Without fail, I find the strangest items in the desk I am assigned after starting a new job. It often gives strange insight into who sat at the desk before you. And often produce treasures to us engineers. Let me share a few instances.
Top left hand drawer, in the back, under the stapler refills I found the book, “The Art of Seduction: an indispensable primer on how to take what you want from whomever you want” by Robert Greene. Now I am not sure if this book is in relation to the various secretaries in proximity to the desk or the empty corner office once held by some manager in the past. I can’t help but wonder if this person did get want he or she wanted.
Top right hand drawer, amidst a pile of pens and pencils, I found several pure carbide endmills. For those who do not know, these tools cost around $50 to $150 US Dollars each. Being an avid machinist, I naturally asked if they wanted to use the endmills, they said no. I was happy to take them.
File drawer, bottom right, two large glass capacitive touch panels and related development board. What is odd about these was the fact that no project in the company would ever use them. Management gave them to me since no one knew where they came from.
Left hand side, middle drawer, two very old microwave burritos expiration dates 03/1998 and 04/1998, but it was 2007. Old food is a very common find, a very disgusting find usually. I have found old fast food permanently welded to the bottoms of draws plenty of times. In most cases after finding such a prize, I would just tape the drawer shut exclaiming “that drawer is dead to me,” and never again open it.
The center flat, hit you in the knees, drawer, always packed with small change. All of which, inevitably, make it to the company vending machines. The most money I ever found in a desk was $20 USD.
Finally, my favorite find of all, in the bottom left hand drawer, a slew of PIC microcontrollerPIC microcontroller, ZigbeeZigbee, and ARMARM development boards. All of which were given to me by the company, since they had no use for them. It is shocking how much expensive and valuable equipment companies’ throw out. Luckily for people like us, we know what it really is worth. I once, picked from the garbage, 3 Detronics Flame Detectors, later sold on Ebay for $2K a piece.
What are some of the most interesting finds you ever made in a desk?
Cabe
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