One man's trash. . .

. . . is my treasure.

Last summer I grabbed a free snowblower from an alley near my house. It had a yellow tag hanging from the spark-plug wire that said “FRIED” in big bold letters. It was almost identical to my current blower, but wider and more HP. I dragged it home to use as parts machine.

First snow earlier this year I find my old standby has a broken shear pin. Rather than attempt the repair right away I figured I’d give the donor blower a shot to see just how “FRIED” it is. It’s bigger and better, right? Why not try? Started right up with the electric start but was kinda boggy. Emptied the old fuel, cleaned the tank, cleaned the carb, put fresh fuel and a new fuel line in. 1 hour of my time and this thing wails. I’ve never had a blower this solid to be honest.

Thank you Tecumseh.

That’s awesome! I love finds like that.

About 5-6 years ago, I was walking the dog before work, and we were having one of those “neighborhood cleanup” days where the city picks up pretty much anything.

I came across a Weber charcoal grill that couldn’t have been used more than once. The coal grate was still shiny! You can bet that came home with me.

About 5 or 6 years ago we had a party where several people threw up in our new grill. At that point it was so disgusting a couple people “relieved” themselves in it as well. We only go to use it a couple times. I put it at the curb and it was gone the next day!?

Ha ha ha. Good thing I know where you live, Suzuki!!!

We have friends that live in the country and always had a big garden. Every year it was the same complaint about their tiller not running in the spring, so they’d haul it in and get it back, till the garden then there it sat at the end of the last row, un-covered to elements until the next spring. About ten years ago they contacted Ma and said I could have the tiller at the end of the garden if I wanted to tinker with it. So….

I’m still tilling with that old relic. I keep it in the garage when its not in the garden and use nothing but non-oxy fuel in it. No problems at all.

I once saw a Toro lawn mower on the curb with a free sign. As I was loading it up the guy came out of the house and said he pulled for an hour trying to start it and that he’d used it since spring that year. He was miffed it died in the middle of the mowing season. When I got home I put gas in the tank and used it for five years then took it to the cabin for trim work.

ground score!

Sounds like a fun party

My wife brought home a free snowblower from her boss a few years ago – I told her not to take it because no one gives away something that works. She brings it home because it looks “brand new” and didn’t want to say no to her boss.

I start looking at it thinking it would be a pile of junk but lo and behold the only thing wrong was the primer bulb was cracked. A few dollar part and we have a like new Toro that starts with one pull every time.

My wife reminded me of this story twice this week when I used it…..

Matt,
She brought it home, maybe she should be using it. Just a thought.
Ya, I know that’s not the way things work.

suzuki wrote:

About 5 or 6 years ago we had a party where several people threw up in our new grill. At that point it was so disgusting a couple people “relieved” themselves in it as well. We only go to use it a couple times. I put it at the curb and it was gone the next day!?

I want to go to one of your parties…
DT

deertracker wrote:

I want to go to one of your parties…
DT

ME TOO…but I’ll bring my own food.

suzuki wrote:

About 5 or 6 years ago we had a party where several people threw up in our new grill. At that point it was so disgusting a couple people “relieved” themselves in it as well. We only go to use it a couple times. I put it at the curb and it was gone the next day!?

That would be the last time a couple of those friends got invited. My brother got an entire kitchen for the cabin. Brand new fridge,stove/oven because a lady where he works was getting a divorce and letting the house go back to the bank. While we we there we got the new lawnmower and weed whacker too. Big time score.