Driving home last week, I found this 1940's dinette table in pieces and put out for trash at the curb of a home in Webster Groves. It was in the same neighborhood where I found these curbside treasures. The legs were already off, so it fit fairly easily into my hatchback. Not that I needed a table, I just couldn't stand to see it go to the trash.
Showing posts with label Curbside Finds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Curbside Finds. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Free is Good
On my last post, I suggested this blog was no longer limited to garage sale finds, but thrift store, estate sale, and other finds. I need to add one more to the list: curbside finds. I've blogged about curbside finds in the past. These are items the previous owners have decided are no longer usable or wanted and have set out to the curb either for the trash man or people like me.
While out dropping off bags for Scouting for Food with my sons last November, my second oldest son spotted a pinball machine sitting at the curb. This wasn't a full size commercial unit, but it was larger than the usual toy version. As it turned out, it's a 3/4 scale pinball named Star Galaxy that is sold in the UK and Australia for home use. It runs about £499 which currently is almost $800 USD.
The pinball was missing its power adapter. I googled for a new one, but it has an odd requirement of 22v 3amps max. I contacted the company for advice on finding a replacement adapter to which I received the response, "It wouldn't work because we have different voltage in Australia".
A friend at work offered some old laptop adaptors he had laying around. I wasn't confident about them working, so they sat in a bag in my garage for the last couple months. This weekend, I decided it was time to either get rid of the pinball taking up room in my garage or figure out if it worked.
I picked an adaptor out of the bag. It was for a Compaq laptop and ran 18v 3.2 amps. The connector actually fit pretty well so deciding I had nothing to lose, I plugged it in and turned it on. It immediately came to life.
Like I said, it's not a full-size pinball, but the play is pretty good and it uses real bumpers and electric flippers. The sound effects are fairly decent. One of the sound effects is actually the sound of laser fire from a tie-fighter. Don't tell George Lucas (or Disney).
The game worked great for a day, then the connection at the adapter started to get stubborn, shutting off in the middle of game play. I ended up cutting off the adapter end and soldering the wires directly to the circuit board. No more issues after that.
The kids have been having a great time playing it (Dad too). There's a pretty good demonstration on Youtube that will give you an idea of what it's like.
While out dropping off bags for Scouting for Food with my sons last November, my second oldest son spotted a pinball machine sitting at the curb. This wasn't a full size commercial unit, but it was larger than the usual toy version. As it turned out, it's a 3/4 scale pinball named Star Galaxy that is sold in the UK and Australia for home use. It runs about £499 which currently is almost $800 USD.
The pinball was missing its power adapter. I googled for a new one, but it has an odd requirement of 22v 3amps max. I contacted the company for advice on finding a replacement adapter to which I received the response, "It wouldn't work because we have different voltage in Australia".
A friend at work offered some old laptop adaptors he had laying around. I wasn't confident about them working, so they sat in a bag in my garage for the last couple months. This weekend, I decided it was time to either get rid of the pinball taking up room in my garage or figure out if it worked.
I picked an adaptor out of the bag. It was for a Compaq laptop and ran 18v 3.2 amps. The connector actually fit pretty well so deciding I had nothing to lose, I plugged it in and turned it on. It immediately came to life.
Like I said, it's not a full-size pinball, but the play is pretty good and it uses real bumpers and electric flippers. The sound effects are fairly decent. One of the sound effects is actually the sound of laser fire from a tie-fighter. Don't tell George Lucas (or Disney).
The game worked great for a day, then the connection at the adapter started to get stubborn, shutting off in the middle of game play. I ended up cutting off the adapter end and soldering the wires directly to the circuit board. No more issues after that.
The kids have been having a great time playing it (Dad too). There's a pretty good demonstration on Youtube that will give you an idea of what it's like.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
One Man's Trash...
Let me begin this post by explaining that I'm a curb watcher. My eyes are always scanning the streets for discarded treasures. I have been known to stop and pick up items from the street when I was by myself, with my wife, with my kids and even with my co-workers. Not all at the same time, of course.
On my way home from work yesterday, driving my usual route through Webster Groves on Oakwood Avenue, I noticed a large pile of objects set out to the curb for the trash man. A woman walking by paused momentarily to scan the objects, but upon seeing my car approaching kept walking. Clearly, she was too proud to pick through someone else's garbage; I on the other hand have no qualms. I did a quick scan as I drove by and was intrigued enough to turn at the next block and loop back around.
Pulling to a stop, I hopped out of my car and began the assessment. The house had a for sale sign in the yard and it appeared the seller had emptied the contents that had been left behind. The first thing I saw was a large homemade easel painted red with the words "Leigh Ann and Kris, 1962" painted in white. It was too large and nothing I needed, so I looked further. That's when I saw a Motorola portable radio on the ground. I threw that in the car and then spotted a clock with a glass face. Another smaller mantle style clock lay next to it. Just beyond that were two vintage tennis raquets. The last thing I noticed was a box of very old stuffed animals. I looked through them with dreams of finding a Steiff, but most appeared to be homemade and were very worn. Thoughts of Toy Story 3 and Woody and the gang headed for the incinerator passed through my head, but so did thoughts of what critters might live on their filthy furry bodies. They stayed. Sorry guys.
At home, I cleaned everything up and began some researching. First up is a Mastercrafters Starlight No. 146 clock from 1958.
On my way home from work yesterday, driving my usual route through Webster Groves on Oakwood Avenue, I noticed a large pile of objects set out to the curb for the trash man. A woman walking by paused momentarily to scan the objects, but upon seeing my car approaching kept walking. Clearly, she was too proud to pick through someone else's garbage; I on the other hand have no qualms. I did a quick scan as I drove by and was intrigued enough to turn at the next block and loop back around.
Pulling to a stop, I hopped out of my car and began the assessment. The house had a for sale sign in the yard and it appeared the seller had emptied the contents that had been left behind. The first thing I saw was a large homemade easel painted red with the words "Leigh Ann and Kris, 1962" painted in white. It was too large and nothing I needed, so I looked further. That's when I saw a Motorola portable radio on the ground. I threw that in the car and then spotted a clock with a glass face. Another smaller mantle style clock lay next to it. Just beyond that were two vintage tennis raquets. The last thing I noticed was a box of very old stuffed animals. I looked through them with dreams of finding a Steiff, but most appeared to be homemade and were very worn. Thoughts of Toy Story 3 and Woody and the gang headed for the incinerator passed through my head, but so did thoughts of what critters might live on their filthy furry bodies. They stayed. Sorry guys.
At home, I cleaned everything up and began some researching. First up is a Mastercrafters Starlight No. 146 clock from 1958.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)