I love garage sales

[puma4440]

We hit the town wide yard sales at 7:00 this morning, and for once, I found something worth buying. I seen 2 Coleman 220J lanterns under a table, covered in dust with a tag that said $5 for both. I checked them for broken globes and severe rust, then handed the old man a $5 and asked if they worked, he said he hasn't had them lit since the early 90's, but said they worked then.

I set them up on my workbench to pressure test them, and right away I had a hiss when I shouldn't, and found that the fuel cap seal is rotted away on one of them...hmmm...after a short search, I did have another cap in the "camping repair box", cool. Now that both have been pressure tested, time to set fire to them...no luck on either.

I tore the lanterns down piece by piece, inspecting it all as I went. I broke out the brasso, rubbing compound, and my dremel, I cleaned and polished every part of those lanterns, and picked what I believed to be the best parts for one, and if need be, I'll have a spare for parts. I soaked the gas tips in the parts cleaner for a few hours, and used the air compressor to clean all of the garbage out of the microscopic hole in the end that I believed was the culprit. After reassembly, oiling the leather, and new mantles, I have two working lanterns.

 

[royal0014]

Re: I love garage sales

Cool. I love those old lanterns, fond memories.


<<)))(((>>

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: I love garage sales

Thats a good deal, and it reminds me I have a broken globe. I bought a bench vise in a sale a few weeks ago, swivel jaws, pipe jaws weighs a ton. Guy said give me $5 and get it out of my yard. Oh yeh and a craftsman buffer still in the bucket, 3 new bonnets and the 25' cord, $5. I love garbage sales.

 

[rbh]

Re: I love garage sales

We hit the town wide yard sales at 7:00 this morning, and for once, I found something worth buying. I seen 2 Coleman 220J lanterns under a table, covered in dust with a tag that said $5 for both. I checked them for broken globes and severe rust, then handed the old man a $5 and asked if they worked, he said he hasn't had them lit since the early 90's, but said they worked then.

I set them up on my workbench to pressure test them, and right away I had a hiss when I shouldn't, and found that the fuel cap seal is rotted away on one of them...hmmm...after a short search, I did have another cap in the "camping repair box", cool. Now that both have been pressure tested, time to set fire to them...no luck on either.

I tore the lanterns down piece by piece, inspecting it all as I went. I broke out the brasso, rubbing compound, and my dremel, I cleaned and polished every part of those lanterns, and picked what I believed to be the best parts for one, and if need be, I'll have a spare for parts. I soaked the gas tips in the parts cleaner for a few hours, and used the air compressor to clean all of the garbage out of the microscopic hole in the end that I believed was the culprit. After reassembly, oiling the leather, and new mantles, I have two working lanterns.

If you haven't yet try to clean the air vents out (mud wasp fill them up good)
As well the generator is still available I believe (they get carboned up good after awhile)

Did you flush out the old fuel?

 

[j_martin]

Re: I love garage sales

Went to a moving sale about a month ago. Found a group 600 lawn tractor with a 42" front mount snow thrower and a 46" mowing deck, Kawasaki V twin water cooled engine. Said $799, admiral bought it for $650.

Needed a couple of welds on the linkages (misadjusted) and a control cable. Good to go.

 

[JB]

Re: I love garage sales

Garage (and estate) sales are more fun and yeild greater success than gold prospecting.

Best are when the seller doesn't have a clue what (s)he has.

My record score was a 1948 Zeiss Icon Super Iconta 620 roll film camera with a 1.8 Tessar lens. $.50. I sold it several years later for over $500.

Then there was the newlywed who sold me a brand new set of Cutco cutlery (retail several hundred bux) for $10.

Both of those were many years ago, but I still can't resist a driveway full of treasure and trash.

 

[Cofe]

Re: I love garage sales

I love garage sales!
Last week I scored a 1970's Pioneer 200 watt stereo receiver in excellent shape for $5
Also bought a very nice metal detector for $5

Still have not came across a deal like JB got on that camera......WOW!!

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: I love garage sales

And then there are those holding a garage sale that think they have gold, I went to a few yesterday, and a guy had a few keyboards, which I need another for my new media center, asked him what he wanted, he told me $15.00 and was offended when I told him NO I will give you a buck...!

 

[puma4440]

Re: I love garage sales

yeah, seems like you have to wade through alot of junk gold before you find a good deal, alot of people belive because it graced their presence, it has doubled in value. When I hold one, its because I want rid of stuff, and if it doesn't sell, it goes to goodwill, so I try to at least make a nickle off of it. Usually the last day of mine is the big 75% off day,lol, but it does get rid of almost all of my junk treasure. I know I have to have one soon, I need a new lawn mower, and I'm thinking of a Husqvarna HU700L.

 

[Art Bernard]

Re: I love garage sales

I recently found a deck of Bettie Paige playing cards, new and still in the wrapper from 1962. Dunno if their worth anything but I'm gonna give them to my dad, he's 75 and was a rodder/drag racer (he used to race with Micky Thompson on the flats) during her heyday. I hope they bring back some good memories for him.

Art

 

[La Bullet]

Re: I love garage sales

Garage (and estate) sales are more fun and yeild greater success than gold prospecting.

Best are when the seller doesn't have a clue what (s)he has.

My record score was a 1948 Zeiss Icon Super Iconta 620 roll film camera with a 1.8 Tessar lens. $.50. I sold it several years later for over $500.

Then there was the newlywed who sold me a brand new set of Cutco cutlery (retail several hundred bux) for $10.

Both of those were many years ago, but I still can't resist a driveway full of treasure and trash.

Talk about not knowing what they have, found this at a gun show Remington Nylon 12 single shot bolt action (left) I got to it two steps in front of two other guys, they were chomping at the bit for me to put it down....... $100 she's part of the growing collection now.
My Dos Centavos, Ed

 

[ehenry]

Re: I love garage sales

Puma, I did the same thing with some old lanterns. Took three and made one good one out of them. The other two bodies I turned in to electric lamps for the patio. they hang over close to my grilling area with those yellow bug light bulbs in them. I"ve had a number of folks comment on them.

Thought I'd throw that out there for ya so ya could do something with the other lantern body that you cannibalized.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: I love garage sales

I've got a pile of liquid fuel Coleman stuff...lanterns, stoves of all sizes, catalytic heaters, ect.....My best score was a 1951 mint nickel plated 220D in a metal case for 20 bucks. The bottom of the case had a decent sized pile of NOS cap gaskets, mantles and a couple of extra fuel caps stored in it.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: I love garage sales

Coleman lanterns aren't hard to rebuild. I now have 14 of them 200's,220's, 228's and a 288.
I still need to find one from May 1960 thats my birthday.

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: I love garage sales

CHA Ching, went to a garage sale yesterday and scored a brand new set of speakers for the boat.I`ve been shopping for a while and just couldnt justify the prices they have on a descent set. Well yesterday I was wondering around and bingo, brand new set of Powerbase 5 1/2" with separate adj. tweeters, crossovers and wiring. $10 didnt even argue the price.