Awesome (to me) thrift store find!

So I stopped by the local Teen Challenge thrift store today. I don't regularly shop at this one or the local Goodwill; maybe a couple three times during the course of a year...

Well, today I'm glad I stopped and shopped! Found me a thermos bottle - pretty decent sized and seems to work pretty well...no brand name but oh well...for 50 cents (USD)!

There were other things that I might have wanted...a portable compact grilling setup...some retro toys for my grandson...some dress shirts and whatnot...

But the coup de gras was this:



For $2.00(USD)!

This book was in my family for many many years. I haven't seen it for quite some time...either it's in the house someplace, or was lended out...

This is THE book for DIY home "stuff"! It's first printing was in 1973! My dad and I used this book when I was growing up. A lot! We referenced it to finish a room in his basement (which ultimately became my 14 year old man cave lol...) and to build a very nice kitchen cabinet/island piece. It has a butcher block top(3'X5'), cabinets, and wine bottle holders.

This island piece was in his kitchen from prior to 1983 through earlier this year. (My father discovered IKEA...much to my dismay... )

Here's a couple of reviews of this book from Amazon:

Dated publication but an absolute classic how-to publication that evidently set the pace for virtually all DIY publications to follow. Has the same usefulness today as time of publication (1973) since the building methods remain unchanged. Really a book that was able to communicate how things got done. Still published by Readers Digest today, the publisher reported has sold more than 23 million copies!

I am so happy to have purchased this treasure of a book. This book is weighty, and there is not a wasted word from cover to cover. If you're a homeowner, apartment renter, or a cave-with-amenities dweller, this book is for you. Carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and even HVAC are all covered, and in a language that any reasonable human can understand, giving you the tools to fix your "stuff" when there's no expert around. Instructions have pictures as well as the written text, and one can fix just about anything around the house with the aid of this book. I simply love and cannot do without it. I had to return the copy that I'd borrowed from my brother (I'd had it a few years), so I turned to Amazon to purchased my own copy. Now that I have it, I'll not loan it out to anyone. It's mine, and I cannot part with it. Thank you Amazon and Reader's Digest!

overs WAY more than the newer version for home repair, maint. of your homje I recently bought the newer version ISBN 0-89577-871-8 and this older book is way MORE IN DEPTH, IN MORE EASIER TO UNDER THAN THAN ANY OF THE LATER VERSIONS, AND COVERS MORE COMPREHENSIVELY OVERALL THE REPAIRS YOU WILL ENCOUNTER AS A HOME OWNER...even covers most common mistakes on repairs! It even explains the proper tools for the jobs! and why!

Amazon Reviews

This book explains, in detail! Everything from how to use a tap and die, to how to make frosted glass, to how to patch a hole in drywall!

Just thought I'd share this...

a reply to: edaced4

Well, damn and hallelujah! My yellow book of that sort sits in a now honored space right next to my best ever used-bookstore fine, the classic The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects (1956) by Captain Edward J. Ruppelt

a reply to: edaced4

Good Find!

I got mine for free. I have two copies now, found them both in the garbage...

"Public Works"

Amazon

Walked into the club like what's up I gotta big C**k, naw I'm just pumped up I bought some stuff from the thrift shop!
Sorry, every time I hear the word "thrift shop" I can't help but bust a rhyme.

a reply to: edaced4

sweet man
i love goodwill

my wife and i hit up 3 of them every weekend

here is my biggest score. top shelf. hercules.
sorry if the pic shows sideways. it happens from my phone every now and again



i saw that and had to have it

$1.49

Yep, you're right!
We got ours in the 80's.
Still have it, it's dark blue.

Thanks to that book, we were able to repair
our washing machine, dryer, faucet, sump pump, lawnmower, toilet, all kinds of stuff.

Saved us tons of money & headaches!
It's worth it's weight in gold!

WOQ

Something to watch out for....

People are donating all their slr cameras to thrift stores, the whole kit, lenses and everything
now that digital has replaced film.

Good glass is still in demand and they practically give it away. Last score was a 50mm f1.2 prime for $4 going for $167 on ebay.

eta...I have that book on the shelf right beside me.

a reply to: edaced4

Nice! I have that book. I don't even remember how it came to be in my possession but I've had it since my early 20's at least. I'm thinking it was something my mom sent me from my grandfather's things after my grandmother died and her and my aunts were packing up the house.

It served me well.

I've got a newer, similar book from Lowes called like "Complete Guide to Home Repair" or something along those lines. These days if you want to learn anything DIY, there's countless guides and YouTube videos but I like books and it's good to have around in the event society collapses and there's no Internet.

a reply to: edaced4

Nice find!! We have a later edition of that book, and it's been SO handy! Had one before, lost it when a basement flooded, then replaced it, cheap, like you did. Can't imagine why anyone would give one up, but glad they did! Such a useful publication.

Awesome find.....i have been shopping at thrift stores since i was 12, and still do to this day.i love old clothes and I'm cheap so it works well for me. But i love my random stuff too, like my scale Neuschwanstein castle, my old school 80s stuff, transformers, pac man, rainbow brite, strwberry shortcake, care bears, etc... love my ET and goonies pizza hut glasswear, old record albums, list goes on and on.

a reply to: edaced4

Very cool thread and congrats on your "find"!


I popped in to add, most libraries have a yearly book sale and for a buck hardback or 50 cents paperback you can walk out with some sweet deals. Interestingly once the sale is over the library donates unsold books to thrift shops.

Just something to be aware of if you didn't know.

a reply to: Caver78

we hit those sales up
towards the end of the sale we get a whole bag of books for a dime