Regrets Items avaiable for free but wrong point in time

[Brian Deakin]

Now I am retired I can look back and recall many occasions when there were items avaiable for free but I had no use for them at that piont in time
Examples
2 pitch pine church pews
Infinite amounts of close grain pine sheving which had been used in stock rooms
a large box of early 20th cntury medical bottles still with the orginal contents
A large box of 1920,s Pears soap show material

and my greatest regret access, free timber offcuts from a company that Fitted many of the pestigious hotels in London and important Government buildings
I can remember on one occasion when there were about 20 pieces of solid Mapel skirting board 30 feet long in a skip because it had been milled to the incorrect size
and when I say off cuts these would be often 3ft by 18 inches and 2 to 3 inches thick

The amount avalable each week would easily fill the entire rear of a large estate car

[Doug Garson]

Those do sound like some missed gems. I've had more than one experience where I bought a new to me tool on Craigslist at a fair not great price and a week later a real steal comes up or I hesitate on a deal and when I finally decide to pull the trigger the item is sold. Don't despair, there will more bargains in the future (to blow ).

[Jim Koepke]

Bargains are like busses, if you miss one, there will be another coming along, just keep your eyes and ears open.

jtk

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have been offered for free, a home made, stroke sander It is 10 or 12 feet long and has very big wheels. I think the belt must be close to 28 feet long. The sliding work bed is 8 feet long and rides on ball bearings. It is all nicely made. It has no safety features or dust collection. 3 phase. It is terrifying to operate and takes up a lot of space. I think I better get it (Ugh!).

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[Jim Koepke]

I have been offered for free, a home made, stroke sander It is 10 or 12 feet long and has very big wheels. I think the belt must be close to 28 feet long. The sliding work bed is 8 feet long and rides on ball bearings. It is all nicely made. It has no safety features or dust collection. 3 phase. It is terrifying to operate and takes up a lot of space. I think I better get it (Ugh!).

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The 3rd or 4th issue of Fine WoodWorking had an article on building a stroke sander. In the next issue someone wrote in about the lack of safety features and how someone could do some nasty things to their head on it if they were not careful.

It might be wise to build a safety guard at the top if you do set this beast up in your shop.

jtk

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Thank you for good advice. I will post an image of this interesting machine.

If a Job counts as an offered Item, A regret from the past for the family business re-surfaced recently. In 1972 or so a Gentleman stepped in the door of Dads shop with an odd little item made of Walnut and wondered if we could make a few hundred of them. It looked like a 4 inch section of stairway handrail with an oval hole milled out of the end about 3 1/2 inches deep. Dad was very busy with custom kitchens just then and was a little stumped by how to do the oval hole so he did not move fast on the prototype. The Gentleman found someone else to do the job. The finished item had a velvet pad attached and a little red bottle of cleaning fluid that fit perfectly in the oval hole. The Gentleman named it a Discwasher and proceeded to make several thousands of them.

[Lee DeRaud]

And don't get me started on the cars & bikes I now regret not keeping...

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Well the stroke sander dust collection is present after all! The opportunity becomes more tempting.

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[Bruce Wrenn]

IF, "If's and and's were pots and pans, the tinkers would soon be out of business." Recently on CL have been a couple of Merry Tillers that caught my attention, at a price I'm willing to pay, except for one thing - I don't need them! At my age, I will never wear out the two that I have. Same thing goes for a bowl for Kitchen Aid Mixer at local Restore. Priced right, I just don't need it! And I definitely don't need any new projects, because I won't live long enough to finish the ones that are already on my list, plus what's on my wife's list, which grows daily.

[Roger Feeley]

The Gentleman named it a Discwasher and proceeded to make several thousands of them.

Ha! I had one of those in college. It worked great.

[Tim Elett]

I noticed it's getting hard to find good freebies, eather not to meany left or the oweners know what its worth.

[Jim Koepke]

I noticed it's getting hard to find good freebies, eather not to meany left or the oweners know what its worth.

Craigslist has a "Free Stuff" category with a lot of fresh listings in my area from a Basketball Hoop to a Pump Organ. I haven't been looking for years, but I used to get a few things.

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jtk

[Doug Garson]

I browse the Free Stuff on Craigslist regularly mostly out of curiosity but I have picked up a few things including tools. Recently someone gave away a sliding table saw they said was in good working order, must of been worth over a grand and at the other extreme someone was giving away some empty wine bottles.

[Jim Koepke]

Empty wine bottles come in handy for those who ferment their own grapes and other fruits.

jtk