Rust Hunting in Georgia - August Estate Sale

 Have you ever been to one of those bittersweet estate sales where there's tons of wonderful items but most have either been sold or are out of your price range? I actually like those as there are many possible gems to be found. In this case, a member of my woodworking club (GWA) passed away and another member was helping to liquidate the tools and clean out the basement. There were some great vintage items there including an old Delta drill press, a Powermatic 12" planer in unbelievable condition, a Dewalt RAS, an older Delta Shaper and an amazing Rockwell Gap-bed lathe. By the time I had gotten there the better items had already been picked through and were gone (including an old Delta mortise sled) - the better stationary tools were either pricey or I already own an equivalent so I couldn't justify purchasing. What was left were many of the handtools hanging on racks or pegs on the walls - good thing I like those sorts of items as well (actually I've gotten to the point where I prefer handtools over power).

The great thing about those items I ended up with is that because no one being interested in them, I was able to pretty much buy the "whole wall" or the "entire contents" of cabinets and drawers. There were a couple of interesting hand saws, in really great shape with very little use (still sharp!).

Also included were a big pile of chisels, all very well honed with protectors on the edges...

And I'm always on the look out for sharpening stones...

And check out these rosewood handled putty knives...

And old American made screwdrivers...

This is a pile of steel American made clamps...

And just to add to the mix are these machine bits (that's a Delta mortiser and several Delta spindles)...

One of the real finds were these carpenter rasps - all carefully used and sharp, and of course American Made! There's an interesting brass level (plumbers probably?) and a Brown and Sharp 1" micrometer in the back along with a couple of Tap handles and brace bits to the left...

Better view of the spindles and some super large/heavy mortise chisels...

Some awls, a burnisher and a couple of combo-rasps, a bearing scraper and metal file holder...

Close up of the micrometer and level (that's also a Dewalt RAS planing attachment in the back left)...

Boxes of misc hardware, motor pulleys, belts and machine handles...

I did score this great Delta grinder with sharpening fence (dirty paper too!)...

And finally, this really cool deco metal cabinet - hard to believe all this stuff fit in my SUV...

The cabinet has ended up being my storage container for finishing supplies. All in all, a good haul of items I really didn't need but couldn't leave behind...

-- John