What Have You Gotten For Free?

J

jawilder

Joined
Jun 27, 2006
Messages
2,331
This weekend I was watering my neighbor's yard while he was out of town. While watering his hanging baskets I noticed a drill press sitting under a layer of leaves and dust. I asked about it and he just gave it to me. Said he only paid $50 for it and that we could work out a deal.
It runs like a champ!
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The Vise on it came from a hobby knife maker who quit making them. He gave it to me along with a 4x6 Montgomery Ward band saw

I also got 4 wrought iron waggon wheels from a lady from church who was selling her father's house. I just had to do some yard work for her.

One friend gave me a 4" Buffalo bench vise

And even another went to an auction and bought me a trunk load of hammers, tongs, and hot cutters.

Looking at the list, I'd say I have pretty good friends.

Is there anything you've gotten for the asking - or even without asking?
 
Yes Jason, there is a lot of free stuff for those who are willing to do a favor or two in exchange.

I find that letting people know I make knives often gets an immediate, "I have an old XYZ, can you use it?"
 
I was given an old Buffalo #15 drill press that I plan to set-up with a cross slide table, and a 3 phase motor and a frequency drive. This same guy gave me an old 2 wheel belt grinder thatI use for slack belt work.

Another friend gave me a Buffalo #16 bench drill press with no motor, but I had a motor for it already.

And a friend of my Grandmothers gave me an old horizontal 50 gallon air compressor that I just installed a few weeks ago.

About six years ago another guy I know gave me a craftsman roller cabinet. and a 70# peter wright anvil.
 
The reason I started to make knives was the blade steel which came from very old saw mill gang saw blades were given to me to see if I might try to make a knife. Frank
 
When I first started making knives I made friends with Sogguy (Dick Singer) from these forums. He was dying of cancer at the time. He gave me a walrus tusk, and a few khukuri's. Also bought several of my earliest pieces. Rest in peace my friend.

I've yet to cut into the ivory. I worry that my work isn't up to it yet. I want to know I can make a piece fitting of it when I do cut it.
 
I have a customer who makes custom forklift tines.... I've hauled of 400# of tine cut offs from 3"x9" to 1.5"x4" x 12"-24" long... Going back today... They have two pieces in the dumpster that are 3"x9"x24" with 10" of the bend and the mounting cleat intact... weighs around 300#.... Thinking about digging them out....
 
We had a customer here a while back that my boss introduced. Said he wanted to see the knife handle woods.
He asked me if I had seen English Sycamore before and I said no. He said when he got back home in Indiana he would send me a piece.
A few weeks later a big box showed up.
This is what was in it.

In this photo are English Sycamore, Ebony from Madagascar, Black Walnut, Karelian Birch, Brazilian Rosewood (pre-cites) and curly Teak.
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Next photo is Bubinga, Sapelle, something from Mozambique and English Sycamore.
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Next photo is figured Bog Oak, the logs were dated about 20,000 BC
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Turns out the guy owns a company that does the interiors for private jets and yachts.
All he wants in return are few blocks cut and stabilized so he can try handling a few blade blanks.
 
40lbs of 3000f refractory cement, 25ft of ceramic wool, 8 liters of quench oil , fittings and hose for a bigger propane tank. That's all in the last week and a half.
 
I was given a 1994 isuzu pickup .Spent $200 bucks and had it running. A/c worked great. Looked rough , but drove it 4 mothhs and sold it for $1,200. Kinda wished now I would have kept it. Was great to haul lawnmowers and when it was time to replace the hot water heater.
 
I was fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time and was given a 16 foot tree trunk of honey locust burl. Have had several people drop off tree warts (burls) to me since :) Now they all call me the weird wood guy...Thought that was Mark.....
 
My first drill press in the shop,an old Atlas floor model was given to me by an older local guy I know who was buddies with Lloyd Pendelton who used to live here in my neighborhood. Still get a lot of use out of that press, and I love the old school feel it has.
 
A Ridgid free standing drill press, Delta 1x30 sander, Delta free standing 14" band saw, Makita table saw, Buffalo forge blower, large firepot/clinker breaker/tuyere, 4.5" post vise, 90vdc 3/4hp sealed motor & controller, multiple temp controllers, gauges, double acting air cylinders, 30 gallon air compressor, 10lb fine mesh alox abrasive powder, I forget.......
 
I got this life to live and this beautiful world to live it in. The greatest gift there is.

More recently, I got a LG50 powerhammer, a good 4x4 pickup truck, a ukulele, a dulcimer, a nice polished granite slab, and a dog. One of my cutting torches w/tanks was a gift, and my stick welder was too. My uncle just gave me a bunch of nice walnut, and set of carving tools, and a killer fringed motorcycle jacket from the '60's.

He's a pretty good dog, too.

I'm going to pick up another good sized anvil today, but that's costing me $200. Oh well.
 
Library books and videos

Not much on knifemaking, but welding, machining, jewellery and such stuff

Once you find something you want, you can ask the local if they have it or can get it.

Libraries loan each other stuff back and forth.
 
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