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I Watch The Show American Pickers

I am totally hooked on Mike and Frank. They seem to have carried their friendship into doing a business that they both enjoy.

I caught the picking bug one morning driving down a street and noticed some twind bed head boards out on the street for collection on dump day. I had to stop, and loaded into my SUV, and was able to resell them that saturday at my yard sale.

That was ok but then I began to answer ads for garage sales, and in fact, two other men and myself had a side job emptying out garages and attics and paying a flat rate. So far, so good, not making fantastic money, but I 'm learning and having lots of fun.

The most fun is searching through abandoned houses that I get persmission to through by the owners. There is where you find all kinds of furniture, knick-knacks, old magazines and newspapers, and family photos.

When I find items set out on the street for collections, I often knock and ask if they any other items for free or for sale. They almost alwaya let me in and show me around. I'm getting better at negotiating often do better grouping items for one price - a methhod used by Frank on American Pickers.

In the past year I started having Saturday yard sales in my garage. I post an ad in Craigslist and I usually get 20 to 30 people show up.

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lasergraph · 70-79, M

They are pretty nuts over signs and old bikes and cars. I see some historical things I recognize once in a while.

Midnightblu · 51-55, F

@lasergraph Usually signs for restaurants, old west themes, oil signs from variuos eras .... can't get dialed in on those, just don't see enought of them ...

Mike and Frank are mototcycle guys, know all the Harley and Indian modles, or can spot parts like fuel tanks, fenders, transmissions, or wheels. I love all that stuff, it fascinates me the history that is behind it.

The occasionally will buy a car, I think Frank got burned on purschase he made, better to turn them over to other to other like Wayne Carini does on Chasing Classic Cars on Velocity Channel.

I sold a table this week that was a classic 50s kitchen table with with formica top in good shape (icky green mottled color though) with aluminum banding, double chrome legs.

I was able to buff up the top, steel wool the bands and take mild rust off the legs. I was lacking the plastic piees that held the bottom of the pairs of tube at the bottom of legs and made some clamps much like you see inside electrical boxes to clamp down wires.

I put it up on Craigslist and I barraged with emails. So, I cleaned up the chairs the best I could, but they needed to be re-upholstered. None the less, worked out a price and everyone was happy.

lasergraph · 70-79, M

@Midnightblu OMG, I know just the table you mean. My parents still have one, they have had it probably at least 50 years. Same green. My mom had recovered the vinyl cover chairs a couple of times. Those were big in the late 50s. The legs were chrome plated, I think my folk's table is pretty tarnished now.

Midnightblu · 51-55, F

@lasergraph OMG is right, it sounds exactly the same .. I sold my table and chairs for $175 dollars and would have fetched more If I had time to replace the cushions. A man down said you can make platform that you can remove and replace with time. I must have had about 40 responses in two hours.

PBS did a show following the latest series of the Midwives Tales or what ever it is called. They go to great pains imiate ther various living spaces in 50s decor.

It was also the age where electrical appliances were being introduced, many were dangerous and caused fire and electocution.

lasergraph · 70-79, M

@Midnightblu Those tables were pretty common then, you didn't see much in the way of long wooden tables, they were too expensive. Naugahyde couches were common too. I don't know what a Naugha is but his hide is strange.

Midnightblu · 51-55, F

@lasergraph
Naugahyde: "an artificial material designed to resemble leather, made from fabric coated with rubber or vinyl resin."

Did you mean long traditional wooden diing tables?

Another thing, places like Goodwill or Salvation army won't accept stuffed furniture due dust, dirt, and mold in the fibre. Solid wood furniture sells well, even one that needs work sells as a fairly easy refurbishing job.