Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)

Hi govcheetos, thanks for the great posts. I think that you are a natural writer as well as an ass kicking barter and horse trader. If you lived in my neighborhood, the competition would be fierce. HaHa (just kidding…. Maybe) .

I have led a rich life while rarely being what some would call wealthy. I grew up with a father in the Navy who came up in the ranks. The military didn’t pay much in those days but we always seemed to get by. We didn’t have a lot of clothes or anything fancy but looking back now I believe that this made us closer and more creative. I have always felt that the struggling years were the best. I made up a quote that has stood me in good stead through the years :

We can own nothing in this world but only have use of it for a time, for we are mortal.

This puts my life in perspective when I sometimes think of all the things I have had in the past. Someday I’ll be gone but these things will still be here.

As for silver and gold being good investments in the short term, here is an article that I’m sure many precious metal investors will take exception to. We are at a juncture in which the precious metals could either take off or fall down. Not for the faint of heart. I have some silver as only part of my preparations for the future. Food, some dollars, a way to protect my family, water storage, and other preps also figure into the whole picture. I sometimes tell Ponce that he is like Noah’s Ark, needing nothing from the outside world. And he is; I’m just trying to get my own Ark outfitted as best and fast as possible.

Gold Market Update
By Clive Maund

http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials...und042213.html

Govcheetos, your post made me recall how fortunate I was to have been able to spend the summers on my grandfather’s cattle ranch. I was a boy then but much of what I saw and learned is still with me. My grandfather was tough to the core and fearless. As A young man, he had had an eye shot out from a hunting accident. My father said that one time he was with his father and a man pulled a gun on him. My grandfather called him every name in the book and stepped forward and took the gun out of this man’s hand wherein this man broke down and cried and apologized and said that my father could have the house. You see, this man had agreed to sell my father a house and then backed out for a higher offer from another buyer. By the way, he was a Baptist minister. Not such a good example for his flock, eh ? We did get that house and it became home base as we traveled to the various Naval duty stations throughout the United States. My grandfather had been the local sheriff at some time in his life; not sure how long before this incident. He didn’t wear a gun but other men respected him for his strength of character. Hw was tough as nails but gentle and patient with us children.

Because my father was in the Navy, we moved every year or two as I was growing up. It was a strange life but filled with new adventures and places to explore. A rich life, you might say. The past has made me much of what I am today. Depending on how we teach our children, especially by example, they will go forth into the world equipped to handle whatever comes their way.

You may have others envious of your possessions in the future. I dispel this by sharing and finding items for family and friends. I’m always on the lookout for things they may want or need; it is as if I am Christmas shopping throughout the year as I go garage sailing. And everything I have is for sale or trade so if someone wants what I have I am willing to deal or help them find what they want. I’m retired but still “working” if you want to call it that. I’m working at having fun; often it pays more in profit than when I had my businesses. And it always pays off in fun; I can’t wait to get out there and see what is up for sale. Sometimes items that I did not know existed.

In fact, I have a couple of friends who are having a garage sale in a couple of weeks and they want me to come over the day before the sale to buy anything I want. I got to know them through the fruits and veggies I distribute (still getting about a ton per week). So you see, one good thing leads to another… and another… and another. My life is so filled with fun things happening that I have to take a day off now and then to catch my breath.

Right now I’m fixing two riding mowers for the grass growing season. I have a couple more that I can’t get to but a new friend is helping me get things in order around the place. He was the fellow who caught my head before it hit the concrete. I was at a garage sale and fell of the tailgate of my truck. I’m 66 and getting a bit slower but can still wear out young men (but only sometimes now).

The point of the above paragraphs is that this bartering and horse trading is so broad that I cannot convey all the things that happen in doing so. Sometimes it is finding new friends.

I just got a Jack LaLanne juicer; it is a heavy monster and the only one with a large opening. Retail price is somewhere between $100 and $130. I got it for $13.50. And if you are looking for a professional juicer, you might look at the Champion juicer. I have one and it is great. I’m buying a second one next week from a friend. Gotta have a backup, behind a backup as Ponce says. By the way, I don’t think anyone on our website knows just how fortunate I am to have Ponce as a friend. He is a riot on the phone and so incredibly knowledgeable. We talk most days, often for over an hour. Invest into your family and friends; that will make you truly rich. Something the government can’t get a percentage of. I especially like that.

Govcheetos, I again had to laugh when you wrote about the Tupperware box full of screwdrivers, pliers, and a small crescent wrench for $4. I had just bought a Tupperware box with several tire gauges, an air nozzle, and several air fittings for $5. I think your deal was better than mine but both were a bargain. And the little things like your propane bottle for a quarter is putting into action the saying that a lot of little things add up to a big deal. Also, remember that if you had to buy these items new, you would pay many times the price AND sales tax to boot (you in the butt). The convenience of having these tools around is hard to calculate but if you had to drive to the hardware store every time you needed a new tool, your wear and tear and gas and time would add up to plenty.

Gotta stop before I embarrass myself; getting’ too giddy with the good times.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is.*************
— Oscar Wilde


The Second Amendment is all about goon control
Agnut

Picked up some deals this week.

Tore down a section of fence in a lady's yard an kept most of the usable wood. Built a fence in my neighbor's yard with the wood and made $400 in an afternoon.

A friend moved away to find work in his field and has had to let the bank take his house. He told me to go over and take anything out of the yard and shed that I wanted or thought I could make money on. Ended up with several things: Several pressure treated 2x4's, a few cinder blocks, several pieces of re-bar, a pair of sturdy pressure treated saw horses, a draw tite receiver hitch, removable 55 gallon drum lid and clasp, some chains, a block and tackle set up, some 4 ft wide garage shelving, and $61 of scrap metal. I thought about taking the shed too, but it's not really the size I want, and could probably do better putting my efforts into something I can really use.

Garage sailing this weekend I picked up a large live animal trap for $7. A friend of mine has the same one and had to pay $69 retail. This is good for catching coons (4 legged, not the 2 legged kind) or possums, or feral cats.

Picked up yet ANOTHER dolly/handtruck for $5. Selling one of these for so cheap really makes no sense at all to me.

Bought a pair of the big clamp style vise grips for $1, and a 10' crescent wrench for $1.

Finally helped a good friend clean out his warehouse. American Pickers could do a whole season at his house. For helping him move a bunch of stuff from one ware house to another for a couple hours he gave me just what I needed: an appliance/refrigerator dolly! The strap mechanism is a little shot so I may be able to fix it or just use a large rachet strap.

If anyone wants a dolly/hand truck let me know, I've got 5 LOL!

Hope the rest of ya'll find something for nothing!

Although chilly in the morns still, hunting season (that is- yard sale hunting) is officially opened in CT. So far slim pickins.

On my way home from work on Friday I saw a barn sale in MA. Bought a bucket of old tools: large hand power drill bits, files, lock vice grip pliers, and a bunch of miscellaneous hardware- $10. I asked if they had any solder... not necessarily silver solder as I am looking for electrical solder. He came out with 4 pounds... another $10. I wonder what I missed because I wasn't there first thing in the morning.

I stopped at a yard sale on Saturday... hand tools for 50 cents each.... Craftsman & Snap-On. I got 6 good pieces.

Hi govcheetos, smart dealings there. With the future being what it is, your using all kinds of used material is way ahead of the game. Ponce says to collect everything you can for it will be like Cuba here someday. People ask me why I buy so much stuff and want to know if I have been selling these items. I tell them that I haven’t sold anything yet but will someday. What I do not tell them that I am collecting items that will be in demand in the future. Things like 2x4s, plastic 4 gallon containers, steel 5 gallon containers, power saws and drills, boxes of nails and screws, electrical connectors, copper wiring, extension cords, and a whole lot of other items.

I will be selling some art and furniture and cars and specialty tools that I don’t expect to ever need. These items I believe will fall in price and demand in the future. The money will go into more items that I believe will have a greater demand and value in the future.

Because of the dollar’s demise (collapse if you may), we may become isolated and therefore very little will be coming into the U.S. Therefore, what we have here now will be needed desperately. Just like what has been happening in Cuba for decades. Can you blame the rest of the world if/when this isolation were to happen ? The dollar is the reserve currency for the world and it appears to me that it has been enforced by our military. This doesn’t make friends either. So the rest of the world will probably cheer our downfall. So the potential for isolation; shunning would perhaps be a better description.

I don’t care what you are picking up; it is all good. If you think it has value to you, it also has value to others. This may be a time to take out a notebook and jot down things you have seen in your traveling around. There is stuff laying around all over the place. Some for scrap value, some for personal use, some for future bartering and some for reselling as soon as possible.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The beauty of perceiving a value of an item is that it results in a profit somewhere in the future. I’ll bet that 99% of folks who would look in my barn and storage sheds and house would think I am a hoarder. Good for them; I hope that they keep on thinking that way; it just makes it easier for me to acquire items so cheap.

By the way, the hoarder shows I have seen always have stacks of newspapers and useless junk probably picked up for free; things that have a minimal value at best and a rat’s nest and fire trap at worst. What I am saying is that there is a total difference between what most folks think a hoarder is and what we are doing.

When things do collapse, America will get cleaned out of useable items. But not cleaned up because there may not be a Depression style Conservation Corps but instead a conversation corpse. Lots of talk but not much action. Little strained there but you get the picture.

And the beautiful thing about what you are doing govcheetos is that you will be experienced and well connected for the way things will work in the future. For bartering and horse trading is a special kind of prep; it is renewable on a daily basis. Unlike having a lot of food preps put away; they will be exhausted in time. Nothing wrong there; I just wanted to make that distinction clear. Ben Franklin said to put all your money into education; it’s the one thing they can’t take away from you.

Last Saturday I picked up a small anvil for $10, a nice fishing rod and reel for $5, a vise for $10, three Rigid pipe cutters like new for a total of $14, 15 blue glasses from France for $5 and a few small items for spares. I have been looking for those French glasses for a long time; the right shape and size. I knew that they would turn up if I was patient. My experience is that eventually, most everything I want shows up.

Tomorrow or the day after I have to go to a couple of friends’ garage and estate sale. They are letting me go in a day early and pick out all the things I want. I’ve been waiting for this for about a month. I’ll let you know how it works out; nothing is sure until afterwards.

Gotta go; another truckload of fruits and veggies to pick up. Still getting about a ton a week. I have been kicking myself because I have yet to learn canning and have about 800 Mason jars and all the equipment. Oh well, there aren’t enough hours in the day as it is.

Best wishes,

Agnut

The Second Amendment is all about goon control
Agnut

“A civilization that expects to be ignorant and free, expects what never was and never will be”.
Thomas Jefferson

Hi Spectrism. Your buys touched me deeply (somewhere between admiration and envy; flip a coin) what with my being a career mechanic. Do you know what Snap-On tools cost today ? Might as well be a commodity right along with gold and silver.

The old farm barns sales are often goldmines. Not only are the prices usually great but these old barns can hold a generation or more of antique tools, etc. American Pickers is an interesting show; the guys seem to spend a majority of their time in old barns and sheds that haven’t been molested for decades. And the items that they come up with are fascinating.

And Spectrism, you are so right in that you will never know what you have missed by showing up late. The only thing that is worse is arriving late only to see other buyers walking out with treasures in their hands. I cannot emphasize enough that, especially in today’s financial environment, we need to arrive early rather than when the ad says they will be open. Lately I have been arriving early and the sellers have been only too happy to let me in. Many times I have been the first one there and by the time other are arriving, I am scooting out the door with a load of goodies.

My first stop was at a friend’s garage/estate sale today and I picked up the following items :

A Champion juicer for $50. They are from $235 to $300 new plus shipping. I already have one and this is for a backup. I have read that this juicer can break down the fruits and veggies finer than other types and a greater food value can be derived.

A solar battery charger new in the package for $40. Ponce told me that it wasn’t such a good deal and I agreed; the new price is about $70 but I didn’t want to drive two hours to get one or to order one from the internet.

2 bike hoist kits for $30. I want to hang bikes from the rafters in the barn in order to make more room. More room for more garage sale items, that is.

A mosquito zapper still in the box with extras for $15. The price on the box was $100 new.

8 spring loaded ratcheting woodworking clamps for $8.

A socket set with 20 sockets, a ratchet and extensions for $3. Made in Taiwan but useable for emergency tools in the trunk of a car.

A box of copper fittings and tools for $8.

A pair of speaker stands for $20. I really need them and here they showed up.

A Sears battery charger for $5; it has a 50 amp switch for car starting. I had owned one many years ago and it was always reliable so I bought it. I wonder what the new price would be today.

2 rolls of roofing tarpaper for $10. On the way home I dropped in to a thrift store that specializes in construction materials. The manager is a friend and when I showed him the 2 rolls I had and what I paid, he smiled and took me into a sea container that had 4 rolls of roofing tarpaper and sold all of them to me for a total of $6. While I was there I found a pair of US made fisherman’s hip waders for $5.

After leaving my friend’s garage sale I saw a sign for another garage sale, two sales in fact. I turned off and after a long drive down a winding road I found the place. I had missed the last sign and had resigned myself to heading home. After I turned around I saw the last sign and pulled off. The first seller had a pair of US made rubber boots for $5; they looked like new. Next door another seller had the aforementioned two rolls of roofing tarpaper and a battery charger for $2. This charger didn’t look like much but it worked and was so cheap.

If I hadn’t bought the 2 roofing tarpaper rolls I wouldn’t have ended up with the four rolls later because I wouldn’t have had them to show to my friend. Sometimes one thing leads to another in various ways. This is only part of the wonderful world of bartering and horse trading.

I often mention where the items are made; it is so important what with so much imported items that break almost as soon as you use them. Chinese goods are sometimes a real bargain but items like socket wrenches and electrical tools are inferior in my experience.

Today’s garage sailing was a blast but I’m worn out and rather than chase more deals will spend the weekend with family and friends.

Best wishes,

Agnut

The Second Amendment is all about goon control
Agnut

"guns kill like spoons make you fat".

Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses.
Plato.

“You can have everything in life you want, if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want.” Some people might hear that and focus on the “have” part, but what Zig Ziglar really meant was that when you choose to serve others first, everything else follows from there.

Hey ya'll,

Agnut, the deal you got on the battery charger was a good one. My Northern Tools catalog has a Schumacher brand charger similar to yours listed at 50 dollars plus tax. I keep my 50 amp charger in the diesel truck for the extra amperage needed for the larger high compression engine plus dual battery set up.

Today's sales yielded a few finds.

Picked up a brand new never used pair of 24" bolt cutters for 5 bucks. I keep a set in each truck cause you never know when you might need to cut a bolt, some chain, cable, wire fence etc. For SHTF or just regular everyday reasons.

Bought two heavy duty tie down chains and chain binders for 20 bucks. I've been on the lookout for these for a while to use on a flat bed trailer I have to use for transporting vehicles and other heavy items. I didn't want to buy new because the chains go for about 50 bucks each retail and the binders are about 20 bucks each.

Picked up an authenic Hawaiian dash board Hula girl still in the box for my truck. I asked the lady how much and she said "50 cents, she'll do the hula on your dash." I said tongue in cheek "Hell, last time I paid for that it cost a lot more than 50 cents!" and bought her. It's good to have a little fun and positive in your life you know.

I missed out by 1 minute on a Hi-Lift jack, price : 20 dollars. Pays to be early. Maybe next time.

Forgot to mention a couple weeks ago I picked up everybody's favorite "Blacks' Law Dictionary" for 3 dollars at a thrift store. Hardcover sixth edition unused.

I mentioned this before, but it stands out in my mind how inexpensive some of these things are compared to the current price of gasoline, diesel, or a bottle of budweiser in a bar. I never let my tank go below half for a few reasons. It's good to be prepared, sudden price spikes, plus it just makes me want to cry if I fill anything up that's on empty!

Spending the weekend with family and friends is the best deal you got in my opinion. In the end that's all we ever really have anyway.

Perhaps my biggest problem is organizing too many things in too little space.

That could take much spare time. Still... I procrastinate. I guess my subconscious reasoning is that if I lose my job or some other SHTF scenario develops, organizing may be the new job.

Regardless, as I search for SMALL deals, there are bound to be steals in larger packages. I keep reminding myself of space limits. So far, most pickings are pretty meagher.

A couple weeks ago, on a Monday, I was heading out to a work site. I saw what appeared to be tools in front of a house with a FREE sign. Somehow those 4 letters (even barely visible, badly painted on a plywood board) did not go unnoticed by me. I couldn't stop as I had to get to work. I planned to drive the same way home later on. And I did. Sure enough.... stuff still there. I picked up a couple iron rakes, a square shovel and assorted glass plates and a double layer insulated window. I had visions of using the window for my daughter's tree house- perfect fit and the glass for basement windows.


Today I visited many sales. Mostly junk. I found one neighborhood that was "uppity" and loudly advertised by the residents as jewish. It struck me funny that 5 places had their sale on the same day and they all brazenly made it clear by words and manners of being jewish- in a modern and snobby American sense. Where I am this is very unusual and reminded me of dealings in NYC. No big deal, but an interesting "New Jersey Housewives" kind of environment.

One place was over-priced in what they had tagged so I didn't even ask them about things that were mildly interesting. Next place- same thing. No bargains. Then I saw a place with old tool boxes.... old machinist special tool boxes. The specialty tools were old and neglected in the sense that it was clear nobody had an interest in them... and usually I wouldn't either. But I noticed some good things- many kinds of specialty files, clamps, cutting drills, saw baldes- hack & round, measuring gages.... enough stuff that I saw value.

My approach is to find out if they are trying to make money or just clean out the house and get rid of stuff. I asked the man what the tool boxes were. He said his wife's father was a machinist. Right there, I could read his body language that he couldn't care less about them. He told me he wanted $25 for each box. I offered $40 for both and he took it. He hesitated for a moment. Maybe I could have gotten them for less. The two weigh about 80 pounds. Some of the files in there with their curved and pointed shapes I have never seen before. I have no idea how I will ever use some of this stuff.

Hi Govcheetos. Yeah the battery charger was a good deal. You made me think about how going around to all these sales, the acts of driving to, meeting the sellers, looking at their items, negotiating; these are acts which demand thought of the mind. We too infrequently challenge our minds to awaken and be creative. In my experience, bartering and horse trading contains all the elements to keep one happily occupied for the rest of one’s life. It is a personal search and at the end we find ourselves.

God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.
Voltaire

Who have we bought from ?

What have we bought ?

Where have we bought ?

When have we bought ?

Why have we bought ?

How have we bought ?

The old journalism “who, what, where, when, why, and how” seems to apply in reporting our bartering and horse trading deals.

Your statement, “I mentioned this before, but it stands out in my mind how inexpensive some of these things are compared to the current price of gasoline, diesel, or a bottle of Budweiser in a bar”, was another way of value comparison. Very perceptive. We all too often do not think in such a manner and fritter away our future wealth. While compound interest used to become a fortune in time, that is all dead now with low interest and high risk we face today. I still feel that this garage sale and estate sale business will save a huge amount now, the accumulated items that we do set aside will be worth a fortune in a shtf scenario.

Your bolt cutter deal was smart; I have a couple of pairs myself and had bought them long ago before I needed them. By the way, are you outfitting a country place with acreage ? Sounds like it. A country boy can survive. Wish I could find some chain binders myself for the hay we have to haul. You should see the way we have to bind with rope 100 bales on my trailer. Scary.

And the Hula girl was a rare find; I lived on the channel that led into Pearl Harbor for two years. Good times. By the way, I was born in Key West and have been looking for a set of plastic Flamingoes for years. Don’t know why but they might make a interesting conversation starter. Or… somebody in the mental health industry may become alerted as to my “collecting”.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. I haven’t gone to garage sales last or this weekend. Too many other deals to finish up with folks I have met in the last 6 months. This is a side benefit if you know to collect phone numbers and names and what they have laying around or for sale.

I‘ll answer Spectrism’s meaty post as soon as I have time. Just mowed the lawns and it is 7:30 here.
I’m beat !

Hi Spectrism and thank you for your thoughtful and detailed post. I know, it is hard to accumulate items with little storage room. Perhaps small items such as jewelry or some antiques would fit into your dealings. I have many enamel on copper paintings and some hang on the walls while the rest are boxed up in storage. Some items that you buy could be used as decoration in your home while you are offering them on eBay. This way you can enjoy them while you have them. But I will warn you that you, like me, may become attached to them and will not want to sell them. Now two things come into play here. The advantage is your enjoyment while at the same time pricing them higher due to this attachment. This higher price means more profit while you are in no hurry to sell these items. You see the mindset here and how it can work to your advantage ?

You mentioned organizing your purchases. HaHa. That is my big challenge since I have thousands of items I have accumulated through the last 15 or so years. And most of these items are still stored in the same boxes and buckets as the day I bought them. So when I open a box to find what is inside, it is like Christmas morning again and again. Many items I have forgotten that I bought them. I may have a huge garage sale some day but what holds me back is that I agree with Ponce who often tells me that what we accumulate will someday be like gold. Can you imagine what it would be like if we in America became isolated from the rest of the world like Cuba has for the last several decades ?

The machinist tools sound like a great buy. Their value may surprise you. I also have a chest of machinist tools that I paid $150 for last year, I think. The machinist box they came in alone is worth a good deal of money. If I ever sell the tools I will photograph them individually and put them on Craigslist or eBay. Machinist tools are specialized and we must appeal to the people who appreciate them and their true value.

You also mentioned reading “body language” (there is an excellent short book by that name; I recommend it highly), something that is so important in dealings. The more you communicate, the more you will know how to deal with each individual person. We humans are comprised of many similar traits sprinkled with idiosyncratic ones. Our sharpened ability to listen to what the other person is saying in body and word will increase the success of our dealings. A upbeat attitude and a sense of humor go a long way but must be honest and heartfelt. There is nothing phony here but is merely the unleashing of what is inside of you. Genuineness.

Recently I bought a couple of boxes of copper pipe fittings and tools. I didn’t need them but just looking in the boxes I knew that they were worth far more than $10 each. I didn’t even haggle; the seller and I have been dealing for a while and he finds good deals quite often.

A couple of years ago I met a man working in a non profit thrift store and he is now manager of the new branch store which specializes in building materials. The stuff comes in and goes out really fast, so I need to be vigilant. I got 4 rolls of roofing paper for $1.50 each, a 8 foot 4x6 treated post for $2 for the 12-14 foot gate for the fish pond I want to put in. I still haven’t found the gate but it will show up. It costs over $200 at Home Depot; too mucho for me.

My sister had over 350 decorative bricks in her yard and wanted them outta there. I’m picking up the last 100 next week. They cost $1.50 each at Home Depot so that’s about $500 I won’t have to spend when I plow out the circular drive and lay the brick border. Free construction materials can be had if we will keep our eyes and ears open. Last week I picked up 6 double pane sliding windows with frames for free. I need 10 or 15 more sliding doors for the greenhouse I want to build. I’m in no hurry; they will show up.

Oh, I also got 17 cement pyramids for a foundation; they weigh about 40 pounds each. By the way, I paid $2.50 each for them as a result of the seller saying that he was told that they cost $12 each at Home Depot. I checked later and found that they are about $2.50 each. I will tell him the next time I see him and he will adjust the price on the next time I buy some items from him. This way we keep things straight and I don’t have him refunding money to me. Better this way to continue our relationship. I am mentioning this transaction to show what can be done when there are discrepancies in understanding. We should always be cognizant of how we are continually building relationships, for through time, this becomes a larger proportion of our dealings.

Piece by piece I am gathering the materials I figure I will need. Some items are hard to find and must either be purchased new or requested in a wanted advertisement, either in the local papers or on the bulletin board of the local feed store. For instance, I’m looking for a couple hundred T posts for fencing around the acreage. I haven’t been able to find them except a few at a time at sales. Now this method can be used for most anything you are looking for.

Last year I bought a 24 foot double axle trailer for hauling hay for our cattle. I also thought it could be used if I were to place an ad in the papers offering to buy whole estates or business inventories. Just something I thought I’d throw out there for you entrepreneurs’ consideration.

Gotta go; lots of weed whacking to be done to feed the cattle.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Hey ya'll,

Agnut I don't live on a farm, but did grow up on one. Know all about pitching and stacking those hay bails you mentioned. Since I was young I've always had a problem asking for help from others. I've always strived to be self-sufficeint and able to take care of my business or affairs all on my own. I amassed the large amount of tools, equipment, vehicles, etc. out of a need or a potential need in the future, or they are potential money makers either by owning them or reselling them to a buyer who has a need for them. I've also always had an appreciation for older, ruggedly built items that served a real purpose vs all the disposable crap they sell us now. I know what you mean about the relationship thing. I try to know someone on a first name basis in most career fields. People almost daily sometimes will ask if I know a certain kind of mechanic, plumber, HVAC guy etc. I tell them to tell the person that I sent them. I find that blue collar business owners really appreciate me and the favor gets returned in one way or another. No offense to anyone, but doctor and lawyer types always seem to think they had it coming anyway. Except for one lawyer I know, he's a great guy especially for a lawyer! lol

Spectrism, You can't go wrong with free tools ever. Keep them if the are useful to you, sell them if the aren't and have value, keep and trade them for something you can use, or give them to friends or family that could use them. I like tools, but certain specialty ones that aren't of use to me get traded or sold. Check out ebay or craigslist and see what they are selling for first so you don't give them away.

I decided to not go to sales last week due to so few being advertised, plus needing to catch up on some sleep and a few things around the place. The week before yielded a few finds though. I picked up a brand new galvinized trailer tire and rim for $15. Northern tools sells these for $119 and West Marine sells them for $142 plus tax on both. This tire will be used as a spare on one of my trailers. It is brand new and still has the nipples on the tread. I found a small 1/4 inch drive craftsman socket set with a metal case for $2. I have a ton of sockets, but for the price I'll probably keep it in the shed or somewhere handy where I won't have to trek back to the shop to get one if needed. I cut a friend's grass for a $40 bag of fertilizer he had laying in his garage. I only cut the front and he pays me $20, but now I'm basically $20 ahead and won't have to go to the store. This particular brand and NPK ratio is the one I use on my own yard.

Gonna hit craigslist and see whats advertised for tomorrow and hit the sack.

Hope ya'll find some deals!

Been a slow couple of weeks lately.

I missed out by 5 minutes on a 2003 VW jetta in good condition for only $1000. My brother in law works on VWs all the time so I think I could have sold it to him or easily doubled or tripled my money to a stranger.

Hope everyone else is finding some items they can use.

Coming back home from Longview this morning, I stopped by a yard sale and picked up a current issue military, new looking Goretex 5 piece modular sleep system (MSS) for $ 40.00! Hell the bivi bag (s) are worth that alone. This is one of the best bugout/camping/sleeping system combos out there for all weather. Good from summer down to -60°F wearing the proper sleeping clothes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modular_Sleep_System


This is one of the new ones that have better ratings..

Hi govcheetos. You sound like what I am also doing with tools and materials. Today I was picking up 35 bales of hay in a trade. Cost about $1 per bale. On the way home we stopped at that thrift construction material store to pick up some pressure treated lumber I had paid for a while ago. The guy I usually deal with wasn’t there but his helper was. After I loaded the lumber I noticed a pile of drain pipes and a cleanout box; I got all of it for $11. I plan to put in a drain for winter rain runoff and will need it.

I have an address book that has many connections as well as a business card folder that holds several professional people that I can call upon when needed. I also include the names and phone numbers and what they are capable of doing for me. Now just having this information is not enough; They also must have the qualities of honesty, fairness, competence and reliability. Paying others is expensive and I need their work to go smoothly. Sometimes I can save a considerable amount by trading with their work and/or helping set up the materials and some of the labor before they finish the job.

Your tool buying when the prices are bargains is wise. American made and German made tools will be more appreciated and valued through the years.

Last Friday I went to a few garage sales with a couple of friends. I got a large Stihl chain saw for $150; he wanted $200 but I stuck to my guns. I have 3 smaller Stihl chain saws and may sell one of them for what I paid for the large one. I may even get more; I don’t know at this time. Isn’t it wonderful to have these types of decisions to make. Trading up for something more needed and not having to pay out money is sweet indeed. When I was much younger I did that with cars, all kinds of cars.

I also got a couple of shovels, one with a fiberglass handle, for $2 each. A new in the bag pair of pajamas for $1. A dolphin musical globe and a dolphin lamp for $3 each, both for my niece. A brand new Tommy Hilfiger designer ladies wallet for free.

A friend I met through the free fruit and veggies giveaway told me about a community garage sale that is to take place a week from this Friday. About 30 homes in an upscale neighborhood will participate. Should be a goldmine.

And the middle of next month there is the annual swap meet at the town park. I already have it on my calendar.

Sorry to hear that you missed the 2003 VW Jetta for $1,000. These relatively larger deals have the potential to rocket your finances ahead in one burst. The profits from such a deal can then used to pyramid a fortune. I’ve seen it happen many times and it is like Christmas morning.

Here is a most informative thread over at Timebomb2000 :

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showt...-will-do-when&

Ben Franklin said that a penny saved is a penny earned. Well, with taxes taking half of our money, a penny saved is two pennies earned.

Tuesday I had our cable TV turned off; I will save $115 per month. I am keeping the high speed internet and the phone because my only alternative is satellite which has limitations. This savings will make finances easier. Also free ranging our 24 chickens which will save about $60-70 per month in feed. We will have to buy feed in the winter. But still some savings to be had there.

Longer term I am switching from electric stove, dryer and hot water heater to propane. Since I have wanted to do this for a long time, I bought a beautiful almost new gas stove for $25 and an almost new Maytag dryer for $125. The hot water heater I will probably buy new. Yesterday I was checking out a tiller for a neighbor and met a man there who was visiting who can do electric, gas lines and carpentry work. He comes highly recommended.

As you can see, I’m cutting the fat out of the budget. A cheaper per month cell phone is also a possibility.

It’s after midnight and I gotta get my beauty rest. That’s right, beauty rest because everyone says that if I don’t get enough sleep I get ugly.

Best wishes,

Agnut

The Second Amendment is all about goon control
Agnut

“A civilization that expects to be ignorant and free, expects what never was and never will be”.
Thomas Jefferson

"when you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out"

Found a few deals today after a brief slow spell.

Picked up a Kim Lighting 400 watt flood light for $5. This thing is HUGE and probably weighs 60 lbs, the housing is made of aluminum, and is made to mount high up on a pole. It uses a 400 watt high pressure sodium bulb and will be used to light up part of my property. If it doesn't work, I could probably make my money back at the scrap yard.

Picked up a 7 piece boxed end wrench set for $2. It was missing the 7/16 wrench, but a buddy of mine found one laying in the street last week and gave to me so now it's a complete set. Funny how God works sometimes.

Found a shovel with a fiberglass handle. The guy had it marked for $7 which is a good deal already. My wife bought a stack of coloring books for her niece for a $1 and paid with a five. The guy joked that he didn't have change and that she'd have to buy something else to make up the difference. I said how about this shovel for $4 and he said deal!

Saw a few generators for sale, more than usual. All were priced too high for me, $300-375. I have three already so I'm not really in the need for one, but if I find a decent one for less than $200 I will buy it. You can resell them on craigslist for $350-$400 usually. I've loaned one of mine out to neighbors during a 4 day power outage and you thought I saved their life! Something big enough to power up the frig, a few lamps, and a window unit a/c is all that's needed for emergency use in my opinion. I've come into three of the window units in the last few years and didn't have to pay for any of them. The one I keep for my self is a 10,000 btu unit which just about cools the house down as good as my central unit. The other two are a 5000 btu and a 6500 btu. Something to keep in mind for emergencys, you can find these for $25-$50 and stick them out in the garage, shed or attic until you need it.

Hope everybody else finds some good windfalls!

Hi Dogman. The Gortex military outfit sounds like an absolute steal. You know, the government spares no expense in procuring their gear (especially since it is not their money they are spending). Maybe this is a way of getting some of our tax payments back.

This morning I was going to 3 or 4 garage sales but the first one was exceptional so it was the only one I went to today. A wonderful couple who I could hardly get away from.

I got two 21 speed offroad bikes for $20 each with gel seats and the original seats new in a bag that I didn’t notice until I got home.

A dehumidifier for $25; I have been looking for one for a long time and had almost given up looking.

7 Chicago Cutlery knives for $15; I pick this brand up whenever I can.

A 6 foot long pirate ship kite with skull and crossbones all over the sails for $8. My son seemed excited when I showed it to him. Now that several hundred yards of woven kite string I got for free last year will come in handy.

And last but not least a power management system for my 12K diesel generator and 24 battery pack. I will be able to switch off the line coming in and switch to either home system (generator or battery pack) when commercial power fails. It costs about $600 new but I got it for $30.

The seller was so nice and helpful as well as extremely knowledgeable that I was overwhelmed. As I have written before, the people we meet are the real treasures and should never be overlooked. I now have an address book packed with connections in so many ways that I still can’t believe it. Since my truck was still full of fruits and veggies the seller offered to drive to my place and drop off what I had bought. I thanked him and gave him some beefalo meat, His wife even printed out a recipe for me.

I bought a lot, learned a lot and met the nicest people. What more could anyone ask for ?

Best wishes,

agnut

P.S. Now the truck is empty so we are leaving to pick up another load of fruits and veggies. The above seller likes hot peppers and I get lots of them so we will be connecting again soon. By the way, look into hot peppers for digestive health. Ever heard of a Mexican with digestive diseases ? There are some good articles on this but I can't find them right now.

agnut, your story mention of the address book reminded me of a MN native success story: Harvey Mackay. I read many of his books in years past & his wisdom is echoed in your philosophy, especially @ the contacts/address book.

Be well & thank you.

Hi govcheetos. That 400 watt lamp may not seem to be needed right now but if you have the space, it is always wise to sock away these items for use or trading in the future. As Ponce is fond of saying “everything will be like gold someday”.

Regarding your box end wrench set, isn’t it funny when we acquire something that the missing piece later shows up somehow ?

And you can’t have enough shovels, especially the ones with the fiberglass handles. My favorite kind. Aren’t they about 20 bucks at Home Depot ?

I’m glad to hear that you are looking at generators as a profit making potential. However, your own personal generator should be one that is made to operate for many years and continually if necessary. I have 5 generators. One is a 1K that is used on the back of a motor home. Another two are 5.5K for backup and in need of carburetor service (mea culpa). One is a weird belt driven unit on wheels that I may play with when time permits. Maybe wood gasification. And the last is the 12K Lister diesel unit to run the whole household and battery pack. Sometimes I think it is overkill but I may well need it for the 220 volt well pump.

A combination of generator, wind power and solar power may be the best combination for keeping the battery pack charged. At least that is what I would like to have for the future.

I should have taken your advice and bought this 5,000 BTU air conditioner for $40. I am looking for a 10-12,000 BTU unit to cool the house and hadn’t considered the smaller unit for the fruit and veggie building. I should call my friend and see if it is still available. By the way, he called me while he was at a garage sale and said that he saw a deep fryer, an Italian model made by DeLonghi. He picked it up for $12. I had told him that I was looking for a deep fryer a few weeks back and he remembered. It’s just like MNeagle’s post wherein she quotes :

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ~ Matthew 7:7

Huh ! Funny how that works.

A few friends were visiting yesterday and we made chicken tenders. They were by far the best I’ve ever had. One of our friends didn’t know how hot or how long to fry them so she called another friend who said that 12 minutes at 300 degrees would make them greasy. Two and a half minutes at 350 degrees and they turned out beautiful. See, it is wonderful to have a network of friends to call upon. They are coming back today to try French fries and fried sweet potatoes and whatever veggies are in the back of the truck. All the while a friend has his 4X4 Ford truck jacked up on the cement outside while taking the transmission out to replace the clutch. I’m just trying to show a little of what it like around the agnut household. Here is another favorite quote (ugh ! Not another quote agnut) :

"There is only one success....
to be able to spend your life in your own way."
Christopher Morley


Yesterday I went to pick up 64 Styrofoam 4 X 8 sheets. They are about 2 inches thick and will provide great insulation for the fruit and veggie building I need to have constructed. By the way, these sheets cost one dollar each; I don’t know what they cost new. I’m supposed to trade some of my backhoe work for carpenter labor in constructing this building. In the back of my mind I know that the weekly ton of fruits and veggies deal we get won’t last forever and the room could be used for storage or as a workshop. Or perhaps as a temporary shelter for someone in need. It’s all good. Having found everything else used, the only material I need is plywood. I am looking around and plywood is the only item that I may have to buy new, which is so expensive. But since there is plenty of time until I will need it, I can keep looking with the fiat paper sword of Damocles hanging over my head. Yup, paper cuts hurt. Especially the fiat kind.

In cleaning out the loft in the barn for the Styrofoam sheets I found many items that I can and should sell. I guess that’s the nature of having loads of items stored away. Reminds me of the time that friends were helping me organize the barn and one friend said “What are these ?” There was a bag with 50 antique single diner sterling salt and pepper shakers that I had been looking for for years. I had actually given up on them and written them off. So as a thanks I let her pick out a pair for herself. Coincidentally, it was her birthday. A day to be remembered.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Hi Mneagle, I appreciated your post so much that I didn’t want to respond until it had the chance to be seen by as many as possible.

I did look up Harvey MacKay and read his philosophy of collecting information on his clients. This made me look back over the decades I had owned one business or another and this is what I did on a comparatively disorganized way. The difference was that I kept all I heard and saw in my head and when a client called I had to remember all I knew about him or her. As my businesses grew it became overwhelming; I never made the wise transition that Harvey MacKay had made. And now looking back, this one thing kept me from being a great success rather than a mild success. At one time I had far more clients than I could handle and was overwhelmed.

Even in this bad economy with all the unemployment, I believe that the businesses that will sprout up and succeed will need to employ Harvey MacKay’s philosophy. An era of dealing on a personal basis is upon us. Haven’t we all experienced and read of how people are getting more rude and uncaring ? Well, in my mind, this creates a basic need. The need to be listened to and appreciated and treated like a fellow human being. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

We can only hope and pray the America returns to its Christian values and once again understands that we ARE our brothers’ keepers.

Your two biblical quotes are music to my heart. Thank you.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. Isn’t it oxymoronic (emphasis on the moronic) to read of Harvey MacKay’s gathering information on his clients for success while our government gathers information for their success ?

Nobel invented dynamite. It was used to mine and open mountains for the betterment of mankind. It was also used by governments to blow up the enemy.

Nuclear energy was discovered and used for energy creation as well as a multitude of other uses. It was also used by governments in the making of nuclear bombs to blow up the enemy.

See any parallels here ?

the owner of the local metal shop gave me a lawnmower that i guess someone gave him.

it was a Lowe's cheapo Poulan/ something.

i put it in the back of my truck & took it to the local hardware store. there's a few guys there that are real knowledgeable tradespeople, but one in particular, who is also a Vietnam vet. he showed me this lever thing, a clutch/ safety thing, that gets stuck.

that's why people go through these things. you go to the Amazon website, and all the comments are about what a piece of crap it is.

all i did was to remove the spring holding the clutch, just disconnected it.

pulled the starter rope and ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR - etc. that's sort of the sound it makes.

functional lawnmower ! first time i ever cut my grass - it was getting kind of long !! :)


so all i did was to haul away someone's junk/ accepted someone's generosity.

then asked a friend for help.

BINGO ! functional el cheapo lawnmower.


problem is, i can't turn it off. so i un-plug the spark plug connector, then it stops running.

It's been a slow month on deals. I have come across a few though. Picked up another come along at a sale for $3. Got a garden cart with pneumatic tires for $10, this thing was probably $100-150 retail. Was given a Toro mower for FREE. The previous owner said the self propelled tranny went out and would cost $250 to fix. I took it apart and found it had a wood chip stuck between the belt and the tranny pulley. This mower was easily $300 when new. I then gave one of my other mowers to a friend going through hard times who's lawn mower had recently died. Always good to pay it forward when you can.

Hope everyone is doing well with their endeavors!

Hasn't been too good here. I have gotten a bit discouraged by the poor deals.

I did manage to get a box of (8) 60W incandescent spot lights for $1. Same place that was selling a whole bunch of silver a few weeks back. As we were talking over the price she pulled everything off the table and got cold feet about selling. A moving sale. She had a bag of junk silver from father in law.... and told me she turned down an offer of $500. I added up what she had and told her that wasn't a bad offer.

She also had a couple bags of silver bars .999. These were older so I did not suspect fakes. She could not decide what to do and ended up holding onto them. She did have another bag of foreign coins which I knew almost nothing about. Some looked like silver... and I bought that for $40. Turns out it is probably not worth even $20. After I got home I gave myself an education on foreign coins. Those cheap bastards were using crap metals in most countries long before the US. Sometimes you lose.... when you don't know what you are doing.


I got (free) what appears to be a lightweight coin silver spoon. The only markings on it are: G.F.F. & CO
It is very much like (look, feel, sound) of some coin silver spoons I acquired a few years ago. Coin silver is 90%.

Went to an auction today. Prices were all too high. Too many high rollers showed up and bid top dollar for everything. Sterling silver items went for more than $20 + 10% commission. This put the sale price in the range of $25 per ounce of silver on the cheaper deals. Some went in the $30 range. It was amazing to see people bid hundreds of $$ for tattered old rugs. I left much early as too much time was already wasted here.

This little bit was after visiting dozens of sales over the last few weeks. That is why I have to say it has been discouraging. Hitting it nice is a numbers game. Most of these sales are junk. Gotta have a good junk screen as you vacuum up value.

^ I agree about the auctions. People have been watching too much TV and thinking their on some auction show and gonna flip whatever their bidding on which a lot of times is nothing but a lot of junk. On the other hand I've noticed with cars and boats nobody wants to give anything. I always price things more than fair and will still allow some wiggle room on a price, and people think they can offer half or even less than half. I love it when they try to low ball me on the phone before they have even seen anything.

A lot of other people don't have ANY money to speak of either. I mean they are gonna lose it all if they even stub their toe. But everyone has the latest and greatest cell phone and cable tv package. I find I have about zero in common with most people I encounter on a day to day basis.

Good deal gun Driller (post #179) ! I also recently picked up a free lawn mower. The lady at the garage sale said that it would not idle so I took the carburetor off and cleaned out the jets and it is now a working beast. By the way, someone told me that they cut out the front of the deck between the front wheels and they use it as a brush hog, cutting out the thick blackberry bushes near the roots. I would caution you that this sounds a bit dangerous and to wear eye and clothing protection.

I’ve been away from writing for a while because there are so many things to do around the property that I am still overwhelmed.

However, like the mailman, neither sleet nor snow will keep me from doing my job of picking over the GEMs (that is garage, estate and moving sales).

At one sale I got :
5 hats,
2 sombreros.
a pair of overalls,
a new Giant bicycle seat,
a leather carry bag,
and two garden hoses.
All for $5 ! Oh, and that’s not all. Also included were two GE battery chargers with 8 rechargeable D cell batteries and two rechargeable 9 volt batteries. That five fiat paper bucks I spent looks pretty powerful now, doesn’t it ? Well, you’ll figure where the power is. HaHa

And at the next sale the same day I got :
2 DVDs,
2 Cds in cases,
20 Cds in carry case,
a Playstation 2 game,
2 military overcoats with zip in liners,
a Nike jogging jacket,
20 rolls gift paper and set of Christman cards in a storage basket,
a Winnie The Pooh flower vase from FTC,
6 Disney videotapes
and a Trim brand manicure set.
Again, all for $5 ! Yeah, I know, sounds like BS but you had to be there. In fact, if you are skeptical, you are reading this rather than getting your butt out there and finding treasures yourself. The GEMs are there; you just have to pick out what you want. By the way, some of the bargains I find are passed on to friends, family and even some folks I hardly know. The lady I bought all this from had a baby in her arms and I offered the fruits and veggies I had just picked up from the local market. She picked through my truck and hauled off two large bags; that seemed to balance out the deal in my mind. What comes around goes around.

Yesterday I saw a garage sale sign for a community sale. Lately I haven’t been paying much attention to Craigslist ads and local newspaper ads. Call me lazy; I won’t mind because even with such serendipitous spotty buying I still am picking up almost too many bargains. I said ALMOST. Anyhoo, I spent only $6.50 and got :
A large cutting board for the kitchen,
A salmon poacher,
33 sockets in a metal box,
3 cookbooks,
An Audubon birds of North America book,
And a Oster blender

One seller has a large Stihl chain saw that is almost new; he wanted $200 for it and even threw in a smaller chain saw for branches. I offered $150 and if he doesn’t sell it today he will sell it to me. Maybe I should have paid the $200 as it was stihl a bargain but I already have 4 Stihl chain saws. But I don’t have one as big as this monster. Oh well, time will tell.

As if that weren’t enough I was on the way back from picking up yet another load of fruits and veggies and another sign caught my eye. My son was with me and I asked if it was okay with him if I investigated. The sign was especially interesting because it said that this was a moving sale. Was I salivating ? Perhaps. Turns out that the seller was moving back east and had tables laid out with reloading equipment. I hadn’t ever reloaded any ammo but still inquired. Seems every guy I know is interested in such goods. It was specifically for competition shooting and making a tighter target pattern at 300 to 400 yards. All one caliber of 22-250 I think. So I passed on that since I know so little about it. However, in the shed to the left (door #2) I saw rolls of cattle fencing and lots of other material. I asked the seller if he had any T posts for my cattle fencing. He said that he had some but might need it. I did buy the fencing, about 120 foot of it, and some other rigid fencing for a total of $30. I didn’t even have to price it; it was a bargain. When I returned to pick up the second half of the load I asked the seller if he knew anyone who might have some T posts. He thought about it and said that I could have 10 posts for $10. They cost about $7 new. So I saved a chunk of money right there. My persistence paid off.

That’s all for now. Happy GEM hunting !

Agnut

P.S. ON Timebomb2000 there are a couple of important threads you might want to look at :

Attention, shoppers: U.S. needs you to spend


http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showt...-you-to-spend&

I especially liked Snipe Hunter’s post number 5

BROKE - WHAT CAN WE DO?!!! (Original post 8/30/2006)

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showt...-8-30-2006%29&

Some great advice here. A penny saved is two pennies earned.

i like those antique aluminum bowls that are carved or forged or engraved.

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/0/1/5...0149668_tp.jpg

the few i have bought, i paid about the value of the aluminum scrap. i think they're worth a heck of a lot more than that, and also are easily gold or silver plated.

but i have too much CRAP, i need to organize and get some stuff to the dump before i collect any more.

I occasionally help an elderly gentleman do estate sales. He pays me. Talk about a fun job, digging through everything. Searching for potentially valuable and interesting stuff.
The one we're doing right now is the estate of a somewhat famous ceramics sculptor. Lot's of artwork. Bronze sculptures. Antiques. We've barely dug in to the 4 bedroom home.
We've concluded that the woman of the house must have been a kleptomaniac, since there has to be at least a bushel basket full of costume jewelry and small fem accs. that had never even had the display labels removed.

Been as while since anyone has posted in one of my favorite threads. Ran a cross a few deals lately. Bought a 1/8" to 2" pipe cutter for $5, a couple of large craftsman flat head screwdrivers for 25 cents, a couple of field guides plus a book written by a local author detailing the history of my immediate local area going back to pre revolutionary war times, all for 25 cents each. Picked up an old school poulan electric chainsaw for $5 and was able to fix it with parts off an old poulan gas chainsaw I found on the side of the road in someones trash a few months back. A friend gave me an electric pole saw, almost brand new condition. I now have 9 chainsaws! Probably time to sell a few, but sometimes I think about waiting until after a hurricane.... although Mr nice guy here will probably just loan them out for free to friends and neighbors if it ever happens. Seems like a lot of people don't even want to be bothered with selling something so they just give it away. Also I'm hearing about more and more people on some kind of .gov assistance including people I know. Just continues to reinforce lazy behavior in my opinion instead of get out and bust your ass to make something happen. I hope everyone else is doing well and finding some deals on useful things that can improve your life as we continue to cruise in the express lane on the highway to hell. I think things are going to be coming to a head soon and the .govs won't be able to keep the lid on for much longer. Good time to get right with God and your inner conciousness too.

Thanks to all who contribute and help in the many different ways.

Govcheetos, your post was one of the most uplifting ones I have read for some time. Pay It Forward is what I try to do as much as possible. It always comes back in spades. We ARE our brothers’ keepers. If everyone would do this we could have a society working together like a huge family. I blame a lot of the discord we see on the unreliable currency that we are forced to use. Fiat currency printed beyond good sense begets fear and greed. As Ponce says, there is need and then there is greed. But with the dollar losing purchasing power, how are we to tell the difference between need and greed ? We are sort of pulled into the Matrix if we are not at least partially invested in real money such as gold and silver. Heck, even copper has intrinsic value for making small change. But notice that since 1982 our pennies have been zinc flash coated with copper to create the illusion that things are okey dokey.

The other day I mentioned to Ponce that I should hold a garage sale in which there would be no money exchanged but all buyers should bring items they wanted to trade. I wonder how the govt. would think of that ! How could they tax someone trading a toaster for a blender ? Who knows with all the computer memory that they could have categorized all the things we possess. It seems to be heading in that direction with carbon taxing (air) and rainwater collection laws on our own properties and all the laws restricting our every activity. I don’t mean to be a downer but I am pissed that things have gotten this far along in controlling what used to be a free people. Who pays for all these laws and restriction anyway ? WE DO !!

It’s like the old Beatles’ song Tax Man.


Let me tell you how it will be,
There’s one for you, nineteen for me,
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don’t take it all.
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.

(If you drive a car ), I’ll tax the street,
(If you try to sit ), I’ll tax your seat,
(If you get too cold ), I’ll tax the heat,
(If you take a walk ), I’ll tax your feet.
Taxman.

‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
Don’t ask me what I want it for
(Haha! Mister Wilson!)
If you don’t want to pay some more
(Haha! Mister Heath!),
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.

Now my advice for those who die, (Taxman!)
Declare the pennies on your eyes, (Taxman!)
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
And you’re working for no-one but me,
(Taxman).

There will be no retirement for the baby boomers; at least not what they expected. However a small percentage who have prepared should fare well. How well ? Yogi Berra said “The future ain’t what it used to be.” His comedic quote has taken on dark and disturbing implications of late.

And so we can Pay It Forward in a move in faith that mankind may someday wake up and see the light.

Any forced diminution in mankind’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is what I long ago labeled as “actuarial murder”. Take away any of these rights and it would be as if a candle were to be starved of oxygen. The light fades until it dies and darkness overwhelms all. The Dark Ages once again.

The Statue of Liberty in New York was a gift to America from the French people who had gone through a revolution of their own. I wonder what they think of us today. No, I have a pretty good idea and it ain’t pretty.

What this bartering and horse trading thread is about is seeking and finding the best value for our money. One has to first get over all the commercial hype first. Who cares if they have a new car or a big fancy house ? The only one who should care is YOU. And what your needs are in accordance to your income. Designer jeans, Nike shoes, and other high line clothing are the result of marketing illusions. I guess they are advertised with the subconscious desire to appear successful. But you and I know that success is carried within; it is a personal statement for each of us. Me ? I don’t care what others may think about my choices. I think that the world has gone mad anyway; so why should I entertain their line of thinking ?

These new cars and fancy houses are as much a facade as a Hollywood set; there is no real working substance behind the appearance presented. It is all illusions. Think about it; do these people who buy these fancy cars and houses actually own them ? Or are they owned by the banks ? Marionettes on strings ?

The filthiest four letter word in the English language is DEBT.

If you can understand that quote and act upon it, you are above and beyond the brainwashing that the masses have accepted. And your life will become more free and in your own control.

If you were to see my place and how I operate it, you might think that I am a hoarder (not to mention a disorganized disaster). Not true (at least the first part) since the thousands of things I have all have some value. Now this value may not be right now but in the future many things I have may be either hard to find or expensive. What is expensive anyway ? Maybe the increased value in relation to the dollar ? No, there is a higher value since the dollar is a dying currency with a catastrophic future. We are facing the end game for the dollar. How will it all turn out nobody knows all the details but anyone who has been studying here on the internet has a general understanding that our future is about to take a gut wrenching departure from the high speed chaotic life we see all around us (the movie Koyaanisqatsi comes to mind). This is one reason that I have always tended toward the rural life for myself and my family.

I was up at 4:30 this morning looking at the stars and realizing how insignificant I am to the whole scheme of the universe. On the other hand I am all that I have and must make the best of what gifts I have been given. It is an obligation of sorts; a thank you for my being in this fascinating world. Hypertiger writes that the “taking more than you give” world eventually collapses. You can’t cut down more trees than you plant to replace them and not end up with a naked future.

Govcheetos, your Pay It Forward statement reminds me of a Stephen Wright joke. He was walking down the street and someone noted that he was mismatched with a green sock and a red one. He replied that he was not since he went by thickness. It all depends on your yardstick. So what is wealth ? Money or people you care about ? It has been said that love with no money will get you through time better than money will get you through time with no love. In other words, generosity is a form of paying it forward and I have seen it weaving through the tapestry of my life like a golden thread.

Gotta go; was called to pick up an extra day of fruits and veggies. What a bonus ! Some friends have already been called to select their goodies this afternoon. I’ll write soon to share some of the recent acquisitions. And not just Gems (that’s garage, estate and moving sales) but other deals.

Best wishes,

Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hi Spectrism. Yeah, I know that sometimes we seem to strike out. But it is always a learning experience in that perhaps we were at the wrong place at the right time. I have looked at GEM sales in the papers and on Craigslist and weeded them out for one reason or another. I don’t need baby clothes and items. And sometimes there isn’t anything good for sale. At least not enough to go there and look around. I do have to admit that I have scored big time at some seemingly uninteresting sales by asking if they have something I am looking for (and I do have a list). Just look at the other buyers attending the sale and think of what you can do that will give you an edge.

Get there early

Ask questions

Have a list of wants

Take notes

Get phone numbers if necessary

Qualify sales ads

Map out your sales and their starting times to be more efficient

Joke with sellers

Be positive

Be open minded for unexpected possibilities

I haven’t had much luck in acquiring sterling or coin silver either. It does happen once in a while. I have learned to look at it this way : silver and gold are real money and their price will rarely be discounted. So what to do, what to do. I’ve got it ! Buy and sell lots of other items and turn that profit into physical silver. I’m not being facetious here; I really mean it. We here on the GS-US website should know better than most anyone that physical silver is fast becoming extinct. Maybe by the year 2020 as the US Geological Survey said.

In fact Spectrism, the same thing happened to me where sterling silver was advertised but the sellers changed their minds when I got over there. I think that there is a common motivation going on here in both your experience and mine and it is this. Because silver prices fluctuate so much and sterling silver is 92.5 percent pure silver and sometimes the hallmarks stating the silver content can be complicated, the seller is facing several factors that may cause a great loss. In other words, they are PM challenged (a nice way to say financially retarded). Always remember that gold and silver are real money as well as concentrated wealth and to be treated with respect.

When we are confronted by a challenge, we can go over, under, around, through or even turn away and say it wasn’t worth the effort. Tenacious and creative comes to mind.

Lately I have been attending some GEM sales as well as thrift stores. Some of the best deals have been in the thrift stores. One of my stores has 50% off sales a couple of times a month. I also hit a store by the dump that sells used building material and a whole warehouse of odds and ends. I bought 60 sheets of 4x8 hard insulation foam for $l a sheet. I was in Home Depot yesterday and they were $23 a sheet. I don’t know when I will use them but I sure wouldn’t want to have paid $1,380 retail.

I got a new convection oven for $10 (don’t think the microwave oven is a good idea for our food). Also got a new George Foreman contact roasting machine that will do a 12 pound turkey; also for $10. It’s $150 retail.

Also got a Krups blender, a wide mouth toaster and an onion machine for deep fried onions like the restaurants offer for a total price of $8. Even the little buys add up after a while. The blender I will give away or barter since I have 3 others and only want to have two.

I have been reading lately that,due to the failure of the dollar, we will be “marginalized” in time, meaning that imports won’t be coming in in the future. If so, we will truly be isolated like Cuba has been for several decades. I wonder what used imports will be worth after that happens. If you are doing any work that requires imported parts, now may be a good time to stock up rather than have to shut down. Just sayin’

I was at a huge garage sale a few weeks ago and met the most interesting couple. I noticed a boat and trailer and asked if it was for sale. He said it was. I worked out a horse trade with some of the things I had that I didn’t need or had too much of and will be getting the boat next week. No cash deal. He waxed it and cleaned it up and is having the impeller replaced by a friend who does boat repair professionally. Since he is in construction he knows many specialists, ones I need for several projects at home. He said that there are many who are at the top of their game but don’t have the work lately and would appreciate the work. Propane lines, electricians and water pump specialists.

So what started out as a simple sale has progressed to the opening of a lot of doors. And he and his girlfriend seem like such nice people, some of the nicest I could ask for. They live only about 2 miles away. She made a dessert for us that I can’t describe but it was delicious. He gave me some of his smoked salmon and has offered to teach me how he does it. Oh, a couple of days ago another guy dropped off 30 pounds of silver salmon for free and now I have something to smoke. His freezer is full and he doesn’t know what to do with his catches for the rest of the season (I suppose that he could quit fishing but If I told him that, he would look at me like I was out of my mind. A real fishin‘ fool. HaHa). I told him that I would trade him out for his humpback salmon and he got quite excited (almost as much as me). I have other family members and some friends here locally and I’m sure they would want their freezers filled too. Well, time will tell.

The reason I say “time will tell” is that a deal has been put into play and only time will indicate what the final out come will be. I know, sounds simple minded but the key is the putting the deal into play. I have other deals in the works right now. One thing I have learned about having patience is to have several deals in the works at the same time. That way, some deals are coming to fruition continually so I don’t have time to sit around and mope.

I wrote a while back that I was waiting to get a Stihl chain saw and a little saw for $150. Well, the deal didn’t come through. But lo and behold, another person sold me another Stihl chain saw for $60. A better deal came through out of the blue. Go figure

Best wishes,

Agnut

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by agnut

I haven’t had much luck in acquiring sterling or coin silver either. It does happen once in a while. I have learned to look at it this way : silver and gold are real money and their price will rarely be discounted. So what to do, what to do. I’ve got it ! Buy and sell lots of other items and turn that profit into physical silver. I’m not being facetious here; I really mean it. We here on the GS-US website should know better than most anyone that physical silver is fast becoming extinct. Maybe by the year 2020 as the US Geological Survey said.

Agnut

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so far out of about 500 garage sales i found one Sterling Silver knife for 25 cents, mixed in with a bunch of Silver plated stuff.

also other Solid Silver things, e.g. a horse brush with a top veneer of Silver.


there is a lot of Silver plate out there. i have some gold-trimmed China with silver plated silverware. actually, most of the dishes i have are from that box of China.

BUT my dishwasher is broken so until i get that fixed ...


http://GoldRefiningForum.com

/\ a good forum with much knowledge sharing. members recovering Gold from e-Scrap and Silver from Sterling.

the consensus there is that recovering silver from silver plate is not worth the trouble, until you are REAL GOOD at chemistry. there are a lot of different metals that complicate the precipitation of Silver from the dissolved silver.

still interesting though !

A lot of sales lately, but only a few deals. Got a few books I had been looking for for cheap. A couple more "used one time" shovels for $3 each. Still have the stickers on the blade. I've got enough shovels I could start my own chain gang. I scored with a 6 x 12 enclosed cargo trailer with double barn doors on the back and a side door for only $500! This thing has hardly any use on it and the seller told me he bought it just to evacuate for a hurricane. Retail these range from $1995-$2400. Traded a set of old truck wheels and tires for a pair of 1 ton rear leaf springs for my 1/2 ton truck. Something I needed plus frees up some more space where the tires were.

Hope ya'll are stacking up some good deals. Always think of what you might need down the road one day that will become scarce or really expensive as we travel further down the "Road".

I didn't go out last week but I did the week before. I was able to buy 3 small propane tanks (backyard grill type) for $5 each. When I got home, found one was full. I picked up a paint can of odd things for $5- I saw a couple large lag bolts in there that I needed. Also, there are is a brass tubing nipple adaptor and assorted bolts/screw. I saw what I wanted and the value in it. All the rest will be a gift-wrapped present when I dig to the bottom.

I got a call back from a contact I made long ago. Normally leaving a phone number does not work well. Anyway, this fella was going to find a silverware set for me. Although it was not said, the implication was that it was sterling. Over the phone he wanted $30. When I got there, I saw a good condition old plated set. To keep the friendship, I gave him what he wanted and he said he had some "odd" pieces he would look for. I told him I like old ugly and sometimes unmatched silverware. He was surprised that I didn't want polished clean stuff. So, I took the loss on that plated stuff as a calculated investment. He then told me it was his sisters that he bought for $30 figuring he would be able to get that much. I helped him keep his pride and did his sister a favor. He has a picker's dream back yard. I just don't have the place to store all the stuff.

Agnut said something key- build relationships in your dealings. Good advice. Sometimes you have to give. Other times, beware of the scaplers. Seek to make deals where everyone wins.

Hi govchetos, in response to your posts 182 and 186, Thanks. I agree that most people have a distorted view of the opportunities out there. This is to our advantage, we who know the score. Someone once said that Americans know the price of everything but the value of nothing. Ponce and I have had several conversations about what Cuba has been like through the last several decades. Building materials are unavailable at any price. They just aren’t there. Demand with no supply; what is the price ? Immaterial

What would be the price of a rebuilt transmission if the parts to rebuild it were unavailable ? Imagine if you had a car that the transmission began making bearing noises. You would check the local transmission shops to no avail. Next, the wrecking yards and they wouldn’t have any good running used transmissions. Without any sources your car would have to sit until somehow the parts became available or someone wrecked the same year and model vehicle as yours. This is just one example of what happens when a nation becomes isolated from the rest of the world. Will this happen to us in America ? Look, I have been rebuilding manual transmissions for 40 years and observed parts supply restrictions more than once. Most people don’t have a clue as to how precarious our lifeline is in regards to the sustainability of their lifestyles. And this applies to a myriad of conveniences and outright necessities we take for granted.

I won’t get into automatic transmissions except to tell you that since about 1990 many manufacturers changed their transmissions to include electronic controls of one sort or another, including computers to run them. Not only much more expensive to maintain but much more complicated to repair and diagnose. This is why I have older vehicles with manual transmissions and mostly diesel since they run on compression rather than spark plugs.

I am astounded at observing what the general public thinks is the best for them. The newest vehicles, high payments, high insurance and high maintenance. Also, the new as well as used parts for these new cars are much higher priced than for older vehicles. No wonder they are all broke and in debt.

Sometimes I am driving locally, going 50 to 55 MPH in a 50 MPH zone and someone behind me in a late car flies around me like they are having a hospital emergency. A few miles later I pull up behind them at the stop sign and wonder what the Hell they must have been thinking. Not to mention the high speed tailgaters; what are they to accomplish ? Making me go faster to satisfy them ? Yeah, right !

My point is that we should go at the pace that suits us and respect others’ pace as long as it is reasonable. Maybe I am being unreasonable in expecting others to be reasonable. HaHa

But I digress…

This thread is about finding good to great values in the things we need and will need in the future.

I haven’t been going to garage sales lately as they are winding down for the fall and winter. Recently I picked up a nice boat for my son; traded an old rifle, a couple of bikes and an air compressor. Straight trade. He was happy and I was happy.

Later this week I’m towing my log splitter to a new friend’s place where we will split a pile of rounds. He is giving me a truckload in exchange. I really like this couple and this is as much about helping as it is about building relationships. If you want a friend, first be a friend. Pay it forward.

Govcheetos, always remember that you are a sane person living in an insane world. Don’t let it get to you but learn to work around it lest it drive you mad. Sometimes I have to shake my head and wonder in amazement.

You are right; things are about to get real interesting. Do you know that 96% of financial transactions are electronic ? That means that only 4% are cash sales. What if the electric grid or the internet goes down ? Do you know that the average household only has $50 in cash ? Something to think about and act upon.

I need to top off my propane, gas and diesel. Maybe nothing will happen in the next couple of months but better to have and not need than to need and not have. Additionally, future price rises would yield tax free interest if necessities were bought now. Heck, I even stockpile various jars of preserves since some are seasonal like cherry, blueberry and apricot. And with a ton of wheat berries for homemade bread, I need something to slather on our toast. Reminds me of that scene in Soylent Green where Charlton Heston gives a spoon of strawberry jam to Edward G. Robinson. That movie was made in 1973 and depicted life in 2022, predicting almost 50 years into the future. Seems to be headed in that direction what with the Japanese experimenting with human waste hamburgers.

The problem I see is long term. Propane, gas and diesel are non renewable resources in a crisis situation. Perhaps a wood gassifier generator would be a good answer. There is always lots of renewable wood around. One thing I like about a wood gassifier is that almost nobody has one so wood won’t be consumed on a massive scale. Not any more than it is now with wood fireplaces. Another idea is to have a water jacketed outside wood burner that could both run a generator as well as heat water to be piped into a storage tank to be used to heat a home in the winter. You could even cook food at the same time.

Every activity we do is in furtherance of preparing for the future. This is why I write about so many aspects of our lives.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Hi gun driller. Once in a while I see those aluminum plates offered at garage sales. Were they made in the 1950s or 1960s ? I remember aluminum drinking cups when I was a kid. I got a set of beautiful handmade heavy copper plates a while back for $20; they were made by an arts teacher living near a copper mine. Part art and part intrinsic metal value.

I have too much “crap” too but am saving everything that might have utility and value in the future. Ponce says that the dumps of today will be the goldmines of the future. Things we save now like building materials, dinnerware, small appliances, string, rope, chain and a multitude of items may well be like gold in the future. Not right away but in the coming years.

Right now I have a huge load of scrap aluminum transmission cases and have made a deal with a friend to split the sale for their removing the steel parts. This way I get some cash and lots of room for more “crap”. She even wants me to collect all the steel scrap too because she has a big truck that can carry 5 tons at a time. She is one of the people who regularly pick up our fruits and veggies. See how one thing leads to another ? I have so many interlocking deals going on that it almost seems like a job in keeping it all straight. But it is a job that I enjoy immensely.

Recently someone called me to see if I had some transmission parts he needed. Since I save everything I told him that I had many such parts. I sold a couple of parts for $40 with shipping. Not much profit there. But the next time he called he needed more parts; lots more. I sold him 6 differentials with accessories for $600 plus shipping. These parts were for his race cars and haven’t been manufactured since 1992. These parts would have been thrown away for scrap steel in a normal repair shop. But I am not normal. Two points here; a little sale can lead to a big sale and things saved for the future can indeed turn to gold.

Best wishes and good to see you posting here gun driller. I have been reading your posts for years and all I can say is keep up the good work. It is important.

Agnut

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Santa

I occasionally help an elderly gentleman do estate sales. He pays me. Talk about a fun job, digging through everything. Searching for potentially valuable and interesting stuff.
The one we're doing right now is the estate of a somewhat famous ceramics sculptor. Lot's of artwork. Bronze sculptures. Antiques. We've barely dug in to the 4 bedroom home.
We've concluded that the woman of the house must have been a kleptomaniac, since there has to be at least a bushel basket full of costume jewelry and small fem accs. that had never even had the display labels removed.

---

Hi Santa and welcome here. Sounds like you are an American Picker”. Isn’t it fun to never know what you will find ? This uncertainty is one of the things that motivate me to get up early and head out the door.

Check out that costume jewelry closely. An old friend who was a gem cutter told me that some of the old costume jewelry has semiprecious stones and is valuable. And some of the jewelry may have platinum or palladium (look for the stamps PT or PALL or PD, not sure but get familiar with these marks; they could pay off big if you run across an old platinum watch).

If this jewelry isn’t old I suppose it could be displayed and sold at a swap meet or garage sale. Having the tags still on the jewelry should help sales. I do see a lot of costume jewelry for sale but haven’t taken the time to check it out thoroughly. I would be interested in finding a whole box of old jewelry at an estate sale indiscriminately thrown together. The older the better. This might be a good specialty for someone.

Regarding art work; this economy is so bad what with so many folks not having enough money for the necessities, much less money for discretionary items such as art that I can’t see prices for art holding up in the future. I have several paintings, European and American, for sale and they are hardly selling. They were hot a few years ago but not nowadays.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Hi govcheetos. I’ve lost count of how many shovels, rakes, hoes and other yard equipment I have. But I will still buy more if they are a steal and in good condition.

Some people make a living selling books. I checked out a 1939 first edition of The Grapes Of Wrath; it was for sale on ABEbooks.com for about $250. I paid a dime if I recall. I do have several hundred books but haven’t researched their value. Maybe a goldmine but I can’t even get to them right now. My bad.

The enclosed trailer sounds like a hot deal. I haven’t ever run across one for sale cheap like you just did.

Lately have been picking up small appliances at the local thrift store. I give them to friends and use for trading material. You might say I get good will from the Goodwill.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Gundriller and Spectrism, check out replacments.com for your old silver plated stuff. If someone needs to buy only a piece or two they surely have to pay. Replacements might buy silverplate from individuals, I'm not sure.

Santa, check out that costume jewerly closely. My wife picked up a silver Tiffany Co. bracelet for 25 cents once. There is a local lady we see out garage sailing that is always buying jewelery for resale so there must be some deals out there.

Agnut, I agree with what you're saying about holding on to stuff. It seems every time I sell something just to get rid of it either i end up needing it or someone I know is looking for one and paying cash. Been trying to move some things around to have better storage and move on things on that take up too much space for little value.

Thanks for everyone's contributions!

Agnut, yes that trailer was a steal! $500 was the guys asking price too, I didn't even barter with him.. I only owned it for 18 hours though. I gave it to a close friend and mentor of mine. This man has taught me a lot of what I know about a lot of things especially financial and making deals. He'd been looking for one for a couple of years and I knew I'd never find one for the price he wanted to pay until this one came along. When I gave it to him you'd think he'd just won the lottery.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spectrism

I didn't go out last week but I did the week before. I was able to buy 3 small propane tanks (backyard grill type) for $5 each. When I got home, found one was full. I picked up a paint can of odd things for $5- I saw a couple large lag bolts in there that I needed. Also, there are is a brass tubing nipple adaptor and assorted bolts/screw. I saw what I wanted and the value in it. All the rest will be a gift-wrapped present when I dig to the bottom.

I got a call back from a contact I made long ago. Normally leaving a phone number does not work well. Anyway, this fella was going to find a silverware set for me. Although it was not said, the implication was that it was sterling. Over the phone he wanted $30. When I got there, I saw a good condition old plated set. To keep the friendship, I gave him what he wanted and he said he had some "odd" pieces he would look for. I told him I like old ugly and sometimes unmatched silverware. He was surprised that I didn't want polished clean stuff. So, I took the loss on that plated stuff as a calculated investment. He then told me it was his sisters that he bought for $30 figuring he would be able to get that much. I helped him keep his pride and did his sister a favor. He has a picker's dream back yard. I just don't have the place to store all the stuff.

Agnut said something key- build relationships in your dealings. Good advice. Sometimes you have to give. Other times, beware of the scaplers. Seek to make deals where everyone wins.

---

Hi Spectrism. I also have lots of propane bottles; good idea for the future. One to five gallon gas containers are also a good idea; I probably have 30 already. Bought most of them for one dollar.

Funny that you mention the contact with the silverware that turned out to be silver plate. I had a similar thing happen to me a couple of months ago. A friend found a large boxed set of what he thought was sterling silver for $30 or $50 I think. He brought it over and I had to tell him that it was actually silver plate. He was very disappointed. I told him that he should use it for his personal dinnerware since the silver plate was as good as sterling silver for his health. When he didn’t seem too interested in this I offered to buy the dinner set from him; he refused. I hope that he is using it for his health.

I noticed that you said you got a call from a contact. Yep, that’s one way of building a network. You never know what this contact will bring in in the future, so good that you paid him to keep the flow going.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by agnut

Hi gun driller. Once in a while I see those aluminum plates offered at garage sales. Were they made in the 1950s or 1960s ? I remember aluminum drinking cups when I was a kid. I got a set of beautiful handmade heavy copper plates a while back for $20; they were made by an arts teacher living near a copper mine. Part art and part intrinsic metal value.

I have too much “crap” too but am saving everything that might have utility and value in the future. Ponce says that the dumps of today will be the goldmines of the future. Things we save now like building materials, dinnerware, small appliances, string, rope, chain and a multitude of items may well be like gold in the future. Not right away but in the coming years.

Right now I have a huge load of scrap aluminum transmission cases and have made a deal with a friend to split the sale for their removing the steel parts. This way I get some cash and lots of room for more “crap”. She even wants me to collect all the steel scrap too because she has a big truck that can carry 5 tons at a time. She is one of the people who regularly pick up our fruits and veggies. See how one thing leads to another ? I have so many interlocking deals going on that it almost seems like a job in keeping it all straight. But it is a job that I enjoy immensely.

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https://www.google.com/#q=aluminum+foundry+washington

https://www.google.com/#q=aluminum+foundry+oregon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlpduLAQg18

that last one is a shop class at EOU (Eastern Oregon University). they buy their aluminum somewhere.

i tried to find the price.

http://www.atlasmetal.com/pdf/catalog.pdf

interesting info about A356 - there's a fair chance your transmission casings are A356.


getting the best price might be related to determining the exact alloy.


that aluminum is worth DINERO ! the Atlas Metal catalog doesn't have their price, i guess it's spot + a percentage.

since scrap places rarely pay more than 65% of spot even for a higher grade of aluminum (extruded), and since it's only 79 cents a pound today at Kitco Metals, i find selling aluminum for scrap is almost always disappointing these days.

Agnut, Do you have access to a band saw ? that might be very helpful to get paid Spot+ for those castings. if you have, literally, a big pile (e.g. 1000 pounds+) of clean cast aluminum (the transmission castings etc.), it would increase its utility to a potential buyer to cut it up into 'bite-size' pieces that are easy to shovel into the crucible or whatever they use to melt the aluminum.

on the other hand, 79 cents a pound does not reflect the true utility of this metal.


castings in the backyard = money in the bank.


what i need is a Roomba that picks up chicken turds. :)

Hi govcheetos. I just wrote about some transmission parts I have been holding for several years and sold them for a handsome profit. However, it is sometimes hard to tell if an item will ever be sold. I have literally tons of old transmission parts that have to be inspected before they are either scrapped out or put away for the future.

Your generosity with the enclosed trailer was both pay it back AND pay it forward. And the reaction from your friend cannot be measured in dollars. A huge win-win all around. I’m proud of you !

These goodies we find in our travels can be very rewarding as gifts to family and friends. The new friend I mentioned earlier has a daughter who moved here recently and is setting up a household. So far I’ve given him a few kitchen appliances and am waiting to take him through my barn. You wouldn’t believe the shelves full of kitchen items I have accumulated through the last 6 years. Whenever I saw a blender, toaster, rotisserie, crock pot, Tupperware, mixer, juicer and some other items I can’t think the name of, I buy them and put them away. Many of the items cost new as much as $60; I get them for as little as $2. This buying and then gifting items is best considered a different kind of deal making, one above and beyond mere dollars and cents. These are what I call deals of the heart; the most valuable of all. This type of deal can be made any time but it is easiest when we have experience and know the rate of flow through of such items. I do buy some appliances that are rarely found and keep them for our own kitchen. When I have an extra backup appliance I can gift or sell the next one I find. This way I am not ever without our own necessities as well as backups. Easy peasy.

The other day I was in my favorite thrift store and spotted a Belgian waffle machine. My sister has been wanting one for at least two years. I had never seen one but recognized it from her description. An odd looking machine that flips the waffle over while cooking (why I don’t have a clue. Hey, I‘m a mechanic, not a chef). The reason my sister hasn’t bought a new Belgian waffle machine is that it is too expensive. I picked it up for $6. I looked up the model and it retails for $120. The next time my sister was visiting I set the waffle machine out in plain view. You know, thinking that she would spot it and go nuts. I finally had to point it out and then she went nuts. Now looking back I realize that the reason she didn’t see it just 6 feet away is that I have the house so crammed with items that it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. I am both proud and ashamed at the same time.

Even a small item gifted can result in a big reaction. But your enclosed trailer gift is the kind that will be remembered and appreciated for a lifetime.

Best wishes,

Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson