saving odd things

[toytech40]

Do you find your self saving odd things at times? For me though may be odd, it is useful, i save the plastic and rubber plugs used to plug ends of hoses, and ports of pumps, and such. Have a large bag of them and when I need to plug someting up to stop dripping/leaking I have the means to do so. The other thing I hold on to is the reclosable bags that alot of parts seem to be coming in lately. So handy to put a small or dirty part into to take to match up at the parts store or if tearing something down that you know will be down awhile or first time for tearing one down put bolts in then and mark the bage as to what the bolts went to.

Ok may weird to save disposable items but are useful if you have them around.

So am I the only one who saves odd items?????

 

[jeffmoss26]

I save power transformers for all kinds of stuff.

 

[wolflrv]

I save all sorts of stuff like that. If it looks useful, I definitely keep it. Then later if it gets in my way, I pitch it. I'm almost OCD about rubber bands and twist ties. I save and reuse every one I get. And I'm definitely a fan of bag and tag on loose parts. In fact I just did a complete teardown for my motorcycle restoration and each part is bagged and tagged with the exact part number from the Kawa parts schematics.

I mostly consider it a form of recycling, which I try and do as much of as possible. I also try not to hoard though and keep it organized. I save stuff like packing peanuts even, since I do a fair bit of shipping throughout the year. I save the Amazon boxes and the Priority Mail boxes when I receive stuff. They make great little trays to store and organize stuff in and they're free!

 

[chickenhauler]

I use the things you mentioned, but I don't keep them. I have nowhere to store anything until I get moved into my shop. Dad saved everything, and while a lot of it was WTF (27 toilet bowl floats) the assortment of oil filter gaskets he had hanging on his workbench came in handy yesterday.

 

[lowbucktruck]

I do the same (my lady calls me a trash-diver!). I save the resealable plastic bags for the same reason, handy during a tear-down to bag the parts. I save plastic peanut butter and mayo jars and reuse them for small parts/nuts/bolts storage.

 

[drof]

I collect old railroad date nails. From 1901 through 1966 it takes a lot of small boxes to keep them organized. Glass is not an option because I'm all thumbs. Concrete blocks and 1x4's with small cardboard boxes is now my solution. A better idea or they are gone as I move to my new-old barn. Old tags were also an obsession for years. Now I need the wall space. This old barn project has created a new of problems. Don't let me kid you, I love it.

 

[Steevo]

I save lots of stuff too. Pieces of steel, tubing, aluminum, hose, fasteners of all kinds, lamp parts from lamps and fixtures I have trashed, caps, plugs, pipe fittings, sprinkler parts . . . .
I am currently rummaging around trying to find enough plugs/caps to close off about a dozen hydraulic lines on a loader I want to sandblast.
I wish I had saved more . . .

 

[toymn6366]

on that same vain my brother and i was leaning over my pickup bed talking when he sayed come here as he walked to his truck and in the bed was almost the same junk as was in my truckbed we laughed and said you think you can tell we are brothers.in mine was 2 ski poles that i had robbed the handles from to make flie handles smoe scrap angle iron 2 pieces of square tubing i was making a t post puller out of a and other **** that i don't know what i was using it for damm i need to clean my truck out

 

[Amitygravel]

Its almost a curse.
But there is so much usable stuff out there !

My truck was a rolling junk yard. Finally this summer I have been able to keep it to a minimum. You can actually see the floor of the bed.

 

[ratdoggy]

I work in a recycling center. I don't save what I could because I'd fill a warehouse in a couple of weeks.

 

[fyrlt1]

I never throw out an a/c adapter. Seldom throw out a defective power tool or appliance without retaining the power cord. I also may save some of the screws/bolts from items that I may have disassembled to try to repair before discarding. I also have a nice collection of various brackets of all types both purchased and pirated from different products
Some stuff I save on purpose, other stuff just kind of creeps up on you without you meaning to save it. For example, we have 2 computers, but over time we have amassed enough cables to wire up about a dozen or more. Somehow I have accumulated 18 tape measures and 4 string trimmers. We relocated about 6 years ago and a lot of stuff was disposed of at that time so the list could have been longer. With all the space I have now it likely will.

 

[Eloquaint]

I am also guilty of this. Bolts, screws, brackets, tube or hose of any kind, small bags for parts, wood scraps, strange and interesting containers. old weird but probably useless tools. Cords and wire. Old clothes / sheets for rags. At some point I've used all of it on one project or another.

 

[70redbee]

When working out in the garage with my son, we often will need some oddball part or screw, bolt or tubing etc. I will go into my parts room and come out with what we need or something that works. I just look at him and say...If I don't have it, we don't need it.

I save all kinds of weird parts and things and use a lot of them. Some things will not ever be needed but if it is then I have it. Before throwing anything away, I will strip it of anything that may come in handy later. So...go ahead guys and gals and start hoarding and collecting junk.You may need it someday.

 

[BigAl62]

Guilty as charged! I save odd sized screws, bolts, nuts, etc. As for caps, I like the soft plastic ones that used to come on the ends of new Ford fuel filters, they're a perfect fit for my blow gun with a 6" pipe on it! They sting like hell when you shot them a people! (We used to have "wars" with them on slow days where I used to work! I won't tell you what other trouble we got into to protect the guilty!)

 

[PassnThru]

I save lots of things. Before anything is thrown out it gets disassembled to look for worthy stuff.
The weirdest thing has to be the little plastic pieces that they use when packaging kid's toys. Just small pieces of plastic that they use to secure the toy to the package.
Yeah - I've got lots of those.