Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 38,511
Last Sunday morning, I was going down to the marina to see my son and grand kids (they are living on a boat for the summer). I saw a sign that said "Estate Sale". Now I can't resist a good yard sale, so I turned off and went to see.
There was nothing but a small house with a lot of old and smelly stuff. Obviously a very old person with disabilities had passed away. I was getting ready to leave when I spotted a tool box in the corner of the garage. It was completely covered in spider webs and egg cases (probably why no one had moved it). I got it out and had to pry the latches open. It was an old steel machinist chest, every drawer full. The guy came over and asked what I had found. I told him it was a box of old machinist tools. I asked what he wanted for it, he said, "I dont know, how about $100." I said "How about $50." Done. This evening I cleaned it up. The box is something like 16 gauge steel. The tools were pristine, they obviously had been oiled and cleaned well when put away last (which may have been WW2). There are more Starrett tools and micrometers than I ever saw. Some of these tools I have no idea what they are used for. There are taps and dies for every size and pitch from #2 to 1/2" There is a drawer of drill bits, with mates for every tap. There are so many rules, charts, a 1914 gold edged,leather bound, machinist handbook, scribes dividers,compases,etc.
Then there are the specialty tools, extractors, pullers, spanner pliers and wrenches, allens, unique drivers, etc. The box and tools weigh over 100 pounds. If I went to McMaster Carr ,I would spend a thousand or more for all this. Good thing I decided to turn off.
Stacy
There was nothing but a small house with a lot of old and smelly stuff. Obviously a very old person with disabilities had passed away. I was getting ready to leave when I spotted a tool box in the corner of the garage. It was completely covered in spider webs and egg cases (probably why no one had moved it). I got it out and had to pry the latches open. It was an old steel machinist chest, every drawer full. The guy came over and asked what I had found. I told him it was a box of old machinist tools. I asked what he wanted for it, he said, "I dont know, how about $100." I said "How about $50." Done. This evening I cleaned it up. The box is something like 16 gauge steel. The tools were pristine, they obviously had been oiled and cleaned well when put away last (which may have been WW2). There are more Starrett tools and micrometers than I ever saw. Some of these tools I have no idea what they are used for. There are taps and dies for every size and pitch from #2 to 1/2" There is a drawer of drill bits, with mates for every tap. There are so many rules, charts, a 1914 gold edged,leather bound, machinist handbook, scribes dividers,compases,etc.
Then there are the specialty tools, extractors, pullers, spanner pliers and wrenches, allens, unique drivers, etc. The box and tools weigh over 100 pounds. If I went to McMaster Carr ,I would spend a thousand or more for all this. Good thing I decided to turn off.
Stacy
