I got a 5/8" MT2 shank Dormer drill (unused) for 50p last time I went to a boot sale.

Neil

Very nice pile there. I have been garage sailing the past months when able and have pretty much set up my workshop very well. All i had to start with was lathe, pillar drill and a box of spanners and mikes etc. But I have collected together the following:

350mm Friction disc dropsaw and 5 inch version of the same, and good circular wood saw, $40 the lot.

Makita cordless screwdriver with two good batteries and flashlight, charger, in original box $10

Bosch smaller cordless screwdriver with good batts and charger $10 (to be used as fine feed on my 1936 Drummond lathe)

6-inch bench grinder with two almost new wheels $5

Huge, heavy old 7-drawer metal tool cart/cabinet, $15 but needs panel beat and paint.

Almost new Chinese Compressor and big old CIG arc welder $75 the pair.(including 10kg of rods!)

Non-working chinese compressor with air hose and nitto fittings, $5. Took it home, plugged it in and the blooming thing runs just fine! Now I have a compressor for each shed!

Non-working chinese belt driven compressor missing the motor for $5 just to get the 10" pulley off it to put on my lathe. Turns out the compressor pump unit is like new except for rusted main bearings from sitting. A motor will surely turn up eventually.

Pair of kitchen bench tops made of 50mm chipboard and that modern heat mouled formica kind of covering. Perfect for my new work bench when I make it. $10

Various chests of drawers, planks of wood, little sets of parts drawers etc for making work benches and storage shelves etc. A dollar or two here and there.

5-inch magnifying glass on stand with fluoro ring light $15

Various desk lamps that are now clamped to shed wall over lathe, bench etc. $2-4 each

Fluro light fittings – free, blocke wanted rid of them.

TV Surround sound system that I hook my iPod up to and get quality TEAC sound – free because DVD player was Jatz crackered.

Boxes of nuts and bolts, tek screws, hinges etc etc for building benches etc, pennies.

Couple of steel shelves with folded up edges that will be my lathe catch tray and back splash guard. $2 each.

Various chairs and stools to set in front of work benches, lathe etc because I cant stand for extended periods. Few bucks each.

Don't have pics as yet, but will keep it in mind at future sales. Although, I am running out things that I need and space to store them!

Sounds like a real haul, but for every single good find, I would have gone to at least half a dozen garage sales that were real duds. Too many yummy mummies selling their unwanted baby clothes etc.

Best one I know of was a mate in the US who got a Norton 650SS for $300 at a garage sale in the 1980s. Those were the days!

Great idea for a thread. I hope others contribute too. There's nothing like a good bargain!!

Edited By Hopper on 28/05/2013 04:17:57

Sundays boot this week was not dissapointing. A wireless and dial-up burglar alarm system for the workshop – cheapest on fleabay at £365.88 was had for not a lot. I hardly dare admit I knocked him down from £8 to £5, he seemed happy enough though – as was I. Also picked this wire/gap gauge up for 30p. It is branded "Magna Charta" and is dated 1884. My paternal grandfather was born that year so handling this old gauge is a little like holding grandads hand. —– Rik

Went to a "car boot" sale at our local farmers market about a month ago and bought a pressure gauge, its 6" dia, 0 to 600psi has B. R. Homesham LTD, and Teltherm on the dial. It has two stickers on it, one says "Warning this gauge was calibrated with oil" the other is the certifcation, last tested 15. 9. 93, due 15. 9. 94. Price $NZ 5, at the moment it hangs on the living room wall. There is another sale tomorrow, lets see whats there!! Ian S C

That's a great result Martin – mine was a Chinese special in a busted box at £35 but I am happy with it as it is also brand new. It is the only tool I keep in the house in "mollycoddle" mode. — Rik

Neil, I could find all the instruments you are thinking of, in nice large size (some of them are ex hydro power station), they are down at the corner of my street (it's a short St), in a little private museum, owner and his father before him are/were electricians. Ian S C Sale next week

Did it have a big dent in the centre? …………….. If not, it's probably worth a fortune!!!!

donhe7

Not strictly a "Garage Sale" purchase … but it could have been.

I've just butchered a Carmen "hot brush" [for hairdressing]

… it's made a very useful little Hot Air Gun for Heatshrink Tube.

MichaelG.

Not a car boot sale but I went to the open day at Chester Machine Tools last week and bought a Sino SDS 6-2V DRO 2 axis display for £30 it looks unused. It was labelled " X axis faulty Y axis working" when I opened it up it's all surface mount components so I thought no chance of me getting it working.When I was checking the continuity of the ribbon cables from the D type connector on the rear to the molex PCB header I noticed that the 0 volts pin was displaced. when I refitted it into the Molex header the continuity was o/k.

Took it round to my mates to try it using his reading scales and it worked!! What a bargain. Only problem is now I have to spend £250 to by the scales!! Ian