Just thinking about my cousin Pete. He gave away his father in law's old electric drill, hand tools, & a snowblower when he inherited them after he passed away. He's so short sighted that he told me to stop up & take that stuff because he had no use for it & he was going to just throw it out. You're a home owner on a middle class budget & you have no use for $1,000 worth of items & equipment? Yeah right. After a little TLC the drill & the blower ran fine & I still have that stuff. When I use it, I think of Al & I shake my head about how, in this way, his memory lives thru me & not his Son in law, just because he's too proud to own a used item. If it's junk, toss it, if it's good but you just don't need it, donate it or sell it, or whatever, but if you can use it, fix it up & do something with it.
Good point, and since Bob obviously carried that desk all by himself, we had better not mess with him at the next annual OGR beer brawl!
Bob,
This has to be one of the best train related trash picks I've heard of in a long time...
Many years ago I bought a nice, restored Lionel 1835e from an old man who had a basement full of old Lionel Standard gauge trains. He told me after WW II there were tons of them set out on the curb for trash pick up so he gathered them up. Now was selling them off for retirement money. Still have the engine. Don't think that happens much any more. As a kid we got our toys by trash picking but grew out of that. I would be afraid of being accused of stealing.
Many years ago I bought a nice, restored Lionel 1835e from an old man who had a basement full of old Lionel Standard gauge trains. He told me after WW II there were tons of them set out on the curb for trash pick up so he gathered them up. Now was selling them off for retirement money. Still have the engine. Don't think that happens much any more. As a kid we got our toys by trash picking but grew out of that. I would be afraid of being accused of stealing.
WOW! Talk about a gold mine!
Bob NICE PICK UP!!!
many years ago, a friend and I were headed out to lunch when I told him to hang on tight. hit the brakes and backed up quick. sitting on top of the trash can was a Lionel bascule bridge complete sans roof. walked up to door and inquired about it and the women said her hubby didn't want it anymore. went to work ( worked in local hobby shop at the time) boss saw it and offered me $600.00 in store credit. I replied at my usual discount and he agreed. turned that $600 into a cool grand in store credit. best dumpster find ever.
You might want to check out www.freecycle.org, the FreeCycle Network. There are local groups that post items being offered for free, also wanted. Some amazing stuff is offered just for the effort of going to get it. Not train related but I got about 150 classic era scifi books and I've seen MR magazines and some train items offered.
Also as you arrange the pickup it avoids embarasing the spouse by stoping to go through the garbage.
Scotie
You might want to check out www.freecycle.org, the FreeCycle Network. There are local groups that post items being offered for free, also wanted. Some amazing stuff is offered just for the effort of going to get it. Not train related but I got about 150 classic era scifi books and I've seen MR magazines and some train items offered.
Also as you arrange the pickup it avoids embarasing the spouse by stoping to go through the garbage.
Scotie
Scotie: I've been free-cycling for years. It's a great way to see your stuff move on to others who may not be able to buy new.
Good point, and since Bob obviously carried that desk all by himself, we had better not mess with him at the next annual OGR beer brawl!
Hey guys, all I did was load it into the back of the car. I called two of my sons to unload it, and bring it down the basement. Once, I was told by a contemporary, "there's always an easier way". What he meant was, get someone else to help, or to do it for you. Words of wisdom I now carry with me. At 68, I don't have anything to prove to anyone.
Good point, and since Bob obviously carried that desk all by himself, we had better not mess with him at the next annual OGR beer brawl!
Good point, and since Bob obviously carried that desk all by himself, we had better not mess with him at the next annual OGR beer brawl!
Hey guys, all I did was load it into the back of the car. I called two of my sons to unload it, and bring it down the basement. Once, I was told by a contemporary, "there's always an easier way". What he meant was, get someone else to help, or to do it for you. Words of wisdom I now carry with me. At 68, I don't have anything to prove to anyone.
Good point, and since Bob obviously carried that desk all by himself, we had better not mess with him at the next annual OGR beer brawl!
Hey guys, all I did was load it into the back of the car. I called two of my sons to unload it, and bring it down the basement. Once, I was told by a contemporary, "there's always an easier way". What he meant was, get someone else to help, or to do it for you. Words of wisdom I now carry with me. At 68, I don't have anything to prove to anyone.
So you basically single handed picked up the desk and loaded it into the back of your car, then in an act of modesty called your two sons to help you unload it, so they would not witness your transformation into the Incredible Hulk!
68? Are you sure?
Some of my furniture has been curbside finds, or even set out by the dumpster as in metal shelve units.
Have found some nice things thrown in dumpsters, like near Dublin GA over 15 years ago, found an H.O. race car set tossed out because the cars quit working but the track and transformer still in great shape.
Lee Fritz
I was a picker way before American Pickers! I had rebuilt bikes, mowers and furnished my home with others cast offs. I have several friends that scrap too and we all look for junk for each other.
A fellow scrapper found this on trash day In Penn Hills last October. I myself have only found Ho trains and slot car tracks local. This set must have come from a wealthy family with a log dump, hopper dump, milk car several switches and a AA set of Santa Fe Diesels.
They were well loved and show it. but were also kept in a damp area.
drive around a collage after the end of Spring classes. When our oldest went to Ohio State, we moved her in her dorm, and you can find just about anything you want. Couches, recliners,tables,brand new note books,new copy paper,etc. In the dumpsters,on the ground, at the curb.
I've been a dumpster diver for years. My entire house and some additions materials were provided courtesy of the trash bin. A friend works for his municipality, and always brings home great stuff from the annual spring cleanup. He gave me about 80 or so feet of Atlas 2 rail track, which I used for my hopper display yard, and for making MOW junk loads.
Another project I do is convert old window frames into shelved mirrors and chalk boards. These frames come from junk piles and dumpsters. Once while working at a private school, there were several frames wedged in a 30 yard dumpster. One of the carpenters said I'd never get them out. That challenge was all I needed. I sold one of those re purposed frames for almost $300.
Great find with the desk Bob, the only thing I see is the missing corner on the drawer. Easy fix.
Don
One of my first bikes was a dumpster find from my aunt growing up. I also found a section of Ho Scale display track once have used it for taking photos of some of my Tyco car. Great desk
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