On the hunt for Vintage Electronics

Ohiogoldfever · Dec 23, 2020

Howdy!

I have been filling some of my off season prospecting time by recycling electronics. I have always loved seeing how something works plus I get to take them apart without having to put them back together!

Anyone have any suggestions for places I can find old computers, testing equipment, cnc controllers, or just about anything with circuit boards.

I’m in the Dayton Ohio area.

Paulo · Dec 24, 2020

Well, honestly, I've acquired most of my 'e-treasures' via work e-waste or cList. However, there's a lot of mid 80s and early 90s test equipment on eBay for pretty cheap. Like big ol' rackmount network testers and crap like that. Tons of boards inside, lots of wire-rap and tantalum caps, etc.

Sometimes, you can find local sellers via eBay that deal in technical surplus and hit them up for their junk they can't sell. Worth a shot.

Just stay vigilant with the free section on CL, eventually some retired engineer will be clearing out his garage (or the widow of one). I've actually experienced both and it was pretty awesome. My Wife will vehemently disagree but that just makes it all the more fun. ;P

bradyboy · Dec 25, 2020

are you extracting gold from the boards?

Ohiogoldfever · Dec 25, 2020

Paulo said:
Well, honestly, I've acquired most of my 'e-treasures' via work e-waste or cList. However, there's a lot of mid 80s and early 90s test equipment on eBay for pretty cheap. Like big ol' rackmount network testers and crap like that. Tons of boards inside, lots of wire-rap and tantalum caps, etc.

Sometimes, you can find local sellers via eBay that deal in technical surplus and hit them up for their junk they can't sell. Worth a shot.

Just stay vigilant with the free section on CL, eventually some retired engineer will be clearing out his garage (or the widow of one). I've actually experienced both and it was pretty awesome. My Wife will vehemently disagree but that just makes it all the more fun. ;P

Thanks for the reply. I have been watching CL with decent results. I’ll stay diligent and hope for the right opportunity to come along. Got the fever baaaad. I was in the creeks at 5 am before work until it got cold. Now I’m standing in my garage thrashing computers. Lol

Thanks again! Marry Christmas!

Ohiogoldfever · Dec 25, 2020

Yes. More accurately the parts. There’s gold in/on them boards.

boogeyman · Dec 25, 2020

Sounds like you're searching CL. Run ads in the general, electronics, and antique sections & let em cook. You'll be surprised. Run an ad in the services section that you'll pick up old "e-waste" for free. Be careful here! You'll probably end up with more than you can handle. Keep updating your ads so they get bumped up to the top.
Have you looked at remodeling / demo companies & contractors? You're making life easier for them by relieving them of electronics they can't just dump at the land fill.

ticndig · Dec 25, 2020

I was once at a county auction where they had near 100 desk top pc , fax machines and and such equipment found in schools all out dated and sat in the rain the night before the auction , it sold for the first bid of $2 for all of it.

crashbandicoot · Dec 25, 2020

Do a little dumpster diving or if you know someone who works in a school tech lab make friends with them.Schools are always getting rid of old computer gear and they often will give it to you just to get rid of it.My daughter does this and you can get quite a a haul sometimes even in a small school district.It,s legal too,and free!

fistfulladirt · Dec 26, 2020

crashbandicoot said:
Do a little dumpster diving or if you know someone who works in a school tech lab make friends with them.Schools are always getting rid of old computer gear and they often will give it to you just to get rid of it.My daughter does this and you can get quite a a haul sometimes even in a small school district.It,s legal too,and free!

Be careful when dumpsters diving, you can go to jail.

Ohiogoldfever · Dec 26, 2020

boogeyman said:
Sounds like you're searching CL. Run ads in the general, electronics, and antique sections & let em cook. You'll be surprised. Run an ad in the services section that you'll pick up old "e-waste" for free. Be careful here! You'll probably end up with more than you can handle. Keep updating your ads so they get bumped up to the top.
Have you looked at remodeling / demo companies & contractors? You're making life easier for them by relieving them of electronics they can't just dump at the land fill.

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve got a couple adds up and it’s produced a little bit. I have thought about contacting a few hauling company’s. I’ll have to get on that.

Ohiogoldfever · Dec 26, 2020

crashbandicoot said:
Do a little dumpster diving or if you know someone who works in a school tech lab make friends with them.Schools are always getting rid of old computer gear and they often will give it to you just to get rid of it.My daughter does this and you can get quite a a haul sometimes even in a small school district.It,s legal too,and free!

I’ve been meaning to do some asking around so I can get in contact with some school techs. A few collages within 5 miles of the house. Could prove to be promising.

Duckshot · Dec 26, 2020

Ohiogoldfever said:
Yes. More accurately the parts. There’s gold in/on them boards.

I don't see any gold in the photo you posted. Possibly some in the chips but they look like EPROMS(sp?) which generally contain no gold. Only one way to find out...

I think I see a mess of silver in that board though. Most likely silver bearing solder on the back of it too. What did you pull that board from?

boogeyman · Dec 26, 2020

Ohiogoldfever said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve got a couple adds up and it’s produced a little bit. I have thought about contacting a few hauling company’s. I’ll have to get on that.

Honestly you're getting going at a good time! Good time to cruise your neighborhood and especially apartment complexes on trash day. Everyone will be throwing out their old stuff after they set up their new Christmas stuff. As somebody mentioned above if you're dumpster diving you're on private property. Take a few minutes, go ask the store manager for permission. What's to lose? Worst is he can say is no.
Keep us updated!

Al D · Dec 26, 2020

Back when I was between lives, I was living in my truck and had all of my possessions in a storage facility, I would regularly scan those dumpsters at the end of the month and find a lot of good stuff which I later sold at the weekend swap meet. I made a meager living doing that, also..........many of the electronic instruments contain a lot of scrap gold.......

Ohiogoldfever · Dec 27, 2020

Duckshot said:
I don't see any gold in the photo you posted. Possibly some in the chips but they look like EPROMS(sp?) which generally contain no gold. Only one way to find out...

I think I see a mess of silver in that board though. Most likely silver bearing solder on the back of it too. What did you pull that board from?

That’s just a board I had a picture of. Not much on that one. It came from a old CNC controller. It’s loaded. 1.5 lbs of fingers, 500-600 grams of pins. Hundreds of IC that have gold solder on the dies, lots of gold legged transistors etc.

Ohiogoldfever · Dec 27, 2020

boogeyman said:
Honestly you're getting going at a good time! Good time to cruise your neighborhood and especially apartment complexes on trash day. Everyone will be throwing out their old stuff after they set up their new Christmas stuff. As somebody mentioned above if you're dumpster diving you're on private property. Take a few minutes, go ask the store manager for permission. What's to lose? Worst is he can say is no.
Keep us updated!

I agree completely. I’ve owned my business for years. Had many scrappers in my dumpster. I’m always happy to see them get what they can as long as they don’t make a mess.

Ohiogoldfever · Dec 27, 2020

alan m said:
Back when I was between lives, I was living in my truck and had all of my possessions in a storage facility, I would regularly scan those dumpsters at the end of the month and find a lot of good stuff which I later sold at the weekend swap meet. I made a meager living doing that, also..........many of the electronic instruments contain a lot of scrap gold.......

Yes sir. Older electronic testing instruments are a great place to look. Trouble I’m having is finding them. Lol

fistfulladirt · Dec 27, 2020

Ohiogoldfever said:
I agree completely. I’ve owned my business for years. Had many scrappers in my dumpster. I’m always happy to see them get what they can as long as they don’t make a mess.

Or get hurt, and you lose everything. Yep, Debbie downer, but that’s the way it is today.

PetesPockets55 · Dec 27, 2020

Some town dumps have free swap shops to free up space in their landfill.

Maybe check out smaller surrounding communities and see if anything is available to non-town folks?

crashbandicoot · Dec 28, 2020

fistfulladirt said:
Or get hurt, and you lose everything. Yep, Debbie downer, but that’s the way it is today.

I live in a very small town and don,t actually go in the dumpsters,I keep a pole with a hook on the end in my truck and snag what ever is handy with it.The police are most likely to ask if I got anything.Like I said it,s a small town ,I,ve lived here all my life and I,m known by just about every one.By all means know your local laws and ask permission,I assumed that when I suggested looking in dumpsters.