Free tools you've been given or found

[Shran]

I have found a handful of Mac/Snap-on/Matco tools on the interstate off ramp down the street from my office. Last one was a short Mac pry bar. There are a bunch of truck & tire shops on the same street so I am assuming a mechanic left them on a bumper or something and they fell off. Also found a Milwaukee M12 hammer drill on the side of the road too - it's a little bunged up but works fine.

I am always finding stuff on the side of the road. Some people are really good at that...some are not... scavenger skills as my dad calls it.

 

[oldgeek]

A cast iron cobbler's shoe stand...

 

[Gunfighter97]

I've been very blessed to be given several great old machine tools. The most recent is this Covel-Excel powered hack saw, pics pre and post cleaning, original paint:

Going to spruce it up with a little bit taller stand, and an adjustable stock support for long work.
The crown jewel is my K&T 2H MFG milling machine, given to me by my shop mentor. It's not running quite yet but its gorgeous and maticulously maintained. Formerly used by RCBS up untill about 20 years back most likely to make parts of their reloading presses, as this mills main job is to auto cyle back and forth.

The best tool I've ever found was a brand new Leupold range finder. It was laying on an offroading trail durring hunting season in the camo case, lanyard still twist tied in a bundle, battery still in the plastic wrapper in the side pocket. We asked everybody we saw if they had lost equipment. Nobody. Called up Leupold and got the store it went to, nobody registered it for warranty. Called the store up, nothing. I felt bad for the previous owner on that one. . . I find a lot of random stuff when I hunt. I found an $80 pair of insulated snow gloves, a brand new unsharpened hatchet, case of storm matches, and a brand new alarm clock all in one hunting season.