Neighbor's Old Tools

[ARAMP1]

I helped my neighbor our the other day by blasting a couple old cast iron skillets that he had. They were full of rust that he'd even tried taking a wire wheel to. Anyway, I got the rust off of all of them and he tried to pay me $20 for helping out. I told him that I wasn't going to accept his money and that's just what neighbors do for each other.

Anyway, I get home from work today and he was outside and wanted to show me something. In his garage was a hand made tool box that belong to his father who died in 1960. It was full of old Snap On, Williams, New Britain, etc. Most of it 1 inch drive and sockets and wrenches in to the 3 inch range. Huge stuff. Hell, I even saw a black and decker valve grinder that was made in the USA! Kind of funny that when I see the black and decker name, I think of cheap walmart crap. Had to stop and think that there was a day when it was a quality name.

I didn't feel right asking him to take a picture so I could post it. But I was definitely impressed just seeing these old tools. He gave me a couple things that he said he wasn't going to use, which I definitely appreciated.

 

[ashman]

right on! I love poking around oldesters garages looking at the crazy old tools. sounds like he had some nice stuff.

 

[Desert Rat]

One night we had this huge house to house search for a guy who was trying to cut his way into the roof of a local mom and pop store. He jumped off the roof and ran when the po po arrived. This was in an older neighborhood where the homes were probably built in the 30's. In the back of one of the larger lot homes there was a big barn. We found an open door and so we had to search the inside. When we got in I had a hard time concentrating as the entire barn was a workshop that was full of pristine machinery from the 30's and 40's. Lathes, drill presses, shop presses, band saws, you name it.

All of them were in great condition and they were surrounded by old 40's pickups and 60's muscle cars under car covers. The walls were adorned with metal shop and race signs from the 40's and 50's as well. It wasn't like this was a younger guy collecting memorabilia either. It was like we were thrown back in time to a shop where time stood still. I would bet that this was a business back in the turn of the century and was slowly surrounded by the growing neighborhood. We talked to the owner and he said his grandfather owned the shop but had passed away and nobody had touched a thing since.

 

[m4]

I'm going to be that guy some day.

 

[41565chevelle]

One night we had this huge house to house search for a guy who was trying to cut his way into the roof of a local mom and pop store. He jumped off the roof and ran when the po po arrived. This was in an older neighborhood where the homes were probably built in the 30's. In the back of one of the larger lot homes there was a big barn. We found an open door and so we had to search the inside. When we got in I had a hard time concentrating as the entire barn was a workshop that was full of pristine machinery from the 30's and 40's. Lathes, drill presses, shop presses, band saws, you name it.

All of them were in great condition and they were surrounded by old 40's pickups and 60's muscle cars under car covers. The walls were adorned with metal shop and race signs from the 40's and 50's as well. It wasn't like this was a younger guy collecting memorabilia either. It was like we were thrown back in time to a shop where time stood still. I would bet that this was a business back in the turn of the century and was slowly surrounded by the growing neighborhood. We talked to the owner and he said his grandfather owned the shop but had passed away and nobody had touched a thing since.

You need to make nice with that guy and stop by every once in awhile during your patrols... It will pay off in the end!

 

[Desert Rat]

That was my thought as well. But, the son was one of those Birkenstock wearers that had no clue how great his grandfather was. Of course I could offer to take all those old pieces of junk off of his hands for him.....

 

[41565chevelle]

Yeah, I hear what your saying... Let me know if you need a fellow K5 owner/LEO help... Sounds like a hunting/tools/cars road trip...

 

[imiceman44]

I have a neighbor that was a racer, and I used to look at his open garage everytime I passed and one day I see a bunch of tools out in the driveway with for sale sign.
I talked to him and he said he's done with tinkering, he hasn't raced in a long time and he just bought new cars and he'll have his chief mechanic do any work he needs, so he sold me his big item tools that he had left for $250:
60 gallon dual stage compressor and the band saw.
I can't remember what brand the compressor is I will need to get out and check it.
It's been real good and much quieter than my old oilless.
the

I helped my neighbor our the other day by blasting a couple old cast iron skillets that he had. They were full of rust that he'd even tried taking a wire wheel to. Anyway, I got the rust off of all of them and he tried to pay me $20 for helping out. I told him that I wasn't going to accept his money and that's just what neighbors do for each other.

Anyway, I get home from work today and he was outside and wanted to show me something. In his garage was a hand made tool box that belong to his father who died in 1960. It was full of old Snap On, Williams, New Britain, etc. Most of it 1 inch drive and sockets and wrenches in to the 3 inch range. Huge stuff. Hell, I even saw a black and decker valve grinder that was made in the USA! Kind of funny that when I see the black and decker name, I think of cheap walmart crap. Had to stop and think that there was a day when it was a quality name.

I didn't feel right asking him to take a picture so I could post it. But I was definitely impressed just seeing these old tools. He gave me a couple things that he said he wasn't going to use, which I definitely appreciated.

 

[Desert Rat]

Don't you just love stumbling on a good find. I had a buddy that got hired with me about three decades ago. About the time he was making a career change, the plant he was working in shut down. He came to work on a Monday to give his notice and they ended up giving him one. All the raw materials were out of the plant along with most of the furniture. But, most of the tools, workbenches, and small supplies like nuts, bolts, rivets, etc. were still there. They told him to take whatever he wanted. He snagged a really nice workbench, a ton of big huge boxes of labeled misc. nuts and bolts and a big box of really nice tools. He never let on that he would have left anyway and milked the sad parting by filling his Bronco with all kinds of good stuff.