shows it was made in Ohio. Cool.
This is the first older antifreeze tester of this type I have ever seen which was in good shape. Most of them have hard-frozen rubber balls, rusted middle sections, etc.
That wide white section with the chart on it is made of thin gage painted steel. Every one I ever found was rusted almost beyond recognition. This one is really nice.
Like all tool guys, I've seen a ton of those cheaply made stamped-steel socket sets. But I have NEVER seen a new set in the box. Have you? Now, what am I going to do with them? Anyone want to collect them?
Check out this cool Craftsman "Floating Motor Rail" device, in its original box. The box says it allows you to run multiple machines with one motor. Wonder how it works? Wonder HOW OLD it must be?
Bought this 8' long straight-edge "Cutting Guide" for $1. Couldn't believe price.
Backside still has label, which I tried to photo in the dark, so you could see how the tool was supposed to be used.
I know a lot of folks will think I'm out of my mind to buy a scissors jack for $5. But when I was a kid I had one just like this, and since my old hot rods were always broke down and I had no $$, I kept on just like this in the trunk, and used it constantly (with jack stands, of course!). It was perfect for me. It was light enough to carry around with me, it folded down very low to get under headers, etc. It raised up high enough to suit me, and was easy to operate.
It's made in the USA, and seems to be an older unit, of decent quality. I know I couldn't sell it for what I paid for it, but with several trailers, boats, atv's, etc, in the family, I just plain wanted it to use.
Here is a box for $2. Note the Blue Bird terminal spreaders in original pouch. They look unused. That's an old nickel-plated Walden-Worcester speeder in great shape. Yankee ratcheting screwdriver, Dunlap scraper, Blue Point screw-holder screwdriver, etc.
Did you see the flexible 3/8 extension in the box photo? It is brand new, unused. And this photo shows that it is a Snap On tool. Seems to be cad plated. Cool, huh?
I have more stuff to add later, but it's late, so $1 box above is last pic for tonight. There is a cute little metal oil can, a rivet set, a C-man King Pin bushing reamer, lots of bits, some high quality counter sinks, etc, etc.
There is MUCH more to this story. Stay tuned, although it may be Sunday night before I can continue it. Hope you enjoyed it so far.
So early this morning I hit the road.
When I got there, I started making a pile to one side; confirming that the seller would agree to work up a package price if I bought a lot. (this helps me move faster than other buyers...I can always put items back later, after considering more carefully. But if someone else already bought an item...it's gone! This system worked well this time, as the seller kept shooing people away from my pile while I kept looking, even though we had not yet set a final price.
)At first glance, many items seemed high. The seller told me that someone had already bought some tools, so I thought I was screwed. But then I started looking more closely at some items.
The deceased person had been the head of a physics lab at Wright Patterson AFB, and used to repair TV's and other electronic equipment on the side. He had meters and diagnostic equipment all over the place. Everyone kept commenting that this stuff was out of date, and just passed it by. So seller kept announcing to everyone that she was lowering her pricing on all the electronic diagnostic equipment. She did this several times over a few minute span. Eventually I stopped to check them out. Right away some of those "obsolete electronics" caught my eye. They were automotive!
Check out this "Regulator testor", in an old box that looks original. (Is that KR number on the box a Snap On number?) Asking price? $5.
Vacuum gauge. Price $5.
Cardboard tray of "Obsolete Electronic stuff". Price: $5 for whole box. YEP!
Close up of dwell meter.
Close up of Tach.
Other interesting junk in box up close.
Borg Warner Mityvac vacuum pump, new in box. Note price on box.
Everyone was ignoring this puller, due to the $25 price tag. I took a closer look, and found a neat little box label inside the box. I just LOVE old tools in their original boxes!
Close-up photo of box label, found inside box.
Printed address info on box...different address than on the paper label in previous pic.
I didn't see the Snap On name on the actual puller anywhere, but didn't have time to look closely, and I haven't dismantled it yet. But this appears to be a date code, which would presumably interpret as July 1, 1966.
Here are some characters stamped into the side of the box. The lousy photo makes it hard to read them, but I THINK they are the same date-code letters found on the tool itself. If so, that's pretty cool, isn't it?
Like I said, I LOVE old tools in their original boxes.
Now, what am I going to do with a wire former? I don't know...but I'll think of something, I hope. Otherwise, the $1 investment was wasted!
Got a nice old Allen timing light too. I LOVE old tools in the orig box! Oh, I just said that?
Sorry.
Close up of side of box.
End of box with label. Note the date in pencil on the piece of white paper at top.
How 'bout this Blue Point Bushing and Bearing-Race driver set? (box, again!)
Check out this old Champion tool. Is it a vise? A clamp? Or maybe it is a clamp-vise? Either way, it was pretty nice.
Other side view shows it was made in Ohio. Cool.
This is the first older antifreeze tester of this type I have ever seen which was in good shape. Most of them have hard-frozen rubber balls, rusted middle sections, etc.
That wide white section with the chart on it is made of thin gage painted steel. Every one I ever found was rusted almost beyond recognition. This one is really nice.
Like all tool guys, I've seen a ton of those cheaply made stamped-steel socket sets. But I have NEVER seen a new set in the box. Have you? Now, what am I going to do with them? Anyone want to collect them?
Check out this cool Craftsman "Floating Motor Rail" device, in its original box. The box says it allows you to run multiple machines with one motor. Wonder how it works? Wonder HOW OLD it must be?
Bought this 8' long straight-edge "Cutting Guide" for $1. Couldn't believe price.
Backside still has label, which I tried to photo in the dark, so you could see how the tool was supposed to be used.
I know a lot of folks will think I'm out of my mind to buy a scissors jack for $5. But when I was a kid I had one just like this, and since my old hot rods were always broke down and I had no $$, I kept on just like this in the trunk, and used it constantly (with jack stands, of course!). It was perfect for me. It was light enough to carry around with me, it folded down very low to get under headers, etc. It raised up high enough to suit me, and was easy to operate.
It's made in the USA, and seems to be an older unit, of decent quality. I know I couldn't sell it for what I paid for it, but with several trailers, boats, atv's, etc, in the family, I just plain wanted it to use.
Here is a box for $2. Note the Blue Bird terminal spreaders in original pouch. They look unused. That's an old nickel-plated Walden-Worcester speeder in great shape. Yankee ratcheting screwdriver, Dunlap scraper, Blue Point screw-holder screwdriver, etc.
Did you see the flexible 3/8 extension in the box photo? It is brand new, unused. And this photo shows that it is a Snap On tool. Seems to be cad plated. Cool, huh?
I have more stuff to add later, but it's late, so $1 box above is last pic for tonight. There is a cute little metal oil can, a rivet set, a C-man King Pin bushing reamer, lots of bits, some high quality counter sinks, etc, etc.
There is MUCH more to this story. Stay tuned, although it may be Sunday night before I can continue it. Hope you enjoyed it so far.
....dammit man......you must have a horseshoe up your ****.
So I bought the whole lot. And then she sold me the four sets of 10 ft high steel shelving that they were sitting on too...for another $10.