Good place to find broken crap? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2015, 09:34:33 pm
content: Dave is always finding neat stuff in his dumpster,where is a good place to find stuff like that, without being arrested for trespassing or something? I live In the US.I can't be dragging home all kinds of stuff, because my wife will shoot me..But I wouldn't find finding a few things to see if I can fix them..thanks.

author: elgonzo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 09, 2015, 09:57:35 pm
content: I remember seeing some place like this somewhere in Alaska...Nah, i am just kidding... You should perhaps tell where in the US you are so fellow compatriots can help you... well, assuming they want to share their goldmine with you...

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2015, 10:05:35 pm
content: Quote from: elgonzo on February 09, 2015, 09:57:35 pmSt. Louis.Lots of places surplus their crap so employees don't mark stuff as bad, just to retrieve it out of the dumpster. I get that, and don't disagree with it. Also, with the green push, lots of places send electronics to recyclers. In fact in my county its now required. I assume the recycler isn't about to let you root though his stuff.I was just after a few items I could play around with and try and repair that were not beyond my beginner skill set.thanks.

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2015, 10:42:37 pm
content: ummm.. since you asked, I dragged home a couple pieces of consumer electronics a week back. One was a cordless telephone base and the other a digital answering machine. Both were sitting in a box on the back of the community rubbish collection truck.First thing I did was ripped off the plastic shells, and took a hard look at the contents of the boards. The plastics can be sent out, I don't care much about those things. The base station was a 2.4 Ghz style, and has a RF board under a little metal shield. The answering machine (~2000 vintage) may be much more interesting. It has a Lucent DSP chip on it. The datasheet suggests there may be some JTAG access capability.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2015, 10:46:18 pm
content: If you have a local freecycle group, it may be worth asking for donations of dead stuff.

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2015, 10:52:00 pm
content: The donation center of charity shops like Goodwill, Salvation Army, et.al.At the Goodwill place in my neighborhood, they have a vast area of tables where the dump out the incoming goods and you can search through it.They sell the stuff for maybe 50 cents or $1 per pound (or maybe more, as I haven't been there in a couple of years).While it is not "free" (as from a dumpster) at least the minimal price is going to support a reasonably good cause.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2015, 10:56:01 pm
content: Asking for broken and/or non working stuff that you are interested in on freecycle, craigslist, facebook etc will result in some people responding to your ad just so they can get rid of stuff without having to drive it to the local recycle center.

author: mazurov
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2015, 10:59:14 pm
content: Quote from: wblackledg on February 09, 2015, 10:05:35 pmThis is not necessarily true. For recyclers I know a dumpster diver is a welcome visitor and one shop even has a large box, conveniently located by the front door full of goodies (I scored HP 11801A OCXO once, in good working order). I think their operations are like that: grab everything from the customer, tear apart then sell what they can on eBay and deal with the rest.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 12:37:44 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on February 09, 2015, 10:46:18 pmcool, never heard of freecycle. I called a place that takes all the stuff in the area, but if anything is worth anything they keep it. I thought when they made it illegal to throw away electronics, it would be easier to get stuff, apparently not.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 12:40:26 am
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on February 09, 2015, 10:52:00 pmI must live in a poor area..Ours has lots of clothes, but not much in the way of electronics. I drove by it tonight because my wife sent me shopping, and it was closed for remodeling. I should try another one in a more affluent area.thanks.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 12:41:35 am
content: Quote from: retiredcaps on February 09, 2015, 10:56:01 pmthanks. I'll keep an eye on craigslist. I don't want to advertise, like I said only a few items for now. 3 or so.thanks.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 12:42:28 am
content: Quote from: mazurov on February 09, 2015, 10:59:14 pmCool. I'm stopping by a place at lunch to check it out.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 12:55:14 am
content: looking on craigslist. lots of old TVs..

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 01:23:09 am
content: Quote from: wblackledg on February 10, 2015, 12:40:26 amWhat is in that picture is not an average Goodwill store. The nearest one like that to where I'm at is probably in Jacksonville. The Outlet stores are less common.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 01:31:06 am
content: My local Goodwill store is a treasure trove of electronic cast offs. I scored a fully functional 60 Mhz analog BK scope there for $9.99 a couple of years go - but that was an exception. I do regularly pick up stuff to salvage parts from.But other Goodwills I've been to often have little or no electronics.I recently went to one of the "Goodwill outlet" stores like the one in the picture when I was in Portland. Full of clothes, crap books and hardly any electronics.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 01:31:38 am
content: Quote from: wblackledg on February 09, 2015, 09:34:33 pmWell if your 'hood is anything like mine - just drive up and down the streets and look at the curbside - especially once a month on bulky pickup day.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 02:18:17 am
content: Quote from: xrunner on February 10, 2015, 01:31:38 amHere, South of Daytona Beach where I live, Friday is garbage day but it is also the first day of the yard sale weekend. Very easy to find things. Our goodwill doesn't carry or accept electronics. Also, check out local hamfests, especially at the end of the last day. Typically you can get stuff very cheap or maybe even free if the sellers really don't want to cart the stuff back home. I scored a Tek 2235 for $40 because it was the last thing the seller had left and he didn't want to put it back in his car.

author: iampoor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 03:09:58 am
content: The goodwill "outlet" store is usually called a "bargain bin". Ive bought multiple vacuum tube hammond organs, reel to reel tape recorders etc there.....all for under 10$ each.

author: dentaku
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 03:10:27 am
content: Twice a year we have a special day when people can put out really big garbage that the truck usually won't pick up. They don't take electronics but people still put stuff like that out anyway. I just drive around and pick up stuff that I find interesting.Lately I've been looking for uni-polar stepper motors but all I keep finding is bi-polar ones and regular DC motors.Does anyone know if old electric typewriters are good source of stepper motors?Mike Harrison didn't seem to have trouble finding steppers and stepper drivers in that blood analyser he just got

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 03:19:56 am
content: No, old electric typewriters were not noted for having any kind of stepper motors.The only exception was possibly typewriters that used "daily-wheel" printing.Discarded ink-jet printers would probably be the best source of stepper motors.Not clear what is your preference for uni-polar motors?

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 03:54:05 am
content: thanks to all. I've also been told that areas with college students at the end of the semester are good too.Question, sort of off topic. I see alot of big screen TVs for free on Craigslist. Those aren't really what I'm after, but I also have a big one in the basement i wanted to pitch 6 years ago but my wife wouldn't let me. Now it seems I'll have to pay to get rid of it.. :-)Are those transformers on those, and can you do anything useful with them?thanks.

author: iampoor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 06:58:10 am
content: Quote from: wblackledg on February 10, 2015, 03:54:05 amI believe most TV's have switch mode supplys integrated onto a PCB along with everything else, so no. Unless you want the flyback transformer....

author: rqsall
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 08:22:55 am
content: Quote from: wblackledg on February 10, 2015, 03:54:05 amA good source of transformers is old power audio amplifiers. I managed to salvage one at the recycling dump, 550 watts, only to find out that the amp still works, so now it seems like a waste to gut it. Another promising source of power transformers that I discovered in a thrift store is old slide projectors. They can be 150 to 250 watts at 24 volts to power the lamp. However, the thrift store still wanted a whopping 15 euro for a projector (they've been sitting there for months), so I passed for the time being.Good luck.

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 11:03:00 am
content: @rqsall , some years ago a client of mine was a second hand furniture dealer, he said one of the best sales strategies was placing CASH on the desk in front of the dealer, he said its very hard to resist esp if an item has been sitting for a while!

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 11:39:25 am
content: Have a look for organised HAM radio market days/ junk sales in your area.They usually have all sorts of junk for cheap.Most of the time the sellers have just transported all their junk to the event and don't want to take it back home (Wife).So prices usually fall to near zero as the sale comes to an end.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 12:55:14 pm
content: Quote from: wblackledg on February 10, 2015, 03:54:05 amI put a 60" rear projection TV on the curb on a Friday-see previous post-and went out to run a service call. I was back in an hour and a half and the TV was gone. You might want to give that a try before you pay to have it removed

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 01:05:16 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on February 10, 2015, 11:39:25 amActually I am a Ham (have an Extra Class license). I've done well on some items, but a lot of it seems market priced. Went to an estate sale about 2 years ago. The auctioneer asked for someone to pull a piece of equipment to start the bidding. so I grabbed an SWR meter. It went for over $200. At that point I knew there were a bunch hams in the audience and no good deals were to be had..thanks.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 01:08:10 pm
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on February 10, 2015, 12:55:14 pm

author: dentaku
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 01:14:37 pm
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on February 10, 2015, 03:19:56 amIt's just that I've got enough bi-polar ones because they're so common in printers and scanners and I like that uni-polar ones don't need anything more than some transistors or a Darlington array.

author: rqsall
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 01:30:36 pm
content: Quote from: VK5RC on February 10, 2015, 11:03:00 amTried that, but "the manager wasn't in" and she couldn't negotiate prices ...people are hopeless sometimes...

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 01:36:33 pm
content: Quote from: rqsall on February 10, 2015, 01:30:36 pmyeah, last thing you want to do is try and haggle with a clerk. Because when the clerk runs the to boss and says, the customer wanted to haggle but I told him the price is the price, then the manager feels he has to back the employee and gives you the same company line. yes, the price is the price.

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 02:43:04 pm
content: Quote from: rqsall on February 10, 2015, 01:30:36 pmThis works better when it's a going out of business sale, and the employees are about to be made redundant. I may give it a spin on the final day of RS, and see what the guys are willing to take, so as not to have to pack up all the remnants.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 02:55:35 pm
content: Quote from: cosmicray on February 10, 2015, 02:43:04 pmthey are closing a few on our area. one at that mall which I have founded to be almost useless for the past 15 years anyway. Another one I go to is staying open. which is good.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 03:23:05 pm
content: Quotedumpsters?Or town recycle centers?Or just walk down the streets - I saw a large (40" or more) TV just yesterday.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 03:25:29 pm
content: Quote from: dannyf on February 10, 2015, 03:23:05 pmthanks.

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 05:58:24 pm
content: Just ask all your friends, fellow workers, everyone has some piece of equipment no longer used or broken that they just haven't got around to throw out yet and would only be two happy if you took it off their hands.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 06:45:47 pm
content: Quote from: Paul Price on February 10, 2015, 05:58:24 pmwe get rid of a lot of cool stuff at work, but it is all surplused except for power cords and such.but I will ask. thanks.I also went to the goodwill at lunch. VERY slim pickings. An old kids music keyboard for $40. (I think new they are $20). A sony 5 CD disk changer for $20, and a lamp..They did say the outlet store is the place to go, but wear long gloves...

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 08:18:36 pm
content: Quote from: wblackledg on February 10, 2015, 06:45:47 pmYeah, the retail stores may have something worthwhile every few months, but typically not worth the trip unless you are shopping for something else.QuoteYes, that is where they sort through all the incoming stuff. And you can pick out the stuff that the regular employees would write off as useless (because they can't sell it in a retail shop).At least at my neighborhood donation center, they had all sorts of small and large electronics including office and industrial.And even a table with mains power outlets where you could do a simple "smoke-test".

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 08:21:44 pm
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on February 10, 2015, 08:18:36 pmthe local outlet store wants 79 cents a pound. I guess big transformers wouldn't be cost effective?I'm going this weekend I think.thanks.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 08:26:25 pm
content: I think a big problem is that a lot of things that used to process information just don't exist anymore.20 years ago, you could have had a CD player, a carrousel CD player, Laserdisc player, VCR, equalizer, Dolby decoder, tape deck, reel to reel deck, record player, receiver, pre-amp, etc, all potential junk.Now all that is gone and replaced by a computer. The people who cling to the old-school junk are very likely to be able to repair it and therefore won't junk it.The only junk you are likely to find curbside are major "white goods", and flat screen TVs. At the same time, parts have gotten cheap and powerful microcontrollers are cheap.What's the motivation for hauling broken crap home? Pretty much the only broken crap that you might find is TVs, and there's not much you can do with the parts in there, or you can sell them after you've repaired them. Good luck with that...

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 08:31:50 pm
content: Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on February 10, 2015, 08:26:25 pmNow you sound like my wife..Seriously, I wanted a few items to see if I could fix them. If I screw them up, no problem, they were already broke. This is also why I only wanted one or two items. Not a lot of crap.thanks.

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 08:44:11 pm
content: Quote from: cosmicray on February 10, 2015, 01:23:09 amTurns out all the Goodwill Outlet stores in Florida are Tallahassee to Pensacola (3) and I-4 south down both coasts (13). There are no outlet stores in north-central or northeast Florida.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 09:16:57 pm
content: don't know about the US but we have rather small time old iron/metal buy/sell places where you can find everything from metal and you pay the metal price.They tend to buy old or surplus inventory from bankrupt labs, industries etc. etc. whatever contains some metals they buy it.Best find was two years ago, I stumbled upon a R&S RF function generator it was in a crate with other stuff they wanted to put outside in the rain.I resqued it just in time, the guy put it on the scale (which is a story on it self since it weighs up to 1000kg so not very accurate) and asked $30.He was extremely happy that I paid that without hagglingOh well that was once in the 4 years I visited the place so rather exceptionel. But you can find tons of old computers/servers with their processors/ram heatsinks etc, all kinds of old industrial control boxes from which I salvage the dirty DINconnectors , throw them in a ultrasonic bath and they are good as new and other good stuff.

author: Excavatoree
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 09:36:00 pm
content: Quote from: Kjelt on February 10, 2015, 09:16:57 pmI've never seen nor heard about such a place in the US, but I wish we did have them. The closest I've come is to take a power supply out of the scrap steel bin at work. No one made me pay the less than 50 cents US that it would have brought for scrap. The fuse was blown.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 09:45:32 pm
content: Quote from: Excavatoree on February 10, 2015, 09:36:00 pmA lot of the e-waste recyclers will let you buy stuff out of the incoming bins this way.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 09:49:54 pm
content: Quote from: Excavatoree on February 10, 2015, 09:36:00 pmI think places like Japan (where my brother lived) is like this. Space is a premium so hoarding becomes much harder and a lot of cool stuff gets pitched to the curb (according to him). I'm trying to remember if it was like this in Germany when I lived there, but I remember it was a pain to get rid of my BMW (it was an old one, with a leaky brake system, not a gem). I ended up driving it on top a part mound at the local US Army base for the soldiers to pick though for spare parts.They were quite happy with it.Now I find out that in Illinois that you can't throw away your old TVs, but nobody will pick them up or take them for recycling thanks to a new law. This doesn't sound very intelligent.

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 09:50:55 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on February 10, 2015, 09:45:32 pmthat might work. thanks.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 10:00:46 pm
content: Quote from: wblackledg on February 10, 2015, 09:49:54 pmAre you sure? What about this list:http://epadata.epa.state.il.us/land/eWaste/collection-sites.asp

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 10:14:06 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on February 10, 2015, 10:00:46 pmthat was what the guy told me at our recycler. he said Illinois passed a law saying you can't pitch it and they won't take it. When I asked how do you get rid of it, he said they were waiting on instructions as to how to proceed. Funny, they are listed as one of the places to drop off TVs from your list.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 11:42:00 pm
content: Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on February 10, 2015, 08:26:25 pmNot it is Android phone version 5, smart media player, Android smart media player, the tablet which started lagging, smartwatch, wireless music player, that smart wifi thing which I impulse bought on Amazon, and the infamous sound bars. They will end up in the junk bin Im sure of it as hell.There is a junk shop close to where I live, but never been there. It is one of those shops, which are only open at times when normal people work.

author: wagon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 11:48:19 pm
content: I know someone else has posted this before, but here is the story of where much of your e-waste goes...http://www.ban.org/

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2015, 11:58:20 pm
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on February 10, 2015, 11:42:00 pmthats sort of my problem I have with curb side stuff. I work. I guess I could get up really early and see what people put out the night before. Some women in my neighborhood does this, and her yard is full of crap. About a year ago i though away an old photograph enlarger. The thing was big, heavy and awkward. The next day I drove by her house and looked, sure enough, it was sitting in her driveway..I don't want to be that person..

author: wblackledg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2015, 09:51:46 pm
content: Ok, made it to the goodwill outlet store.stuff was .79 cent a pound, and they rotate stuff in the store about 20 minutes from other stores.So about 8 large bin/carts are rolled out to the sales floor at the same time and people act like its full of $100 bills or something (black Friday sale behavior).the other 19 minutes is spent poking around the other carts that were pushed out earlier.I found 2 VCRs, and an old Panasonic CD player. Lots kids toys, clothes, and broken crap for sure.the books were separate and cost .15 cents per inch thickness. I found a Microelectronic Circuits book by Sedra/Smith for 30 cents (2 inches) and a Home recording studio (another hobby I have), for about 10 cents. My wife bought about 1 foot worth of books. We got out of there for less than $3, but no electronics to speak of. I didn't feel like messing with the VCRs.I'll go back sometime too, it was sort of enjoyable. Wear gloves. its dusty.