Something From Nothing Log

Fixing and making things, what tools to get and what skills to learn, ...
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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

llorona wrote:I've netted $2K on eBay over the past three months, including selling some of my childhood possessions that are now considered "vintage."
That's great! Made me smile. Consider yourself lucky that your childhood possessions are only vintage. Somehow mine have now morphed into antiques. :P

SavingWithBabies
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by SavingWithBabies »

@Ego I'll have to keep hunting here. I like the super deals you're getting but haven't found anything like that for the most part. I can usually find one or two things per trip but no big hauls. I did stumble on some unassembled 1950s aviation models in the boxes at a thrift store for $1.99. But only two. One sold for $80. Other I probably priced too high. But I'll keep looking -- I'm sure there is more treasure here.

Today I managed to give a guy $40 for a desk that was on the free section in Craigslist. I've been making due with a tiny desk from Ikea that is just barely wider than my 28" monitor. Guy was moving and couldn't wait any longer to sell so giving it away. Nice big 8 foot Herman Miller desk. Not too deep but with good support underneath so only needs legs on each end. Plus a small L add-on. Somehow, I couldn't walk away with it for free.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

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A tenant left this desk at the trash. I snapped a photo, listed in on craigslist for $30 and sold it within an hour to a new resident at the hospital / medical school down the street.
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Sclass
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Sclass »

llorona wrote:
There's a lot of good stuff in the Bay Area, but wow, competition is fierce.]
Ahh, these posts are making me miss home. The garage sales, rummage sales and thrift shops suck in my new home of Lake Forest. I really miss the hauls I made weekly in Mountain View and Los Altos. I mined that stuff for decades.

I need to hit Goodwill Mountain View and get some more Google and Stanford shirts.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing

Post by Ego »

Ego wrote: This morning I also found two new Simms waterproof flyfishing packs ($2 each) ...
I finally sold both of the Simms packs. $40 each. The first was to a nice guy who pulled up in front of the building in (what I believe was) a Bently. He bought it because he already had the matching piece and couldn't get this front pack in time for his trip. Not your typical craigslist shopper.

The second hemmed and hawed about whether he needed it. I told him I had considered keeping it myself and using it to carry my gear while mountain biking but decided to sell it when I realized what it was worth. I thought he might take the hint and decide he didn't really need it either. But he didn't. He bought it. I felt a little bad about tempting someone to buy something they didn't need. Oh well.
Last edited by Ego on Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

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I've been hesitant to post this one because I wasn't sure if it was going to work out. Now that things have progressed I think I can safely say it is gradually turning into one of my best ever something-from-nothings.

Each time we return from a long trip I try to learn a few new things. For instance, the last time we were here I became an EMT so I would feel confident if we had a medical emergency in a remote place and I learned a lot about genealogy to acquire my Italian citizenship. This time I was determined to take violin lessons and to study Italian.

I was favoring the violin lessons but when I searched the various violin teachers in town, I found them to be extremely expensive. So then I considered taking the Intro to Italian class at the Italian Cultural Center in town because it is taught by a woman who has a good reputation and teaches the class at the state university as well.

I had resolved myself to register for the Italian class but before doing so I wanted to talk with the little old man who busks with his violin in the park. We've stopped to listen to him play on several occasions. He always plays in perfect key and never rushes through the notes like many buskers. One day about a month ago I was cycling through the park as he was setting up his music stand. I stopped and said, "Excuse me. Do you happen to know anyone who teaches violin?"

He looked at me for a moment, cocked his head crookedly and said, "Scusi?"

Not exactly fresh off the boat, but close enough. An Italian violin teacher. What more could I ask for? That first day he told me to come to his apartment on a particular day, stay as long as I wanted and pay whatever I wanted.

The first lesson went well and midway through the second he stopped me and said, "Hey Ego (he calls me by my last name, which also happens to be a musical term) I have an idea. You want to learn the violin and Italian. I want to learn the computer. I teacha violin, you teacha me the computer." The he slap-rubbed his hands together like Italians are apt to do and said, "No money, no money."

He had somehow activated the Narriator function on his windows computer. Every time he moused over something, the computer would tell him what he was pointing at. It was driving him crazy. I fixed it. He thinks I am Steve Jobs.

The violin, the Italian and logging in to email are all progressing slowly. But we are both moving in the right direction.

enigmaT120
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by enigmaT120 »

That sounds like a great deal and probably a great relationship.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

enigmaT120 wrote:That sounds like a great deal and probably a great relationship.
He is a real character. Yesterday he insisted on taking my violin to his friend for corrective surgery. Apparently they installed a second-hand chin rest and a new bridge. He was worried I would be upset about the cost, $20. I bought new strings from ebay and they put those on too. In the afternoon he called me from his spot in the park and was excited for me to hear how beautiful the violin now sounds. He had someone hold the phone while he played. Bellissimo.

I've got another lesson tonight. Correction. We've got another lesson tonight. I sent him an email with a link to a youtube video. He's working on his mouse and clicking technique. I'm working on my bow technique. Same boat, different paddles.

vexed87
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by vexed87 »

Ego, that's a great tale. Made me smile.

saving-10-years
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by saving-10-years »

Nothing to compare to Ego and others but we had another 'delivery' onto our drive - flytipped courtesy of someone who was too lazy to take their boot load of belongings to the charity shops 6 or so miles away. We've sorted and repackaged and will take most of the load to those shops when next in town. Very little was actual rubbish. We have however lifted some items for our use (they fit) and for passing gratis on to people we know will be interested. These include:

100+ construction bricks for toddlers in perfect condition (Interstar brand, new cost is c.£50+)
2 white T W Lewin mens cotton shirts (type pictured,100% cotton with double cuffs) in husband's size and without any obvious wear. Will be the first time husband has owned 'Jermyn Street' shirts. ;)
3 pairs of denims (two of which are Tommy Hilfiger, all of which will work fine as smarter working trousers than his usual)
1 x office chair in faux suede which is more comfortable then the one that DS currently has in good condition (the arms have been put on the wrong way around so previous owner was not hot on DIY)
1 x pair of cream curtains which I will deconstruct and reuse for other projects (4 metres x 60" width) perfect condition.
1 x cute handbag which has a steampunk vibe which I will add to for a festival this summer
1 x Dell monitor (which we have yet to test and may not have survived being shoved in the hedge)
1 x JBL CS60.2 amp which we will try to get working and use out in the barn for mega-music

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Most of the things that end up left on our drive are usable/saleable without too much effort. Ranging from a wooden ledge and brace door (now used upstairs to replace a flimsy one), storage boxes, firewood and even part of a caravan. Curious as to how they end up here (in the middle of the countryside, which takes some effort) but at least as RE peeps we can take the time to sort it and gain some sort of benefit from other people's randomness.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Saving10, nice! So they just drop it off in front of your house?

The penthouse did some spring cleaning. Mrs. Ego got a Lululemon top. These were still in the case in the trash. I took them but I'm not sure what to do with them. I figure they will work for the obligatory bottle of wine when we go to a party. Screw top is a little cheesy but.... oh well.

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George the original one
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by George the original one »

It's made by Gallo...

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Do you mean that in a good way or a bad way? Don't worry. I won't be offended. I picked it out of the trash, after all.

Only the best for us!

George the original one
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by George the original one »

LOL, more just as an explanation for the screwtop. I'm sure I've had some at a restaurant and it was decent.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Penthouse continues their purge. This morning there were four full sized hefty bags full of high end women's clothing. Four lululemon pieces go to my ebay store as they are too big for the midget yogi. I should make about $100 after fees and shipping.

Mrs. Ego is a member of a clothing swap group so she will take the remainder of the washed clothing to the group to trade. She'll be popular this month.

Also in the trash was a Keurig thingamajig and a Delonghi stainless toaster oven. Both appear to work. If so, craigslist they go.....

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

The violin lessons are going extremely well. My teacher told me to pick up a first-lesson book so that I would have some beginner songs to practice. I practice in a quiet corner of the park. Yesterday a homeless guy came over, sat at the bench and listened while I played. Actually what I do would more accurately be described as screeching. I felt sorry for him. He began accompanying me by singing such a beautiful rendition of Danny Boy that I had to stop playing. The moment brought tears to my eyes.

The first time I began taking violin lessons was when I entered kindergarten in the Philadelphia public school system in 1972. We were taught the Suzuki method.

Last night Mrs. Ego and I were walking through the swap meet and stopped to talk with Verona, one of our friends who sells piles of trash-picked junk each week. As we were talking I looked down and there on the ground in her stall was a book that brought back a flood of memories. When I told her the story Verona wanted to give it to me for free but I insisted on paying. She refused anything more than $1.

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This week my teacher was having trouble tracking a Fedex package he had returned to a catalog music store. I showed him how to do it on the computer and he thought it was magic. He has trouble communicating on the phone with his thick Italian accent and asked me to call the store to ask why the money had not been refunded to his bank account. I sorted out the problem and he was thrilled. This is turning out to be a wonderful skills exchange.

black_son_of_gray
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by black_son_of_gray »

This feels like it fits in this thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s3bdVxuFBs

bryan
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by bryan »

great thread @Ego.
llorona wrote:There's a lot of good stuff in the Bay Area, but wow, competition is fierce.
Now that I'm in a larger dwelling, I've started checking CL and you aren't kidding! Anyone that spends money on a mattress, sofa, desk, etc are bonkers: there are plenty of (decent quality!) free ones on CL. Other appliances go for pennies on the dollar. Better free stuff available if you get wind of it quick and are in the area.

I lucked out this past weekend after rummaging around at some garage sales.. was on the way home when I checked on my smartphone the free section and a guy about a mile away had just posted 20m previously about a bunch of large appliances he was leaving on the curb. When I pulled up, he had an impressed look on his face (I think he thought I was going to haul it all away in my van). I only grabbed the washer and air compressor (because karma). Left behind a nice, big tool chest combo, electric dryer, dishwasher, and a bench tool (that I am forgetting what exactly it was, didn't really look at it for more than a moment, may have just been a cutoff saw and sander). All in working order, albeit quite old (80s I think).

Let's see if I can get lucky this weekend with a gas dryer and maybe some air tools.

Here is the antique compressor (haven't really inspected it to see if it's too rusty to be safe..):
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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

Nice compressor!

A couple of weeks ago Mrs. Ego found four soggy one-dollar bills balled up in one of the community washing machines. I took them with me to the swap meet and used them to pay for this sleeping bag. I paid $5 for the bag so I had to add one of my own.

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When I got it home I turned the bag inside out and found that the tags were still attached. It was brand new. I listed it on craigslist and sold it yesterday for $55. The guy paid for it with a fifty dollar bill and a five.

This morning I went to our favorite grocery store and found that the rolled oats were on special at 2 lbs/ $1. The cheapest I've seen recently is $.69 per pound. We are nearing the bottom of our third 50 lb bag since returning six months ago (I can't believe how much oatmeal we eat!) so I bought two bags for $25 each and paid with the fifty-dollar-bill.

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$4 remain to fertilize the next cycle of Ego permaculture.

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Ego
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Re: Something From Nothing Log

Post by Ego »

We had a two hour violin lesson last night. It is going amazingly well. Time flies for both of us. Rather than reciprocate with a computer lesson, Maestro asked if I would drive him to a furniture shop to buy a bed. He had been sleeping on an inflatable mattress which developed a slow leak. It sounds much more depressing than it is. His subsidized senior-citizen studio apartment is really very nice and has an incredible view of the bay. So today I took him to a mom and pop store recommended by one of his neighbors. He asked me to negotiate the price for him, which I did, and got free delivery and setup thrown in. He paid with a wad of $1 bills he had earned busking in the park.

On the way home in the car he said, "You see that Ego? I make music into a bed. Just like magic."

I've also been learning to read music and downloaded the free software MuseScore to help with the process.

https://musescore.org/

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