EEVblog #739 - Ebay Hardware Tin Collection - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 29, 2015, 11:50:09 pm
content: Dave opens some of the 332 coffee tins full of hardware parts he scored at an ebay auction. What's inside?

author: FlevasGR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 12:41:11 am
content: WOW... Just WOW... On this video () you said they're selling everything on ebay.. Where can i find them?

author: dentaku
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 12:58:09 am
content: Screws, bolts, nuts, washers, spacers, rods, standoffs and maybe a few un-crusty rubber feet are useful but the rest is just wasting space.I'd love to see his collection of knobs. I like good quality audio gear and test equipment knobs.

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 01:43:31 am
content: He probably did drink all the contents of those tins, how else would he have found the time for salvaging and organizing !. Sleep clearly was optional

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 02:03:41 am
content: EEVblog needs (is) you Dave - be careful. This man never asked for any such exposure and defamation proceedings, even if unsuccessful, will waste a lot of your time mate. BTW, those collar rings were scavenged from old TV yoke assemblies.

author: Tek_TDS220
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 02:12:53 am
content: The "EEVBLOG bunker"? New employees? It's an expanding empire.Sounds like Sparks was an very rare combination of a hoarder and a compulsive organizer.

author: jwm_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 02:26:00 am
content: Was anyone else just waiting for him to come across a can labeled "self sealing stem bolts"?

author: PeterFW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 02:35:07 am
content: Quote from: jwm_ on April 30, 2015, 02:26:00 amI bet he allready sold them for a case of yamok sauce to someone who makes reverse ratcheting routing planers .

author: aargee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 04:00:49 am
content: Big pile of electo-mechanical bits+= Dave's find.What's worse (or not) is I have small examples of most of those tins you opened in my workshop!

author: redshift
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 04:47:24 am
content: Did anyone else feel motion sick towards the end of the video when that flashback of the electronics collection was playing?I was watching 1080p, 50fps and I couldn't bare to look at my screen during this part.Anyways, glad I don't have to sort through all of those parts

author: IanJ
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 05:45:53 am
content: What I'd do:Ditch the coffee tins and sort out the stuff into much less bundles in much bigger containers.If it were me I would probably chuck none of it out as I always seem to find a use for something/anything along the way......provided there is storage space.Ian.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 07:03:57 am
content: Quote from: PeterFW on April 30, 2015, 02:35:07 amLOL.If he did have a joke label in there somewhere it would be something so old i doubt we would get the reference.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 10:24:00 am
content: Quote from: IanJ on April 30, 2015, 05:45:53 amThat sort of thinking is how these "collections" start...

author: Hade
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 10:49:10 am
content: The guy clearly must have had some sort of obsessive disorder like compulsive hoarding or OCD.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 10:50:34 am
content: Quote from: lowimpedance on April 30, 2015, 01:43:31 amI'm 99.99% sure he didn't throw it away...

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 11:12:39 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on April 30, 2015, 10:50:34 amSomewhere he has a large yellow 10 gallon drum.Neatly labeled...FOODCoffeeThe real question is "What did he do with the original contents of the drum???"

author: Tothwolf
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 11:33:04 am
content: The spindle pressure plates would be used on the end of a motor spindle like on older, larger hard drives (very useful spare parts if you are into vintage computers). The collar clamps would be used to hold a focus coil or focus rings and a yoke assembly on a crt.I mentioned in the other thread, but for the smaller parts, I'd highly recommend using 2x3" and 3x4" zip-lock bags in combination with 17-compartment bead boxes (along the lines of these:http://www.amazon.com/Darice-10762-Plastic-Organizer-Compartments/dp/B00BYL3NSK). For larger hardware bits, Plano manufactures some inexpensive racks which take a number of interchangeable storage trays as part of their StowAway product line. At one time I had a number of large boxes of unsorted fasteners (some of my own and some which came from estate sales) which in total was probably about half to two thirds the volume of the stuff in this batch of hardware, and used just this system to sort it all out.One trick with the bead boxes, find some with pin-type hinges where you can remove the lids. Not only do the bead boxes hold up better long term, but the lids make excellent sorting trays. That can of washers for example, could be sorted out in an afternoon. If you decide to put David on this task, I'd be happy to share with him additional tips and tricks to dealing with this sort of stuff.

author: made2hack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 12:44:43 pm
content: @DaveWhatever is good that you don't need but maybe is useful to a fablab / hackspace, you should donate it to them. I'm sure there must be some in Sidney.

author: Rasz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 01:04:16 pm
content: My procedure would be-open tin-if its garbage like those couch feet go directly to bin-maybe spill some on the hand like you did if there is a lot inside, make a picture-close tin-put a number on the labellater rename pictures to numbers, render all in a html page in big clickable grid, this way you (or assistant) can asses in 5 seconds without getting up.Im guestimating you will be left with ~20-50? tins of actually usable stuff.I used to be a hoarder myself, nowadays its under control (thats what I like to think), most of the crap is in the basement or boxed waiting to be thrown away.Around my bed currently:Boxes are all full of old projects, pcbs, power supplies,cables etc.

author: vlad777
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 02:28:49 pm
content: So are you going to find this guy for an interview?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 03:03:23 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on April 30, 2015, 11:12:39 amIt was petrol, so he used it in his car.

author: aryasridhar
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 03:10:10 pm
content: Dave - how far useful do you think those things in the tins going to be for you? Would be interesting to know.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 03:46:28 pm
content: someone suffers from Wowbagger Syndrome ...

author: daddario
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 04:00:09 pm
content: "Two tins of couch feet" - not a sentence you'll often have the occasion to hear.

author: MLXXXp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 05:11:11 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on April 30, 2015, 07:03:57 amLike grid leak drip cups?

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 06:10:26 pm
content: The first part of the video looks like a crusty home shopping channel video recorded against a green screenNot sure why, maybe because of the large brick size of the wall.Anyway I hope there's something useful in there, but so far it doesn't look like it... I used to hoard stuff as well, until I realized space is a valuable asset and I didn't have enough of it. I also couldn't be bothered scavenging through the pile of stuff to find the right part. I now have one cabinet for junk. Everything has to fit inside. If it doesn't, something has to go.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 07:19:38 pm
content: I took 20kg of assorted screws to the scrap yard. Only sorting I did was to put them in 2 buckets, steel and brass. Steel 20c US per kilo, brass was $4 per kilo.Still filling a 20l steel drum with scrap steel, whatever fits through the bung hole and is ferrous goes in. When full I will take it, after I find another drum.

author: JackOfVA
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 08:01:29 pm
content: Are the threaded parts a mix of metric, British Standard and US Standard?I assume that at some point in the history of Australia, hardware shifted from British Standard to metric, but anything disassembled from USA made gear is likely predominantly US standard.My 1969 MGB had a "charming" mix of British standard, Unified National (US) and metric in a few places.

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 09:14:07 pm
content: Quote from: Cliff Matthews on April 30, 2015, 02:03:41 amI concur. This, and the previous episode, made for a bit uncomfortable watch to me. Kinda like rummaging through someone's stamp/model/toy soldier/whatever collection, commenting, judging. Someone's who's not there to provide their side of the story. I felt like I was invading the guy's privacy. Just doesn't feel exactly right. Yes, I know it was a publicly available eBay auction and all, but still.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 11:44:57 pm
content: Quote from: Zbig on April 30, 2015, 09:14:07 pmNailed it bro! That first video was in his house, talk about up close and personal! Maybe down-unda peeps share all and feel no pain, but I know lawyers up here might jump on something with this much viewership. For Dave's sake, I wish the name was pulled out.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 03:06:31 am
content: I'm giving the guy due credit for an amazing world class collection, not to do so would have been a disservice to all the effort he put into it.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 03:34:03 am
content: I suspect you paid about $30 too much for those cans of hardware.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 11:16:21 am
content: Quote from: David_AVD on May 01, 2015, 03:34:03 amI probably got more than that back in Google money for the video!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 11:18:28 am
content: Quote from: aryasridhar on April 30, 2015, 03:10:10 pmQuite a lot of it should be useful. Only looked through 10% of the tins. Screw's nuts bolts washers bracket etc are always useful.

author: jancumps
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 11:42:15 am
content: I think the guy got lots of fun building this collection.I see no problem with privacy. All these goods were, or are gong to be, posted on public auction sites. And the original collector has taken that action to put the collection on those public sites by himself.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 01:45:58 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 01, 2015, 03:06:31 amSome think it was a bit more than that mate. Thousands of potential people were taken by the hand, as it were, into his house and heard a reporter question "what kind of a guy.." with adjectives like, in-sane, crazy et al.. Dave, I know it was ad-hoc and stupefying to see the stuff, I'm just sayingbe careful- maybe get a lawyer to see the video so you can sleep at night and not worry about loosing your shirt.

author: Rasz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 02:15:17 pm
content: Quote from: Cliff Matthews on May 01, 2015, 01:45:58 pmYou must live too close to New York. Post your address so I can send you some slightly used couch feet.

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 02:37:20 pm
content: I can just see the next mailbag, bag after bag, filled with couch feet to expand Dave's collection.More seriously, I would guess about 1/3 of the tins can be tossed, but the other 2/3 are highly useful nuts/bolts/brackets.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 03:14:23 pm
content: Quote from: boffin on May 01, 2015, 02:37:20 pmI need my used couch feet. I might get a couch without any, and then where would i be........

author: HyLite
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 03:17:52 pm
content: I'll bet when he started collecting it was state-of-art. When I browse my own shop I find stuff that can't be used e.g. old software: Mac OS7 on floppies. Just can't throw it out. Yeah, what's a floppy?

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 04:59:22 pm
content: Quote from: Cliff Matthews on May 01, 2015, 01:45:58 pmC'mon... Dave lives in Australia, not the USA. Over there they call a spade a spade and nobody calls lawyers.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 05:21:27 pm
content: They normally use a spade with a lawyer, and come back with the spade...............

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 05:25:01 pm
content: Man - that guy is way to anal retentive - storing all that stuff like that with labels and all ...Just like me.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2015, 10:38:21 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 01, 2015, 11:16:21 amYeah, I figured that the real value in the purchase was the video, not the hardware.I'm in the process of getting rid of 25 years of collected junk. Some of it is going on eBay, some was recycled and a lot was binned.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2015, 10:01:27 pm
content: Quote from: David_AVD on May 01, 2015, 10:38:21 pmI long ago adopted the philosophy "If in doubt, chuck it out." Of course the day after you throw something out, you need it. However you must consider the cost of real estate and the value in having an uncluttered life.Live simply so you can simply live.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 01:10:48 am
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on May 02, 2015, 10:01:27 pmSometimes it's not even about real estate. Severe hoarding can stop you getting anything useful done.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 03:51:32 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on May 01, 2015, 04:59:22 pmI didn't even call anyone anything, I was amazed and impressed with the guys collection, and any phrase used was clearly in that context.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 09:01:40 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 03, 2015, 03:51:32 amI agree.It's just weird to see all the Americans freaking out.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 09:16:07 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on May 03, 2015, 09:01:40 amYou are good, I didn't even know I was freaking out until you said I was

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 10:40:00 am
content: Actually, it's the Canadian that's freaking out.What the heck would posses someone to collect all of this crap? I throw just about everything out. Doesn't matter...prototypes, old enclosures, stuff I can't identify...oh well, so long, buh bye. If I buy a package of stick-on feet, and I need 4 but 6 comes in the package, I throw out the other 2. Life's too short to be spending 10 minutes figuring out where to store $.25 worth of plastic.I'm having a hard time thinking of anything I've ever missed that I junked.Dave, you need to get a hold of this guy and interview him!

author: D. Head
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 10:46:49 am
content: Jeff Duntemann uses milk jugs for storing his parts instead of coffee tins.Also an option...http://www.duntemann.com/12vtubes/shoptips.htm

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 12:08:21 pm
content: Quote from: miguelvp on May 03, 2015, 09:16:07 amNo problem. It's all part of the service.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 05:46:10 pm
content: I prefer see-through, that's why plastic mayonnaise jars were invented.. The lids match the bottoms so they stack without sliding around.Also, big stuff doesn't fit in small parts cabinet drawers. Yes, it's messy.. and yes I recognize some hoarding when I see it.. (ya think?)

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 05:59:16 pm
content: Quote from: John Coloccia on May 03, 2015, 10:40:00 amCanadian or American we're fairly similar (except mostly for the guns, army and all the broken down, bankrupt cities).Possessing a lot of parts? OK, I'm semi-retired, what's a guy to do? I will admit to not setting limits on myself and driving my wife batty with a messy shop. But I also admit the first video got me agitated enough to start taking action.

author: JoeO
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 06:57:31 pm
content: Quote from: John Coloccia on May 03, 2015, 10:40:00 amThere was only one American "freaking out", if that. I don't understand how that became plural.Some people see things that do not exist.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 07:28:27 pm
content: Quote from: Cliff Matthews on May 03, 2015, 05:59:16 pmI mean, the guy's got plastic feet from an old couch....labelled, sorted, entered in a spreadsheet apparently, and neatly stored in a coffee jar. What would you do with something like that? What are the odds that even if you needed a foot for some random couch, this particular foot will be a perfect fit and not wobble? It's moved beyond a few junk drawers full of screws that will never be used. I really would love to see an interview with the guy, assuming he's still alive and this isn't an estate sale. I think Dave mentioned he's moving overseas in the first video.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 03, 2015, 11:42:44 pm
content: Quote from: wilfred on May 03, 2015, 10:33:58 pmIt's probably true!up in Canada, our commercial's are swapped-in by cash-cows when all the great American ads play, so the half-time slip was likely blocked while they stalled trying to figure out how they could make money on it.. them.. (whatever) I didn't watch.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2015, 01:38:28 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on May 03, 2015, 10:33:58 pmHa ha...that sounds about right! I can't even remember what I'm supposed to be outraged about this week.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2015, 07:59:12 am
content: Quote from: JoeO on May 03, 2015, 06:57:31 pmLook! Now they're all freaking out because they're outraged that somebody said they were freaking out and they thought they weren't.Americans are so much fun.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2015, 12:16:02 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on May 04, 2015, 07:59:12 amWhat country do you live in?

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2015, 01:29:55 pm
content: Quote from: John Coloccia on May 03, 2015, 10:40:00 amLast time I've checked, Canada was in America. And also Mexico, Brazil... you get the picture.BTW, I rally cannot understand what this guy was doing. I mean what was the goal of storing all these stuff? Hoarders end up with a house full of crap because hoarding is more important than actually organizing the stuff. This is collecting, taken to the extreme.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 04, 2015, 02:39:50 pm
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on May 04, 2015, 01:29:55 pmAnd what's wrong with that?He obviously enjoyed doing it.

author: JoeO
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 12:56:22 am
content: Quote from: xrunner on May 04, 2015, 12:16:02 pmHe lives in Spain.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 01:17:50 am
content: Quote from: JoeO on May 05, 2015, 12:56:22 amCouldn't be, Spain LOVES AmericansAnd of course they don't ever freak outI should know, was born and raised there.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 07:41:26 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 04, 2015, 02:39:50 pmNothing wrong. I dont even think that it would have taken that much time and effort in fact. If you do this 2 hours a day but for 30 years, you end up with this.

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 08:23:21 am
content: Quote from: miguelvp on May 05, 2015, 01:17:50 amIt is amazing, even after the (North) Americans nuked Spain and in return the Spanish got their road infrastructure build by the American tax payer.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 09:51:15 am
content: Quote from: JoeO on May 05, 2015, 12:56:22 amWhat does that have to do withanything at all? Are Americans like little bosons? Do they change behavior depending on who's watching?I always think it's funny how the first thing an American asks somebody is where they're from. It'll be, like, within the first ten seconds of a conversation. Garanteed.(I prefer to ask people what their favorite type of ice-cream is...tells me know far more about them than where they're from)

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 11:32:28 am
content: Quote from: Towger on May 05, 2015, 08:23:21 amEste me confunda, cambiaran la pista y ahora dicen que los yankees aplastaron los hispanos? Maybe freaking out is preferred. You guys must have couch feet in your collections.. (I just can't find mine)

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 11:57:18 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on May 05, 2015, 09:51:15 amWell if it has no consequence then why are you hiding your country flag? Step up to the plate and be proud of your country.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 02:26:19 pm
content: Quote from: xrunner on May 05, 2015, 11:57:18 am'Hiding'?Yeah, I deliberately 'hid' it.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 07:17:58 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on May 05, 2015, 02:26:19 pmHmmm, you seem to have forgotten to quote thelastpart of my statement. Interesting ...

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2015, 03:37:55 am
content: Quote from: xrunner on May 05, 2015, 07:17:58 pmWould you be OK if I picked USA as my flag? They're the best, after all, and I like the color.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2015, 03:46:16 am
content: Might as well because they don't have a flag forRenfeas you managed to derail the thread.