Discard or not

[West Valley G]

Generally speaking am wondering how you all make decisions on repairing
things or just throwing them out. I am talking mainly about small engines
in general. I don't believe there are enough CC in Montana to even keep
a guy busy. I am a guy who owns all kinds of small engines and always want
every one of them to be running and work towards that end.
That being said, I also run across freebies from friends and enjoy tearing
em down, always want to fix them and that doesn't seem like a good idea
either. How do you decide what to keep and what to throw away. Even
if I am just going to part things out, what has value? A set of rings from
Model x, connecting rod from model z? The one thing I always keep are
nuts and bolts because every time I go to the hardware store they are more
expensive then last week. Am a bit of a neat freak so am working on how
to organize what I do keep. Love this forum and check it out every day
so thought I would see what you thought. Plus the shop is 20 degrees
so I have some time on my hands. Thanks Ken

[cooperino]

To toss or not to toss. That be thy question.

I figured out a long time ago that I better start throwing stuff out. My main reason. If I don't, when I die someone else will have to throw it out.

Don't get me wrong. I save a lot of stuff at home and in business. I made sort of a rule though now. If its something that does not have a lot of value I give it the one year rule. If I have not used it or touched it in a year, I toss it. This of course only applies to stuff like you talked about. The Misc box stuff.

I do keep 4 55 gallon barrels that stay somewhat full. In these I put different types of "scrap". Metal, aluminum, odd parts, pulleys, that sort of thing.

couple weeks ago we actually put some of that stuff to use. It is our slow time in the shop so we did a couple projects.

1. We built an entire under truck lower plow frame for a jeep I had kicking around. Every piece for the bumper, upper mounts, and lower frame came right out of those scrap buckets..

2. We built a small waste oil heater. We had a bunch of used motor oil that everyone was too lazy to go dispose of. So, why not burn it lol..It actually burns really nice and clean, AND HOT! the tank reaches 800 degrees pretty easily. This was also built with all scrap parts.

Heres some pics!

[Mike McKown]

If anything is have is usable, it likely won't get thrown away.

I'm not worried that with my passing, someone else will have to dispose of what they'll think is tons of junk. There should be enough left in the kitty to pay someone to haul it off.

In the meantime, I've kept various things around for years and finally wound up using them.

[West Valley G]

Love the look of the oil burner, anything that emits BTUs this time of year gets my attention. Standing in front of the exhaust on the CC for warmth keeps
making me light headed.

Ken

[V30crewcab]

I keep too much, but I'm learning not to. I have spent the last year cleaning out stuff from my dads property since he died last January. Makes me think real serious about what I need to keep now. he would take anything if it was free. pulled couches and chairs out of old pole barns that people had given him, old piano, had numerous bonfires, trying to clean it all up.
nothing wrong with having stuff, just make sure its something you or your friends will use one day.

[finsruskw]

The good part is knowing you have it.....somewhere...….
The not so good part is trying to find it when you want/need it!!

We need a TV show like the one a few years back where this chick came in and organized everything in your closets and larder.