Scored a free wood & glass patio double door set!

[Joel_BC]

One family's trash...another family's treasure!

Oh, I know people like that, too. They drive me nuts.

Good score! As for the people giving them away,

Yeah, I know. Well, have any of you ever tried this? You're in a city or sizable suburb on a weekend. You've got a map of the city (or maybe you've got GPS in your vehicle). You check out the newspapers, bulletin boards, or online community bulletin boards for notices about garage sales. You get an early start and go to a bunch of them. ???

I can't believe what useful stuff people will nearly give away, just to get a few dollars getting rid of it! Not only building materials, but tools. Just offhand, I've made very cheap scores on a torque wrench, singlejack hammer, splitting maul, full set of drill-driven hole-cutters, wall switches, shop-quality extension cords, stand-up garden weed tool, 18" pipe wrench, pneumatic air nozzles - some of these items almost like new. It's as though the garage-sale people in the larger towns and cities undervalue this stuff on the secondhand market. Sheesh! But I count my blessings. (My observation, the garage-sale people seem far less shrewd about getting max prices for used items than flea-market vendors.)

 

[Marianne]

Oh no kidding. I know a gal that routinely hits different parts of town looking for stuff at the curb. Another friend would hit garage sales on the last day, in the final hours. Some people will let you have a lot of stuff for next to nothing so they don't have to mess with it anymore.

 

[FarmerJamie]

It's all about the perceived value by the seller, IMHO. They have something they don't want, someone else places a higher value on it than they do, sell it for a few bucks to get rid of it, no biggie. Having to deal with the hassle of keeping something or working harder to sell it for a little more may not be of interest to everyone.

I used to hit auctions and estate sales in my younger days, it's fun to watch what people value. I was standing near a guy that was chortling about "them city women" paying way to much for some "old rugs". Then as the sale shifted to boxes of stuff from the out-building, he went nuts on box after box of odds-n-end stuff. He was chirping about how everyone was letting him get away practically stealing it. Looked like junk to me. But he was happy, and the seller got rid of stuff, sounds like a good deal for both.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[Joel_BC]

Similar to the above, my wife came home from a car trip to the affluent coast of our province. At curbside she found, offered "for free", three Honeywell 120-volt, 1500-watt, adjustable fan-equipped space heaters (more-or-less little cubes, about 7-inch on a side). The model is called Frost Watch. In good working order, and seemingly as new!

 

[Marianne]

Wowser!

 

[Daffodils At The Sea]

txcanoegirl, great score on the doors, and wonderful story about your family doors. Isn't that wonderful?

 

[cknmom]

txcanoegirl
My husband saved his moms old glass and wood framed french doors that he replaced. He is going to make me a cold frame .
Monica

 

[Corn Woman]

I could use some doors like that . I have a 1923 project house on a small property that I just purchased and only 1 door is original. Everything else is hollow core junk. I had to have a giant elm removed and the tree guy tells me he can cut down the native plums for the same money. Excuse me??? The plums are staying mister don't even look at them!!

 

[cknmom]

My husband replaced glass and wood French doors at his Moms place. We took the doors home with us. He is going to make me cold frames with them. I think they will work very good.

 

[Britesea]

Nice! We don't often see stuff like that here- maybe people here have been poor and out of work for too long or something, but it seems like everyone hangs on to their stuff to repurpose.