Ideas for Scroungers

DAN_IN_MN said:
:thinking: :think1: :whistle: :thinking:

What would you use those for?
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Dan--I think he is talking about an adding machine with a new ribbon for only $3.50---I remember picking up all the old adding machines and cash registers that I could find at garage sales and flea markets in the 70s for under a dollar each--most of the time if you only looked at them ---the owner would offer them to you for free just to take them off their hands---I think I found every brand and style made---anyway to get to the point--I took them all apart and was amazed at all the machined movements and parts in them--I saved all the springs, collar screws, tapered and straight pins, clips, special screws and a lot of the special mechanisms----You wouldn't believe how much knowledge and valuable parts I got out of about 100 of these and also a lot of electric typewriters---those long hours of taking them apart bring back very good memories and I have been using the parts for over 40 yrs and still have an unending supply--I learned that whoever designed and made those mechanical machines sure have my appreciation and I am in awe.--I don't regret taking them all apart because of all I learned and all the nice parts I still use--I'm sure a lot of other older members have also done the same as me and can relate how many unique parts they came up with.--that's why we are good scroungers and fabricators.

Dave :))
 
Dave Smith said:
Dan--I think he is talking about an adding machine with a new ribbon for only $3.50---I remember picking up all the old adding machines and cash registers that I could find at garage sales and flea markets in the 70s for under a dollar each--most of the time if you only looked at them ---the owner would offer them to you for free just to take them off their hands---I think I found every brand and style made---anyway to get to the point--I took them all apart and was amazed at all the machined movements and parts in them--I saved all the springs, collar screws, tapered and straight pins, clips, special screws and a lot of the special mechanisms----You wouldn't believe how much knowledge and valuable parts I got out of about 100 of these and also a lot of electric typewriters---those long hours of taking them apart bring back very good memories and I have been using the parts for over 40 yrs and still have an unending supply--I learned that whoever designed and made those mechanical machines sure have my appreciation and I am in awe.--I don't regret taking them all apart because of all I learned and all the nice parts I still use--I'm sure a lot of other older members have also done the same as me and can relate how many unique parts they came up with.--that's why we are good scroungers and fabricators.

Dave :))
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I have two IBM selectrics. Do you know how to work on them? I'd like to get one working.
 
DAN_IN_MN said:
I've passed over a lot of roller blades! NO MORE! :whistle:
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Had not thought of roller blades. I've been scrounging for small radial bearings. But, haven't found any yet. Someone told me you could get bearing out of VCR's, but I haven't found one. Yet that has bearings.

Bob
 
If you want an abundant source of material and parts/pieces, head to the country. Around here, every farmer or rancher in the area has multiple pieces of old farm equipment sitting around that can be bought for cheap or even free. Lots of shafts, bearings, gears, keys, sheet metal, linkages, etc...
 
As mentioned in an earlier post RE: springs for gunsmithing. I searched everywhere for an apropriate spring for the sights on a pistol I was working on. To order 1 out of the US was going to cost me $23.00 shipped by the time the smoke cleared , as it turned up I had thrown away hundreds of them at work! The spring fro an aerosol paint can, Many different weights and lengths out there. Just another good source.
 
blaser.306 said:
As mentioned in an earlier post RE: springs for gunsmithing. I searched everywhere for an apropriate spring for the sights on a pistol I was working on. To order 1 out of the US was going to cost me $23.00 shipped by the time the smoke cleared , as it turned up I had thrown away hundreds of them at work! The spring from an aerosol paint can, Many different weights and lengths out there. Just another good source.
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How do you get them out? Is it a messy process?
 
John_Dennis said:
IBM selectrics are exceedingly hard to work on. My mother was a court reporter and had to have her typewriters serviced occasionally. It was hard to find a reliable repairman even here in Houston.

You should just ask for a free one on craigslist.

The selectric hits hard enough to mark thin aluminum for when you need a weatherproof tag.
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John--I agree totally with your advise for finding a good one that works on craigslist--I would also add then he could dismantle the two that he has for all the nice shafts, regular small powerful motors, step motors, gears, drive belts and drive pullies, small clips, and also those hardened letters and numbers that work great for stamping in metal (I have used them also like you for label making)---I was going to say that he was awfully trusting to ask a guy that loves to tear down neat outdated machines for the neat parts to be excited about fixing his!! (all of them that I gladly tore down-- worked perfectly when I started ripping them apart for their useful parts!!!!!) ---Dave---:))
 
Around my area people are going around cleaning up scrap iron piles for a percentage of what it's worth. They've been hauling a lot of old machinery in for scrap for the last four years.
Bob
 
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