Hi all,
I am sitting in my living room after another Garage Sale day. I found a really good bargain today. I bought three old 35-mm cameras for a buck apiece.
Why buy an old film camera, you might ask, well, these were the last of the really fancy point and shoot cameras. They have motors, computer controlled focusing, LCD screens, laser diodes, IR detectors, flash unit, etc. One of them even has an RF remote control unit. The parts alone are worth more than I paid for them.
My plan, I need some sensors that I can set up on tripods. Each camera body has one. They also have a place to mount batteries. And did I mention most of them have macro lenses so I can adapt a web cam into a micro-photography rig? You have to expand your mind and see the possibilities.
I find items like these all the time. My best finds are old R/C vehicles where the controller has been lost and they eat batteries, etc.
Why buy them, well for a buck, I get an R/C reciever, a good DC motor and usually a servo unit with all of the drive hardware.
If you are into making mechatronic gadgets or robots, they are a veritable feast of potential.
Other good finds are old scanners, printers, PC's, VCR's, DVD players, stereo equipment, even old cell phones.
Last week I picked up a top end LP turn table. These things are rare as hens teeth and this one was in excellent condition. Yes some of us still listen to old LP's.
Another big find was an old 8-mm film splicer. I have been thinking for a couple of years on how to take my old 8-mm movies and digitize them. The splicer gives me the reel holders, a good light source and a nice area where I can set up a web-cam to import the film into a computer frame by frame. Once I get it set up with one of the DC motors I rescued from a garage sale, I will have a fully automated film scanner. Well with some other work.
So if you have a tight budget and love to tinker like I do, hit the garage sales, you never know what you can find and you will also find things you didn't know you needed. Plus you can get some of these things dirt cheap. 
That and I can get used clothing for nearly nothing. My wife found me brand new, never before worn Wrangler Jeans for five bucks each. They retail at about 30 USD in the store.
So go out and see what your neighbors consider worthless. You only buy what you want or need and you can meet some really interesting people in the process.
Well, time to go play with my new toys.
Have fun and stay safe,
DAB