To keep, or not to keep........

W

Woodie

Active Member
Mar 23, 2001
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36
Northern Rivers NSW Australia
Guys,

I just had a big clean out today, and a huge tidy up. I found all sorts of goodies in little bags and boxes, but..........
What should I keep?
Do I go as far as keeping those "bits of string to short to use"?

Bits of rail, unused kit parts, rolling stock and loco packages/boxes, paint pots with just a tiny bit left, broken bogies, wheels, half a coupler here and there, kit instructions, labels, boxes, half a loco, where you've used the other half (drive train) in another kit.... all those sorta bits and pieces.

What do you guys keep, and what do you throw out????

:confused:

What prompted the clean out and tidy up, was I was looking for the little packet of headlight lenses I bought six months ago for my T Class kit loco....... took me half the day to find them!! I knew I had put them in that "special spot" so I wouldn't forget where they were!!............. :rolleyes:
 
I like Gary's reverse Psychology. By saying he keeps it all so you should get rid of yours should insure you keep yours too. ;)

However there was this one really truly useless part in my scrap box that always seemed to be in the way when looking for that special part. I ended up chucking it.

t.
 
Hey Woodie,
I built a scrap yard for my "scraps"...:D
 

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I keep absolutely everything. I even scrap out non model rail stuff to keep the goodies. Junk video casettes have nice little flat, springy contacts in them. And I recently disassembled a 1920's typewriter (it wasn't in good enough shape to have any antique value) and got a zillion neat little items out of it. Like small shoulder screws, steel rods, a few gears, etc, etc.

Like most of the guys here say: If you throw anything away, you'll need it tomorrow.

Bill S
 
Keep it!!

... " Like most of the guys here say: If you throw anything away, you'll need it tomorrow. "

Yeah, but I've been "collecting" spare parts for 30 Years. I got to the point a few years back where I can look for something for an hour .. :)

I know it's here somewhere -- But I can't find the stupid thing... :D :eek: :D

~~ N Gauger
 
Woodie,Here is what I do. the smaller parts and little odds and ands I keep. The true junk I toss.

What is true junk? Things like old wheels that I really have no use for,bases for builders,spurs,X2f couplers,paint bottles with dry or very little paint left, empty paint bottles,building kit boxes,small pieces of track less then 1/2",manual switch machines that came with the Atlas manual switch,and such like.

I feel that keeping true junk has no real value and takes up room for the good junk!
 
Originally posted by rich maiorano
you mean like having a million and one screws and not remenber where they came from
Click to expand...

No, :) I mean having a Gazillion Nuts & bolts & screws and NO Two fit each other... ROFL :D :D :D


I have 2 large coffee cans full of "old parts" and I even have a can full of video game panel push buttons. Also the standards we all come to love, a can of capacitors, a can of resistors & LED's, and the Mandatory can full of "transformer speed controls" LOL

Which I guess starts another Question: What's the strangest thing you've "not wanted to throw away" and how long have you had it & Still Not Used It!! :) :)
 
strangest thing

Mabey more stupid than strange but it would be that Base i metioned earlier. It lived in my main scrap box until just the other day. :eek: and would you believe it as soon as chuck it Vic says he needs it. :D

Non railroading item would have to be my brain. :p

t.
 
The most useless item??? For me, after the waxed capacitors, and unmarked resistors, it would have to be a 4-gang variable transformer. I've always planned on building a good power supply, and a variable transformer is better than a rheostat for speed adjustment. NOW, though.....DCC comes along, and I don't know WHAT I'll do with the variable transformer.

Oh, how long have I had it??? Only about 35 years, now.....(':D')


Dick
 
The Strangest & Most Useless

This "Dude" has been residing in one of my junk boxes for at least 30 years:eek: :eek: :D Don't ask me where he came from or how he got there....I don't know:D :p :D :p

I think I've "pitched" him at least a dozen times but he always turns back up:D :D :D :D Sounds like a Stephen King story don't it!!!:D :D :D :D :D

Do I win a prize or something????:D :D :D :D :D :p
 

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Bits of rail- Toss
unused kit parts- Keep
rolling stock and loco packages/boxes- Toss
paint pots with just a tiny bit left- Toss
broken bogies- Toss
wheels- Keep
half a coupler here and there- Toss
kit instructions- Keep (make a manilla folder for you file cabinet or scan tham into a word document)
labels- Toss
boxes- Toss
half a loco, where you've used the other half (drive train) in another kit- Hmmm... that's tough. I think Keep.

I like to throw stuff away. I find that if after tossing something, I think I need it, I can get another or a substitute rather easily.

When in doubt, throw it out!
 
Hey Woodie - I am a famous junk keeper. So famous at it that I had a hell of a problem deciding what I would throw away so I could get into the shed to build the workbench - which meant I threw away nothing. Just moved into another shed. And soon I will have the first shed full of junk from my railroad.
This junk thing is just one big vicious circle - but if you don't keep it, you are BOUND to need it sometime you know...
;)
 
Vic,
Try mailing the monkey 'dude' to one of us and see how long it takes for him to hitch as ride back...

Reminds me of a rocking horse we have that still grows hair frim the bit of hide its main is made from :rolleyes:!

--Sempak (Chris)
 
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