We have the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater not too far from where I live. A couple times each month there is a building where they sell all sorts of stuff that they no longer want or need. You can buy the stuff really cheap and since they have everything under the sun (not every time though) sooner or later you will no doubt find what you are looking for and you can buy it.
I suspect other State institutions do similar sales of items they are getting rid of. I have heard that in some cases people can buy things like floor scrubbers/buffers and in certain cases, even vehicles. I have not seen that at the Whitewater sales, but I don't doubt that in some places they do have sales like that.