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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

"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

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
==================================================

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?

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








Some of the town "refuse collection stations" (That's PC newspeak for
"dump")around here have "put 'n take" tables.

It's amazing the kind of good stuff lots of technologically deprived
folks leave there (particularly in upper middle class towns.) Much of it
needing nothing more than a new line cord or a rubber belt to be back in
the pink again.

I think it's become ndemic to our affluent "throw away" plus "imported
goods" society that the price to "buy" a simple repair exceeds the price
of a whole new item.

My place is in serious danger of breaking through the earth's crust and
sinking into the magma from the combined weight of all the stuff I
couldn't resist grabbing. G

Jeff (Probably the only guy in town whose home has five working electric
brooms in it.)

--
Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying."

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

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


Around here, in Eastern NC, we call it being a "Pack Rat"

RJ

--
"Have no one say it, and say it to your shame, that all was well here, until
YOU came."

Jeff Wisnia wrote:

Some of the town "refuse collection stations" (That's PC newspeak for
"dump")around here have "put 'n take" tables.

It's amazing the kind of good stuff lots of technologically deprived
folks leave there ...

I am posting this using a beautiful 21" (!) monitor that someone left at
our "put 'n take", aka "swap shed".

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)

wallster wrote:

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

We have the "Material Recycling Facility", aka "The MRF". Like short for Murphy.
My fingers would not make it typing the list of stuff I've gotten there. Having
been fairly regular there, I've often been waved out with "catch ya next time".
As if the pricing is not cheap already.

Hmm, haven't been over there in awhile...


michael

sniipedJeff Wisnia wrote in message
news5idnfDe8ITYZHPdRVn-
Some of the town "refuse collection stations" (That's PC newspeak for
"dump")around here have "put 'n take" tables.

It's amazing the kind of good stuff lots of technologically deprived
folks leave there (particularly in upper middle class towns.) Much of it
needing nothing more than a new line cord or a rubber belt to be back in
the pink again.

I think it's become ndemic to our affluent "throw away" plus "imported
goods" society that the price to "buy" a simple repair exceeds the price
of a whole new item.

My place is in serious danger of breaking through the earth's crust and
sinking into the magma from the combined weight of all the stuff I
couldn't resist grabbing. G

Jeff (Probably the only guy in town whose home has five working electric
brooms in it.)

--
Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying."


I think the major reason people chuck stuff is that we take for granted that
everyone can fix stuff. My brother is helpless when it comes to any type of
repair. If he were to take his 8 year old lawnmower somewhere (if he could
find a place that repairs to begin with) by the time he paid for parts and
labor, (and waited 2-3 weeks) he would have 75% of a new one paid for. So
guys like us snag them by the curb, clean the carb, toss in a plug and
change the oil. We sell it for $20-$30. and would already be using his
$119.00 brand new murray lawnmower from walmart.
I picked up a lawnmower yesterday that was blowing oil. Turns out it had too
much oil in it so it was spewing oil out of the exhaust valve. I cleaned her
up, changed the oil and the plug, now it runs like a top.
That's a lawnmower, try to find anyone willing to try to fix half the stuff
out there. It may be shot... or it may be a fuse or loose wire.

walt

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

In article ,
"wallster" wrote:

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.

The pricks at our local dump will write you a ticket and throw you out
on your ear if they see you pick up so much as a bottle cap. "NO
SALVAGING" signs every few feet, a dozen or more "traffic cops" (not
actually cops, but they do direct traffic at the edge of the pit)
standing around acting like they're guards in a south-african diamond
mine, just waiting for somebody to try and make off with the goods.
*******s.

Had to pass up a nearly spotless "Hero-1" robot (Late 70's Heathkit toy
- BIG $$ in it's day, and even if it was trashed, probably worth a
hundred bucks or more in salvagable electronic goodies, stepper motors,
and similar) someone had dumped last time I was out there. Looked it
over, and all I could see obviously missing/damaged was the swivel-wheel
and the batteries, and one cap off the keypad. The rest of it looked
like it had been assembled, then parked in a closet until it got tossed.
Just about the time I figured out exactly what it was and that it would
probably be easily fixable, one of the traffic guys moseys over, points
at one of the signs, and says "pick it up and get yourself a thousand
dollar ticket", then kicks it over the side and down the slope. I
couldn't decide whether I wanted to punch the prick and send him down
after it, or just stand there and cry as I watched it smash itself to
worthless against what looked like an old stove

Pure "dog in the manger" bull**** is what it was all about.

--
Don Bruder - - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21, 2004.
Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a password in the
subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me) address.
See http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html for full details.

"Don Bruder" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"wallster" wrote:

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.

The pricks at our local dump will write you a ticket and throw you out
on your ear if they see you pick up so much as a bottle cap. "NO
SALVAGING" signs every few feet, a dozen or more "traffic cops" (not
actually cops, but they do direct traffic at the edge of the pit)
standing around acting like they're guards in a south-african diamond
mine, just waiting for somebody to try and make off with the goods.
*******s.

Had to pass up a nearly spotless "Hero-1" robot (Late 70's Heathkit toy
- BIG $$ in it's day, and even if it was trashed, probably worth a
hundred bucks or more in salvagable electronic goodies, stepper motors,
and similar) someone had dumped last time I was out there. Looked it
over, and all I could see obviously missing/damaged was the swivel-wheel
and the batteries, and one cap off the keypad. The rest of it looked
like it had been assembled, then parked in a closet until it got tossed.
Just about the time I figured out exactly what it was and that it would
probably be easily fixable, one of the traffic guys moseys over, points
at one of the signs, and says "pick it up and get yourself a thousand
dollar ticket", then kicks it over the side and down the slope. I
couldn't decide whether I wanted to punch the prick and send him down
after it, or just stand there and cry as I watched it smash itself to
worthless against what looked like an old stove

Pure "dog in the manger" bull**** is what it was all about.

--

I am saddened whenever I go to the dump. Well, it is a mechanized concrete
floor with pits, and semi trucks. Not like the old dump. I see bicycles
that could use a tube and a tweak, and rather than some kid who has no bike
getting it, it goes down the hole. And the list goes on and on and on and
on. Useful items. Things that people who don't have could use.

Sad.

Steve

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

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

"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

"wallster" wrote in message
...
I think the major reason people chuck stuff is that we take for granted
that
everyone can fix stuff. My brother is helpless when it comes to any type
of
repair. If he were to take his 8 year old lawnmower somewhere (if he could
find a place that repairs to begin with) by the time he paid for parts and
labor, (and waited 2-3 weeks) he would have 75% of a new one paid for. So
guys like us snag them by the curb, clean the carb, toss in a plug and
change the oil. We sell it for $20-$30. and would already be using his
$119.00 brand new murray lawnmower from walmart.
I picked up a lawnmower yesterday that was blowing oil. Turns out it had
too
much oil in it so it was spewing oil out of the exhaust valve. I cleaned
her
up, changed the oil and the plug, now it runs like a top.
That's a lawnmower, try to find anyone willing to try to fix half the
stuff
out there. It may be shot... or it may be a fuse or loose wire.

I love fixin stuff. Several of the kids battery powered toys came from a
second hand store that had $0.25 Saturday's. I'd buy 2 of the toy and get
one to work. When my TV wouldn't present a picture, I did a web search and
found several discussions of the model and symptom. They all pointed to the
same part. Without even opening the TV, I ran out and bought the chip.
That fixed it. I was in a thrift store today that had 2 decent looking
mowers for $25.

Joel. phx


walt

On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 11:58:20 -0400, "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?

Anyone here need 3' of steel pipe, 6"ID 7"OD been rusting behind the
shed for about twelve years now. Picked it up alongside the highway
one day.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 11:58:20 -0400, "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?
===
===walt
===http://www.nykeglawsucks.com
===To alcohol! The cause of - and solution to - all of life's problems.
===-Homer Simpson
===
===
===
===
===


My entire method of making things revolves around
trash...................I think even if I hadd all the money in the
world necessary to buy whatever it is I needed for a project, I get
more fun and enjoyment out of utilizing discarded items or scrounging
for them. No I am not a tightwad by any means but "trash" makes the
pocket money go a lot further.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

Best truckload of 13runs of 'trash' during our 'bulk pickup' last time was 2
snow blowers and a lawn tractor. Cleaned 3 carbs and now have a 6HP/22" sb,
8HP/32" Sb ( John deere) and a Sears LT/10 Lt minus the deck( needed new
battery). I hate to gloat, but I FINALLY got some real good stuff!
Also got a Hammond Tone Cabinet, mid 60's,solid state 60 watt amp/speaker
box. A truly beautiful piece of woodwork, with great sound as well!
Can't wait for September for the next runs!
j

"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
news
My place is in serious danger of breaking through the earth's crust and
sinking into the magma from the combined weight of all the stuff I
couldn't resist grabbing. G


LOL, I feel the same way. Like someone else already pointed out, once I
owned a lathe and a mill, every little scrap looks like stock inventory. I
have a hard time driving by the industrial section of my little town, 'cause
there is a metal shop there that throws away some good stuff that I've
dragged home. After a while, you just gotta say, enough!

Lane

I think the major reason people chuck stuff is that we take for granted
that
everyone can fix stuff. My brother is helpless when it comes to any type
of
repair. If he were to take his 8 year old lawnmower somewhere (if he could
find a place that repairs to begin with) by the time he paid for parts and
labor, (and waited 2-3 weeks) he would have 75% of a new one paid for. So
guys like us snag them by the curb, clean the carb, toss in a plug and
change the oil. We sell it for $20-$30. and would already be using his
$119.00 brand new murray lawnmower from walmart.
I picked up a lawnmower yesterday that was blowing oil. Turns out it had
too
much oil in it so it was spewing oil out of the exhaust valve. I cleaned
her
up, changed the oil and the plug, now it runs like a top.
That's a lawnmower, try to find anyone willing to try to fix half the
stuff
out there. It may be shot... or it may be a fuse or loose wire.

walt



The truth of the matter is that a shop with a labor rate of $50/hr can't do
what you and I do. The economics of it isn't there for any potential profit.
If you tried to run a business doing what you are doing, you probably
wouldn't be able to make a go of it either.

Lane

On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 18:56:43 -0700, "Lane"
lane_nospam@copperaccents_dot_com wrote:

I think the major reason people chuck stuff is that we take for granted
that
everyone can fix stuff. My brother is helpless when it comes to any type
of
repair. If he were to take his 8 year old lawnmower somewhere (if he could
find a place that repairs to begin with) by the time he paid for parts and
labor, (and waited 2-3 weeks) he would have 75% of a new one paid for. So
guys like us snag them by the curb, clean the carb, toss in a plug and
change the oil. We sell it for $20-$30. and would already be using his
$119.00 brand new murray lawnmower from walmart.
I picked up a lawnmower yesterday that was blowing oil. Turns out it had
too
much oil in it so it was spewing oil out of the exhaust valve. I cleaned
her
up, changed the oil and the plug, now it runs like a top.
That's a lawnmower, try to find anyone willing to try to fix half the
stuff
out there. It may be shot... or it may be a fuse or loose wire.

walt



The truth of the matter is that a shop with a labor rate of $50/hr can't do
what you and I do. The economics of it isn't there for any potential profit.
If you tried to run a business doing what you are doing, you probably
wouldn't be able to make a go of it either.

That's for sure. A long time ago mowers was my main business. Back
when I started out my fixit shop I did a lot of mowers and managed to
make a living as a bachelor. I still do mowers though it's definitely
the low priority part of my business. The fact is about 3/4 of the
time it's possible to make some money on a mower. The problem is that
the other 25% cause such a loss that they eat into the profits of the
good ones real fast.

It's even harder now days since the new mowers are definitely not
built to be worked on. It takes way to much time to get the pretty
plastic decoration pieces off and the carbs are built so cheap that
they're getting hard to do anything with.


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

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

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

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...

I'm with Roy on this one.

They like to charge 25 cents for a bolt, 75 cents for a washer, $1.50 for a
half dozen nuts, etc. I've got BOXES of exotic hardware for free from
disassembling things - and I use it constantly to build new stuff.

Built a small foundry almost entirely from old appliances, scrap, and other
wastes.

I think it's a good idea to try to use only automotive aluminum for making
castings, 356 pours like a dream, but some other alloys are rather nasty.
And, a good steam cleaning or powerwash prior to melting would definately
increase your yield and more sensible ion general.

You can get a ton of great electronic parts, motors, magnets from
microwaves, you name it.

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
================================================== ==========

"Wayne Cook" wrote in message
...


That's for sure. A long time ago mowers was my main business. Back
when I started out my fixit shop I did a lot of mowers and managed to
make a living as a bachelor. I still do mowers though it's definitely
the low priority part of my business. The fact is about 3/4 of the
time it's possible to make some money on a mower. The problem is that
the other 25% cause such a loss that they eat into the profits of the
good ones real fast.

It's even harder now days since the new mowers are definitely not
built to be worked on. It takes way to much time to get the pretty
plastic decoration pieces off and the carbs are built so cheap that
they're getting hard to do anything with.


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

I had a small engine repair for five years here in North Dakota. About 1/2
the push mowers you see are throw away machines. I always got a kick out of
people buying the $99 mower down the street, forgeting to put oil in it, or
bending the crank, and then wanting me to fix it. Lets see, crankshaft $45,
two hours labor at $26, (this was a few years back!), gaskets, oil,
whatever, over $100 at any rate! Hell a new 3.5 HP engine from Briggs &
Stratton was $159! Try to explain way a whole mower sells for less than just
the engine!
Once in a while I had people bring in higher quality machines with a bad
engine that they wanted to repair and were willing to pay the price. Down
the srteet I would go to the $99 lawn mower store and buy a mower, strip the
engine off of it and install it on their mower. Even as a dealer I could not
buy a engine that cheap.
I did a ton of small engine repair for consrtuction companies. I was the
only shop in town that would do LP gas powered small engine repair as it was
so differant in the way the engines would run. It was good money as they
would have me fix everything they brought in, no questions.
Still on our 3-1/2 day long summers, it was inpossible for someone to run a
small engine repair and make a living at it. Shops start up every year and a
couple of years down the road they are gone. There is one shop in town that
hass been around for maybe twenty years, but has changed ownership 5-6
times!
I had someone try buy me out once, I told him to pay off my bills and I
would hand him the keys! He would not bite!
Greg

I have a hard time driving by the industrial section of my
little town, 'cause there is a metal shop there that throws
away some good stuff that I've dragged home.

And this town would be...? :^)
--Glenn Lyford