I went to a "Pack Rat" sale that had been going on for several days.
Over the last year, our son replumbed our house, with me as the laborer; I wound up with leftover copper pipe fittings, and needed a toolbox to store them in. This box looked like it would do the job, for $1:
(http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=26455.0;attach=61940;image)
When I opened it, I saw the usual pile of junk:
(http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=26455.0;attach=61942;image)
Got it home, started sorting through; yep, plenty of junk. Some will belong to the metal recycling bucket, some to the trash bucket. A few mysteries:
(http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=26455.0;attach=61944;image)
The "chain" in the top left corner, above, seems to be a long fabric tube with BB-sized shot spaced periodically. It's a bit like a pull chain for a light fixture, but in cloth. Any ideas?
There were several square cotton "bags" sewn shut around what looks like chunks of lead, as shown there to the right. ??
And a stamped wrench marked "Acme," probably for maintenance on one of Wile E. Coyote's Road Runner catching devices. Unless I hear that this is fabulously valuable, it's probably going in either the extra wrench drawer, in case I ever need a really thin wrench in that size, or in the metal recycling.
There were some useful tools:
(http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=26455.0;attach=61946;image)
The Husky ratchet is headed for the RV toolbox, if I can get the side designed to accept 1/4" hex bits to work (rusted up right now). I've owned these fabricated ratchets before, and they are not usually lifetime tools; but Husky offers a lifetime warranty, so maybe it'll last a bit longer.
The file is "Made in U.S.A.," with a logo of a lion facing left. Any idea who made it?
And then there was this little metal canister:
(http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=26455.0;attach=61948;image)
which, on closer inspection, is an early tape measure
(http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=26455.0;attach=61950;image)
a worthy addition to my little herd of tape measures.
Since I was pleased to have found a good box for the plumbing fittings, and since I'd have happily paid $1 for the tape, I got one of them for free, plus the other little-bit-useful tools for free either way.
Yep, I would have paid a dollar for that. :grin:
Nice find. Possibly the fabric pouch/lead weight is a drapery weight that would be sewn into the hem to make them hang straight.
Well worth a dollar bill!! And, well worth a dollar, Bill!! :grin:
The ball chain is probably also a window treatment item. The weight most certainly are! The chains rotate the vanes on cheap vinyl blinds.
agree with Amecks on the drapery weight. similar smaller ones were made for various pieces of clothing.