Dumpster Diving

[Jay H 237]

It depends on your local codes/ordinances/bylaws/deeds if it's legal or not.

The only time I've gone looking in a dumpster was when I worked at my last job. Our building was next to an awning manufacturer and they had a "clean" dumpster where they only tossed fabrics that were left over from jobs. Very occassionaly you could even find a complete bolt of fabric. The stuff was too heavy for a regular sewing machine so I and most of the people I know couldn't do much with the stuff but it did make great drop cloths.

Now where I work now they have changed around the offices and shop several times and I've scored some stuff right before it was to go to our trash compactor. I got a nice heavy table I put in the garage. It has metal legs, a 2" thick top and the top is covered in formica so it cleans up easily.

I also got an office chair that was being tossed because it was the wrong color. Our company colors are gray and maroon but the chair is blue so they wanted to get rid of it. I have that in my garage also and sit in it all the time as I work at the work bench. Very comfortable and the price couldn't be beat.

I gave my father a metal rack that plastic bins clip to. He could use it for his spare parts he keeps for the repairs of Lionel trains he does.

I know plenty of people who have gained lawn mowers, tillers, snow blowers and similar items that were left by curbs to be taken away. Some only needed fresh gas or minor repairs to get them going again.

The best find I know of was 4 rims with tires, trim rings and center caps. They were in good condition and were the Rally style that was popular on the Corvettes back in the 70's and even used on the Chevelles and Novas. One of the guys I used to work with found them on the way to work stacked alongside a garbage pail with a note for the garbage truck to take them. They were dusty and the tires were dry rotted but the rims, trim rings and center caps cleaned right up with soap and water.

[JaneYoung]

A few times a year we can set things out by the curb for pickup: sofas, mattresses, tires, old appliances - we receive notifications and know the date to have things set out. It is sometimes a treasure trove. I have lugged home old pieces of furniture that I refinish or leave as is. One find that I love and my family hates is an old piece with a small closet on one side and drawers on the other. The drawers are missing and I use the drawer slots for paper supplies and robotic stuff. It is pepto bismal pink and the finish has naturally crackled. I think the pink is what nauseates everyone but I like it.

I also found two broken children's chairs. I took them apart and put the backs together to form a small shelf. It hangs in my office.

My latest find was a giant piece of plastic that has heavy thread pressed into it in a criss cross fashion. I took it to the shop and stored it in a container - just in case - may come in handy for jello sliding (j/k).

[KenWittlief]

when I was a teenager I road my bike around several blocks in my neighborhood, looking for bicycle parts. I built 3 or 4 complete bikes out of parts that people tossed by the curb. I might end up buying a seat or pedals or tires here and there, but I had a pretty good collection of bike parts by the time I was 14 or so.

As for dumpsters, there is an issue. They are always located on private property (they are never by the curb) and if a cop sees you back behind office buildings at 1AM they very often will stop to see what you are up to.

In many places it is illegal, mostly for one reason - people throw all kinds of dangerous things in dumpsters. If you get hurt, or if a dumpster falls on you then you know what will happen - someone will sue the company, or the dumpster service company on your behalf. That is one of the primary reasons why its illegal. If companies let you rummage through their dumpsters and you get hurt, then they are liable for your injuries.

BTW, it all balances out in the long run. I have put 3 or 4 perfectly good bicycles by the curb with a "FREE" sign on them over the last few years (just to make space in my garage)

they were all taken within an hour of being set free :^)

Over the years I have intercepted things the company I work for was going to throw out. I got 800 Akg headphone speaker assemblies (speaker and foam ring) that were used on studio headphones. I sold them on ebay for 1 to $2 each in boxes of ten.

[artdutra04]

Now I have never actually gone into a dumpster, but I have found a few really cool things in stuff that people were going to just throw out. I have a few Pentium III computers that my father's company was going to throw out that he claimed. (We wiped the hard drives and reloaded Windows 2000 onto them.)

My favorite find so was in a pile of stuff in a garage of a co-worker of my father that was going to be thrown out. Deep inside the pile I found a green box full of rare, antique pre-war Lionel trains still in working order and really good condition. They had "no use for those old toys" so they let me have them.

[Morgan Gillespie]

Well if we are talking about past items I have to bring up the best, hands down trash find of them all.

A hot dog cart.
A full working gas powered hot dog cart. Two cooking vats, a wet storage space for putting ice and sodas, dry containers for storing hot dogs and buns, a spot for your propane tank, wheels, and two handle bars. The coolest find ever. We use it for random large outdoor activities at parks.

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by Mercury Rising

Well if we are talking about past items I have to bring up the best, hands down trash find of them all.

A hot dog cart.
A full working gas powered hot dog cart. Two cooking vats, a wet storage space for putting ice and sodas, dry containers for storing hot dogs and buns, a spot for your propane tank, wheels, and two handle bars. The coolest find ever. We use it for random large outdoor activities at parks.

wow! what would it take to get a permit and use it part time during the summer where you live?

Here in rochester NY hot dog carts on the street corners is a part of city life. Every time I go downtown I have to get a red hot!

depending on where you live that could be a very good part time job for someone.

[Greg Needel]

well recently i was able to snag 2 ibot gearboxes and a an ibot leather seat....it pays to know which dumpsters to look in

[David55]

Laying by the trash can I found two new and working JBL 100 watt speakers. The stereo system that was with them was broken, so they just threw out the whole thing with the speakers.

I also found an IPAQ h3900 and an old MP3 player in a box with old stuff thrown out. It doesn't work but the LCD looks fine. I hope it works and I can find a pinout so I can hook it up to something.

[dubious elise]

A certain someone dumped a $350 sprocket into the school dumpsters during the last week of the build season. Luckily, a mentor helped me jump in and dig around until we finally found it!

I have to admit, among the countless things FIRST has taught me, dumpster diving might just turn out to be the most practical

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

when I was a teenager I road my bike around several blocks in my neighborhood, looking for bicycle parts. I built 3 or 4 complete bikes out of parts that people tossed by the curb. I might end up buying a seat or pedals or tires here and there, but I had a pretty good collection of bike parts by the time I was 14 or so.

My brother did this for the past year in Madison, WI. While he was training for the Chicago marathon, he would take long runs all around the city and see bikes in various stages of (dis)repair chained up or abandoned in front of buildings. His rule of thumb was that if a bike was left out for more than one week in the same location, it was his to take (the city claims them after 10 days).

[Gabe]

Originally Posted by dubious elise

A certain someone dumped a $350 sprocket into the school dumpsters during the last week of the build season.

What sprocket costs $350?!!

[DonRotolo]

I think it's been settled, legal depends on where you are.

As for cool stuff, I have found...

* Working transmitter radios
* A 440 MHz commercial antenna (for the transmitters)
* A Roto-tiller
* A snow blower (older than me, but still runs great!)
* Countless bicycles and computers
* A GPS antenna (working!)
* Chairs, bookcases, racks, other furniture
* Materials (wood, metal, plastic, glass, hardware)
* 1000' of #6 bare aluminum wire.
Saved from the dumpster are countless other things, like a metal bin rach with bins, AT-type power supplies with +12v input (run a PC in the car!), and so much more...

Don

[sanddrag]

I've picked up two gas powered lawnmowers for free; one a horizontal shaft and running. I also scored a bunch of aluminum network racks and cabinets. All the stuff was obtained with permission. None of it cost me a dime.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by dubious elise

My brother did this for the past year in Madison, WI. While he was training for the Chicago marathon, he would take long runs all around the city and see bikes in various stages of (dis)repair chained up or abandoned in front of buildings. His rule of thumb was that if a bike was left out for more than one week in the same location, it was his to take (the city claims them after 10 days).

I see that as far different than dumpster diving. I've left my bike chained outside for more than a week. The fact that it is locked up clearly indicates that someone intended for it to stay there and that they will be coming back for it.

I left a car at home, parked on the street for a whole semester once. Not fair game for anyone to take.

Wetzel

[i like dirt]

Our team's greatest find this year, would have to be our trailer, that were going to use to build a float on for homecoming. We found it in the junkyard behind our schools machine shop, (its where the janitors put old equipment and machines). It was in great condition. The trailer hitch was perfect. The only thing it needed was to reinforce the wood on the trailer floor because their could have been termite damage. After we found we just asked the janitors if we could use it for our float and they said yes.

[Clark Gilbert]

Back in August right before school started I had DJ Fluck help me "pull out" my latest dumpster dive. Didn't have to do much diving, but it was a pain to get into my apartment.



After we got it inside we cleaned it, painted the case, put new lights in it, and a new power cable. Now I have a working arcade machine in my apartment!