# Who else scavenges parts before tossing something out? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580 "2015-07-30T15:00:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/1 "2015-07-30T15:00:22Z")
I have a bad(?) habit of tearing down almost anything mechanical and scavenging potentially useful parts before tossing/recycling the remainder. For instance, we had to replace a vaccuum cleaner recently, repairing the old one would have cost more than it was worth. I still took the old one apart and kept the screws, bolts, power cord - pretty much anything that I though may be useful somewhere down the line. Same with garage door openers (got some great pulleys out of there), ceiling fans, etc. There have been times when scavanged parts have come in handy but, honestly, most will likely just sit in the garage until I pass this mortal coil. But they’re there. If I need them. Which I probably won’t. But they’re there. What do you scavenge? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/2 "2015-07-30T15:05:18Z")
Wall warts, knobs, rubber feet, everything you mentioned. But I tossed a few things recently. I really did! I DID!! 😉 We need a support group. (The sad part: I tossed a cassette deck I’ve had for 35 years. Was going to cannibalize when it hit me–What am I going to put these ancient parts into? I couldn’t fix it because you can’t get the belts anymore. \>SOB\<) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/3 "2015-07-30T15:09:31Z")
I’ve got a variety of motors, transformers, wheels, power cords and other such stuff that I’ll likely never use but I find it hard to part with those things. I have stopped saving raw materials, pieces of wood, plastic, and metal. We don’t need a support group, we need a warehouse! I love the place they have on Mythbusters with all those shelves and bins to put stuff away. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/4 "2015-07-30T15:12:41Z")
My father used to do this. So that in his garage, there are various bottles and jars filled with screws. I’ve since realized that if I need a screw, it’s easier to go to a hardware store/Home Depot/Lowes and buy the exact right screw (even at an inflated price) than to dig through the jar of screws looking for one that’s close enough. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/5 "2015-07-30T15:15:10Z")
I do this with computers which is especially pointless. A certain size bolt or chair caster you might potentially use again. An AGP video card with 128k memory? Probably not. I have a bin full of the junk though ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/6 "2015-07-30T15:26:23Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I do this with computers which is especially pointless. A certain size bolt or chair caster you might potentially use again. An AGP video card with 128k memory? Probably not. I have a bin full of the junk though Would you like a 9600 baud modem card? Hardly ever used. I’ll bet I’ve got a free AOL CD around somewhere also 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/7 "2015-07-30T15:45:14Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ve got a variety of motors, transformers, wheels, power cords and other such stuff that I’ll likely never use but I find it hard to part with those things. I have stopped saving raw materials, pieces of wood, plastic, and metal. We don’t need a support group, we need a warehouse! I love the place they have on Mythbusters with all those shelves and bins to put stuff away. What I love: the camera will be on Adam and he’ll be yakka-yakka-yakka and you glance over his shoulder and a label on a bin will say something like **Champagne Bottle Bottoms For Use In Shape Charges**. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/8 "2015-07-30T15:52:38Z")
Guilty as charged. I have some nuts and bolts from cars for the '60s. I have a few cotter pins for bicycle cranks in a drawer. Bicycles haven’t used cottered cranks in decades. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/9 "2015-07-30T15:55:01Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’ve since realized that if I need a screw, it’s easier to go to a hardware store/Home Depot/Lowes and buy the exact right screw (even at an inflated price) than to dig through the jar of screws looking for one that’s close enough. Screws?! I do this with tools! ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/10 "2015-07-30T16:00:57Z")
I’ve done a bit of this, but I’ve also kept things like broken car parts lying around my garage in case I might _later_ want to scavange a working component. Happens more often than you might expect (especially as two of my cars are the same model) but it does take up some space. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > My father used to do this. So that in his garage, there are various bottles and jars filled with screws. I’ve since realized that if I need a screw, it’s easier to go to a hardware store/Home Depot/Lowes and buy the exact right screw (even at an inflated price) than to dig through the jar of screws looking for one that’s close enough. I sometimes save screws that come from appliances and furniture or the like if I own a similar one. Generally these tend to be custom sizes that Home Depot and Lowes do not carry. What I’ve found helpful is to put them in a sandwhich bag along with a peice of paper saying where they came from. That said, I also have a decent amount of unmarked screws in a plastic container. Should probably throw those out. I know my wife certainly thinks so. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/11 "2015-07-30T16:18:32Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > I have a bad(?) habit of tearing down almost anything mechanical and scavenging potentially useful parts before tossing/recycling the remainder. For instance, we had to replace a vaccuum cleaner recently, repairing the old one would have cost more than it was worth. I still took the old one apart and kept the screws, bolts, power cord - pretty much anything that I though may be useful somewhere down the line. Same with garage door openers (got some great pulleys out of there), ceiling fans, etc. There have been times when scavanged parts have come in handy but, honestly, most will likely just sit in the garage until I pass this mortal coil. > > But they’re there. If I need them. Which I probably won’t. But they’re there. What do you scavenge? I use to do this, and then realized a few things. 1)I end up collecting things I never need, 2)I have to buy things to store them in, 3)Takes up space and increases clutter, 4)The cost of replacement or when I buy new whatever is so low-cost it isn’t worth trying to keep parts for household items. So I finally start to throw the stuff out and I have to tell you, it felt great. I no longer save things like this. If a piece of equipment is broken do electric recycling on it along with it’s power supply. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/12 "2015-07-30T16:57:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > We don’t need a support group, we need a warehouse! I love the place they have on Mythbusters with all those shelves and bins to put stuff away. And all that unseen support staff to put everything away cleanly and to clean up after every project. My basement doesn’t come with one of those. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/13 "2015-07-30T18:56:28Z")
When I was a kid my mom would cut the buttons off of any clothes being thrown out and re-use them. I can’t think of anything I’ve done it with, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/14 "2015-07-30T18:58:54Z")
Bet your wives/girlfriends love this habit. My SO does this with computers and it drives me crazy. We don’t have room to store random junk. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/15 "2015-07-30T19:02:52Z")
I did this more when I was younger and enjoyed working on cars but moving a dozen times over the years surely broke me of the habit. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/16 "2015-07-30T19:33:22Z")
I do this in two parts… I routinely remove the handles of old pots and pants and throw them in a box to be taken to a scrap yard at some later date. The same thing with anything like that. Old ladders, motors (remove the casing) old car parts not being returned for cores. The second is old computer stuff. These days I only keep my old hard drives and monitors. I really should throw that stuff out, but suppose this monitor bites it…well I have spares. I swear any day now I’m going to make my last old computer into a drive for movies or something. I’ll have time soon, one od these days… ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/17 "2015-07-30T19:52:33Z")
I don’t do it with nuts and bolts and stuff, but I take things like cordlocks and buttons and good drawstrings and clips off of clothing and bags (assuming the item isn’t going to the thrift shop). I routinely find re-uses for these items and they take up very little space in a drawer. Someone upthread mentioned the low cost of replacement as a reason not to keep parts, but for items such as these, they’re usually remarkably hard to find and/or weirdly expensive. One fun thing to do with useless computer-y things, by the way, is to pull them apart and give them to kids for arts and crafts projects. My son liked to make “robots” out of wires and circuit boards and keyboard keys and stuff like that. I guess there’s only so much need for such things, but hey. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/18 "2015-07-30T20:00:55Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > And all that unseen support staff to put everything away cleanly and to clean up after every project. My basement doesn’t come with one of those. Basement? Luxury. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/19 "2015-07-30T20:15:17Z")
I save electric motors, gears, belts, etc. I used to build robots when I was a kid and keep expecting that I will start doing it again someday. Luckily, I have a big barn. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580/20 "2015-07-30T20:25:50Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > My father used to do this. So that in his garage, there are various bottles and jars filled with screws. I’ve since realized that if I need a screw, it’s easier to go to a hardware store/Home Depot/Lowes and buy the exact right screw (even at an inflated price) than to dig through the jar of screws looking for one that’s close enough. ACK! Run, there is a heretic in our midst! > [@edwardcoast](#): > > I use to do this, and then realized a few things. 1)I end up collecting things I never need, 2)I have to buy things to store them in, 3)Takes up space and increases clutter, 4)The cost of replacement or when I buy new whatever is so low-cost it isn’t worth trying to keep parts for household items. So I finally start to throw the stuff out and I have to tell you, it felt great. I no longer save things like this. If a piece of equipment is broken do electric recycling on it along with it’s power supply. MmmmmmmmmmmmmAll I hear is a steady humMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm > [@Anaamika](#): > > Bet your wives/girlfriends love this habit. My SO does this with computers and it drives me crazy. We don’t have room to store random junk. The house and basement are hers, the garage is mine. Unless she needs it for something. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-scavenges-parts-before-tossing-something-out/726580.md?page=2)