Stuff just laying there....

[wassomeoneelse]

A local buddy of mine was telling me about a power hammer that had been sitting up unused at a local area in Port Allen, LA last month. So, me being the scrounger that I am... went driving trying to determine where it could be. As luck would have it, I didnt see it. Being frustrated, I told my other friend about it. He determined that there was only one place in that area it could be. Local landmarks being left out of this piece due to better scroungers than me that can figure it out...LOL!
I receive a phone call from him this morning, as luck would have it... I met up with him and we went over to the place we believed had this mysterious power hammer. Drove up and went inside.
All I can say is WOW! The gentleman owned a machine shop on this piece of property that you would not think was being used anymore. I promise that you all would be drooling at the mouth over what this guy had. He had about 15 different milling machines outside in various stages of rust, 10 inside that I know from the wolf spider threads all on them had not been used in years. To make a long story short, he had two nice forges with great looking firepots in them attached to electric buffalo forge blowers outside in the weather, two large peter wright anvils inside, assorted kilns, and tons of tool steel cutoffs just stacked to the ceiling.
Let me see, he also had a very large wrought iron anchor that was about 15 feet long just laying in the weeds. I mean it was beautiful. Just to see that was pretty cool.
But to top it off, outside, motor attached, beautiful beast it was... A nazel 300lb power hammer. That thing started this whole mess. A hint, a tease, a rumor of being out there. Then to get bombarded with all the steel, iron, goodies, anchor, anvils, tool steel and cast offs. Then on top of that, the guy wouldnt sale a dang thing. I left broken hearted. So, to make up for our dissapointment. We went down the RR tracks and looked around.
What is so heartbreaking about this? The guy doesnt use any of the anvils, forges, or power hammer and has no plans on using any of it. I am sure that this isnt the first time this has been talked about on here. Oh well, I am going to Batson's tomorrow. Have a few places lined up to visit tha might make up for today's dissapoinment.
I do understand it is the guy's to do with as he pleases. He can sell or not sell. The main point of this post is to just put it out there and see if anyone else has ran into this before? I did leave my number with him in case he changes his mind. But I will be the first to say, I cannot afford, do not have the room or place for that power hammer. But I know people who do.
Thanks for letting me rant,
Bryan

[Dodge]

I sort of know that feeling. I used to work with a guy that went to auctions and farm sales and such and bought old windows. He fixed them up and sold them to remodelers and old house restorers (Yeah, like Bob Villa old) Anyway, he also collected anvils in his travels and when I caught wind of this I inquired about buying one. (I didn't have one at the time). He said "no" He just collected them. Not a blacksmith. Had about 60 (he said). I asked what he was going to do with them all and he just laughed and said "collect them." Now, I never went to see his anvils so I can't say for sure what he had, but other coworkers who knew him and had seen them and knew I was looking for an anvil told me to ask him about one. When I told them what he told me they just shook their head and would mutter something about "crazy coot" LOL. The "collector" invited me out to see them, but I declined. I didn't think I could do it without leaving in tears ;)

[KNeilson]

I have a similar story, about 5 yrs ago when I started my forging addiction I would scrounge in a similar manner. One day while getting my propane filled (in a station in the "scrapyard" area of town) I noticed a junk man unloading a 100# Fairbanks of a scrap truck. By the time I get turned around and come back hes got it behind the plywood and propane bottle wall that surrounds his pile. I work my way past a snarling dog and get his attention, and holy cow, I see his "collection". The Fairbanks, a steam hammer about 10ft tall, 3 25# Jardines laying on there sides and countless other forging and machine goodies laying around. This is a collectors yard now, not a working shop or area. I ask him if hes interested in parting with anything and the answer is a flat NO!! But.....xxxx sell me a business and equipment. No thanks I say, got a business, just looking out for a PH. Ive been watching the yard since then and recently noticed the city is forcing him out. Still not interested in parting with anything(these can do a lot of work is his reasoning). So now the machines are deteriorating, and will continue to do so, and more than likely will go to scrap along with the rest of the stuff. It frustrates me, but more cause I think there being wasted than anything else. I just keep reminding myself that one mans junk is anothers treasure and just leave it at that. If your that hard up enuf just make one(as I did at first), keep looking (how I found my 25 and 50#) and when you can afford it by a new one..(starting to consider a 165# Anyang).............:)Kerry

[ThomasPowers]

I live in an anvil poor region and we have a hoarder, (not a collector who has a collection that they are working on; but a hoarder who just seems to want them to keep other people from having them). He has over 500 anvils; bought 30 of them at one Quad-State recently.

These folks used to upset me; now I just keep my eyes open for the estate sales...

Edited April 2, 2009 by ThomasPowers

[element]

He who has the anvils has the power.

[keykeeper]

The thing about stories like these that really gets my boxers twisted is most of these folks will die some day, and the heirs will sell their tools for peanuts to some "estate buyer" who will start the cycle again by asking a mint for them, storing them away by their lonely selves in some dark, damp garage. It's CRIMINAL I tell ya, CRIMINAL. All these tools want is someone to lovingly use them for their intended purpose.

To add to elements thought--

He who has the anvils might have the power, but I've never seen ANYONE'S family bury all of them with their beloved. Greed is much more powerful and the wicked greenback speaks loudly to "grieving" heirs.

[Jeff Bly]

It's definitely sad to know that so much is out there for no other reason than to just be. That is why I recently snagged a bellows from a salvage yard. It needs to go back into use for its intended purpose.

[wassomeoneelse]

Well, it makes me glad in one way to know that the items we all suffer after is OUT THERE! Just to darn bad it is in other peoples hands. Thomas... you say that guy has over 500 anvils? Wow! I have four anvils and it took a lot of wheeling, dealing, trading up, and saving up for those. but I can honestly say that not one of them weights over 175 lbs. I only use one at a time though. Everytime I think about selling one of the two that I havent built stands for, it just seems like "one day" I might need them. But 500 is a bit much. As far as an anvil poor area, I thought I was in one, but then it just took a lot of time before I made that hit. I asked everyone I knew and still do to this day. You never know what a stranger might have.
I do have my eyes on a 25 lb Beaudry power hammer that a friend of mine ran across in a state that connects to LA. I will find out in the next couple of weeks if he was able to pick it up. We are hoping less than $600 will buy it. If not, I can wait a few years. Anyway, I am going to bed now. Got to go to work then drive to Batson's tomorrow evening. You guys take care this weekend.

[divermike]

We have one near here, and my approach is to visit him regularly, show him stuff I have made, let him ramble about whatever he wants, and slowly wear him down, seems to be working, he finally sold me a 2 pointed bickern I was wanting.

[ChrisB]

The father inlaw is a hoarder.
Owns two acres and 5 Farmall H tractors, a Case 530 backhoe, 4 boats, 5 trailers, a school bus packed full of 60's ford car parts, a VW powered trike, and 4 sheds packed to the doorway, and a three car garage with "walking paths"

If you mention your looking for something he'll say "I have on of those in stock." Will he part with it? Nope. It often bites him in the rear, last summer his boat winch broke (electric) he knew he had one "in stock" but couldnt find it. So he gos and buys one. A couple days later I'm helping him dig out a shed. I come arcoss 4 electric boat winches.

It was hard not to laugh.

Edited April 2, 2009 by ChrisB
typo

[David Einhorn]

A few years back I was in the booth of a tool dealer at an "antique" mall, and there was a gentleman collecting blacksmithing tools to decorate his living room in early American blacksmith. I am not kidding. He said that he had a couple of coal forges, anvils as end tables, and misc tools on the coal forges that he had no clue what they were for. He was looking for a large bellows to use as a coffee table.

Also some years back, I visited a scrap yard and found blacksmith tools that a smiths family took to the scrap yard because they didn't want them. A tire bender, a very large cone mandrel and a step vise. He paid $2 per hundred pounds for them. I relieved him of the trouble of recycling them. It bothers me that so much equipment probably ends up at the recyclers each year.

I used to pick up anvils and other tools to take to blacksmithing meetings, but I got tired of dragging the stuff around.

[ThomasPowers]

It's running into folks like that that started my plan of not having more of something than I expect to be able to use. So my limit on post vises was 10 as that was how many I expect to have in use in my shop and travel gear. If I upgraded by buying another I would sell one on to someone else. Same with anvils, tongs, etc. Of course teaching means you need extras of most things *and* you have a ready source of folks to buy the stuff you are passing on.

One of the saddest ones I have seen was the hulk of a 100# LG sitting in the remains of a burnt out shop. Casting was in great "seasoned" condition and I stopped by to ask about buying it as a long term re-build prospect. Family was not selling it and instead was letting it rust as a memorial to their father who had had a stroke and died just days after the shop had burned down. I went home and told my wife if she left my tools to sit and be destroyed after I died I'd come back and haunt her!

LA scrounging: I'd look for oilfield and shipyard sources...

[Fe-Wood]

Stories like these break my heart:(. I have found several "collecters" over the years... All of them just like to look at what they have:mad: I want to use it:)

My Great Grandfather was a patturn maker before and during WWII. When he died my father and his brother and sister split up the hand tools and stored them for years. I was a begining wood worker in those days and pleaded with them to not sell the shop or many of his tools as I would be needing them as I proceed in wood working. Long story short, Most all the tools are gone now. I did manage to rescue a Cherry wood chest full of his hand tools (there were 3) and a box full of pattern makers chisels.
I just make me sad that people don't understand once these tools are gone, thats it...They don't make them like that any more....