I'm Such a Scavenger

[Racer Z]

I'm a scavenger. No two ways around it. I can't begin to tell how many times I'm driving along in my F250, just minding my own business and something in the corner of my eye grabs my attention. I jump on the brakes and back up or go around the block and down an alley to see what it is. Low and behold, somebody through out something neat or valuable to me.

As a self-employed handyman, I get to drive my truck to all parts of the city. I get to see a lot of streets I would never see otherwise.

One day I was going to a job across town. I stopped at a Starbucks for coffee. While looking for a place to park my big truck, I saw this round table next to the garbage. Of course I had to look at it. I could not see anything wrong with it other than the nuts holding the top to the frame where missing. I tossed in my truck, got my coffee and went to my job. Later I found some 1/4-20 nuts in my collection and secured the top. Two weeks later, I was passing by a different Starbucks and found a second round table, also missing the nuts. Now I have a matching set.

I'm simply amazed at what people get rid of and the reasoning behind it. I bet those table cost almost $200 each and got tossed cause they needed a 25 cent nut.

A few months later I found matching chairs at a flea market / swap meet. Grabbed them at $25 for the pair. The set has been in my yard for eight years or better and has a nice patine now.

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The park bench is another one of my finds. I found the cast iron ends leaning up next to a garbage pail while walking my dog. Went back with the truck to get them. Later I found some scraps from an Oak floor job. I cut the Oak strips to fit and removed the tongue-and-groove.

What have you scavenged lately? I'm always up for a good scavenger find story.

[george worley]

I am a retired flooring installer and I did mostly new constuction homes,time shares,hotels etc. Being the last trade in I got to clean up the floor before I could start work. I found bolts ,nuts ,wire,switches,breakers,smoke detectors,odds and ends of construction material . I brought it home and what I couldn't use I put out for my yard sale. I ride my bike every day for exercise and I have a basket on it and I most always come home with items in it that I can use.

[Ranchero50]

I used to keep a little homelite Xl behind the seat of my ranchero, see a downed limb and ten minutes later "free firewood"...

I have friends who are scrapmen so I 'find' some really cool stuff in their junk piles and let not forget the cool bits that get scrapped at work. Buddy bought a truck and I got the Seadoo in the back.

One of my cooler little salvage built projects...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15CV-S5CCtk

Jamie