now this is a dumpster find! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: dentaku
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2016, 11:35:20 pm
content: I know Dave find interesting stuff in his dumpster but this guy found a Korg MS-20 synth in one.That's way more interesting than a cracked TV or some obsolete Apple junk.

author: sakhmatd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 01:18:26 am
content: That is quite the find indeed.Most I managed to score is a full Logitech Z906 system and a few laptops before the management busted me and requested I stop looking in the trash.

author: Wilksey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 11:25:48 am
content: I don't get it, if you throw it away then you don't want it anymore and are essentially disowning the item, so what's the big deal if someone comes along and takes it afterwards? No different to what they do at the rubbish tip anyway, just away from the site!

author: borjam
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 11:28:21 am
content: Wow, that's a real museum piece.Especially if it works

author: sakhmatd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 05:10:35 pm
content: Quote from: Wilksey on June 14, 2016, 11:25:48 amI know, and technically it's all legal. I can probably even fight it in court, but I've got plenty trouble as it is.They think I might bring "dirt" and "bugs" in. Bah.

author: valgamaa
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 06:13:17 pm
content: The MS-20 is a desirable and collectable synth - so much so that Korg re-released it a couple of years ago. They are quite easy to repair too, although they have a few custom chips (that are sill available). If offered for sale there would be a queue of buyers (in any condition)...

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 07:05:59 pm
content: I've always wondered about asking the people at BestBuy and Staples to let me look in their "electronic recycling" bins for stuff. People throw away cellphones, cables, printers, monitors that can be fixed. Lots of gear to play around with and test out your electronics trouble-shooting skills, even if only for educational value.However, I think they actually sell the stuff to recycling companies, or the bins belong to recyclers who actually sort through the parts and make a living off of it.So the only way I can argue to take something, is if I take it from the person with their full knowledge (not someone who is just dropping them in the bins at the entrance who thinks it is being recycled), or a place that is about to CRUSH the item to smithereens. Otherwise, people in the recycle-chain will have your butt for taking away their raw material and $$$ potential.

author: Halvmand
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 07:51:50 pm
content: This reminds me of the saddest part of leaving my old studio apartment. They had this room where everyone would dump their old electronics.I could expect to find something useful about once a weak in that room. Pretty good if you ask me. Especially since the communal recycling centers won't let you haul home the thrown out delicious electronics.

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 08:21:50 pm
content: Quote from: Halvmand on June 14, 2016, 07:51:50 pmThere is a guy who drives around in our neighbourhood competing essentially with the electronic recycling depots. He will go around on "big item" garbage days and throw anything he finds in the back of his truck. There is a market for it, and it is worth money to people for parts, repairs, or even refurbishing and selling used equipment. Nobody will let you just go to a place that collects it and walk off with stuff. You have to get it BEFORE it ends up there. Either you drive around and look at people's curbs, or you advertise or even PAY people for their used junk.I picked up a couple of VCR's, a stereo tuner amp, a speaker pair and other junk from a house down the street. The guy also had even more gear but I didn't think it was worth it (for example, small Sony CRT monitors). I see people dumping lots of rear-projection TV's, regular tube TV's, even a real classic TV made it out to the curb... The back was open so I grabbed only the vacuum tubes because the set was very heavy otherwise and I couldn't fit it in my car (although there is likely a market for old TV chassis furniture I bet).If you really want to be able to play around with this stuff, you'll have to inform people through social media in your local neighbourhood Facebook community page, or Craigslist or other types of local internet community forums/sites that you are looking to stock a "Maker Space" for electronics enthusiasts. Then people who throw out their electronics garbage will let you take it. Offer free pickup, dropoff, make it easier than BestBuy or Staples to get it.People may feel better giving it to some hobbyists or electronics students than to a for-profit corporation. Besides, the Maker Space can also "audit" the gear they get to see if it is repairable. If it is completely useless they can drop it off at the recycling depot after they had a go at it.