Free tools

[Fialaja]

What are some of the best tool scores you got for free?
I got a free drill when I bought my makita impact driver, and a free grinder and bit set with my Makita SDS...

My brother gave me his craftsman tool chest and a set of Matco screwdrivers
When he moved to VA.

A good friend gave me the tools her ex had left in her shed when she moved- scored a brand new set of craftsman 3/8 6 pt SAE sockets, a Proto wrench, some cheap Stanley thrifty screwdrivers, a cheap jack and ancient jack stands and ramps(very old, steel), a like new wheelbarrow and an old toro recycler mower.
(Plus a bunch of oil pans, funnels, and gas cans,)

So what are some of your better freebies?

 

[MTNSleder]

I found a mini screwdriver on the ground at homedept, than chucked it in the store.

 

[crewchief888]

couple years ago, a (very) young (and dumb) co-worker bought a couple lots of tools at estate sales.
he picked through the stuff for a while, and eventually tossed everything else in a scrap barrel...

i found 3 or 4 martin and SO body hammers, several pairs of older vice grips, several SO air hammer bits, and a bunch of misc sockets/wrenches.

they found a new home in my boxes....

 

[Boilerhouse]

These were given to me by my BIL a few months ago. The washer and weeder only needed fresh gas, and the timing was perfect as my electric versions had just died. The hand tools will be great at the cottage.

 

[shawndp]

The best free (and worst) tool for me was the Snap On SDD204 pocket screwdriver - it was the start of an addiction / shopping spree. I didn’t think a day goes by when I don’t use it.

 

[CJM8515]

free makita 4.5: grinder when buying the corded hammer drill. The drill was shite-friggin plastic chuck that didnt lock nice. It eventually was chucked, but the grinder eh shes good.

One time I was driving down the road and it was trash day. Seen a pile of tools/boxes. Guy musta been an industrial repairman at a factory. Clamps, taps, various other older tools. Nothing to crazy but was very nice stuff for free.

 

[6PTsocket]

4 1/4" Craftsman jointer from the 50s from a relative. Pretty heavy corded Craftsman 1/2" drill from my neighbor after her ex left it behind along with a tool box of some plumbing tools. I also got a ladder and a pitchfork from her, that she no longer needed.

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[metaldad]

bought a corded bosch recip saw. tossed in the deal was a corded bosch grinder

 

[ken w.]

I was catching a raccoon from an old ladies garage attic. up there was about a hundred small square boxes that she asked me to take to the curb. When I grabbed the first one it was quite heavy. It was filled with J.H.Williams sockets. I put every box in my truck and took them home. Every box was filled with new sockets. I must of put together 50 complete socket sets from 1/4" - 1/2" drive. My best friends and I were stocked up with tools for life.

 

[fartymarty]

Best tool I got for free several times was a plastic drill hole guide. At the time I thought "well who can't read the size drill on the side of a drill" but I seem to use mine all the time. I have received several over the years from different magazines wanting me to subscribe and I think I got one years ago for signing up for free at the Sears Craftsman club. I really am surprised how often I use these things.

The best tool from a non commercial source, was the Leather-man tool my father-in-law gave me. It worked out well for him too as I was always using it to fix his stuff.

 

[vssjim]

I was catching a raccoon from an old ladies garage attic. up there was about a hundred small square boxes that she asked me to take to the curb. When I grabbed the first one it was quite heavy. It was filled with J.H.Williams sockets. I put every box in my truck and took them home. Every box was filled with new sockets. I must of put together 50 complete socket sets from 1/4" - 1/2" drive. My best friends and I were stocked up with tools for life.

I wonder if they were from a salesman stock as Williams was made in Buffalo for a long time or closeouts when they moved just would be neat to know why they were all there.

 

[Fialaja]

I was catching a raccoon from an old ladies garage attic. up there was about a hundred small square boxes that she asked me to take to the curb. When I grabbed the first one it was quite heavy. It was filled with J.H.Williams sockets. I put every box in my truck and took them home. Every box was filled with new sockets. I must of put together 50 complete socket sets from 1/4" - 1/2" drive. My best friends and I were stocked up with tools for life.

Doesn’t this earn him a you **** sticker or award of some sort? lol

 

[JUNK-MAN]

I was given a snap on bottom box from my step dad. I have been given 3 cordless drill kits, many small handboxes. Probably many more things I don't remember.

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[Dirtydan69]

Found some pipe wrench’s and shotgun buried inside the wall of my 3 flat.

 

[Bacon Man]

2-1/4 Wright socket I found on the side of the road.

3/4 Matco extendable ratchet from my father-in-law, HE found it on the side of the road.

Armstrong and Proto tools from the Army, was told to clean out a locker was told to toss everything in it and was able to walk out with nearly a full set.

A large list of stuff for when the one place I worked closed down, our boss unlocked the crib and left.

 

[ken w.]

I wonder if they were from a salesman stock as Williams was made in Buffalo for a long time or closeouts when they moved just would be neat to know why they were all there.

Her husband worked for Williams tools. I think these came home in a lunch box everyday. Everything was loose. There were no sets or boxes or socket rails. The boxes were not marked Williams , just random hardware boxes.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Top and bottom boxes, a few wrenches and a row of metrics octets from a neighbor who seems to have left his ex-wife behind. They helped me organize a lot.

 

[ken w.]

Doesn’t this earn him a you **** sticker or award of some sort? lol[/QUOTE

The best part is she gave me his WW2 chest with all his stuff he brought back from the war. Uniforms , discharge papers , metals and a WW1 version of the Luger still in the original Holster. Nobody in the family wanted it.
And a $ 100.00 to remove the raccoon and boxes. She wouldn't take no for an answer.

 

[Fialaja]

Doesn’t this earn him a you **** sticker or award of some sort? lol[/QUOTE

The best part is she gave me his WW2 chest with all his stuff he brought back from the war. Uniforms , discharge papers , metals and a WW1 version of the Luger still in the original Holster. Nobody in the family wanted it.
And a $ 100.00 to remove the raccoon and boxes. She wouldn't take no for an answer.

Okay, now you REALLY ****!

 

[lincwelder225]

Doesn’t this earn him a you **** sticker or award of some sort? lol[/QUOTE

The best part is she gave me his WW2 chest with all his stuff he brought back from the war. Uniforms , discharge papers , metals and a WW1 version of the Luger still in the original Holster. Nobody in the family wanted it.
And a $ 100.00 to remove the raccoon and boxes. She wouldn't take no for an answer.

Dude... You should have went out and bought a lotto ticket the second you left her house!!!!

 

[verbalkint99]

Bought a KRA4114 top, KRA4107 bottom, and KRA3830 side cabinet loaded with tools from a coworker's retiring husband for $250 last spring. Most of the tools were machinist tools or random junk. There were a few gems left in there though. I have sold about $400 worth of the tools so far so my net gain is: 3 Snap On boxes, about a drawers worth of random Snap On and Proto hand tools, a crate of HF level junk, and $150.

 

[ken w.]

Sounds like you did pretty good there.

 

[ChaseDE]

My dad inherited these from my grandfather, dad gave them to me a few years ago when he decided to stop working on cars regularly.

 

[ken w.]

Nice. I've been looking for a mid box like that for my SO boxes.

 

[bczygan]

Probably the best free tool I ever received, was Garage Journal!

Bill

 

[Fialaja]

Found some pipe wrench’s and shotgun buried inside the wall of my 3 flat.

Hmmm, evidence of a crime perhaps? It was professor plumb, in the study, with a pipe wrench...LOL

 

[Robby321]

Over at a friends house drinking beer and working on his boat. Going to leave see the nextdoor neighbor had a 3 drawer Craftsman box sitting by the street, and not wanted? Grabbed it! Like new, no rust, works fine! Damn!

 

[jdoe213]

Over at a friends house drinking beer and working on his boat. Going to leave see the nextdoor neighbor had a 3 drawer Craftsman box sitting by the street, and not wanted? Grabbed it! Like new, no rust, works fine! Damn!

It probably didn't match any of his new black Husky boxes.

 

[seber]

Files that were returned to the tool crib went into a scrap box. Over time I managed to put together a set of 22 files in like new condition. Same was done for allen wrenches. I have several sets. Found a set of transfer punches in the scrap bin I have never found a problem with them. I also found a 6" Cardinal drill press vise in the scrap bin. Just needed a good cleaning. I watched the compliance manager toss a two wheel dolly in the trash because one wheel was bad. I had one laying around that fit perfect.

 

[ken w.]

Files that were returned to the tool crib went into a scrap box. Over time I managed to put together a set of 22 files in like new condition. Same was done for allen wrenches. I have several sets. Found a set of transfer punches in the scrap bin I have never found a problem with them. I also found a 6" Cardinal drill press vise in the scrap bin. Just needed a good cleaning. I watched the compliance manager toss a two wheel dolly in the trash because one wheel was bad. I had one laying around that fit perfect.

One factory I worked at had a Union rule that if a tool hit the floor , you couldn't pick it up and use it again. You weren't even allowed to put it into the scrap barrel. The clean up crew was the only ones to pick it up.

One time I slipped and dropped a box of grinding bits. About 25 of them. I picked them up and went on my way. I was written up for that. I ended up taking all of them home. such waste.

 

[BigBoreFan]

Snap On ratchet, 3/8 drive, long, comfort grip. Found it in the middle of the road right outside East St Louis. I need to order a new comfort grip. Other than that it's fine.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I used Menard's rebates to get this tool box, literally for free. I did a repaint of it, more to my liking.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

A lawnmower was given to me by my neighbor when he couldn't get it started. I cleaned the foam air filter and used it for years. Never did tell him what it took to get it running.....

 

[Fialaja]

Got these from a family friends estate sale

 

[Crazyjake8493]

The free pair of Klein 9" heavy duty dykes I got for their Crusaders Club promotion was the best recent freebie. Haven't used them much, but they're $40 for a new pair at the Depot.

 

[jason n]

Managing a scrap yard I have got just about everything for next to nothing. From anvils to arbor presses and everything in between

 

[Empty Pockets]

When a local Home Improvement chain opened a new store, I entered a Grand Oprning tool drawing.

My entry was drawn. I won a bunch of Black & Decker stuff: Work Mate, Cordless Drill (Professional), Corded Drill (Professional), Finishing Sander, Small Shop Vac, Router, Jig Saw, and Circular Saw.

Not a bad deal

 

[mtnkrake]

I won a Miller Maxstar stl150 in a second chance drawing from Miller.

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