Nice score Seldom. Funny when sometimes you stand there debating on something at the fleamarket and they toss a low number at you that seals the deal. 

Good score Seldom. The only thing better than saving money is saving work too. True words Das. Looking at a thing at flea markets uncertainly is a good bargaining tactic. 

Frosty The Lucky.

  Watch for the things that show up week to week that they keep hauling in to sell that nobody wants or knows what it is.  I'm watching a heavey tire bender that keeps going down in price.  Sometimes though they are gone when you are ready to pounce.

Right before closing, too. That's how I got a milk crate full of deer antlers for $5 on the last day of Quad-State some years back.

I bought a deer antler dog chew for about $5 a few years ago for knapping but now you're lucky to find one for $15 plus shipping. I'd like a moose point for a punch but I haven't gotten around to asking around. It'd be nice but not necessary, folk ask silly too much at flea markets and yard, etc. sales. I don't want a whole rack, I have a nice pedicle and some smaller sections for soft hammers already. 

Sorry for the sidetrack, asking price vs selling price for antler is very much buyer driven. 

Frosty The Lucky.

The handle of my first Bowie knife was bone from the dog chew aisle at the pet store.

Mail call: prescription safety glasses. 

John, if you don't mind saying, how much did they run you?  I recently checked with my eye doctor's office and they quoted me a very large number.  I assume that you  just sent off you prescription and got them back.  Are they single correction or bi/tri focals?  If so, lined or lineless?

Thanks,

George

$115 from Zenni. Progressive (lineless) bifocals. 

Thank you.  I will look them up.  That is a lot more reasonable than what I was quoted locally.

George

The frames themselves are about $36, and the lenses are priced separately. You can find them easily enough on the Zenni website: the style number is 749411.

Side note: the keffiyeh is great for keeping sweat out of your eyes and grinder dust out of your hair, but it does get in the way of a welding mask.  

You could try the shemagh with goggles, depending on whether what you're doing will allow goggles to provide enough protection. Must give at least some UV protection. Don't know if I'd try it for weld spatter.

Yeah, that's the real problem, plus welding generally falls right at the dividing line between the close-up and distance portions of the lenses. I typically switch out the kaffiyeh for a bandana and the prescription goggles for non-prescription when it's sparking time.

For welding, I ordered the cheapest glasses I could find in my reading prescription.  (I guess strictly speaking, I should have bought prescription safeties, but figures I'd live dangerously behind the helmet.)   

 

I think some of the online stores have specific options for reading glasses, but I just (mathematically) added the distance numbers from my bifocal prescription to the reading adjustment it showed.  I've also plussed up the numbers a little further for close (non-hazardous) work; you could probably back off some for medium distance welding if you wanted.

JHCC,

I have a pair just like yours but they cost a bit more, $180.00. Job on RR required them and they paid most of it. I find I wear them all the time as regular glasses. Once you get used to the wings its hard to go without.

When I got new glasses, I made a few stipulations.

#1 Trivex lenses, (UV protection is inherent, and better impact resistance than polycarbonate)

#2 Must have added IR protection.  (to prevent blacksmith cataracts)

#3 Ray Ban aviator style frames

#4 Cable temple pieces  (hook behind the ear)

  Cost a fair penny, but mostly due to the Ray Ban frames, and my astigmatism.

I have detachable side shields, available for about 5 pair for $10.

MY EDC glasses are like John's in tri focal. I've never been curious enough to look at what they cost, I only have a copay. One other benefit of the side shields is keeping wind, fumes, smoke, etc. out of my eyes Wind especially dries them out. 

Frosty The lucky.

On 5/21/2024 at 10:03 PM, George N. M. said:

Thank you.  I will look them up.  That is a lot more reasonable than what I was quoted locally.

I have had good luck with GlassesUSA as well as Zenni. You can spec out a pair of specs (hah) with your prescription (just ask the eye doctor, they will provide a copy) and you can get them in safety lenses with bifocals if you want. (Even transition lenses) My favorites so far have come from GlassesUSA and I search the site for "Pentax" because that brand has the frames I like best and they often come with side shields.

Welcome aboard from just east of Laramie at 7500'.  Glad to have you.  Thanks for the glasses info.  I'll check them out.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

Some fleamarket and yard sale finds today. The craftsman motor is 1hp. Got it for 10$

A couple wrenches to make scrap art grasshoppers or dragonflies or whatever out of. 

I liked the old Brit 303 ammo box. I will clean it a bit and store some of my 303 ammo and stripper clips in it. 

And I've wanted to make a turtle from a helmet for years but didn't want to ruin a nice one. This one is just right with it being banged up a bit and no stamping for $10. 

Nice score Das. I haven't been to a garage sale, thrift store,etc. In ages

Its rare I get to go without taking the kids. Without them I can take my time and look for good deals. With them I'm constantly making sure they don't get into trouble and they get bored with it fast. 

Same with live auctions because Madelynn is still COVID cautious.  I have filled the gap somewhat with on line auctions. 

BTW, there is currently one in Eastern Nebraska that has quite a few blacksmithing tools but they are not something I need that justifies a 500 mile drive each way to pick them up.  If anyone is interested in the link PM me so that we are not violating the terms of service.

G

I saw a listing on Craigslist that the seller has a lot of 40 blacksmithing tools for $200. Looking at the pictures, I'd be interested, but when I found out how far away it is, I changed my mind