Whats the best/ most useful free thing you've rescued?

[Magpie]

Stocking up on dog meal yesterday and realized the old broken food warmer that looks like a fridge, on wheels (something like below) was one of the best free things I've rescued. Perfect for storing animal feed and easily moved even when full. No issues with mice now. From an old restaurant. I also was given a broken chest freezer, which is now in the barn storing my husbands beekeeping equipment.

 

[Cascadian]

A set of school lockers.

 

[Weedygarden]

I'm kind of the queen of alley shopping.

I have rescued 23 chairs in total in the last couple of years that I have taken to one of the dog parks that I frequent. One here, two there, three here and there, 12 in one place alone. All of these chairs were great chairs, and only three were technically dining room chairs. Two of those dining room chairs are still great after a couple years. This dog park had about 30 chairs that people had donated over the years, but when the city decided to do some work and put in permanent round tables with benches, they loaded up all of those chairs and took them away. Those benches were placed out in the blazing sun. The sun can be very intense in Colorado and people are always looking for shade. Those chairs get moved around and are used all of the time.

Our dumpsters were replaced with rolling bins a few years ago, and there was lots of discussion about not leaving garbage in the alley. One day someone posted a photo of a French Provincial dresser that someone dumped in their alley. It is a 9 drawer dresser. I drove over and with the help of a couple men who were working in the alley, got it loaded into my car. I got it home, repainted it because it needed to be, and now it is in my entry way, holding things like hats and gloves, keys, etc. It sits against the long side of the winding staircase and is perfect in my Victorian home. BTW, people sell these things for lots of money. They are highly sought after.

 

[OldSchool]

RCA console stereo. You know - large long box with built-in speakers on each side and record player under flip up lid in center. Even had a 8-Track tape player.... whoohooo!

LOL, it worked alright and sounded good. Was on the side of a country road with free sign, a left-over from garage sale that nobody else wanted.

 

[Tirediron]

I (sadly ) helped an old friend who was dying of cancer clean out his equipment yard, I Got a lot of stuff, the piece that has seen the most is a motor generator welder, (I had one,but this one is handier) still sorting through the rest.

 

[Weedygarden]

I (sadly ) helped an old friend who was dying of cancer clean out his equipment yard, I Got a lot of stuff, the piece that has seen the most is a motor generator welder, (I had one,but this one is handier) still sorting through the rest.

Daughter had a long time friend who was moving back home to help his ailing mother. Since he was moving in with her, he only wanted to take essentials that fit in his vehicle. Daughter helped him move stuff and was thrilled to get his nice circular saw, bolt cutters, and more. I'm glad daughter recognizes the value of tools, in spite of some of the things being duplicates of what I already had.

 

[Cabin Fever]

Dumpster dive rescue

 

[Biggkidd]

I paid less than scrap price at $500 for a 1971 Cat D4d that I was able to get running and drive 2 miles down a dirt road home in a few hours. While not free it was still my best value for junk ever gotten.

 

[OldSchool]

I paid less than scrap price at $500 for a 1971 Cat D4d that I was able to get running and drive 2 miles down a dirt road home in a few hours. While not free it was still my best value for junk ever gotten.

hmmm.... I'm not sure what that is exactly. But I've worked on a couple D6 Cats and a D7, early 2000 year era.

 

[Biggkidd]

hmmm.... I'm not sure what that is exactly. But I've worked on a couple D6 Cats and a D7, early 2000 year era.

A slightly smaller version of a D6. 10 ft blade 20000lbs total about 50hp or so

 

[Morgan101]

I don't know how useful they are, but does rescuing 15 dogs count? Every single dog we have had has been a rescue from someplace.

 

[Patchouli]

A daughter-in-law somehow always finds decent pieces of furniture curbside and she pretties up the furniture and uses it. This same son finds abandoned bicycles, broken in some way, and takes them home and either uses them or sells them.
A friend showed on FB a nice piece of furniture they wanted $$$ for it. I did nothing. Some time went by and they put it on fb again. $$. I did nothing. Finally after some months, they listed it again, saying just come and get it. Another friend was going over to pick up one of the other pieces and they brought me the chair and a matching huge hassock. It is wider than an average chair but smaller than a love seat.
Not necessarily answering your question of "most useful," but I like all the answers you're getting! It is fun to find killer bargains. A friend likes to go to auctions and buy boxed items at a set price then resells the old stuff on *etsy.

 

[Frodo]

The big rear wheels off of a discarded lawn mower
I put them on my generator that had little wheels I had to drag it everywhere. Because the wheels were crap
After installing the 12" wheels it rolls across the yard easy

Or the motor out off a washing machine
Toss up between the 2

 

[Frodo]

I don't know how useful they are, but does rescuing 15 dogs count? Every single dog we have had has been a rescue from someplace.

In a huge way
Here is a hug. Hug

 

[Frodo]

You know. I read the question again

Whats the best/ most useful free thing you've rescued?​

My soul

 

[Grimm]

A vintage sewing machine. I drove by it for weeks before I stopped and looked it over. I thought it was just the table but the machine was inside. Took it to be serviced and now it is one of my favorite machines to use.

 

[LadyLocust]

My dining room table and chairs. I hope to replace the chairs at some point, but the table is big, heavy and beautiful. We use it almost daily.

 

[Frodo]

A vintage sewing machine. I drove by it for weeks before I stopped and looked it over. I thought it was just the table but the machine was inside. Took it to be serviced and now it is one of my favorite machines to use.

What kind? An old singer ?

 

[Neb]

Spotted two stand up fans on the curb. Asked at the house if I could have them. Guy said yes and asked I wanted a near new gas stove. He moving to live gis niece and didn't need it. I verified with his niece that he wasn't crazy. Gave him $50.

Ben

 

[Neb]

I am sitting in my favorite chair that was headed to the curb. I had to repair each of the arms but is still my favorite.

Ben

 

[Neb]

Checked a dumpster and saw trophies and 5 bags of Legos. Brought the Legos home and sorted them. Set were Hogwarts, crane, down town architectural etc. Mounted bins on walls of family room and it became " The Lego Lounge".

Ben

 

[Frodo]

Off topic
Of course !!!!
Back waaaaaaay back when I was first on my own. Curb side furniture was like gold to us. 6 concrete blocks an a couple 2x4's. That's an entertainment center. You can store stuff in the holes

 

[TexasCharm]

That would be Livi. Warns us of strangers, protects the chickens, mole killer, bon-fire lover, makes every step I make on the farm, best morning cuddler, alpha girl!!. Best free thing I ever rescued!

 

[Neb]

A company was moving and loading out a bunch of old shelves to a dumpster. Piles of old school angle iron and t-bar stock. I loaded up the pick-up with a big pile of welding fodder.

Ben

 

[Neb]

Off topic
Of course !!!!
Back waaaaaaay back when I was first on my own. Curb side furniture was like gold to us. 6 concrete blocks an a couple 2x4's. That's an entertainment center. You can store stuff in the holes

That is how my family decorated when we kids.

Ben

 

[Weedygarden]

My dining room table and chairs. I hope to replace the chairs at some point, but the table is big, heavy and beautiful. We use it almost daily.

There was a listing for something in an alley with a photo. I wasn’t interested in what was being listed, but in the background I could see a French Provincial dining table. I asked the guy about it. They had used it for years and it wasn’t very stable. I put it in my car, took it home and added a few angle brackets to help stabilize it. I painted it and now it’s in my dining room.

One day, before I had any of my French Provincial furniture, I woke up and was thinking about French Provincial furniture. One of my cousins has an extensive collection that they bought at an estate sale. I realized how it would be perfect for my house. I looked on Craigslist free that morning and someone was giving away a French Provincial 5 drawer high boy. I drove about 15 miles to pick it up. One of the drawers needs a runner replaced or repaired. I’ve used it for my main dresser since I got it home.

One of my neighbors was moving and put a French Provincial chair in the alley. I grabbed it. It is in my bedroom but I thought it would be great for the head of the dining table. I looked online and these old chairs go for $200-$300. Daughter was house sitting in a very nice older home with very nice furniture and they had the exact same chair there.

 

[Neb]

U of Pitt was clearing labs of retired professors. Checked the dumpster regularly. Acquisitions include;

Assorted lab glassware
3-phase 240v generator
Nixie tube digital multimeter
Particle accelerator
...

Ben

 

[Weedygarden]

You know there are people who would never take something from the trash, curb or alley and actually use it. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

 

[TexasCharm]

I just "rescued" some old garden tools from my MIL's shed. Can never have too many garden tools!

 

[Bacpacker]

Job I used to work at got bought out and shut down all but 2 departments. Stock room was first to go. I offered to work over to carry their stuff to the dumpster. I ended up with a well stocked amount of hardware and electronic componenets of all types. I hauled stuff for 3 days