Weekly community thrift haul thread

[Dan Dubeau]

I looked back through the archives, and didn't find anything similar, so figured I'd start one for those thrift store finds you need to tell someone about, but your wife doesn't care anymore We care.....

Tonight's findings aren't that spectacular, just a few useable tools, but lets see if we can keep this thread going.....I usually try and hit the restore once a week.


A couple table saw hold downs for $3, dovetail saws for $3 each, a half round file for $4, and a tapered punch for $3.75. The "crimper"? I'm not sure what it is, but for $3.75 I had to buy it . Way overpaid for the punch, but can put it to use, and will forget the price shortly anyway.


The Disston saw was reasonably sharp, but the other super dull. Good thing I have files and a saw vise



10 minutes later....Not my greatest sharpening job, it's been a while, but it actually cuts now. I did not reset the teeth.



Anybody know what that crimper is for? Special installation/insertions tool for something? If I had to guess it's for insert a fitting on the end of a cable, but which one? When you squeeze the handle the ram closest the hing moves towards the end. That's also where those threaded pieces go. The end had a swing open hole in it.

Post up your thrift store finds, big or small, let's see um. Let's see if we can keep this thread going for a while.

 

[YotaBota]

Any part number or name or logo on the crimper? Sorta looks like comms connector crimper.

 

[Doggggboy]

And you owe the clerk how many hours of drywall now?

 

[DavidR8]

I thought may BNC crimper but on closer inspection nope.

 

[fixerup]

I never thought of checking the Value village or the Salvation for tools. It looks like it might be worth a stop. I have stop by some pawn shop but so far never found anything of value

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Any part number or name or logo on the crimper? Sorta looks like comms connector crimper.

No marking whatsoever. Might be something under the handles, I didn't think to check until now.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

And you owe the clerk how many hours of drywall now?

3rd post. Thanks for not letting me down

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I never thought of checking the Value village or the Salvation for tools. It looks like it might be worth a stop. I have stop by some pawn shop but so far never found anything of value

Value village is hit or miss for tools, but the books are usually a great find. I passed up a machinery's handbook (23rd) last time for $5.99 (I have 4), but have found lots of other machining books and other interesting technical ones in there. I check there at least once a week too, and usually come out of there with a book or two every time.

Sports gear for the kids is an occasional great find too. I've managed to put together full sets of kids golf clubs over the years both lh, and rh (of course one of my kids a lefty....), kept them in skates for cheap, and most recently ski boots/poles the past 2 years. I also picked up another pair of next size ski boots for them, and a pair for me yesterday too for $15 each. Not to mention all the craft and hobby stuff too. My kids like to "make stuff" (wonder where they get that from), so it's much cheaper to buy the random bags of craft supplies for pennies on the dollar.

 

[historicalarms]

Was with a buddy last fall when he stopped at the local "Useed" store to buy a bag of shop rags they bubdle up for a couple bucks, I noticed a small pressure washer that was leaning against the wall outside with a $15 price tag on it. It is labeled as 1800 psi but they didnt have a hose to hook up to prove it worked so I offered 10 bucks for it and the large box of hose attachments.
It doesnt have a super high volume but the pressure is every bit what they claimed it should be....damn near peels paint.
It has one small issue, a small almost non existent drip leak when hooked to a live hose but all in all the best 10 bucks Ive spent in a long time.

 

[whydontu]

I need a chunk of aluminum or steel sheet, 12”x15” or so, to make a sub-panel for my CNC controller enclosure. The enclosure is made from a thrift-store Fisher CD changer.

So in my travels today I stopped into the oddest thrift store in BC. The SPCA thrift store in Richmond is so bad that there is a huge sign explaining that the store isn’t owned by the SPCA and the SPCA doesn’t hire the staff. (The big white sign immediately to the left of the OPEN sign.) This store has 25,000 sq ft of crap stuffed into 5,000 sq ft, and the employees have zero idea of the value of anything. The good part is they 100% under price everything. Brand new alarm control panel? $8 seems fair. Mildly thrashed Harley Sportster, with no papers? $700 might be below market value.

Anyways, today’s score was a 1990s pre-cellular cable tester, in a very solid Tektronix-style case. A fair amount more robust than the Fisher CD changer, so project #42 will be to move CNC controller guts to the new case. $12. Anyone needs some circuit boards with Z80 cpu, 27c eproms, some ancient static RAM, etc.?All I need is the case.

 

[140mower]

I need a chunk of aluminum or steel sheet, 12”x15” or so

I'm pretty lucky in that I spent a goodly number of years working for the local highway contractor, and as such I still have connections which sometimes allows me to scavenge through their scrap pile. Old aluminum signs etc are something that I regularly drag home. Do you happen to know anyone at the local works yard?

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Nice find. Looks like a great case to repurpose.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Been looking for one for a while, but finally found a cantilever beach box for $20 on Thursday night at the restore. A bit of a bruiser, but should be fine for my mobile needs. Got a few other stanley screwdrivers, and adjustables too. Gray made in Canada crow bar, hex entension and a snap on Keybak.




The hacksaw and slip joints were some previous pickups that hadn't made their way out of the car yet.

 

[Darren]

Dan, That was my first tool box I bought when I was 8. I still have it and use it as my road box for trips.

 

[Susquatch]

Been looking for one for a while, but finally found a cantilever beach box for $20 on Thursday night at the restore.

That was my first tool box I bought when I was 8. I still have it and use it as my road box for trips.

My very first Toolbox too! I was prolly 12 or so though.

And I still have mine too! But it got rusty on the bottom one summer and now I only use it for storing non-corrosive plumbing stuff - grommets, washers, seals, cartridges, etc.

 

[Darren]

I saved up a few months of paper route money to buy it. If i recall, it was around $120 back in '83. I used it for all my RC car spares and tools, and took it with me when i went racing.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

My first was a red regular hinged lid husky with pull out tray. Still have it. Use it to cart top secret government parts to and from work.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Had a good find on thursday night at the restore. A bag of mixed knockout punches for $5, wait $20. Two stickers on the bag, but seeing as how yellow tags were %25 off that day, I was glad to pay the $15. Also got a couple big box end combo wrench's for $10 each. Never know what you'll find in there.



Shown next to my existing set. I don't use them much, but the time I have they've been pretty handy. a couple duplicates now, but the big ones were worth the buy. I'm going to make some matching dimple dies for a couple of them.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Tonight's Value Village grabs. ALmost brand new Lufkin folding rule, jewelers screwdrivers, and Home Machinists handbook. I hesitated buying it because I thought I already had it, but just checked when I got home and It's one I don't have. Just over $10 for all.


The Vevor dividing head was waiting on the porch for me when I got home. Took a chance on it, and will report if it's any good or not. I've been looking for a decent quality used one with all the fixings for a while, but there's always something missing.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Had a chance to make the restore and thrift store rounds today when our power went out at work (just finished running a program too) and I got out around lunch. Not much good stuff, but a $2 prybar (blacksmithing steel), and this near full box of stainless strapping for $5. I'll have the nicest parallel keepers around now .


I actually have some tools and shop gauges I've been planning on making out of regular black steel banding, so this will be a nice upgrade for those. Also some cheap $1 plywood, and wood offcuts for garage shelving and stuff.