Does anyone else do this?

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 31, 2004 4:46 PM

Me, I look at everthing as hobby supplies. Dead computers=small components off the PC board, Old kids toys W/motors= open the motors and remove the wire windings, old lighters= rubber gaskets and the striker reworked for a Zimmermit roller. I hit Garage sales flea markets dollar stores(great source for chains) good will. Hey any thing has potential!

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Dwight Ta-ala

Member since
July 2003
From: Philippines

Posted by Dwight Ta-ala on Friday, December 10, 2004 1:00 AM

I go to the computer graveyard of the office for some thin wires and stuff for my dioramas.

It's a good thing to recycle and you are not alone.

I even was able to repair a neighbors PC with some pieces I got from the graveyard.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 4:20 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by fightnjoe

my greatest triumph will be the fiberoptic tree my wife has. now if i could just get someone to distract her long enough for me to make it so it wont work.

joe

Don't bother.
Wal-Mart sells a battery operated Fiber optic tree with 12" long threads and colored led lights for $6.00
At that price you can add Fiber optics to 3 or 4 models

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fightnjoe

Member since
September 2011

Posted by fightnjoe on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 10:34 AM

my greatest triumph will be the fiberoptic tree my wife has. now if i could just get someone to distract her long enough for me to make it so it wont work.

joe

Veterans,

Thank You For Your Sacrifices,

Never To Be Forgotten

Where you can find me:

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Hoser

Member since
January 2003
From: Foothills of Colorado

Posted by Hoser on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 8:39 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by zokissima

When I was a kit ...

Did your folks ever finish building you? Big Smile [:D]

Junk isn't all you can find. A long time ago, a friend went scrounging for empty boxes for moving in the dumpster behind a K-Mart, and found a brand new VCR in the box. Could be an employee stashed it there to return after hours to pick it up. I've also heard if someone makes off with, say, a socket from a ratchet set the store will toss it because the set is incomplete. There's gold in them there dumpsters ...

"Trust no one; even those people you know and trust." - Jack S. Margolis

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 11:33 PM

Lonewolf,
You can use the tv casing for a spraybooth if you have none.

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zokissima

Member since
July 2003
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Posted by zokissima on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 11:17 AM

Nope, not alone.
When I was a kit, and even now, one of my hobbies was basic electronics. Over the years, I've collected boxes full of old circuit boards, resistors, etc, miles of wires, and all sorts of little doohickeys that may or may not end up on a model some day.

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wooverstone8

Member since
December 2003
From: Olympia, WA

Posted by wooverstone8 on Monday, December 6, 2004 8:18 PM

Yes, you’re not alone. I’m constantly tearing electronic stuff apart (that doesn't work) to look for valuable items and it’s fun too. I pull apart a 35m camera that didn’t work and found all sorts of cool little thin brass pieces that could be used for detail parts.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 6, 2004 4:13 PM

QUOTE: O.K. so your T.V., V.C.R or D.V.D player

Just remember some of those electronic equipment,T.V's especially, can hold residual electrical charges even after being unplugged for long periods of time.

I wouldnt be tearing any Televisions apart unless your 100% sure of what your doing.
Many of them have large concentrations of mercury, and lead as well as electrical charges.
it can get hazordous.

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berny13

Member since
February 2003
From: Panama City, Florida, Hurricane Alley

Posted by berny13 on Sunday, December 5, 2004 8:38 PM

I had an old clock radio that finally stopped working. I took it apart to see if I could fix it and found lots of things I could use in modeling. Almost half of the insides went into my scrounge box.

Two years ago I found half of a die used to make fishing weights, of various sizes. I now melt down wheel weights, which I find at tire dealers, and pour into it to make weights for my models.

Berny

Phormer Phantom Phixer

On the bench

TF-102A Delta Dagger, 32nd FIS, 54-1370, 1/48 scale. Monogram Pro Modeler with C&H conversion.

Revell F-4E Phantom II 33rd TFW, 58th TFS, 69-260, 1/32 scale.

Tamiya F-4D Phantom II, 13th TFS, 66-8711, 1/32 scale. F-4 Phantom Group Build.

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overkillphil

Member since
October 2004
From: Northern Indiana

Posted by overkillphil on Sunday, December 5, 2004 6:40 PM

Now I wish I hadn't chucked that VCR a few months ago.

my favorite headache/current project: 1/48 Panda F-35

"I love the fact that dumb people don't know who they are. I hope I'm not one of them" -Scott Adams

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Tankmaster7

Member since
August 2004
From: Nowhere. (Long Island)

Posted by Tankmaster7 on Sunday, December 5, 2004 4:41 PM

wow, you guys sure get real creative... i'll need to try this sometime.

-Tanky

Welcome to the United States of America, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, in partnership with Halliburton. Security for your constitutional rights provided by Blackwater International.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 5, 2004 4:34 PM

Childrens board games are a great source for different shapes, and most times they're made of styrene.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 5, 2004 7:45 AM

my most memorable scrounges were the metal wrappers off of wine bottles and an uprooted tree for the roots.( makes great trees )

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upnorth

Member since
December 2002
From: Canada / Czech Republic

Posted by upnorth on Sunday, December 5, 2004 6:02 AM

I remember years ago when mom gave up our old rotary dial phone fora touch tone model. You would not believe the detailing stuff you can get out of an old rotary dial phone. The old analog technology is just great for detail parts!

I too have torn apart old analog watches for gears, old aquarium air pumps, corupted floppy discs are great if you need really thin sheeting for anything....

I bought an electronic keyboard at a second hand shop and an Apple IIe keyboard/CPU unit for 10 dollars Canadian a few years back and got a mint worth of detailing parts from both as neither of them would ever be in working order again.

Recycling is good for the environment, be proud of your efforts! ;-)

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LoneWolf1Seven

Member since
March 2003
From: Colorado

Posted by LoneWolf1Seven on Sunday, December 5, 2004 12:29 AM

The toaster I just threw in there, but thanks to all for replying. At least im not alone....
As far as dumpster diving....HAHA.....I now have an antique aquarium, book shelf to hold more models and an EEWWWWWWWW......ok....feminine products are out of the question.....

"When you're gambling always put your money heads down, never let money look you in the face!" "If I die before I wake, hit the snooze button for me!!!"

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diggeraone

Member since
July 2003
From: Ozarks of Arkansas

Posted by diggeraone on Sunday, December 5, 2004 12:05 AM

If I am working on a project and need some thing spiecal,I'll go dumster diving.So your not alone in this.Digger

Put all your trust in the Lord,do not put confidence in man.PSALM 118:8 We are in the buisness to do the impossible..G.S.Patton

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grandadjohn

Member since
February 2003
From: phoenix

Posted by grandadjohn on Saturday, December 4, 2004 10:14 PM

Anywhere you can find and use stuff is a good idea. I save oddball junk that I my use somewhere. Some I have had and used for more years then I care to remember.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

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fightnjoe

Member since
September 2011

Posted by fightnjoe on Saturday, December 4, 2004 9:58 PM

well let me see. i recently worked at a farm lumber plant. so peeled wood, sawdust, wire of all sizes, and wood chunks. all great for building stuff.

joe

Veterans,

Thank You For Your Sacrifices,

Never To Be Forgotten

Where you can find me:

Workbench on FaceBook Google Plus YouTube

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gringe88

Member since
July 2004
From: ...Ask the other guy, he's got me zeroed-in...

Posted by gringe88 on Saturday, December 4, 2004 9:55 PM

nope. i search everywhere for my stuff. when me and my dad were repairing the stone steps of our house, and we were chiseling away material, i went back inside, and came out again with a cup to gather all that nice urban rubble and dust. and when our neighbors went to a nursing home, and had an estate sale, i picked up some electronics wires and stuff.

======================================

-Matt

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saltydog

Member since
July 2003
From: Lower Alabama

Posted by saltydog on Saturday, December 4, 2004 9:37 PM

i've never been dumpster divin' for scratch materials, but i have picked up the scrap wires (especially chandleleer wires) for different things. scrap pieces of 12 gauge copper wire cut about 6 inches long with a hook bent in the end makes a great paint stirrer. thats what i use, got a butt load of them. later.

Chris

The Origins of Murphy's Law: "In the begginning there was nothing, and it exploded."!!! _________ chris

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 4, 2004 9:00 PM

i dont know about a toaster, but i know the servo that i fried has plenty of small gears that are very fun to play with, and might even be useful !

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LoneWolf1Seven

Member since
March 2003
From: Colorado

Does anyone else do this?

Posted by LoneWolf1Seven on Saturday, December 4, 2004 5:48 PM

O.K. so your T.V., V.C.R or D.V.D player took a **** (the stuff the dog left behind which I should be cleaning up now) and your on your way to the garbage can and you start thinking. Hey, this thing has a bunch of wires, gears, thin pieces of metal and who knows what else.
You bring it back in and start to gut its insides.....oooh, this wire would make a good heater hose(auto), this one would make a good brake line(AC) and this piece of very thin metal could be made into a hinge bracket(armor)!
I sometimes do oddball jobs and the ones I love the most is on new homes, especially after the phone guy left, wires everywhere.
I once had trash dumped on me while I was going through the dumpster. Watches(not digital) have alot of very fine gears(auto,AC,armor).
Please don't tell me im alone on this one.
Just thought I would share some possibilities of a dead toaster Wink [;)]

"When you're gambling always put your money heads down, never let money look you in the face!" "If I die before I wake, hit the snooze button for me!!!"

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