Dumpster Diving

[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.

[Cody Carey]

I have quite a few things tat I've found in the garbage over the past few years, and I'll have to settle for name as many as I have time for:

Floor stand Radial arm saw
1.5 ghz Compaq with 512 ram, 40g HD and the full bundle
3 18 inch monitors (I'm using one on this comp right now)
numerous speaker/mouse/keyboard sets
The 20" T.V./VCR combo I have set up in my room . (soldering required )
A trampoline
400watt car amplifier with subs
too many <1.0ghz computers to remember them all.
Many Many Many bikes.
Home theatre speaker system, (soldering required )
A slot machine


The garbage is a wealth of treasure, and to avoid getting in legal troubles, I (almost) always knock on the person's door and ask if they would be OK we me taking their garbage... I have never had a person tell me that I couldn't, and in fact, most people are very nice about it