Creepiest, Coolest Clean Out Yet

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09-01-2015, 07:16 AM
AdmiralAluminum

Creepiest, Coolest Clean Out Yet

I got a call yesterday from a guy who was moving off a big old farm property and had some odds and ends left from cleaning out the barn. He told me there was a pile of stuff including a paint mixer and some neon lights. He also mentioned that he only owned the property until midnight and that I could look around the barn and have whatever I wanted from inside.

Fast forward to just after dinner time last night and I'm up at the property, the guy comes out of the house, starts with "it's just you?" which always makes me a little worried, then "help yourself". Okay, I go down and see the mixer and some other random stuff, go in the barn and find a dozen ballasts and some transformers. While I'm looking around, and it was still daylight, I can't even see into vast corners of this 4 story barn (the creepy part, would have been a great set for a horror movie) I go from floor to floor, every time I clear a level I find a set of rickety stairs going up. The barn had incandescent lights strung up all through it, all connected with...duh da da duh, house wire! Got the okay and started clipping everything I could reach! I think I left with about 50+ lbs!

I spent over an hour walking through the old structure picking at black and white stretches of wire. It was a shame I didn't get more notice than before midnight because there were still ballasts mounted and a lot of wire I just didn't have time to get at. Oh well, better than just a paint mixer and some metal!
09-01-2015, 08:18 AM
SuperDave

Ballasts and transformers are great! Hope you got those too. NICE SCORE

Was it word of mouth or did you know this person?
09-01-2015, 08:29 AM
AdmiralAluminum

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperDave

Ballasts and transformers are great! Hope you got those too. NICE SCORE

Was it word of mouth or did you know this person?

Online ad. I get a reference here and there but most of my pick ups are from my classified ad. I just took apart the transformer boxes on my break and 2 of them have to weigh at least 20+ lbs. I'll know for sure after lunch when I turn them in. Wish I had the time/tools to take the apart. Did that once and even though these are so big, I won't do it again. Ballasts are unfortunately small but there are 2 in each fixture. I will hopefully get to those tonight but I'm not looking forward to delicately handling all the bulbs.
09-01-2015, 10:55 AM
AdmiralAluminum

65 lbs transformers @ .25/lb = 16.25. Plus the paint mixer weighed about 200 lbs. I forgot to mention (actually forgot about until at the yard) the marine battery, 40+ lbs for another 11.00.
09-01-2015, 11:12 AM
hobo finds

Can you contact the current owner and see if they want anything removed?
09-01-2015, 01:21 PM
AdmiralAluminum

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobo finds

Can you contact the current owner and see if they want anything removed?

I suppose I could just drive back up there but there wasn't that much left and there would be a lot of labour involved. What I meant when I said I wish I had more notice was if I had brought help or even had another evening to go through it I might have gotten a second load. Good suggestion and thank you anyway hobo.
09-02-2015, 06:24 AM
AdmiralAluminum

Safety Side Note: Whenever you are cutting out wiring, make sure YOU are the one that disconnects the power! After I asked about the wire, I asked if there was power, "No it's all shut off". So in the first section of the barn I start merrily cutting away and have no problem. In the second and third sections I had a wire in each spark when I cut it. Thank goodness for insulated gloves and handles! It actually melted a divot into my wire cutters! Also, even though your wearing gloves, doesn't mean you can't hurt your hand. Because of the humidity I got a dime sized blister on the bottom of my middle finger from cutting so many times.
09-02-2015, 11:52 AM
NHscrapman

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdmiralAluminum

Safety Side Note: Whenever you are cutting out wiring, make sure YOU are the one that disconnects the power! After I asked about the wire, I asked if there was power, "No it's all shut off". So in the first section of the barn I start merrily cutting away and have no problem. In the second and third sections I had a wire in each spark when I cut it. Thank goodness for insulated gloves and handles! It actually melted a divot into my wire cutters! Also, even though your wearing gloves, doesn't mean you can't hurt your hand. Because of the humidity I got a dime sized blister on the bottom of my middle finger from cutting so many times.

we jokingly call those apprentice cutters. :)
but getting juiced is no joke..
a simple tool you should pick up is voltage detector.. if you put it anywhere near a current it will sound an alarm...
like 10 -12 bucks for a cheapo.. worth every penny.
been through a few old houses that were going to be demo'd and one in particular the power from the pole was cut already...but the house still had a live circuit. Found out the same way you did.. you never know, but it's certainly good for your health to double check.