I'm here to admit my addiction. If i'm driving along and i see a discarded
lawnmower or mechanical something, i have to stop and will most likely take
it. I just cant seem to pass up something that can be made to work again in
one way or another. Most of my tool carts have old wheels on them that i
found thrown away. I have also sold a couple of dozen lawnmowers over the
years that needed a little tlc to get them running. How many other people in
this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

walt
http://www.nykeglawsucks.com
To alcohol! The cause of - and solution to - all of life's problems.
-Homer Simpson

"wallster" wrote in message
...
I'm here to admit my addiction. If i'm driving along and i see a discarded
lawnmower or mechanical something, i have to stop and will most likely
take
it. I just cant seem to pass up something that can be made to work again
in
one way or another. Most of my tool carts have old wheels on them that i
found thrown away. I have also sold a couple of dozen lawnmowers over the
years that needed a little tlc to get them running. How many other people
in
this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

walt
http://www.nykeglawsucks.com
To alcohol! The cause of - and solution to - all of life's problems.
-Homer Simpson

I too pick up things that I think I can use sometime in the future. Plus, I
can't stand to throw anything away. Saving all this "stuff" I'm sure has
saved my wallet a ton of money over the years, and the time to drive into
town to buy a few bolts or what ever else you need. You ought to see my
garage/shop, stuff all over. I see pictures of the nice and neat shops on
the web and ask myself, where is all the "stuff". However I've been more and
more willing in the last year or so to toss out stuff I haven't used in the
past few years. But I still have more stuff than I have room for. I hate
this affliction I have. Anyone have any (painless) cures? grin

Lane

past few years. But I still have more stuff than I have room for. I hate
this affliction I have. Anyone have any (painless) cures? grin

Lane


Move. It worked for me.


Ron Thompson
On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA

http://www.plansandprojects.com

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is
to fill the world with fools.
--Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

Ron Thompson wrote:

past few years. But I still have more stuff than I have room for. I hate
this affliction I have. Anyone have any (painless) cures? grin

Lane


Move. It worked for me.

Ron Thompson
On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA


Oh the pain!

michael


http://www.plansandprojects.com

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is
to fill the world with fools.
--Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 18:18:11 GMT, Ron Thompson
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

No no. When you have a serious junk addiction, moving is NOT painless.


past few years. But I still have more stuff than I have room for. I hate
this affliction I have. Anyone have any (painless) cures? grin

Lane


Move. It worked for me.


Ron Thompson

"Ron Thompson" wrote in message
...

past few years. But I still have more stuff than I have room for. I hate
this affliction I have. Anyone have any (painless) cures? grin

Lane


Move. It worked for me.

Or die, it worked great for my best friend.

Of course, I got the cleanup job. 4 sales for just the small stuff. The
last one was a "free flea" where I invited people to just haul the stuff away.
I saw cars leaving with frames firmly down to the axle. The whole job
represents three months basically missing out of my life.

Vaughn

on a slightly serious note - giving stuff to someone younger who is
SERIOUSLY interested will remove it from your garage and get someone else a
boost at the same time, AND it will keep it out of the landfill


"Ron Thompson" wrote in message
...

past few years. But I still have more stuff than I have room for. I hate
this affliction I have. Anyone have any (painless) cures? grin

Lane

"william_b_noble" wrote in message
s.com...
on a slightly serious note - giving stuff to someone younger who is
SERIOUSLY interested will remove it from your garage and get someone else
a
boost at the same time, AND it will keep it out of the landfill

Yeah... Hey Lenny, you seem to have enough lathes . . . . . ;^)

Tim

--
"I've got more trophies than Wayne Gretsky and the Pope combined!"
- Homer Simpson
Website @ http://webpages.charter.net/dawill/tmoranwms

Lane wrote:

But I still have more stuff than I have room for. I hate
this affliction I have. Anyone have any (painless) cures? grin

Yep, start stripping it down to what you might use in the future, likes
nuts bolts, screw, etc. and bin/recycle/dump that parts that are not
usable.

I convert all pipe to straight lengths, etc.

It doesn't really get rid of the useful stuff, but it makes it easier
to store and creates space for more stuff {:-).

If you are really viscious, invoke the 10, 9, 8, 7, ... years
rule.....if I haven't used it in 10 years, it goes out, if I haven't
used it in 9 years, ditto,

Terry Collins wrote:

Lane wrote:



But I still have more stuff than I have room for. I hate
this affliction I have. Anyone have any (painless) cures? grin



Yep, start stripping it down to what you might use in the future, likes
nuts bolts, screw, etc. and bin/recycle/dump that parts that are not
usable.

I convert all pipe to straight lengths, etc.

It doesn't really get rid of the useful stuff, but it makes it easier
to store and creates space for more stuff {:-).

If you are really viscious, invoke the 10, 9, 8, 7, ... years
rule.....if I haven't used it in 10 years, it goes out, if I haven't
used it in 9 years, ditto,


The problem with the "10 year rule" is that some of the stuff I keep
starts to get valuable again
after about 10 years

Bill K7NOM

Bill Janssen wrote:

....snip...

The problem with the "10 year rule" is that some of the stuff I keep
starts to get valuable again
after about 10 years

The problem then is which pieces? Whilst I have made one really good
sale of old stuff, I just treat that as an abberation.

Basically I don't have the space. Of course, if I had half a dozen, big
old sheds, that is a different matter.

What tipped my hand was spending 30 minutes moving stuff in my garage to
get a tool that I used for 5 minutes, then another 30 minutes putting
everything back in its place. the clean out started with a lot of
dressed timber becoming fire kindling. Then a lot of old "I can make
this with that" was stripped to nuts, bolts, screws, springs, motors,
etc. It really hurt to throw out all the bits of metal suitable for
casting, but I could not find anyone interested in it.

I now have a bit of space and a workshop (if I can just stop putting
stuff on the empty bit of workbench {:-).

--
Terry Collins {:-)}}} email: terryc at woa.com.au www:
http://www.woa.com.au
Wombat Outdoor Adventures Bicycles, Computers, GIS, Printing,
Publishing

"People without trees are like fish without clean water"

Terry Collins wrote: ...
Basically I don't have the space. Of course, if I had half a dozen, big
old sheds, that is a different matter. ...

Eh - then the question is how long would it take for those sheds to fill
up and you be saying "Now, if I just had 6 more sheds ...". :-)

Running out of space and having a compulsion for organization has forced
me into restricting my hoarding. I have a couple of rules that help:

- I don't save anything that I can obtain easily and cheaply. E.g., bed
frames - they're useful, but they're always available at the dump.

- the saving of commodity items has a space limit. When it's full I
don't collect anymore. Or I throw out less useful ones to make space
for more useful ones. E.g., I have a milk crate for electrical junction
boxes.

- I don't save mechanisms. I often find cool ones and used to collect
them, but I never used them. E.g., hospital bed elevation mechanisms.
Really cool, "Boy, those will good for something!". Not! When I'm
making things I find that I almost always fabricate everything.

Still, it's a major problem. Just ask my wife. NO, please don't!

Bob

wallster wrote:
I'm here to admit my addiction. If i'm driving along and i see a discarded
lawnmower or mechanical something, i have to stop and will most likely take
it. I just cant seem to pass up something that can be made to work again in
one way or another. Most of my tool carts have old wheels on them that i
found thrown away. I have also sold a couple of dozen lawnmowers over the
years that needed a little tlc to get them running. How many other people in
this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

My problem is that once I got a lathe and
a mill, every piece of metal I see now
looks like "stock"

How many other people in this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

ALL

How many other people in this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

ALL


Tom is right. You should be asking if there is anyone here who doesn't
stop.....

John Martin

My wife has to practically get me in a headlock to stop me .... unless
she isn't there :-)

--George

On 09 Jul 2004 18:27:34 GMT, (JMartin957) wrote:


How many other people in this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

ALL


Tom is right. You should be asking if there is anyone here who doesn't
stop.....

John Martin

I was making my weekly visit to our local dump/recycling center when I noticed
a box of old magazines. Too bad, it was only a collection of Mechanix
Illustrated, Popular Mechanics and a few Popular Science and special issues
from 1941 through 1949. I already have quite a few of these, but some fill some
holes in the collection.

Good stuff to the right person!

Appreciative of the supportive people at the Mont Vernon dump.

Earle Rich
Mont Vernon, NH

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 17:18:19 GMT, "Tom Gardner"
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

What ****es me off is that my relatives just refuse (pun intended) to
understand!

One of them had a self-propelled lawnmower, that stopped for some
reason. He left it out on the front lawn on one of those "weave out
your wubbish" days, and of course somebody else snaffled it. He was
grizzling because they actually came in and said it did not work,
could they bring it back if it cost too much to fix! That is the
truth. Anyway it served him right..........and so I saw my family
remove fomr my sight either a fixable lawnmower, or a pile of gears
and bits that could have done.................anything!

Then there was my FIL's outboard motor, and an old cement mixer. And
some of these were _after_ I put the word out.

Tell you how bad I am. One day one of the rellies finally offered me a
"deal". It was a fibreglass water tank for $200. Checked the papers.
Good price. Except that the thing was a ratty old thin thing, not one
of these heavy uteback jobs...............I bought it anyway. Ah well.

Hey! I have my wife trained though. She scrounged a heap of that
irrigation pipe that's perforated for me! Boy was I proud! There was
litte sleep in this house that night I can tell you.........I just sat
and stared and stared at that pipe ....G


How many other people in this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

ALL

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 17:18:19 GMT, "Tom Gardner"
wrote:


How many other people in this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

ALL

If they dont, we pull their membership cards.


Gunner

That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's
cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays
there.
- George Orwell

In article , Gunner says...

If they dont, we pull their membership cards.

Wait-a-minute! I never *got* one of those....!

Jim

==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

Jim, I can send you one...Visa#?


"jim rozen" wrote in message
...
In article , Gunner says...

If they dont, we pull their membership cards.

Wait-a-minute! I never *got* one of those....!

Jim

==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

On 10 Jul 2004 07:36:12 -0700, jim rozen
wrote:

In article , Gunner says...

If they dont, we pull their membership cards.

Wait-a-minute! I never *got* one of those....!

Jim

oooops...

================================================= =
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
================================================= =

That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's
cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays
there.
- George Orwell

It being a dull day, I decide to respond to what jim rozen
foisted 10 Jul 2004 07:36:12 -0700 on
rec.crafts.metalworking , viz:
In article , Gunner says...

If they dont, we pull their membership cards.

Wait-a-minute! I never *got* one of those....!

Jim, you were suppose to pick one up on your way to the store. (or was
it on the way home? I see if I can find the decoder ring and where I left
the handbook I picked up.)

--
pyotr filipivich.
as an explaination for the decline in the US's tech edge, James
Niccol wrote "It used to be that the USA was pretty good at
producing stuff teenaged boys could lose a finger or two playing with."

Walt , you know you have the habit when friends and family start " finding"
"scraps of intrest" for you and delivering them to you........ in return
they claim 24 / 7 welding and machining.




"wallster" wrote in message
...
I'm here to admit my addiction. If i'm driving along and i see a discarded
lawnmower or mechanical something, i have to stop and will most likely
take
it. I just cant seem to pass up something that can be made to work again
in
one way or another. Most of my tool carts have old wheels on them that i
found thrown away. I have also sold a couple of dozen lawnmowers over the
years that needed a little tlc to get them running. How many other people
in
this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

walt
http://www.nykeglawsucks.com
To alcohol! The cause of - and solution to - all of life's problems.
-Homer Simpson

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 17:30:55 GMT, "Walt Springs"
wrote:

Walt , you know you have the habit when friends and family start " finding"
"scraps of intrest" for you and delivering them to you........ in return
they claim 24 / 7 welding and machining.



You know it's bad when a complete stranger comes by trying to find a
magneto. I actually had one which I was just going to give to him but
he insisted on paying. After looking around my place a little he then
pops off saying to come by his place and he'll give me a bunch of
stuff. Some of the things he mentioned was a steamer, light plants,
plows, etc. Then it got worse. I made a appointment with him for
tomorrow. :-)

Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

Wayne Cook wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 17:30:55 GMT, "Walt Springs"
wrote:

Walt , you know you have the habit when friends and family start "
finding"
"scraps of intrest" for you and delivering them to you........ in return
they claim 24 / 7 welding and machining.



You know it's bad when a complete stranger comes by trying to find a
magneto. I actually had one which I was just going to give to him but
he insisted on paying. After looking around my place a little he then
pops off saying to come by his place and he'll give me a bunch of
stuff. Some of the things he mentioned was a steamer, light plants,
plows, etc. Then it got worse. I made a appointment with him for
tomorrow. :-)

Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

wayne, i've visited your shop via your website and you my friend have got
some freakin cool **** in there!
you're the exact kind of person i was thinking of when i posted this
question.

walt

On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 15:31:59 -0400, "wallster"
wrote:


You know it's bad when a complete stranger comes by trying to find a
magneto. I actually had one which I was just going to give to him but
he insisted on paying. After looking around my place a little he then
pops off saying to come by his place and he'll give me a bunch of
stuff. Some of the things he mentioned was a steamer, light plants,
plows, etc. Then it got worse. I made a appointment with him for
tomorrow. :-)

Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

wayne, i've visited your shop via your website and you my friend have got
some freakin cool **** in there!
you're the exact kind of person i was thinking of when i posted this
question.


Thanks (I think) :-)

Actually I definitely don't take pictures of the vast majority of my
junk. It's piled everywhere including two 8'x14' truck boxes, one
store bought 8x10' shed, one 10'x30' shed (built by tearing down a old
hay barn and reusing the pieces), a 8'x40' insulated reefer box (this
was my electronics workroom but is more of a junk room now), and of
course any nook and cranny of my 36' x 40' shop which was built from
the remains of a old Chevron station building which was blown off it's
skids while it was waiting to be moved.

Oh yea that doesn't include the piles which are in the other end of
the mobile home which is tacked on the back of my house. This end is
my office and the kitchen is here while the rest is just storage.

Then there's the piles along the cliff behind the house, the piles
on the south side of the house, the piles along the north side of the
shop, the piles in front of the shop, the..... well you get the idea.
:-)




Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

Wayne Cook wrote:


Actually I definitely don't take pictures of the vast majority of my
junk. It's piled everywhere including two 8'x14' truck boxes, one
store bought 8x10' shed, one 10'x30' shed (built by tearing down a old
hay barn and reusing the pieces), a 8'x40' insulated reefer box (this
was my electronics workroom but is more of a junk room now), and of
course any nook and cranny of my 36' x 40' shop which was built from
the remains of a old Chevron station building which was blown off it's
skids while it was waiting to be moved.

Oh yea that doesn't include the piles which are in the other end of
the mobile home which is tacked on the back of my house. This end is
my office and the kitchen is here while the rest is just storage.

Then there's the piles along the cliff behind the house, the piles
on the south side of the house, the piles along the north side of the
shop, the piles in front of the shop, the..... well you get the idea.
:-)

Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

Folks he's telling it truly. I've been there and seen it. :-)
...lew...

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 21:18:59 -0500, Wayne Cook
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email



junk. It's piled everywhere including two 8'x14' truck boxes, one
store bought 8x10' shed, one 10'x30' shed (built by tearing down a old
hay barn and reusing the pieces), a 8'x40' insulated reefer box (this
was my electronics workroom but is more of a junk room now), and of
course any nook and cranny of my 36' x 40' shop which was built from
the remains of a old Chevron station building which was blown off it's
skids while it was waiting to be moved.

Oh yea that doesn't include the piles which are in the other end of
the mobile home which is tacked on the back of my house. This end is
my office and the kitchen is here while the rest is just storage.

Then there's the piles along the cliff behind the house, the piles
on the south side of the house, the piles along the north side of the
shop, the piles in front of the shop, the..... well you get the idea.
:-)

Married?

"Wayne Cook" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 15:31:59 -0400, "wallster"
wrote:


You know it's bad when a complete stranger comes by trying to find a
magneto. I actually had one which I was just going to give to him but
he insisted on paying. After looking around my place a little he then
pops off saying to come by his place and he'll give me a bunch of
stuff. Some of the things he mentioned was a steamer, light plants,
plows, etc. Then it got worse. I made a appointment with him for
tomorrow. :-)

Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

wayne, i've visited your shop via your website and you my friend have got
some freakin cool **** in there!
you're the exact kind of person i was thinking of when i posted this
question.


Thanks (I think) :-)

Actually I definitely don't take pictures of the vast majority of my
junk. It's piled everywhere including two 8'x14' truck boxes, one
store bought 8x10' shed, one 10'x30' shed (built by tearing down a old
hay barn and reusing the pieces), a 8'x40' insulated reefer box (this
was my electronics workroom but is more of a junk room now), and of
course any nook and cranny of my 36' x 40' shop which was built from
the remains of a old Chevron station building which was blown off it's
skids while it was waiting to be moved.

Oh yea that doesn't include the piles which are in the other end of
the mobile home which is tacked on the back of my house. This end is
my office and the kitchen is here while the rest is just storage.

Then there's the piles along the cliff behind the house, the piles
on the south side of the house, the piles along the north side of the
shop, the piles in front of the shop, the..... well you get the idea.
:-)




Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

wayne, you're too much!! (that's meant as a COMPLIMENT!) dont you ever
stand there scratching your head going "damn it... i know i saw that damn
thing somewhere... but where?" i'm an ameteur "pile collector" compared to
you and i can never remember where the hell i put **** i need at the time!

walt

In article , Wayne Cook says...

You know it's bad when a complete stranger comes by trying to find a
magneto.

"Complete Stranger," I bet. Sounds like one of those underground
magneto rings. Folks sitting around behind closed doors, fondling
Fairbanks Morse hardware. I've seen what those kinds of depraved
habits can do, given enough time. Next thing you know you'll
be mainlining Scintillas.

Jim (with a personal thing for Bosch electrics...)

PS. Wayne you might want to check your driveway and fenceposts.
He probably found the standard hobo's "Good Magnetos Here"
symbol chalked there someplace.

==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

On 9 Jul 2004 12:58:38 -0700, jim rozen
wrote:

In article , Wayne Cook says...

You know it's bad when a complete stranger comes by trying to find a
magneto.

"Complete Stranger," I bet. Sounds like one of those underground
magneto rings. Folks sitting around behind closed doors, fondling
Fairbanks Morse hardware. I've seen what those kinds of depraved
habits can do, given enough time. Next thing you know you'll
be mainlining Scintillas.

Well he was referred here by the local parts store. :-)

Jim (with a personal thing for Bosch electrics...)

PS. Wayne you might want to check your driveway and fenceposts.
He probably found the standard hobo's "Good Magnetos Here"
symbol chalked there someplace.


What do those symbols look like. I think I need to go chalks some
more. :-)


Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 21:20:41 -0500, Wayne Cook
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I have been on the other side of that. As I was entering a small town,
the exhaust system fell of my Toyota truck right at the
header/manifold.

I went to three petrol stations looking for a suitable nut or two and
was sent to Old Fred. Old Fred had junk coming out of his ears!

He walked into this shed that was chokkas, and came out about 1 minute
later with two nuts to suit. I reckon he teleported them from
Aldebaran or something.

He would not take any money. He seemed to fail to realise that the
fact that they were "only a couple of nuts" was eclipsed by the fact
that he was the _only person in a sizeable country town_ who could
service that toyota.

Well he was referred here by the local parts store. :-)

Jim (with a personal thing for Bosch electrics...)

PS. Wayne you might want to check your driveway and fenceposts.
He probably found the standard hobo's "Good Magnetos Here"
symbol chalked there someplace.


What do those symbols look like. I think I need to go chalks some
more. :-)


Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 21:20:41 -0500, Wayne Cook
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I have been on the other side of that. As I was entering a small town,
the exhaust system fell of my Toyota truck right at the
header/manifold.

I went to three petrol stations looking for a suitable nut or two and
was sent to Old Fred. Old Fred had junk coming out of his ears!

He walked into this shed that was chokkas, and came out about 1 minute
later with two nuts to suit. I reckon he teleported them from
Aldebaran or something.

He would not take any money. He seemed to fail to realise that the
fact that they were "only a couple of nuts" was eclipsed by the fact
that he was the _only person in a sizeable country town_ who could
service that toyota.

Well he was referred here by the local parts store. :-)

Jim (with a personal thing for Bosch electrics...)

PS. Wayne you might want to check your driveway and fenceposts.
He probably found the standard hobo's "Good Magnetos Here"
symbol chalked there someplace.


What do those symbols look like. I think I need to go chalks some
more. :-)


Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook

On 9 Jul 2004 12:58:38 -0700, jim rozen
calmly ranted:

Jim (with a personal thing for Bosch electrics...)

That sure beats a Lucas jones.


--------------------------------------------
-- I'm in touch with my Inner Curmudgeon. --
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development
================================================== ==========

After reading about the "salvaged" fire extinguisher exploding in Roy's
face, nearly killing his wife, and knocking his teeth out... I wouldn't stop
to pick up a bar of gold bullion any more.
I can afford a new fire extinguisher, ratchet strap, army boot, etc...
but not a new set of teeth!
David




"wallster" wrote in message
...
I'm here to admit my addiction. If i'm driving along and i see a discarded
lawnmower or mechanical something, i have to stop and will most likely
take
it. I just cant seem to pass up something that can be made to work again
in
one way or another. Most of my tool carts have old wheels on them that i
found thrown away. I have also sold a couple of dozen lawnmowers over the
years that needed a little tlc to get them running. How many other people
in
this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

walt
http://www.nykeglawsucks.com
To alcohol! The cause of - and solution to - all of life's problems.
-Homer Simpson

David Courtney wrote:

After reading about the "salvaged" fire extinguisher exploding in Roy's
face, nearly killing his wife, and knocking his teeth out... I wouldn't stop
to pick up a bar of gold bullion any more.
I can afford a new fire extinguisher, ratchet strap, army boot, etc...
but not a new set of teeth!


Wait a minute! You could get yourself drummed out of this society!

Yes, Roy's horrible story sure made an inpression on me, too, and I will be
a LOT more careful about picking up anything that might contain pressurized
contents, hazardous or corrosive stuff, etc. Especially here in MO (Meth
lab country) you have to be REALLY careful about fire extinguishers, as
that is the choice container for stolen anhydrous ammonia, which they don't
contain well. (I had a cheap 5 Lb Bernzomatic extinquisher explode in
my car (thank goodness I wasn't in it at the time) some years ago. The
thing was no thicker than a soda can, and the powder load had eaten
halfway through the wall.)

But, that accident won't stop me from picking up interesting gear, once I
have determined it is safe, and bringing it home. (I have almost NEVER
actually picked something up on the side of the road, mostly from the
standpoint of being rear-ended by a drunk while checking the item out.)
I DO, however check out the dumpsters at work very frequently, as people
throw the most amazing stuff out, as well as put out usable "junk" for
the vultures. I've sold several thousand $ of stuff I had no use for, but
figured it was worth something on eBay. I also have made some interesting
gadgets, got spares for various gear, misc. metal stock, furniture, etc.

My CNC milling machine has a computer monitor/kbd arm, and I got & modified
an office chair with a height extension, from this source. My test bench
computer is off the loading dock - fully working Pentium 133, which is just
fine for what I use it for.

I got a fully operational high vacuum pump (Welch 1402) out of the dumpster.
I sold a slightly different model on eBay. I got a diffusion vacuum
pump and
a huge valve off a vacuum chamber, and sold it on eBay.

I got a very old Nicolet transient digitizer (early version of digital
storage
oscilloscope) cleaned the faceplate and sold it for $100 on eBay. I got
an HP 54200 (I think that's the model #) digital scope out of the dumpster,
it works perfectly, so I kept that!

I can't even remember all the other stuff I got, or where I have it hidden!

Jon

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...arthlin k.net

Joel. phx

"wallster" wrote in message
...
I'm here to admit my addiction. If i'm driving along and i see a discarded
lawnmower or mechanical something, i have to stop and will most likely
take
it. I just cant seem to pass up something that can be made to work again
in
one way or another. Most of my tool carts have old wheels on them that i
found thrown away. I have also sold a couple of dozen lawnmowers over the
years that needed a little tlc to get them running. How many other people
in
this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

walt

"wallster" wrote in message
...
I'm here to admit my addiction. If i'm driving along and i see a discarded
lawnmower or mechanical something, i have to stop and will most likely
take
it. I just cant seem to pass up something that can be made to work again
in
one way or another. Most of my tool carts have old wheels on them that i
found thrown away. I have also sold a couple of dozen lawnmowers over the
years that needed a little tlc to get them running. How many other people
in
this newsgroup stop and pick up discarded stuff?

walt
http://www.nykeglawsucks.com
To alcohol! The cause of - and solution to - all of life's problems.
-Homer Simpson


I do.

And I can trump your story.

My daughter is a police officer. The sector beat she works surrounds my
house. She comes over for lunch a lot, and we watch the grandbaby one day a
week, so she comes that day about four times.

The other day, she calls me on her cell, and gives me an address where they
are tossing out a plastic bubble looking car that has swivelly wheels on it.
She asks if I would run over and get it, BECAUSE IT WON'T FIT IN THE BACK OF
HER SQUAD CAR! She would have picked it up herself, bit it wouldn't fit. I
can see her right now, Glock and all, trying to stuff a yellow and blue
bubble car into the back of a squad car. "Now, please cooperate, or I will
have to use force .................."

I wonder where in the world she got the habit of picking up stuff
from...............................

Well, I went and snatched it, got it home, and one of the wheels needs
attention, and it needs a powerwashing. Kyle is 13 months now, and taking
his first steps, so he will be ready for it any time.

You bet I pick up stuff curbside. When you used to could take stuff to the
dump back in the fifties and sixties, we would sometimes come home with as
much stuff as we took.

Steve

SteveB wrote in message
news:YuCHc.1361$kt.819@fed1read05...
snipped
I do.

And I can trump your story.

My daughter is a police officer. The sector beat she works surrounds my
house. She comes over for lunch a lot, and we watch the grandbaby one day
a
week, so she comes that day about four times.

The other day, she calls me on her cell, and gives me an address where
they
are tossing out a plastic bubble looking car that has swivelly wheels on
it.
She asks if I would run over and get it, BECAUSE IT WON'T FIT IN THE BACK
OF
HER SQUAD CAR! She would have picked it up herself, bit it wouldn't fit.
I
can see her right now, Glock and all, trying to stuff a yellow and blue
bubble car into the back of a squad car. "Now, please cooperate, or I
will
have to use force .................."

I wonder where in the world she got the habit of picking up stuff
from...............................

Well, I went and snatched it, got it home, and one of the wheels needs
attention, and it needs a powerwashing. Kyle is 13 months now, and taking
his first steps, so he will be ready for it any time.

You bet I pick up stuff curbside. When you used to could take stuff to
the
dump back in the fifties and sixties, we would sometimes come home with as
much stuff as we took.

Steve


i went to the "dump" the other week to get my $18.00 for old gutters and
wanted to fill my truck with all the goodies there... there must be a
clinical name for this affliction!

walt