Used one!

francist

francist

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My Mom died ten years ago last week and shortly after that, with my Dad’s ability to stay in the house by himself waning daily, we relocated him to an all-in-one retirement home. He lasted a couple years and then packed it in too.

Sifting through 65 years of married life plus the lives of their parents before them was gruelling. Much went to dumpster, but much was also spared and among those saved was this jar of small screws. I just couldn’t let it be lost — I mean, there’s got to be a lifetime of scavenging in this one jar! And so it sits in the dusty half-light of my own workshop now like a long forgotten time capsule of memories, just barely visible in the gloom, waiting, waiting…

Until today! Hah — I used one! The fallen angel in need of salvation was an LED desk lamp with threads so thin that one good tightening of the knuckle sheared them clean. To the rescue: an unassuming 6x32 obviously gleaned from a blister pack of screen door hardware. Snick, snack, done like dinner!
Now I know many of us will, at some time or other, look around our dark and lonely corners to wonder what will become of it all. And worse yet, others will look around and think “why, just why…?”. But every now and again there’s a small win, an angel saved, and the purpose becomes clear again.

I screwed the lid tight (but not too tight) and carefully placed the jar back into the darkness. Thanks Ed.

-frank

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I am too sentimental and will always retain items from not only my dad who I lost last spring but even my grandfathers who I lost decades ago. Your dad's screw jar is an awesome example of how I like to remember and connect.
 
My wife says that "if you haven't used it in two years, get rid of it."

I have stuff my great-grandfather saved. He was a tinkerer, and after he retired in 1940, he opened a small shop that repaired small electrical devices, like fans, toasters, etc.. I find useful items, like hardware and plumbing fittings all the time.

Having grown up with three generations that had lived through the Great Depression, I save lots of things that I perceive as having potential to reuse or repurpose. Just today, instead of an 8 mile round trip to town, I went through my unsorted, salvaged hardware to find four 5/16 NC bolts about 3/4" long. I say "about" because they are not identical in length, but a + 1/8" variation in length will not make any difference in mounting cushioned clamps holding a cross-feed hose on my dump truck. It took less time than the drive to town, and burned no expensive fuel!
 
I too have been lucky enough to inherit salvaged, scavenged and saved parts and tools from my father and grandfathers. Dad had five brothers so I'm sure some of my grandfathers tools and bits were shared between them. All of them worked with their hands in some discipline.....carpenters, electricians, oil field, maintenance, etc. Both of my great grandfathers were blacksmiths from England so I know where my metal working interests came from. ;)
 
francist said:
My Mom died ten years ago last week and shortly after that, with my Dad’s ability to stay in the house by himself waning daily, we relocated him to an all-in-one retirement home. He lasted a couple years and then packed it in too.

Sifting through 65 years of married life plus the lives of their parents before them was gruelling. Much went to dumpster, but much was also spared and among those saved was this jar of small screws. I just couldn’t let it be lost — I mean, there’s got to be a lifetime of scavenging in this one jar! And so it sits in the dusty half-light of my own workshop now like a long forgotten time capsule of memories, just barely visible in the gloom, waiting, waiting…

Until today! Hah — I used one! The fallen angel in need of salvation was an LED desk lamp with threads so thin that one good tightening of the knuckle sheared them clean. To the rescue: an unassuming 6x32 obviously gleaned from a blister pack of screen door hardware. Snick, snack, done like dinner!
Now I know many of us will, at some time or other, look around our dark and lonely corners to wonder what will become of it all. And worse yet, others will look around and think “why, just why…?”. But every now and again there’s a small win, an angel saved, and the purpose becomes clear again.

I screwed the lid tight (but not too tight) and carefully placed the jar back into the darkness. Thanks Ed.

-frank

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My farther would screw the jar tops to the wooden beams above his work table and as needed would unscrew the jars from the tops.
 
I've got a few of my grandparents items around. I still use them. I've got a few I may never use, but keep anyway. Buck saw sharpening vise, for example.

We did toss my grandfathers 5 gallon pails of used nails, tho. He'd straighten out nails for every project, no one is really interested in scavenging at that level anymore. Maybe we'll be sorry some day. I hope no, but maybe. But then again, I have a pretty good bucket of used drywall/deck/wood screws. But none are bent...
 
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