Counting my blessings

[Canadium]

Thanksgiving must be my favourite holiday! I'm by no means a religious man but counting my blessings just seems like a psychologically beneficial thing to do. So far this year despite a lot of other challenges one of my greatest triumphs has been the acquisition of a lot of new wonderful toys. So here's the rundown! I will try to focus exclusively on second hand new to me finds.(I may have missed something, this is just off the top of my head)

Perhaps the first and most exciting of all was a Bridgeport series one mill for $1200

Ian's Bridgeport mill

A continuation of https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.com/threads/bridgeport-1200-00.5001/ I'm dedicating this thread with thanks to the two wonderful guys @trlvn and @Rauce who came out and busted their butts to help me bring my Bridgeport home as well as to this general forum which has enabled...

canadianhobbymetalworkers.com

There was an auction #1 where I acquired a Walter dividing head, an 8 inch Rohm mill vise, and a set of large Mitutoyo micrometers



A kijiji find of Mitutoyo inside micrometer set.



Another kijiji find that included a vernier vertical height gauge $75, a Mitutoyo depth micrometer set $75, A Maru Keiki (Japanese made) bevel protractor set $100, a Starrett edge finder and a Starrett center finder both free add ins to the deal


An auction #2 where I acquired a GS6 milling vise for $80 and 2 sets of broaches for $100



An auction #3 where I acquired A Kurt 6 inch D675 vise for $140



And finally a story I can't resist telling! Not second hand but a Princess Auto floor standing sand blasting cabinet brand new for free! No I didn't steal it! Ask me how it happened!

 

[Susquatch]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I feel truly blessed and thankful to have found this forum and all of you.

How about turkeys for Thanksgiving!

 

[PaulL]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I feel truly blessed and thankful to have found this forum and all of you.

How about turkeys for Thanksgiving!

View attachment 27006

Wild!

 

[6.5 Fan]

Canadium, You suck. All those great finds, congrats. More to follow, maybe,

 

[DPittman]

Yes happy Turkey Day everyone.
Awesome finds you have there @Canadium
How did you get a new and free sand blaster cabinet?

 

[Canadium]

Yes happy Turkey Day everyone.
Awesome finds you have there @Canadium
How did you get a new and free sand blaster cabinet?

I was planning on getting one next time they went on sale at PA. So wouldn't you know it they went on sale a couple of weeks into my two months of daily radiation treatments. I was still mobile but not in great shape but decided to stretch the envelope and go down to PA and pick one up any way. I must have been the first person to order during the sale because they pulled a new fully loaded skid of the things out of their warehouse. I knew as soon as I saw this skid that the packing straps had dug into the top few boxes and there would be some damage to the contents. Of course they gave me a box off the top of the skid. After getting it home I eventually found the strength to open up the box inspect the contents and gradually begin the assembly. Indeed there was some damage in some parts just as predicted. Some badly bent pieces of sheet metal mostly. Given my condition at the time I was in no mood to return the item to PA and make a fuss about it. I decided to just bite the bullet and straighten the bent parts. It turned out not to be that difficult and the finished result showed no trace of the damage but I was still annoyed that they sold stuff in such a condition sale price or not.

A couple of weeks after my purchase I was shocked to receive an email from PA announcing that they were giving me a full refund for this item with no return and no questions asked! I had not said a word to them all this time about it. So I don't know if a little birdie told them something about my experience, if it was my guardian angel, or maybe some one else had the same experience and gave them an earful prompting them to check their records and give me a refund?! In any case I remain a happy PA shopper!

Sounds too much like a PA advert when I think about it but its a true story.

 

[DPittman]

I was planning on getting one next time they went on sale at PA. So wouldn't you know it they went on sale a couple of weeks into my two months of daily radiation treatments. I was still mobile but not in great shape but decided to stretch the envelope and go down to PA and pick one up any way. I must have been the first person to order during the sale because they pulled a new fully loaded skid of the things out of their warehouse. I knew as soon as I saw this skid that the packing straps had dug into the top few boxes and there would be some damage to the contents. Of course they gave me a box off the top of the skid. After getting it home I eventually found the strength to open up the box inspect the contents and gradually begin the assembly. Indeed there was some damage in some parts just as predicted. Some badly bent pieces of sheet metal mostly. Given my condition at the time I was in no mood to return the item to PA and make a fuss about it. I decided to just bite the bullet and straighten the bent parts. It turned out not to be that difficult and the finished result showed no trace of the damage but I was still annoyed that they sold stuff in such a condition sale price or not.

A couple of weeks after my purchase I was shocked to receive an email from PA announcing that they were giving me a full refund for this item with no return and no questions asked! I had not said a word to them all this time about it. So I don't know if a little birdie told them something about my experience, if it was my guardian angel, or maybe some one else had the same experience and gave them an earful prompting them to check their records and give me a refund?! In any case I remain a happy PA shopper!

Sounds too much like a PA advert when I think about it but its a true story.

Awesome, I'm happy for you.

 

[Dabbler]

Sounds too much like a PA advert when I think about it but its a true story.

I've found that PA has always treated me more than fairly - to a point where they will look up the lowest price ever for an item and charge me that.

Case in point: @CalgaryPT used self retracting ratchet straps for tying down something las month. I loved their convenience. (they aren't very strong, but for light use, they're fine). Anyhow I asked one of the assistant managers if I could have it at the previous sale price - 11.99 instead of 17.99 - he looked back to the beginning of June (sale date), an said 'sure' - this was the first week of October...