Awesome thrift store pickup(s).

[Locut0s]

My wife and I have done this sort of thing for over 11 years, though we both work regular jobs so it serves to supplement our regular incomes. We buy much more than antiques as well and sell them on eBay and Amazon. What started out as a hobby and way to spend some quality time together on the weekends has grown so much we've had to turn it into an official business, which is nice because we can write off the mileage, gas, and the lunches we have on Saturday while going to garage sales. Last year we grossed a bit over $75K. After expenses and the tax write-offs we netted @ $62K doing it.

While the extra money is nice there's a rush you get when buying something at a garage sale for a dollar or two that sells on eBay for two hundred to three hundred bucks. The hunt for those kind of finds gets into your blood.

Question. Where did the two of you pick up the broad knowledge base required to pick out the quality from the junk? I can do this easily enough with video games as that has been a life long hobby of mine but to be able to do it with everything from chinaware to furniture to books would require something of an appraisers background me thinks? Course as others have said a cell phone and Google can get you a fair bit of the way there for anything that has bar codes on it.

You are right about the value of the N64 of course. Wonder what I CAN get for it? Either way it's still not a bad pickup when you look at the amount of stuff I got for the price.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Question. Where did the two of you pick up the broad knowledge base required to pick out the quality from the junk? I can do this easily enough with video games as that has been a life long hobby of mine but to be able to do it with everything from chinaware to furniture to books would require something of an appraisers background me thinks? Course as others have said a cell phone and Google can get you a fair bit of the way there for anything that has bar codes on it.

You are right about the value of the N64 of course. Wonder what I CAN get for it? Either way it's still not a bad pickup when you look at the amount of stuff I got for the price.

The knowledge is a continuous learning process. Things like furniture and china we usually don't mess with because furniture is difficult to ship and china is fragile. However, we wouldn't pass up an Eames chair or some depression era vaseline glass. We've even shipped an old primal Eames chair to Sweden. We bought it for $5 at an estate sale. Sold for $600 + shipping. Vaseline glass is cool. It's green depression glass that gets its color from uranium so it's radioactive. It fluoresces brightly under a black light and will set off a Geiger counter. I recently bought a shitload of it from a garage sale for $30. I should get about $500+ for it.

The Eames chairs we learned about by watching Antiques Roadshow. The vaseline glass we learned about by buying something because we thought it was cool and then we researched it. That's how we find most of the valuable things we get.

For example...a couple of months ago I saw this little 4 x 6 tile at a garage sale that I really liked. It was like a little mosaic and seemed to be a quality piece. Turned it over and it has a label on it indicating it was made from Italy. I asked the guy how much he wanted and he replied "a dollar." Sold!

Did some research on it and it was something called a Pietra Dura, an Italian style of art that uses hand-cut, semi-precious, in-laid stones to create a mosaic-like picture. I listed it on eBay and it sold to an art dealer for $240.

Some things don't sell like you think they would. Others surprise the hell out of you. You have to take chances and learn as you go, as well as pay attention to current trends. Gradually you build a knowledge base. We currently know enough to generate a decent cash flow. In ten years we hope to know a lot more.

 

[TallBill]

Once again, I spent all my free money this week on booze, women, and more booze.

 

[Locut0s]

The knowledge is a continuous learning process. Things like furniture and china we usually don't mess with because furniture is difficult to ship and china is fragile. However, we wouldn't pass up an Eames chair or some depression era vaseline glass. We've even shipped an old primal Eames chair to Sweden. We bought it for $5 at an estate sale. Sold for $600 + shipping. Vaseline glass is cool. It's green depression glass that gets its color from uranium so it's radioactive. It fluoresces brightly under a black light and will set off a Geiger counter. I recently bought a shitload of it from a garage sale for $30. I should get about $500+ for it.

The Eames chairs we learned about by watching Antiques Roadshow. The vaseline glass we learned about by buying something because we thought it was cool and then we researched it. That's how we find most of the valuable things we get.

For example...a couple of months ago I saw this little 4 x 6 tile at a garage sale that I really liked. It was like a little mosaic and seemed to be a quality piece. Turned it over and it has a label on it indicating it was made from Italy. I asked the guy how much he wanted and he replied "a dollar." Sold!

Did some research on it and it was something called a Pietra Dura, an Italian style of art that uses hand-cut, semi-precious, in-laid stones to create a mosaic-like picture. I listed it on eBay and it sold to an art dealer for $240.

Some things don't sell like you think they would. Others surprise the hell out of you. You have to take chances and learn as you go, as well as pay attention to current trends. Gradually you build a knowledge base. We currently know enough to generate a decent cash flow. In ten years we hope to know a lot more.

Cool! Nice to know! I actually know of that form of radioactive glassware but didn't know of the term Vaseline Glass. I can easily see scoring some quality stuff at estate sales, will have to look into visiting a few! Do you ever just go to junky thrift stores of salvation armies like the one I posted pics of above?

 

[mrblotto]

Picked up a copy of KISS : Pyscho Circus a while back at a thrift store..........


Edit: Oops....my bad. I thought the thread title said 'aweful', not 'awesome'

 

[CZroe]

I don't know if the OP is aware, but the pod racing game he so readily dismisses, "Star Wars Episode One: Pod Racer," is considered an A-list title regardless of your opinion of the movie. The HiRes mode looks great with the Expansion Pak and it was actually sold as a pack-in game for a little while (Limited Edition N64 bundle). It was N64 exclusive for a while too but eventually came to PC, Dreamcast, and Playstation 2.

 

[Locut0s]

I don't know if the OP is aware, but the pod racing game he so readily dismisses, "Star Wars Episode One: Pod Racer," is considered an A-list title regardless of your opinion of the movie. The HiRes mode looks great with the Expansion Pak and it was actually sold as a pack-in game for a little while (Limited Edition N64 bundle). It was N64 exclusive for a while too but eventually came to PC, Dreamcast, and Playstation 2.

I was going to keep it regardless but thanks! This I did not know.

 

[MisterJackson]

Sorry I didn'r reply on the sub thing sooner, sorta forgot about this thread (it's a good one though). The sub I have looks the same as yours, but the connectors are different. Mine doesn't have the red/white/yellow composite jacks like yours. It has a source input and then two brown outputs (one darker than the other) for the left and right satellite speakers.

Fritzo, awesome find on the speakers, and the track you linked is epic. Especially for a white boy.

 

[bobdole369]

Never found anything worth buying besides clothes at a thrift store. The resellers snatch anything worth anything up immediately down here. There are dozens of thrift stores and those guys are hawks.

Once I contemplated a $5 copy of Flight Simulator X - then put it down.

 

[ViviTheMage]

The knowledge is a continuous learning process. Things like furniture and china we usually don't mess with because furniture is difficult to ship and china is fragile. However, we wouldn't pass up an Eames chair or some depression era vaseline glass. We've even shipped an old primal Eames chair to Sweden. We bought it for $5 at an estate sale. Sold for $600 + shipping. Vaseline glass is cool. It's green depression glass that gets its color from uranium so it's radioactive. It fluoresces brightly under a black light and will set off a Geiger counter. I recently bought a shitload of it from a garage sale for $30. I should get about $500+ for it.

The Eames chairs we learned about by watching Antiques Roadshow. The vaseline glass we learned about by buying something because we thought it was cool and then we researched it. That's how we find most of the valuable things we get.

For example...a couple of months ago I saw this little 4 x 6 tile at a garage sale that I really liked. It was like a little mosaic and seemed to be a quality piece. Turned it over and it has a label on it indicating it was made from Italy. I asked the guy how much he wanted and he replied "a dollar." Sold!

Did some research on it and it was something called a Pietra Dura, an Italian style of art that uses hand-cut, semi-precious, in-laid stones to create a mosaic-like picture. I listed it on eBay and it sold to an art dealer for $240.

Some things don't sell like you think they would. Others surprise the hell out of you. You have to take chances and learn as you go, as well as pay attention to current trends. Gradually you build a knowledge base. We currently know enough to generate a decent cash flow. In ten years we hope to know a lot more.

sweet, sounds like storage wars, haha.

 

[uhohs]

Got a TI-92 calculator for $5! It's like I'm back in the 90's!

:~

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Cool! Nice to know! I actually know of that form of radioactive glassware but didn't know of the term Vaseline Glass. I can easily see scoring some quality stuff at estate sales, will have to look into visiting a few! Do you ever just go to junky thrift stores of salvation armies like the one I posted pics of above?

We go on a rare occassion to the local thrift stores but so many people hawk them regularly, at least in our area, it's hard to find anything decent. Plus a lot of thrift store owners and even Goodwill and SA put their better items on eBay these days.


Garage sales and estate sales are where it's at. It's a grind and you may have to visit 10, 20, or 30 places to get decent finds but it only takes one good one to make it worthwhile.

sweet, sounds like storage wars, haha.

Our only expert, a la Storage Wars, is a jewelry guy that we trust to give us an honest opinion. Most of the research is done online.

 

[SSSnail]

Don't tell this to the idiots in San Francisco. They wouldn't go into Goodwill or the like, but they'd buy the same junks in some "vintage" stores for X100 the price thinking they're "hip". I seriously wanna smack their faces some times, and the cvnts that work in those stupid stores too.

 

[Locut0s]

We go on a rare occassion to the local thrift stores but so many people hawk them regularly, at least in our area, it's hard to find anything decent. Plus a lot of thrift store owners and even Goodwill and SA put their better items on eBay these days.


Garage sales and estate sales are where it's at. It's a grind and you may have to visit 10, 20, or 30 places to get decent finds but it only takes one good one to make it worthwhile.

Do you plan out your garage/estate sales days to hit as many as possible? Like go look in the paper to see where they are being help then plan out a route for the day?

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Do you plan out your garage/estate sales days to hit as many as possible? Like go look in the paper to see where they are being help then plan out a route for the day?

Yep. My wife plans them using Google Maps, sends me the link, and I use a free app called Tyre to import them to a Garmin GPS so the route is automatic and efficient.

 

[Locut0s]

Yep. My wife plans them using Google Maps, sends me the link, and I use a free app called Tyre to import them to a Garmin GPS so the route is automatic and efficient.

Sweet. Will have to plan a day like that some time!

 

[slayer202]

went to a goodwill store for the first time today. bought this little guy

Pretty sure it's cast iron. It can hold a small amount of something that can be poured through the neck, though the bottom isn't really sealed well, so that wouldn't be a good idea.

 

[SSSnail]

went to a goodwill store for the first time today. bought this little guy

Pretty sure it's cast iron. It can hold a small amount of something that can be poured through the neck, though the bottom isn't really sealed well, so that wouldn't be a good idea.

Did you try rubbing it?

 

[OlafSicky]

went to a goodwill store for the first time today. bought this little guy

Pretty sure it's cast iron. It can hold a small amount of something that can be poured through the neck, though the bottom isn't really sealed well, so that wouldn't be a good idea.

What ever you do don't rub it

 

[slayer202]

good idea guys. brb

if I don't come back, you know it worked, and eva mendes is in my bed. ok fine, i'd be back in like 22 seconds

 

[Locut0s]

Just picked up a sealed student edition copy of Maple 10 for $3. Yes it's many versions behind an many years old but given the power of the software even back then it's a nice find. For those who don't know this is maple:

http://www.maplesoft.com/products/maple/index.aspx

 

[Exterous]

I picked up a very nice 4' long solid wood desk with a keyboard tray and drawers for $20. The thing is crazy heavy but much better than the flimsy stuff that sells for 8x as much

I bought a lot of (4) 48 port switches for $30. I just wanted one so I could wire the entire house but it turned out the fans were way to noisy to put where I needed them to go. I have since sold 3 of the 4 for a total of $225

I picked up a lot of 5 HP 'non working' tablets for $50. After a Saturday afternoon of part swapping I got 3 working and sold them for ~$200 ea.

I picked up a working 8 nozzel coke machine for $250 with carbonater and syrup pumps. I am in the process of building the cabinet for it and plumbing it but those typically go for $2500 new.

There is a Habitat for Humanity Restore place near here and that is usually a great place for house stuff. I've gotten all kinds of shelving, brackets, wood, drawer slides, light fixtures for really low prices. The latest snag wasn't anything huge but I got several heavy duty shelving supports for a new garage shelf. Lowes sells them for $5 ea but I paid $0.25 ea

 

[edro]

A trucker's cap that said "Johnson Erection", with a picture of a crane.

 

[Locut0s]

I picked up a very nice 4' long solid wood desk with a keyboard tray and drawers for $20. The thing is crazy heavy but much better than the flimsy stuff that sells for 8x as much

I bought a lot of (4) 48 port switches for $30. I just wanted one so I could wire the entire house but it turned out the fans were way to noisy to put where I needed them to go. I have since sold 3 of the 4 for a total of $225

I picked up a lot of 5 HP 'non working' tablets for $50. After a Saturday afternoon of part swapping I got 3 working and sold them for ~$200 ea.

I picked up a working 8 nozzel coke machine for $250 with carbonater and syrup pumps. I am in the process of building the cabinet for it and plumbing it but those typically go for $2500 new.

There is a Habitat for Humanity Restore place near here and that is usually a great place for house stuff. I've gotten all kinds of shelving, brackets, wood, drawer slides, light fixtures for really low prices. The latest snag wasn't anything huge but I got several heavy duty shelving supports for a new garage shelf. Lowes sells them for $5 ea but I paid $0.25 ea

Nice finds. Where did you get the computer hardware from? Most of the thrift stores around here have stuff that's more than 10 years old.

 

[Locut0s]

A trucker's cap that said "Johnson Erection", with a picture of a crane.

lol, okay.